Sunday, November 09, 2008
Businesses proceed to expand
Jenny Kincaid Boone
Jenny reports on the latest news on the Roanoke Valley retail industry.
Recent stories
From food and smoothies to seasonal decor, some Roanoke Valley-based retailers are bucking national economic trends.
They have spread their wings to new locations in the region, and the owners say they're confident in growth, even during slow times.
That includes a well-known restaurant chain, Famous Anthony's. The eatery opened its doors at a new location in Forest last week. It targeted Forest, in eastern Bedford County near Lynchburg, because of the area's swift population growth, said Tony Triplette, the founder and chief executive officer of Famous Anthony's. The chain already has a Lynchburg eatery on Wards Road.
Famous Anthony's is a moderately priced chain serving a simple menu that includes sandwiches, salads and hamburgers.
This 5,200-square-foot restaurant at 2631 Lakeside Drive in Forest isn't the largest of all Famous Anthony's locations, but it will house the most patrons. The eatery has 168 seats inside and can seat 32 in its outdoor area.
Famous Anthony's has seven restaurants in the Roanoke Valley and two in the New River Valley, and it may add others in the future. Triplette said the chain is eyeing another Lynchburg area location. It's also considering a future restaurant spot in Harrisonburg.
Though the restaurant chain has noticed some impact from customers who are slicing their discretionary spending dollars, the company still needs to expand, Triplette said.
"When you get to be our size, you have to continue to build," he said. "People are going to always eat."
Meanwhile, in Blacksburg, the economic climate has made it easier for a seasonal home decor and gift store to expand its presence. Steger Creek opened a new store at the First & Main retail center last weekend. Owner Michael Pace said the current economy and developers' needs to fill up retail centers allowed him to negotiate a good deal on rent.
Steger Creek has a store in Roanoke County (formerly named Salem Creek) and one in Forest. Pace said the time was right to stretch to Blacksburg. The retailer has regular customers who live in the New River Valley, and the developer of First & Main sought out Pace's store.
Pace said the developer wanted a "regional retailer" to land at First & Main, which houses a slew of newly opened national retailers, including Coldwater Creek, Books-A-Million and Talbots. At 3,500 square feet, the new Steger Creek is smaller than the retailers' other stores.
Elderberry's is another Roanoke Valley retailer that will take a space at First & Main. This shop, open since 2001, sells smoothies, wraps and sandwiches at its location in Southwest Roanoke County at West Village. Diane Elder, an owner of Elderberry's, said the new Blacksburg location has been in the works for two years, long before the economy took a turn for the worse.
Elder, her husband and her sister and brother-in-law, all owners of the Blacksburg shop, targeted the New River Valley largely because three of them are Virginia Tech graduates.
The goal is to debut in Blacksburg on Thursday , Elder said.
GEMS for the holidays
Think "experience gifting" this holiday season.
The Arts Council of the Blue Ridge is encouraging consumers to give experience gifts this year, and it has launched a Web site to suggest ideas.
These kinds of gifts, such as discounted tickets to Opera Roanoke performances or painting classes by a local artist, are what the council considers eco-friendly avenues to gift-giving, said Laura Rawlings, executive director of the council. The new initiative is called Virginia GEMS. GEMS stands for "Give Experiences. Minimize Stuff."
"It's is all about supporting our local economy," Rawlings said.
On the Web site, www.myvirginiagems.com, regional businesses and arts and cultural organizations feature their own GEMS for the holidays, from gift certificates to special discounts. The site lists contact information and other specifics about what these groups offer.
The site doesn't only offer gift suggestions for the Christmas holiday. Presents for special occasions and other holidays throughout the year also are featured. For more information, contact Krista Engl at the Arts Council at 224-1203.
OptumHealth plans
If you have a health plan through OptumHealth Allies, you now can receive a discount on memberships at My Gym in Roanoke. Families with OptumHealth plans now can receive discounted initiation and monthly fees at My Gym, a children's fitness center with a location on Franklin Road.
News from the Storefront blog at blogs.roanoke.com/rtblogs/storefront/
- Retailers already are playing holiday songs. What tunes do you like to hear while shopping?
- Amazon.com is offering a solution to wrap rage.
- Dunkin' Donuts franchises want to open more locations in the Roanoke and New River valleys.
