Jenny Kincaid Boone covers retail and real estate.

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Jenny Kincaid Boone

Retail Roundup columns

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The thrifty shopping wave continues.

Daleville is the next stop for a nonprofit retail company that already has a significant presence in the Roanoke Valley.

A new Goodwill store will open inside a building planned for a site adjacent to Botetourt Commons, a retail center on U.S. 220.

The national recession has created a strong market for retailers, such as Goodwill Industries of the Valleys, that stock low-cost finds for used clothing, furniture, toys and more. This environment has helped Goodwill's retail business thrive, while sales have been down for many other retail businesses. Still, many of its goals for expanding its store base were set in place long ago.

Retail sales for the Roanoke-based Goodwill were $24.3 million in fiscal 2009, up 7.8 percent from last year, said spokeswoman Kelly Sandridge. The total number of Goodwill donors increased slightly from last year, though the volume of donations is down, Sandridge said.

Goodwill has 29 stores across a 31-county territory, and it opened its sixth Roanoke Valley store last week on Orange Avenue. Once the company reaches 35 stores, it likely will slow down on expansions, Sandridge said.

In Daleville, Goodwill will take up 11,000 square feet, anchoring the new 15,000-square-foot retail strip center. That leaves 4,000 square feet for additional stores and restaurants, said Steve Strauss, co-owner of Structures Design/Build. The company is developing the new center.

No other retailers have been chosen yet for this building. Strauss said it could hold up to three new businesses.

Goodwill's success with a single donation center at Botetourt Commons led to the development of a new retail building, Strauss said. The donation center was one of Goodwill's highest in volume throughout the area.

Goodwill is targeting a March or April opening for the new location, but that time frame could change, depending on progress at the site, Sandridge said.

Restaurant to expand

A downtown Roanoke restaurant is bursting at the seams.

Construction has started at the Judges Chambers on First Street to add 26 seats and an additional dining room to the right of the restaurant.

This next-door expansion, creating a total of 45 seats, will serve the eatery's growing dining crowds, particularly at lunch, said owner Waqar Malik.

The changes will bring a salad station and wait-staff service for all of the tables, to increase efficiency. Before the expansion, patrons ordered food at a front counter before being seated.

Malik also will create two semiprivate areas, with partitions, for patrons wanting to have business meetings and other events.

The Judge Chambers also serves breakfast. It opened last year at 304 First St. S.W.

Retailer changes focus

Competition from large home improvement chains has turned a local lawn and garden equipment retailer's focus away from the showroom. It's new focus is selling tractor parts and doing repairs.

The 30-year-old Valley Power Products relocated to 2550 Johnson Ave. N.W. in Roanoke earlier this month, from its former spot on Aerial Way Drive. With the move, the company no longer sells certain brands of lawn and garden equipment, including Cub Cadet, Snapper and Husqvarna.

The new location doesn't have a showroom because competition from other home improvement stores, such as Lowe's and Home Depot, has stifled business and profits for Valley Power Products, said President Bill Rodgers.

Instead, the company is concentrating on sales of new and used parts for Satoh and Mitsubishi tractors and manufacturing some parts. Valley Power Products also repairs customers' equipment by appointment.

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