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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 15, 1993                   TAG: 9309110127
SECTION: VIRGINIA'S FINEST                    PAGE: VF-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FROM PEANUTS TO POTS, VIRGINIA HAS IT ALL

Products made in Virginia can be found in grocery stores, florists, restaurants, wine shops and specialty stores devoted solely to the promotion of Virginia-made products.

John Mitchell, owner of the Made in Virginia stores in Fredericksburg, sees promoting Virginia products as a way for him to contribute to the community at large.

"It's more important than it ever was to support the state's economy by buying products made in Virginia," Mitchell said recently. "That's all we sell."

There are two Made in Virginia stores in Fredericksburg, both catering to locals and tourists. Though peanuts and hams are the favorite items of Mitchell's tourist trade, his stores sell everything from wine to pottery.

"The quality of Virginia products far exceeds the level of quality found in similar items," he said. Those items identified as part of the Virginia's Finest program make up 75 percent of the stores' inventory.

The Made in Virginia store offers a mail-order catalog in time for holiday giving which includes a brochure about the "Virginia Wine of the Month Club." For just $11.95 a month (plus shipping and handling) club "members" receive a bottle of Virginia wine delivered right to their doorstep via UPS.

"We move about 65 to 70 cases of wine every month," Mitchell said, indicating an increasing interest in wines from Virginia.

Giving a gift from Virginia is a memorable way to welcome newcomers to a community or to say thank you to a host or hostess. Many corporations and businesses choose gifts from Virginia to give clients at holiday time. But with so many items to choose from, it can be difficult to select just one. Why not shop for a variety of items and assemble a gift basket?

Belle Kuisine in Richmond does just that. Located in the Stony Point shopping center, Belle Kuisine offers gift baskets to individuals as well as corporate clients.

"We feel very strongly about our Virginia gift baskets," notes Cheryl Romankiw, general manager. "Quality is what our customers look for. They buy Virginia's Finest products because of the quality and also the fact that they're helping the local economy. There's a great deal of pride that people have about the state and they like to share that pride by giving gifts from Virginia."

At Belle Kuisine, you'll find sections of the store that are devoted solely to Virginia products. "You name it, we carry it!" Romankiw says.

Stores offering Virginia-made items and gift baskets featuring Virginia's Finest products can be found across the state, so plan now for holiday giving. For a free guide about where to find Virginia made products, look for the coupon elsewhere in this publication.