THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 1, 1994 TAG: 9411300196
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
In 1989, after 70 years of business, the Gray's Pharmacy lunch counter closed.
A popular west-side Norfolk eatery, Gray's was in poor repair and not up to code at the time of change in ownership.
Now, after nearly three years of operation, the Gray's ice cream parlor is soon to be history. On Monday, Gray's will serve its last dips, hot dogs and barbecue sandwiches.
But the reasons for the parlor closing are vastly different than those for the lunch counter. The parlor's termination is a matter of changing tastes and economics.
``We lost $7,500 at the parlor last year, and $3,700 in 1994,'' said Dave Halla, Gray's owner. ``High's closed several years ago. This is the second ice cream place around here that's failed. People are much more health conscious now, they're not eating ice cream and hot dogs like they used to.''
Halla plans to replace the parlor with a children's book section. He's optimistic the move will be a good one.
``There are lots of kids in the nearby neighborhoods,'' he said. ``The parents don't mind spending money on something that benefits their children.''
The book corner will offer a variety of works for preschool and school-age children, both fun and educational literature. Halla is now working with consultants from Random House on the design of the section. It will be slightly elevated, with carpet, and just for kids. Among publications by authors from all over the country will be readers by Nanette Emanuel, a Norfolk writer.
But Halla admitted the parlor will be missed by many of his customers.
``No,'' said Betty Gainfort, a Larchmont resident who enjoyed getting an occasional cone. ``I'm going to definitely miss it. It's such a friendly little place to come to.''
``I like the convenience. I can grab a quick lunch between classes,'' said Patty, an ODU college student.
For Brad Jublou, it will be a lost ritual.
``It's too bad, another last outpost of a great American tradition is going. I don't know where we'll take the kids on Tuesday afternoon,'' said Jublou.
But Irwin Nelson, a longtime Gray's patron, understood the closing.
``If the man's losing money, he's got to shut it down,'' said Nelson.
Along with his wife Sylvia, Halla bought the store in 1989. He was forced to close the lunch counter due to the prohibitive cost of bringing the grill up to fire code, he said. Halla decided to put in the parlor just as a small replacement for the counter. But in tough competitive times for mom-and-pop businesses, the operation was not economically viable. Though Gray's overall business has been steady, Halla noted the difficulties of running an independent pharmacy in today's market.
``At a recent independent druggist convention everyone was concerned about mail-order-house competition and the problems with insurance reimbursement for prescription drugs,'' he explained. ``You have to come up with specialty niches to compensate for losses in the pharmacy area. You have to look at your square footage and make sure every area is producing.''
Not only was the parlor losing money, but Halla also said that selling ice cream and hot dogs in one corner, then dispensing cholesterol-lowering agents across the store was almost a contradiction.
Halla hopes the kids' book corner will be a profitable niche. He also plans some other new additions, including a health food section selling herbs and homeopathic medicines. He said keeping up with the times is crucial to staying in business.
``You have to take account of what's going on around you and make changes that work. If you're not progressive, your business is going to die.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SCOTT McCASKEY
Gray's owner Dave Halla serves one of his last ice-cream cones.
by CNB