[September 28, 2008]

Here's what all the chatter's about

(Roanoke Times, The (Roanoke, VA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Sep. 28--The online chatter about local retail happenings continues.

If you haven't caught the Storefront blog on Roanoke.com this month, here is the news and conversation that you have missed.

T-Bone Jacks (Sept. 11)

T-Bone Jacks Steak & Seafood has closed its Salem eatery after only a year in business. This eatery, owned by Salem company Line Management Group, opened in 2007 off Electric Road, at the Ridgewood Farm retail center. A Western Sizzlin restaurant at the same site closed in 2006.

It's still unclear why T-Bone Jacks closed abruptly earlier this month.

Jack Winston of Line Management did not return several calls for comment. MPW Group LLC, a company for which Winston is a principal agent, purchased the site for $1.7 million in 2006, according to real estate records.

Readers have weighed in with ideas why T-Bone Jacks did not survive. Poor service, overpriced entrees and lack of advertising likely are some reasons for its closure, readers said.

A T-Bone Jacks eatery in Waynesboro, also owned by Line Management, remains open.

Line Management has a history in the restaurant business. It used to own some Texas Steakhouse & Saloons in Virginia and West Virginia.

Restaurants per capita (Sept. 12)

Do we have enough restaurants in the Roanoke Valley?

The number of eating establishments in Roanoke, Salem and Roanoke County, per capita, is just behind San Francisco, according to a statistic calculated and published by The Roanoker magazine and lauded by Roanoke's economic development office. The Roanoke Valley's restaurants per capita is 345:1, compared with San Francisco's 284:1.

Many of you agree that there are a large number of area eateries, though some of these establishments serve similar offerings.

Certain kinds of restaurants, such as seafood, are lacking in strong numbers in the Roanoke Valley, some readers said.

What are your pet peeves about retail associates? (Sept. 17)

At some point, we all have become frustrated with store associates, and many of you have been quick to point out your pet peeves.

From not making eye contact and chatting too much with other store clerks to answering the phone while customers are waiting in line and texting on cellphones while helping a customer, the frustrations abound.

Still, there are ways that you can be a better customer, such as being respectful, staying off your cellphone and picking up after yourself.

Local toy & jewelry store closings (Sept. 5, Sept. 8)

A local toy store has shut its doors, while a jewelry retailer's closure looms.

Imagination Station Toy & Furniture Co. closed its Colonial Avenue store in Roanoke earlier this month. Here is the blog post:

Paula Bolte owns this retailer, and she also has a location in Blacksburg. She e-mailed me this statement about the store's closing.

"When we bought Imagination Station in 2006, the previous owners were in the process of closing its doors. We had the intentions of saving what we felt was an important small business and specialty store in Roanoke. We thought our success in the Blacksburg store, which is attributed to our focus on customer service, and the safe and educational toys we promote, would appeal to Roanoke as well. It seems, however, that the economy and large mass market stores have taken our good intentions away."

Bolte said her Roanoke staff have found other jobs, and the Blacksburg store will remain open.

Toy stores have been suffering for several years under pressure from big box retailers that slash prices on must-have toys. Some independent stores, however, sell different kinds of play items that often are not found on Wal-Mart's or Target's aisles.

As for jewelry retail, Whitehall Jewelers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June, and it plans to close its stores, including the one at Valley View Mall in Roanoke.

You've probably seen signs for the store's going-out-of business sale. Liquidation sales have begun at 373 Whitehall locations nationwide.

The sales will last for four and a half months.

For more retail news, join the discussion on the Storefront blog at blogs.roanoke.com/storefront/.

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