Macado’s owner renovating restaurants

The owner of Macado’s restaurants is investing hundreds of thousands of dollars to freshen up the look of two restaurants in the region.

The downtown Roanoke location, on Church Avenue, will take on a more spacious look, owner Richard Macher said.

“People want more open seating, to be seen,” he said. “They want to drive by and be able to see in the restaurant.”

He plans to knock down a wall in the entrance to open up the restaurant. Macher said he is also having new lights hung.

Diners also will notice new decor. The restaurant will retain its signature statues and figurines hanging from the walls and ceilings. The wall pictures, however, will change. Macher is having historic photos of Roanoke framed and hung in place of the existing pictures.

The most noticeable change from the outside will be the facade of Cuba Pete’s, the bar inside Macado’s. Macher is removing the fake palm trees, and the glass sliding doors that lead to the patio will be replaced with a garage door. The patio is currently a step lower than the rest of the bar, but after renovations it will be at the same level. The patio tables will be replaced with large community tables.

Macher estimates work to the Roanoke restaurant to cost about $50,000.

The Radford restaurant on East Main Street will see a total renovation.

Plans call for a new entrance, the elimination of platforms to make most of the restaurant one level, an expanded kitchen, the addition of outdoor seating in front of the building and a stone exterior.

The bar will also have a new look. Macher is adding windows to the bar and increasing the number of taps from six to 24 so the restaurant can offer more craft and local beer. Macher estimates those renovations will cost about $300,000.

Work at the Radford restaurant is scheduled to begin within the next two months, Macher said. The work will be done in sections so the restaurant can remain open.

The Blacksburg location on University City Boulevard just underwent work to remove a wall and make the entrance more spacious. The same was done at the Salem restaurant a few years ago, Macher said.

Macado’s, based in Roanoke, has 18 restaurants in Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina, and is growing. A Harrisonburg Macado’s is set to open in September. In October, work will start on the chain’s 20th location, in Kingsport, Tenn., where Macher is renovating an old Woolworths building. That restaurant is expected to open in February. Macher also plans to open a restaurant in Staunton, at its historic downtown train station. That restaurant is expected to open late next year.

Davidson’s, Peter Millar team up

A popular line of clothing will get its own shop inside Davidson’s Clothing for Men at the Grand Pavilion.

The clothing line, Peter Millar, will be featured in the front of the store on customized displays, said store owner Larry Davidson.

Davidson described the line as “mid-Atlantic Southern traditional” with a few twists. The brand includes a broad selection of clothing and accessories including button-downs, sweaters, suits, swimming shorts, luggage, belts and shoes. The brand also offers luxury and performance golf attire.

Davidson said Peter Millar has been a strong seller at his stores because of its style, price point and colors.

Davidson is dedicating about 300 square feet of the store to the brand, which will feature displays made of cerused American oak and hand-worked nickel. The store will be set apart not only by the displays but also by the sisal flooring.

The shop is known as a Peter Millar Crown Shop after the company’s crown logo. Davidson’s will carry an expanded collection of Peter Millar merchandise in the shop.

The Davidson’s shop will be the 10th such shop in the country.

Davidson’s is holding a grand opening event Sept. 5 that includes discounts on Peter Millar merchandise. A portion of the proceeds will benefit United Way.

Peter Millar was established in 2001 in Raleigh, N.C. Founder Chris Knott cho se the company’s name from a name inscribed on an antique lawn bowling ball given to him by his mother, according to the company’s website. Knott felt the name and antique bowling ball represented an era when people were passionate about looking good. The company is owned by Richemont SA, a Swiss-based luxury goods company that also owns Cartier, among other brands.

The brand is sold at high-end department stores such as Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus as well as hundreds of specialty shops and resorts. Peter Millar has three stand-alone shops, in Florida, New York and Switzerland.

Sun Medical diversifying

A Roanoke company that has traditionally supplied home medical equipment is venturing into the business of exercise equipment.

Sun Medical, located on Murray Road just off Brandon Avenue, opened in 1995 selling stair lifts, modular ramps, vehicle lifts, respiratory products, bath and safety equipment, wheelchairs and more.

Now, the store also carries exercise equipment for residential and commercial use, said Caitlin Cheatham, whose parents own the business.

Cheatham recently moved back to Roanoke from Ohio, where her husband’s family owns a store that sells exercise equipment. When Cheatham began working at her parents’ business, she came up with the idea to also offer equipment that would keep Sun Medical’s customers healthy.

The move will help diversify the business, which has had to adapt with changes to Medicare, Cheatham said.

The store now carries treadmills, upright bicycles, Jacob’s ladders and strength equipment such as plates, kettle bells and power bands.

Sun Medical will continue to carry medical supplies, Cheatham said.

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