Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 30, 1994 TAG: 9405030114
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Owner Debbie Jonas wanted to return the building to its original Victorian appearance, complete with the column look. She used redwood trim and painted it white.
``We certainly hope that it will enhance not only our store but the whole downtown appearance,'' she said.
Because it is part of Pulaski's historic district, Jonas had to get approval from the Pulaski Historic Commercial District board last month before she could tell Fitzgerald Contractors to start work. She has three books behind her counter containing the standards that had to be met, and she had to make a presentation to the board on the project.
``They are real serious about wanting to keep it nice down here,'' she said. The board voted unanimously in favor of the work.
The columnlike trim replaces the old aluminum trim. Jonas plans to extend that look next door to another store she owns, which houses R.P. Collectibles.
That shop, owned by Randy Proffitt, is being renovated, as is the upstairs of the building, which will be rented to boutique dealers when the work is done.
Jonas is not the only store operator along Main Street to have the idea of using upstairs space for business expansion.
Eddie Hale opened Court Square Antiques when Pulaski first started its antique, art and dining emphasis downtown. Hale rents spaces atop Martin's Pharmacy, which he operates, to antique and collectible dealers. One of the early stores to open when Pulaski started its antiques, arts and dining emphasis was Court Square Antiques, which Eddie Hale opened to rent spaces to antiques and collectibles dealers atop Martin's Pharmacy which he operates.
Marlis Ryssel-Flynn has done the same thing to her Upstairs Downstairs store, which offers collectibles, hand-painted furniture and vintage clothing. It is a way of doubling store space without constructing a new building.
``We're real proud of it,'' Cliff Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald Contractors said of the work at Colony of Virginia. ``We think it turned out real well.''
He was asked if there was a name for the column motif. ``I don't know. You just call it `fake columns.'''
by CNB