Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 24, 1993 TAG: 9304240300
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Three restaurants and a grocery store have plans to open locations on the heavily developed strip called Market Place shopping center, which features Wal-Mart and a new Kmart superstore.
Applebee's Neighborhood Bar & Grill, Taco Bell and Checkers drive-in will join what is fast becoming restaurant row in the New River Valley.
In addition to the restaurants, a Wade's Supermarket is planned for a site next to Kmart.
Paul Shively, president of Tacoma Inc. in Martinsville, said the Christiansburg Taco Bell could be open by the end of July.
"Weather permitting, that's what we are shooting for," he said.
Grading already has been started on the lot on an outparcel of Market Place just in front of Brendle's Inc. Tacoma owns Taco Bell locations in Blacksburg, Roanoke, Salem, Danville and Lynchburg.
Applebee's, which features a variety of entrees from hamburgers to ribs, also will build on an outparcel next to the Monro Muffler & Brake shop that opened earlier this year.
Bill Mosely, retail leasing manager for Market Place, said the new restaurants mean all of the Market Place's retail spaces and outparcels are full.
With the shopping center full, development has started to crop up around the new Kmart location just across the Virginia 114 extension.
Checkers drive-in, featuring burgers and fries, has started grading next to the Super 8 Motel on 460. The fast-food restaurant won't have any indoor seating, but there will be a few outside tables, according to building plans.
Scott Wade, director of operations for Wade's Supermarkets, said the local grocery chain is planning to build a superstore behind Pargo's restaurant next to Kmart.
"That is such a fast-growing area that we think it will be a great location for a store," he said.
Construction on the new store was scheduled to start March 10, but had to be delayed because of bad weather, Wade said.
Preliminary plans call for a 41,000-square-foot grocery store with an 8,400-square-foot store next to it.
Wade said the smaller space might be home to a drug store.
In addition to its new store, Wade's also is planning to move its Blacksburg store across South Main Street to the former Lowe's food store in Blacksburg Square Shopping Center.
Workers already have started renovating the space and Wade said the new Blacksburg store is scheduled to open around the middle of June.
In addition to the former Lowe's store, Wade's also will lease the 15,000-square-foot space next door and use it as a seating area for the store's deli.
by CNB