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

DATE: THURSDAY, March 19, 1992                   TAG: 9203190399
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LYNN A. COYLE SOUTH CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

DOWNTOWN DELIVERY MAN IS FLEET OF FOOT

Since Roy Poff started his small business three years ago, he's spent $986 for printing and advertising, $100 for a voice-activated beeper plus $15 a month for the service charge, and about $600 for new sneakers.

"About every three months they get a hole in them," said Poff, who prefers Reeboks because "they're thicker on the bottom for some reason."

Poff, 26, needed a way to supplement his Social Security disability income, so he followed in his mother's footsteps and started a delivery service, Ankle Express.

But unlike his mother's, Ankle Express is limited to downtown Roanoke - and delivery is on foot.

Poff's mother, Raimey Grim, delivers by car in Roanoke, Salem and Vinton. Poff rode with her first to learn the ropes, then struck out on his own.

Now mother and son are friendly competitors. She helped him land his first account - the law office of Bounds & Dorsey. And he's helping her while she's recuperating from an auto accident.

Poff, who lost sight in his left eye and suffered nerve damage in his right arm in separate accidents, says he walks about 15 to 20 miles a day. Since starting the business, he's had to cut down on his smoking and has lost 12 pounds.

Poff charges a flat fee of $5 per delivery and averages 12 deliveries a week. This is the first year he's made a profit.

Calls pick up when he distributes his fliers, but he's not satisfied earning only $60 a week. He's trying to increase business by approaching owners directly instead of taking "no" from a secretary.

But secretaries love it when they find out he'll lug their 10-pound postage meters to the post office and return them, refilled and about five pounds heavier. When he sees someone struggling with a postage meter, he often slips a flier into his free hand.

Mike Trussell, a vice president at Dominion Bank, has used Poff's service to send typed copy to a design company. "It's fast, it's efficient, and it's very cost-effective. It's not a long distance to the design company. However, for me to leave the office would take about 30 to 45 minutes," Trussell said. "And they are very, very prompt."

by CNB