THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 12, 1994 TAG: 9411110019
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 32 lines
I am rather new to Hampton Road and am still trying to find the right retail store or professional or service organization to suit my needs. If I find one advertised, I look at the address and try to locate it. This is where my problem starts. I find the address to be, for example, 3205 ``X'' Street, I can look at a map and find where ``X'' Street is, but finding 3205 can be a challenge.
If ``X'' Street crosses numbered streets, I am OK, but these streets are rare in Hampton Roads. I drive along ``X'' Street for blocks and find few, if any, commercial buildings that have a number displayed. I usually drive blocks until I find a private residence to see a house number. I am often frustrated and return home and go to another establishment whose location is known.
Why don't business people recognize that addresses are important to potential customers? Why doesn't the Chamber of Commerce start a program to have numbers displayed? Why doesn't the city insist that numbers be shown, both for commercial reasons and in case of an emergency? I could never use a number to report an emergency on ``X'' Street.
PAUL B. GARVER
Portsmouth, Nov. 4, 1994 by CNB