Local Business and Economic Development
Its not just about helping people from lower-income backgrounds – often living in public housing – to find jobs. Its about Economic Empowerment, Educational Advancement, Health and Wellness, character and leadership. More on the EnVision Center getting off the ground in Roanoke, from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
Rosie’s Gaming Emporium has big expansion plans in Vinton, as presented to Town Council Tuesday night. Rosie’s plans to almost double the size of their current facility just off Hardy Road – and will increase the number of gaming machines from 150 to 500. A three and a half story parking garage with elevators is planned, along with a stage for live entertainment and a new circular bar. Construction is expected to start in January.
Ernie Dellaverson is the general manager:
Other Vinton news: Vinton Town Council on Tuesday also granted a real estate option to Farmburguesa, which will expand into another building on South Pollard Street that will also allow for exterior seating. New York Pizza will also seek a special use permit to operate an indoor amusement arcade next to its restaurant on Hardy Road.
A downtown Roanoke restaurant that hasn’t been open since the pandemic hit full-swing is closed for good. Blue 5 on the corner of 2nd Street and Kirk Avenue was a soul-food restaurant that featured live music with a focus on Jazz.
The restaurant has not updated this Facebook post from March 19: Due to state and federal mandates in response to the rapid spread of COVID-19, Blue 5 will be closed until further notice. Stay connected by following us on Facebook, and thank you for your continued support!!
Photo: Associated Press
The region’s largest supermarket chain says it is once again setting purchase limits on products like toilet paper, paper towels and disinfecting wipes — two per customer per visit. Kroger says it is in response to a renewed run on such products leaving many shelves at many grocery chains temporarily empty. Food Lion did not immediately respond to our inquiry.
Statement from Allison McGee, Corporate Affairs Manager for Kroger Mid-Atlantic: To ensure all customers have access to what they need, we’ve proactively and temporarily set purchase limits on certain products to two per customer, including bath tissue, paper towels, disinfecting wipes and hand soap. These purchase limits apply in-store as well as to e-commerce orders.
NEW YORK (AP) — Looking for toilet paper? Good luck.
A surge of new coronavirus cases in the U.S. is sending people back to stores to stockpile again, leaving shelves bare and forcing retailers to put limits on purchases.
Walmart said Tuesday it’s having trouble keeping up with demand for cleaning supplies in some stores. Supermarket chains Kroger and Publix are limiting how much toilet paper and paper towels shoppers can buy after demand spiked recently. And Amazon is sold out of most disinfectant wipes and paper towels.
But Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the Consumer Brands Association, formerly the Grocery Manufacturers Association, said he doesn’t expect things to be as bad this go-around since lockdowns are being handled on a regional basis and everyone is better prepared.
“A more informed consumer combined with a more informed manufacturer and a more informed retailer should provide all of us with a greater sense of ease and ensure we can meet this growing demand, “ Freeman said.
The biggest supply issue seems to be paper products: 21% of shelves that stock paper towels and toilet paper are empty, the highest level in at least a month, according to market research company IRI. Cleaning supplies have remained level at 16%. Before the pandemic, 5% to 7% of consumer goods were typically out of stock, IRI said.
Contributing to the problem is the fact that roughly 10% of the workforce at manufacturing plants where the products are made are calling out sick, mainly because they’ve been in contact with others who were tested positive to COVID-19, Freeman said.
Kelly Anderson of Colorado Springs, Colorado, said she needs more supplies now that in-person school in her area was canceled earlier this month and her two children are at home more. She’s noticed others are stocking up, too: Safeway and Walmart were nearly wiped out of bottled water and disinfectant wipes during a recent visit, both of which had been easy to find since the summer.
It’s also been harder to find a time slot to get her groceries delivered. Anderson says she’s had to wait as many as two days instead of same-day delivery. But that’s still not as bad as earlier this year
“March seems like a million years ago, but I do remember freaking out,” she said. “I couldn’t get groceries delivered for a week.”
