Sunday, January 25, 2009
Panera to open a new store
Jenny Kincaid Boone
Jenny reports on the latest news on the Roanoke Valley retail industry.
Recent stories
The region's fourth Panera Bread will open its doors near Virginia Tech in Blacksburg on Tuesday, putting a target on the area's mega college student population.
But this will be the last new Panera Bread eatery to land in the region for awhile, largely due to the economy's uncertainty, said Rick Postle, owner of Blue Ridge Bread, the franchise group that owns Panera Bread shops in the Roanoke and New River valleys.
"We'll probably just wait...and later reevaluate or reassess development strategy," he said. In 2010 "we'll start to think about other opportunities."
Blue Ridge Bread opened its first Panera Bread in Roanoke County, adjacent to Tanglewood Mall in 2006. Panera Bread restaurants near Valley View Mall in Roanoke and in Christiansburg followed in 2007.
In its first week open, the Tanglewood restaurant's sales volume surpassed all other Panera Bread eateries in the chain, when comparing first week sales. The restaurant still boosts the highest sales of all other Panera Bread eateries in the Roanoke and New River valleys, though it's rivaled by the Christiansburg location when college students frequent it during the school year, Postle said. He would not disclose sales figures.
Blue Ridge Bread plans to explore sites for other Panera restaurants in the region, but those likely will be in the Roanoke Valley. Two eateries in the New River Valley is "appropriate," Postle said.
"Eventually, Roanoke can hold at least one more," he said.
His company has high hopes for the new Blacksburg Panera, which will feature free WiFi Internet access, a fireplace and overstuffed chairs for lounging. This new 5,000-square-foot bakery cafe is at 715 University City Blvd.
Panera Bread restaurants serve baked goods, such as bagels, breads and pastries, along with sandwiches, soups and salads.
With the Blacksburg location, Blue Ridge Bread will own and operate 11 Panera locations. Nationally, Missouri-based Panera Bread owns and franchises 1,250 restaurants.
Goldsmith Jewelers
For the fifth time in its 25-year history, a Roanoke custom jeweler has changed spaces.
Earlier this month, Goldsmith Jewelers moved to a new location on Crystal Spring Avenue in South Roanoke from a spot off Franklin Road in Roanoke. The jewelry store took a spot at 2203 Crystal Spring Ave., formerly a Valley Bank branch.
Since Steve Black opened Goldsmith Jewelers in 1984, he's had a few different retail locations in Roanoke. He would not disclose the reason that he relocated to South Roanoke.
"It's very rare that you have a vacancy in this area," he said. "I was very blessed when I had the opportunity to lease the space."
Black, who also is a watchmaker and a jewelry repairman, largely sells custom-made gold jewelry, though he also has some silver jewelry pieces.
"My forte is sitting down with folks and designing what they want as opposed to selling them something out of a case," Black said.
Pamper Yourself Pretty
Pampering amenities have arrived at a Roanoke County health club, and you do not have to be a member to partake.
Earlier this month, Cherice Webb, owner of Pamper Yourself Pretty, brought her spa services to Gold's Gym, a fitness facility in Southwest Roanoke County.
Inside two rooms in an upstairs area at Gold's, Webb and her staff offer massages, facials, body wraps and other pampering services. By February, they will roll out pedicures and manicures.
Webb began her business in July by bringing spa services to people's homes by appointment. She'll continue that side of the business, which largely involves hosting spa parties. Webb recognized that Gold's, where she's a member, could benefit from having the pampering amenities on site.
At Gold's, the spa services generally are offered from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, by appointment. Evening appointment times are available on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. On Saturdays, the spa is open from 8 a.m. to Noon. It's closed on Sunday.
Customers pay for the services, and Gold's receives a percentage of the sales, Webb said.
Blue Ridge Wholesale
A Botetourt County-based wholesale company has shed one of its popular, name brand merchandise lines.
Blue Ridge Wholesale, which sells clothing and toys on the Internet, has handed over its collection of about 5,000 Coldwater Creek apparel pieces to Early Bird Variety and Gifts, a store on Lee Highway in Daleville.
At Early Bird Variety, housed inside a larger building where Cardinal Pool, Spa & Water also is located, the Coldwater Creek women's collection of winter, spring and summer garments are on sale for half off the original prices.
An injury and other circumstances led Mary Beth Filer, owner of Blue Ridge Wholesale for the past 15 years, to scale back her business and discontinue resales of Coldwater Creek apparel. Her company will continue to sell toys, which includes a selection of Bratz dolls, Thomas the Tank engine items and wooden toys.
For more information about the company, visit www.blueridgewholesale.com.
News from the Storefront blog at blogs.roanoke.com/rtblogs/storefront/
n For the month of January, Ben & Jerry's has renamed its butter pecan flavored ice cream, Yes Pecan, in recognition of Barack Obama's presidency.
n Coupons for Kroger and other retailers increasingly are moving to consumers' cellphones.
n Goody's going-out-of business sale has begun.
