THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 14, 1996 TAG: 9603140296
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
Downtown's last lunch counter, which closed in February, will reopen this summer, downtown officials said Tuesday.
Rite Aid Pharmacy bought the 91-year-old Nansemond Drug Co. last month and, to the dismay of many downtown workers and shoppers who enjoyed sandwiches-on-a-stool, closed the Main Street store's grill.
Rite Aid officials on Tuesday confirmed plans to move the Rite Aid-Nansemond business into its new facility, under construction at North Main Street and Constance Road, said Robert Chisom, Downtown Suffolk Association director.
That building is expected to be completed in June, he said.
Chisom has been negotiating with the Rite Aid-Nansemond building's owner and prospective tenants interested in reopening the lunch counter. The choice had been narrowed to two, both local individuals who want to lease the entire store, which contains about 3,000 square feet, he said.
The lunch operation would have to be renovated to meet city code requirements, Chisom said. Both prospective operators are interested in remodeling the interior and adding a compatible retail operation. by CNB