Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 7, 1991                   TAG: 9102070180
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

AT&T PLANS TO CLOSE ITS VALLEY VIEW STORE

Faye Johnson, manager of the sales and service center, said Wednesday that the store isn't profitable because of the high cost of union wages and expensive rent at Valley View.

A similar store at Towers Mall closed several years ago. Johnson said the one at Valley View is among only 400 such centers the phone company operates nationwide.

AT&T is negotiating for a lease at another stand-alone building, according to Johnson. She declined to identify the location pending completion of the discussions.

If it obtains the lease, AT&T will reopen May 1 with shorter hours and lower costs. The center has very little night and Sunday business, she said.

In the interim, she said, AT&T will arrange for a hardware store to service its products. She said the agency will be named when a contract is signed. Customers also can arrange for sales or service through the mail by calling 1-800-555-8111. - Staff report