Sunday, September 06, 2009
Chains discovering what's in a name
Jenny Kincaid Boone
Jenny reports on the latest news on the Roanoke Valley retail industry.
Recent stories
August was a big month for store openings, announcements of newcomers to the area's retail mix and changes to retailers' marketing strategies.
On the Storefront blog there has been much discussion about these developments, including whether Walgreens will boost shopper traffic at Ivy Market and what's in store for retailers that shorten their names for the sake of catchier branding.
Check out excerpts below on the latest news posted to the Storefront blog. And follow the conversation at blogs.roanoke.com/rtblogs/storefront/.
The Shack: (Aug. 6)
Does the name "RadioShack" sound outdated to you? This well-known electronics retailer wants to appear more modern.
To draw tech-savvy shoppers and adopt a hip persona, RadioShack is rolling out a new nickname today -- The Shack.
The electronics retail chain won't change the signs outside its stores, but The Shack will show up in its ads and other marketing. Pizza Hut tested a similar shortened name, The Hut, earlier this year.
RadioShack also believes that radio sounds old-fashioned.
But name changes pose some risk to retailers.
Some national chains have tried or considered them, but without much success. Pizza Hut has decided to stick with Pizza Hut, rather than The Hut, and Gatorade's sales have suffered since it switched its branding to "G."
Will Walgreens lift sales at Ukrop's? (Aug. 13)
It's still early to predict if the opening of Walgreens, beside Ukrop's Super Market in Roanoke, will significantly increase traffic at the Ivy Market retail center. The drugstore opened at the Franklin Road center on Aug. 1 after several years of delays.
Ukrop's officials have blamed slow traffic at the grocery store on the undeveloped Ivy Market center.
Developer IMD Investment Group planned for additional retailers to open at Ivy Market, but Bland Painter of IMD has said that because of the poor economy, there are no new stores to announce for the site.
In response to Walgreens opening, I received an e-mail statement from the Roanoke Ukrop's store manager, Jason Woodcock.
"Ukrop's is pleased to welcome Walgreens to Ivy Market," he stated. "We have long advocated for additional retailers at our location as a way to enhance the vitality of our convenient location. With an additional option for consumers, we are now closer to the vision of Ivy Market becoming a true shopping destination."
Shula's namesake expected at opening: (Aug. 20)
We've been waiting a while for a new sports bar and grill concept to finally arrive in Roanoke. Some of you have asked about the status of Shula's 347 Grill at a Roanoke Sheraton hotel.
Here's the latest on the restaurant's plans. A spokesman for the Shula's Steakhouses chain, Bill Herman, told me that the restaurant will open in Roanoke in the first quarter of next year. The opening has been delayed from late this year because of renovations going on at the hotel off Hershberger Road, which was formerly the Roanoke Plaza Hotel.
Herman did not have details to share about what specific construction issues have come up at the site. Renovations have been going on since 2008 at the hotel to change it to the Sheraton brand.
Don Shula, legendary NFL coach, founded the Florida-based Shula's chain. Herman said Shula typically makes appearances at the grand openings of the Shula's eateries, and that he will be at the Roanoke opening.
The official opening date for Shula's 347 Grill hasn't yet been announced.
Smoothies headed for Salem: (Aug. 25)
Local smoothie business Elderberry's said last month that it's expanding into Salem.
A new Elderberry's planned for Main Street will be a mini version of the smoothie and food shop's larger presence in Southwest Roanoke County and Blacksburg.
Diane Elder, co-owner of the business, shared a few more details about the shop's third location.
Elder, her husband, sister and brother-in-law are partners in the new Salem Elderberry's, which will occupy a small space near Mac and Bob's at 304 Main St. The proximity to Roanoke College was one of the draws for the smoothie business. Elder said some Roanoke College students and other Salem residents are regulars at Elderberry's location in Roanoke County, at the West Village retail center.
The Salem Elderberry's will offer a slightly smaller menu of smoothies and food compared with the other two shops. Still, the eatery will sell specialized smoothies that are specific to the Salem area, including a spartanberry smoothie for Salem High School and a maroonberry flavor for Roanoke College.
The new Elderberry's also will have a takeout window and outdoor seats.
The owners are trying to open the new shop by the weekend of Sept. 11. On Sept. 12, a crowd of vendors and shoppers will converge on Salem's Main Street for Olde Salem Days, an annual arts and crafts festival.
Elderberry's hours will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. There's a possibility of expanding the evening hours, but Elder said that's not set in stone.
News on other store openings:
n Sole II Soul, a new downtown Roanoke shoe store, is aiming for a September opening. (Aug. 4)
n Audiotronics opened its second store on Peters Creek Road in Roanoke on Aug. 12. (Aug. 10)
n Bolton's, a discount women's clothing retailer, opened on Aug. 25 at Valley View Mall in the former spot of B. Moss Clothing Co. Also at the mall, Shoe Dept. Encore, a large shoe store, opened on Aug. 14. (Aug. 14)
