Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 24, 1995 TAG: 9509250018
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
BLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech officials are getting ready to make the Hokie Passport debit card available for off-campus use, a move that could be a boon for area merchants.
Store owners "want it desperately," said John J. Cusimano, director of investments and debt management, "and we want to give it to them desperately."
Students, faculty and staff can now use the debit card on campus, to buy food at many dining locations, snacks from vending machines and items from the bookstore, and to do laundry. Money is automatically deducted from the user's special campus account with each purchase.
The card is being phased in as the official university identification card, too.
When the card becomes available for off-campus use, perhaps during the spring semester, card holders will be able to make purchases at participating merchants.
Radford University has had a similar card, called RU Express, since January 1994. Lisa Ridpath, coordinator of auxiliary services, said the program has been good news for off-campus stores.
"To my understanding, they feel like it has increased their business," she said.
She said students have begun pleading with off-campus merchants to let them use their cards, and as a result more merchants recently have approached her to sign up for the program.
Radford-area stores pay a 5 percent handling charge, which defrays the cost of a computer programmer, equipment and supplies, and periodic reports from the university. If the merchants don't have credit card machines and printers that can read double-sided cards, they must buy the machines for $450 and printers for $250.
Tech officials are now trying to figure out what kind of machines participating Hokie Passport merchants will use and what their handling fee will be.
Restaurant reaching out for business
BLACKSBURG - In the restaurant business, sometimes it isn't enough to let your customers come to you. Sometimes you have to pursue them, even if you're one of the best-known restaurants in the New River Valley.
That's why the Farmhouse has hired a director of sales and marketing, said owner David Leinwand. "You do need to go out and let the public know what you've got."
What Leinwand has - and he's happy to tell you all about it - is banquet facilities that can accommodate up to 250 people. Last month, he hired Ursula Farrier, a native of Scotland and a graduate student in hospitality and tourism management at Virginia Tech, to spread the word.
The move is not so much the result of increased competition, Leinwand said, as it is part of an industry trend.
"When you have a nice banquet facility the way we do, the whole point is to have it full all the time," he said.
Leinwand said the Farmhouse, which has been open for 33 years, saw an increase in business last year, even though the New River Valley - especially Christiansburg - has experienced a restaurant explosion.
With the valley's population remaining relatively static, and with Red Lobster and Outback restaurants said to be planned for the New River Valley Mall area, Leinwand said, "The weaker restaurants will fall by the side or just hang in there."
BEV for business is chamber topic
CHRISTIANSBURG - The Christiansburg-Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce September luncheon will feature Doug Mauer, director of sales and marketing for Biznet Technologies. He will talk about "The Electronic Village - How it can Benefit Your Business."
The luncheon will be 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 27 at Terrific's Catering Unlimited on U.S. 11. The cost for chamber members is $10 and for nonmembers $15. Reservations can be made by calling 382-4251.
Biznet is a Blacksburg firm that designs and supports "home pages" and other information for businesses on the Internet.
The chamber's October luncheon, set for Oct. 25 at the Best Western Red Lion Inn in Blacksburg, will feature local candidates for the House of Delegates and state Senate, as well as constitutional offices.
by CNB