Walmart said while supplies are stressed in some areas, it thinks it will be able to handle any stockpiling now than earlier this year. Amazon said its working with manufacturers to get items such as disinfecting wipes, paper towels and hand sanitizer in stock.
The Advancement Foundation’s Innovation Mill is now accepting new applications from business startups in potentially high growth industries who need mentoring. The Innovation Mill is a free-of-charge program that’s funded by GO Virginia Region 2. WFIR’s Rachel Meell has the story:
For more information on the Innovation Mill, click here.
Dickens of a Christmas in Downtown Roanoke will be back this year but reimagined with COVID-19 in mind. Instead of just three Friday nights in December with events, everything will be spread out over 25 days starting on November 24th. WFIR’s Rachel Meell explains what to expect:
For the full 25 day schedule, click here.
Roanoke City encourages energy efficiency & clean energy with a special financing program called C-PACE. WFIR’s Rob Ruthenberg has this report.
Photo: VVM Facebook
NEW YORK (AP) — The owner for Valley View and more than 100 other malls for bankruptcy protection Monday, hurt by the coronavirus pandemic that has their tenants to permanently close stores or not pay rent. CBL Properties says its malls will remain open as they go through the bankruptcy process.
Even before the virus, malls have struggled to attract shoppers who are increasingly shopping online or elsewhere. But the pandemic forced many of them to temporarily close for months. Mall tenants, which operators rely on for rent payments, are also stressed. Some are going bankrupt and closing stores, such as department store chain J.C. Penney.
CBL, which operates 107 malls, said more than 30 of its tenants have filed for bankruptcy protection this year and are shutting stores, including woman’s clothing retailer Ascena, which has 100 Ann Taylor, LOFT and other stores in CBL malls. Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, CBL operates malls across the U.S., including EastGate Mall in Cincinnati and West County Center in St. Louis.
CBL Properties News Release: CBL Properties plays a vital role in the communities in which we are located. Our properties are a center of commerce that serve as a large employment base, a valuable community partner, and generate significant taxes that support programs in our communities. I am writing to communicate the important steps we are taking to position CBL for future success.
On August 18th, CBL entered into a restructuring support agreement (“RSA”) with a group representing a majority of our bondholders that will allow us to significantly strengthen our balance sheet and organization. In order to implement this comprehensive restructuring, on November 1st, CBL & Associates Properties, Inc., CBL & Associates Limited Partnership and certain related entities commenced voluntary Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
We are confident that this path will enable us to emerge stronger. We are committed to our mission to serving our community to the best of our abilities for years to come.
A few key points about this news:
- • It’s business as usual at CBL’s properties. All CBL’s properties have reopened in accordance with the latest guidance from state and local governmental orders and will continue to operate as normal. Visitors to our properties will not notice any change in our operations.
- • CBL Properties will be strengthened through this process. CBL will continue to own and operate a portfolio of market-dominant shopping centers with a vision to transform our properties from traditional enclosed malls to suburban town centers. This process will allow us to strengthen our balance sheet and provide even more flexibility to execute on our strategies.
- • CBL will continue to work with our valued service providers, business partners and retailers. CBL has a significant cash position, which along with its net cash flow, provides sufficient liquidity to run our business. We will continue to meet our ongoing financial obligations.
We hope the resources on this page will address any other questions or concerns that you might have.
For over 40 years, we have provided customers with the best in retail, dining, and entertainment. We look forward to serving you for another 40 years. Thank you for your continued support of CBL.
Photo: Ransone’s Drug Facebook
Botetourt County is about to lose its last independent pharmacy. Ransone’s Drug Store in Buchanan County closes today at 5:30 after serving the area since 1937. The closure means Buchanan-area residents will often have to make round trips of 40 miles or more to pick up prescriptions in Daleville or Lexington. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story:
The fountain and grill portions of the business will remain open.