Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 27, 1994 TAG: 9404270088
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By KEN DAVIS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FAIRLAWN LENGTH: Medium
The voice over the loudspeaker called for the attention of Kmart shoppers, but virtually none was there to listen.
As structural repairs to Memorial Bridge continued to keep much-needed customers away from this small community Tuesday, business leaders said the New River - which once separated only Radford from Pulaski County - now separates the "haves" from the "have-nots."
Businesses here are the have-nots.
"Customer traffic is down at least 75 percent," said Roger Mumpower, co-owner of Ginger's Jewelry in the Radford Shopping Plaza. "Luckily, we've had a couple of big sales each day and dollars have not been hit yet, but it will hurt as it approaches Mother's Day and graduation."
Although window signs read "open" on most stores here, the scene inside often indicates otherwise.
Kmart officials say business has dropped 37 percent since the bridge closed Thursday, leading to long hours of empty aisles and deserted parking lots.
"There's no doubt that it has hurt us a great deal," said Ward Bunner, assistant manager for the store. "The impact will be considerable."
Bunner said attracting customers is only one of the problems facing the Fairlawn business community, as losses in profits lead to problems with personnel.
"There has to be a relationship between your payroll and what you take in," he said. "It's a serious situation."
And an all-too-familiar one. Most businesses report at least a 50 percent dropoff in profits; small businesses such as Christian bookstore Amen and Four Seasons Cards and Gifts have experienced days in which only one customer passes through the doors.
"It's hurting everybody," said Lola Frye, an employee of the bookstore. "So much of all our business came from Radford."
In response to the crisis, business leaders will meet at the Golden Corral restaurant in Fairlawn Thursday at 8a.m., two hours before Virginia Department of Transportation officials plan to hold a news conference to announce when they expect to complete repairs on the bridge.
Ginger Mumpower, co-owner of Ginger's Jewelry, said the business meeting will concentrate on solutions instead of on problems.
"We want to make this a progressive meeting so people can voice their concerns and offer ideas," she said. "We're not throwing in the towel by any means."
A former city councilwoman, Mumpower was involved in a heated exchange Monday with council members over possible solutions for bringing business back to Fairlawn - specifically, a temporary bridge that possibly could be erected more quickly than the existing bridge could be repaired.
"I wasn't asking for an emergency bridge," she said. "I was just asking for them to explore other options."
Mumpower said business and political leaders should join together for the benefit of the entire community.
In the meantime, business owners have joined in hopes of bringing customers back into their stores. They have proposed solutions ranging from increasing advertising and special sales to setting up shop across the river in Radford.
"I can't build a bridge across the river but I can move our facility to try and serve the people who need us," said Dr. Deb Call, a veterinarian with Radford Animal Hospital. Call hopes to establish a temporary facility on First Street in Radford. "I'm one of these people who figures that rolling over doesn't help any."
Kmart store manager Chris Miear agreed.
"We've got to do the best with a bad situation," he said. "It's time to stop pointing fingers and start doing what we need to do to get this thing fixed."
by CNB