THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 6, 1995 TAG: 9512060537
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
Construction starts on Norfolk Super Kmart
Construction begins today on South Hampton Roads' first Super Kmart center, Norfolk's Department of Development said in a statement. The combination discount and grocery store will be located at North Military Highway and Norview Avenue in Norfolk. The 190,000-square-foot store is expected to employ about 500 people. A scheduled opening date was not available. Kmart, which has a store in York County, plans to open several of its mammoth outlets in Hampton Roads, including one in Virginia Beach. (Staff)
Post office finishes year in the black
Higher stamp prices and more business meant big bucks for the post office in 1995. The Postal Service finished fiscal 1995 with profits of $1.77 billion on revenue of $54.9 billion. The first two accounting periods of the fiscal year that began Oct. 1 showed income $841 million in the black, $182 million more than forecast. The $1.77 billion net follows a loss of $914 million the year before. Postal rates increased - to 32 cents for a first-class letter - last Jan. 1. That revenue boost, along with an increase in mail volume, helped push the agency into the black. The post office handled a record 180.7 billion pieces of mail in 1995, up from 177 billion a year earlier. (Associated Press)
U.S. french fry exports soar in Asia, Latin America
The ever-popular U.S. french fry is growing in value and volume on the export market, boosted by demand in East Asia and Latin America. Exports rose 40 percent in the year that ended June 30 to reach $240.9 million, Agriculture Department officials said. In terms of volume, french fry exports set a record last year of 327,440 metric tons, up 36 percent from the previous year and five times the amount exported 10 years ago. Japan is the leading importer of U.S. french fries. (AP)
U.S. hails retailers that boycott sweatshops
As the holiday shopping season gets under way, the Labor Department is singling out 31 major retailers that it says are leading private efforts to eliminate garment industry sweatshops. The companies on the initial list are: Abercrombie and Fitch, Baby Superstore, Bath & Body Works, Bergner's, Boston Stores, Brylane, Cacique, Carson Pirie Scott, Dana Buchman, Elisabeth, Express, Galyans Trading, Gerber Childrenswear, Guess Inc., Henri Bendel, Jessica McClintock. Also, Lands End, Lane Bryant, Lerner New York, Levi Strauss and Co., Limited Too, Liz Claiborne Inc., Mast Industries, Nicole Miller, Nordstrom's, Patagonia, Penhaligon's, Structure, Superior Surgical Mfg., The Limited and Victoria's Secret. And the list is growing. (AP) by CNB