Sunday, February 08, 2009
Kroger Square has new stores
Jenny Kincaid Boone
Jenny reports on the latest news on the Roanoke Valley retail industry.
Recent stories
An assortment of shops and restaurants, including a health club and an Asian eatery, are finding new homes at the Kroger Square at Bonsack. While more are on the way, don't hold your breath for two restaurant chains that were planning locations at this new center off U.S. 460 in Roanoke County. Domino's Pizza and Arby's are no longer coming.
In July Kroger was the first retailer to occupy the center, where it opened its largest Roanoke Valley store.
In the next few months, Subway will relocate to the retail center, and at the same time close its shop on Orange Avenue near Bonsack. Franchise owner Mark Miller recently did not want to state a specific opening date for the new Subway.
Also, plans still are moving along for Valley Bank to build its ninth Roanoke Valley branch in an outparcel at the center. But it's unclear when the branch will open. Ellis Gutshall, president and chief executive officer for the Roanoke bank, said the company is working on some storm water detention and other engineering technicalities before it finds a contractor for the construction. October is the earliest that the branch could open, Gutshall said.
But not all retailers have followed through on their plans. Domino's Pizza isn't coming to Kroger Square, according to Kroger spokesman Carl York. Domino's franchisee Tom Wallace said last year that he wanted to relocate a Domino's restaurant on Orange Avenue in Roanoke to Kroger Square.
It's unclear why the pizza chain won't be opening there. Wallace did not return calls for comment.
And the lone fast food option, Arby's, also will not make an appearance at Kroger Square, York said.
Mark Dunn, a representative with Grant Avenue Development of New York, which owns Arby's eateries in Southwest Virginia, would not comment about the reasons why Arby's isn't coming.
Valley View Mall
Though retail leasing activity has slowed up nationwide, Valley View Mall still is landing new tenants. The Roanoke shopping center is making plans to fill two vacant spaces with a Mexican restaurant and a photo company this year.
This spring, look for Los Dos Amigos, a Mexican eatery, to take a place in Valley View's food court beside Sbarro. Its menu will offer made-to-order tacos, burritos, taco salads, and tortas mexicanas, which are Mexican-style sandwiches. Also, there will be a salsa bar with a variety of different salsas for nacho dipping. Two families own the restaurant, though their names and other details were not disclosed by Valley View management. Los Dos Amigos means "the two friends" in English.
Portrait Innovations is another new business set for Valley View, but it will fill a vacant space adjacent to the mall, as part of the District at Valley View.
Its opening date is planned for this summer, said Ashley Likens, Valley View's marketing director. Based in Charlotte, N.C., Portrait Innovations is a portrait studio that sells various kinds of photo packages.
Visit www.portraitinnovations.com for more information about the company.
Hannabass & Rowe
A collision repair and body business has closed its shop on Salem Avenue in downtown Roanoke to consolidate on Colonial Avenue until its new office building is open.
Hannabass & Rowe moved out of its shop at 419 Salem Ave. S.W. late last month, shifting about 12 employees to the company's other location on Broadway Avenue in Roanoke. Integrated Imaging, a document management and scanning company downtown, has purchased Hannabass & Rowe's former 7,887-square-feet building at the corner of Salem Avenue and Fifth Street. After renovations, Integrated Imaging plans to move into the building this summer, said Chuck Hawthorne, a partner in the company.
Hannabass staff will offer insurance and collision repair and other services from the combined Broadway Avenue location for several months. The company is awaiting completion of its new building off Plantation Road in north Roanoke County.
Richard Doss, shop manager for Hannabass, said the move to this new 7,000-square-foot facility is about four months away.
Golden Moon
There's a new twist to the taste at a restaurant that relocated to Roanoke from its former Southwest Roanoke County digs last month.
In mid-January, Reda Ibrahim, the former owner of Tito's Italian Restaurant on Brambleton Avenue, opened Golden Moon Restaurant on Broadway Avenue, off Colonial Avenue and beside Heavenly Ham. The owner sought a spot for a more intimate dining experience, and a location with one large dining area rather than two rooms, said Donna Ibrahim, who operates the eatery with her husband.
Tito's, open since 2006, closed its doors in December.
The Ibrahims are building a "fresh start," with Golden Moon, Donna Ibrahim said.
Golden Moon serves both Italian and Mediterranean-style foods. Former Tito's regulars might recognize some of the entrees, such as Egyptian bread, cheese knots and stromboli. Some new additions at Golden Moon include shrimp stuffed ravioli and grilled salmon.
News from the Storefront blog at blogs.roanoke.com/rtblogs/storefront/
n Local Roots Cafe in Roanoke reopened last week, with new menu options and more dining space.
n Starbucks plans to close 200 locations in the country this year. There's no word yet on whether Roanoke area and New River Valley Starbucks sites are on the list.
n A Roanoke restaurant delivery service has added new eateries to its menu.
