Sunday, July 20, 2008
Discount shop to expand
Jenny Kincaid Boone
Jenny reports on the latest news on the Roanoke Valley retail industry.
Recent stories
As consumers scale back spending nationwide, a local discount retailer is thriving.
Once Upon a Child at Towne Square Shopping Center in Roanoke wants to get bigger.
This store, selling used children's clothing and new equipment, is making plans to expand into a vacant, neighboring space at the retail center. The move will increase its size to 6,400 square feet from 4,800 square feet.
Franchise owner Philip Nowlin, who owns the business with his wife, Sherri, said the space needed an overhaul, and "the business has been doing so well there."
The store sells used children's clothing, from newborn to size 18, at prices that it claims are 40 percent less than traditional retail prices. Also consumers can sell their own items to the store and receive cash on the spot.
The Towne Square store also carries new and used baby and children's equipment, as well as toys.
With the expansion, the Nowlins, who bought the franchise five years ago, will create two dressing rooms and build up the inventory of children's equipment, including strollers and car seats. They'll also remodel the space, with plans to add new counters and carpet. They hope to complete the work by September, Philip Nowlin said.
Once Upon a Child has had a store at Towne Square for 13 years. The retailer has another area location, in Roanoke County, though that store has another franchise owner.
Awful Arthur's
Short term, Awful Arthur's Seafood Co. at Towers Shopping Center wants to make its own beer.
Long term, owner Todd Lancaster may consider selling its signature brew, through a distributor, to restaurants and retailers.
But first things first.
Lancaster is spearheading plans for a brew pub at Awful Arthur's bar and restaurant at Towers in Roanoke. The beer will be brewed inside Awful Arthur's, in an area behind the bar. Beside the restaurant, Lancaster is renovating a space that formerly housed a hair salon, where the beer aging process will take place. Initially, the crafted brew only will be sold at the Towers location.
Lancaster is investing more than $300,000 in the project that he says has been moving up his priority list for the past several years. He wants to give customers the option of sitting down at Awful Arthur's and "getting this crafted beer," he said.
Lancaster, who has hired a brewmaster and an assistant brewmaster, plans to sell six types of beers at a time, with four consistent kinds year-round. He'd like to begin brewing by mid-to-late August.
Awful Arthur's joins several other beer-brewing enterprises that are planned for the Roanoke and the New River valleys in the next year.
Alarm Detection Services
In March, three brothers merged their skills into one company, Alarm Detection Services.
Todd, Jason and Tim Boothe, natives of the Roanoke Valley, own this Vinton-based company selling alarms systems for homes and businesses.
Tim and Jason Boothe both previously were ADT Security dealers, while Todd Boothe operated his own alarm company, according to Frazier Hughes, who is sales and marketing director for Alarm Detection Services. Visit www.alarmdetectionservices.com for more information.
News from the Storefront blog at blogs.roanoke.com/storefront/
Talk about your memories of stores or restaurants from the past.
Coffee shop may pull longer hours at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Find out what tactics grocers may use to entice shoppers to spend.
