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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 29, 1993                   TAG: 9312290154
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

IN BUSINESS

Five Pic-Quik stores in the Roanoke Valley will become The Village Stores on Jan. 1, said John Collins, president of The Village Stores Inc. James B. Evans is chairman of the new corporation. Collins, who formerly was in hotel work, said The Village Stores Inc. has signed a lease-purchase agreement for the stores with Geneva L. Thornhill.

- Staff report

Briefly . . .

G.J. Hopkins Inc., a mechanical, electrical and service contractor, said it is moving its headquarters from Thirlane Road to 714 Fifth St. N.E., near downtown Roanoke. The move, before the end of the year, will allow the company to expand its office, shop and warehouse space. The 35-year-old company employs 260 people.

Averitt Express, a Cookeville, Tenn.-based trucking company specializing in less-than-truckload service, has opened a service center at 5259 Aviation Drive, N.W., Roanoke. It is the company's second Virginia operation; a service center opened last month in Richmond.

Premier Bankshares Corp. has raised its stock dividend 9 percent, from 44 cents to 48 cents a share on an annual basis. The board also declared a quarterly dividend of 12 cents a share payable Feb. 1 to stockholders on Jan. 15.