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In September, Cochise Countys inflation-adjusted accommodation sales were up, while retail and restaurant and bar sales were down, compared to Septemberlastyear.

Countywide retail sales were down 9.4 percent in September, after adjusting for inflation. Retail sales countywide have been down in eight of the past 10 months in the year-over-year comparisons, following growth in seven of eight months. For the first nine months of 2014, retail sales were down 5.3 percent compared to the same periodlastyear.

At the state level, retail sales were up 5.8 percent in September. For the first nine months of the year, statewide retail sales were up 3 percent after theinflationadjustment.

Cochise Countys restaurant and bar sales were down 1.4 percent in September, after adjusting for inflation. For the first nine months of the year, however, sales were up 2 percent. Sales have been up in six of the most recent11months.

Statewide restaurant and bar sales were up 7.8 percent in September and 6.2 percent for the first nine months oftheyear.

Accommodation sales countywide were up 2.7 percent in September compared to September 2013. Accommodation sales include hotel, motel, RV Park, and other temporary lodging stays of less than 30 days. In the first nine months of 2014, countywide accommodation receipts were up0.9percent.

The countywide accommodation industry has struggled in recent years with sales down in 37 of the past 48 months. Those declines were due largely to changes in travel policy for military personnel on temporary duty to Fort Huachuca, requiring many to now be billeted on post, along with federal budget cuts that have slowed temporary duty travel to the fort. Changes in the Armys lodging policies to introduce competitive bidding have also contributed to the declineinrevenue.

Despite the long-run weakening in countywide accommodation receipts, sales have been up in seven of the past 11 months helped along by ongoing construction of the new hospital in Sierra Vista and several other large nonresidential construction projects in other areas the county. Such projects bring in workers from other areas, giving a boost totemporarylodging.

Statewide accommodation receipts were up 6.1 percent in September, after the inflation adjustment, and were up 9.9 percent for the first nine monthsof2014.

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MONEY: CARREIRA: Accommodation up, retail and restaurant and bar sales down

Mesa TV & Appliance salesman Brian Richardson has a problem: His customers cant turn left into his driveway.

Light rail construction has divided Main Street into two one-way streets, and Richardson said its making business horrible.

When a customer is travelling eastbound looking for appliances, they cannot make a left-hand turn onto my driveway here, he said. So what theyll do theyll continue on and then make a right turn and go to my competition.

A tough stretch

Mesa TV & Appliance is not the only store off Main Street hurting because of the light rail construction, which is anticipated to finish in spring 2015. The extension will add stations to Alma School Road, Country Club Drive, Center Street and Mesa Drive.

Crew members hammer and weld, and cement trucks surround the unfinished tracks with a load to pour. Long lines of cars stream through the one-way roads. The intersection on Country Club Drive and Main is sometimes closed on the weekends, making things worse, Richardson said.

La Tiendita Caf, another store near the intersection of Main Street and Country Club Drive, spends portions of its mornings vacant of customers. Owner German Pardo said he hopes the expansion of the light rail will become a boon for local businesses.

Definitely, I think it will help. Its going to be better for everybody. The problem is, in the meantime, staying alive, he said. Because I know there are some businesses that went out of business. Once youre out of business, youre out of business.

Pardo said his caf would have closed a long time ago if it didnt bill itself as the sole Colombian-style restaurant in Arizona. La Tiendita Caf was less than a year old when Valley Metro began expanding the light rail from the current final stop at Dobson Road to Mesa Street, unlike Mesa TV & Appliance, which has built a customer base over 69 years.

Pardo says hes losing $4,000 to $5,000 per month due to the construction.

Originally posted here:
Businesses buckling down for end of light rail construction

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - Restaurant renovations and soon-to-be opened businesses on a busy stretch of Highway 17 could be a sign of change for an area that was once considered the happening spot of Myrtle Beach.

One restaurant owner says Restaurant Row is slow because it's outdated and it might take many of the businesses in the area time to see things turn around, including his.

For 28 years, Rossi's Fine Italian Cuisine Restaurant has been offering customers a unique dining experience. It's one of a handful of businesses that has stood the test of time on Restaurant Row.

At least 50 percent of those that were here, that were very, very talented restaurateurs have disappeared from the area, said Deane Morris, Owner of Rossi's.

Morris said he has seen what used to be the happening strip of Myrtle Beach lose its luster.

Morris explained that Restaurant Row has suffered because a lack of any new draw, also so many new businesses and so many other directions to go in: Market Commons, Broadway, Coastal Grand, puts a lot of pressure on an area that used to be the only destination,

Over the last few years, the area has seen businesses shut down, restaurants destroyed by fire, but there are some slight changes that are helping the area make a comeback.

For example, the Burger King, in the heart of Restaurant Row, is undergoing a makeover; construction crews hope to have the project completed by the end of December. Down the road on 17, Hooters and McDonald's are also completing remodeling upgrades. The Duplin Winery will be one of the newest business set to open in spring 2015.

Morris said a new look for all the restaurants could be the answer to give the Row a lift.

He explained that restaurants should, try to upgrade what the area looks like, maybe some reductions in the way the signs presently exist. That could mean my own sign that may have to change its architecture for the area, but the area needs to be upgraded to whatever it takes to make it to feel 2014.

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Renovations, new business happening on busy Restaurant Row

A recap of the week's real estate news.

GL Homes opened the clubhouse Dec. 3 at The Bridges, a 591-home luxury development near Delray Beach.

The 17,000-square-foot clubhouse features a restaurant: The Grille at The Bridges. Residents placed more than 200 reservations during the opening weekend.

The clubhouse also has a social hall and catering kitchen. Residents can sign up for cooking classes and other events.

So far, 450 owners have moved into the development on Lyons Road between Clint Moore Road and Atlantic Avenue.

Lang Realty to open Jupiter office

Lang Realty is opening an office in Jupiter by the end of January.

The new 2,000-square-foot location is at 920 W. Indiantown Road in the Tuscany Square shopping center. Ten agents will work from the site, with more hires planned.

Boca Raton-based Lang is one of the top firms in Palm Beach County, with 10 offices countywide. The Jupiter location replaces a satellite office at 601 Heritage Drive.

Seminary site sells for $3.5 million

Continued here:
Real Estate Notebook: The Bridges' clubhouse, restaurant open

Restaurant Construction | Orange County, CA - Orchid Construction Facility Services
Restaurant construction in Orange County means you should call the pros at Orchid Construction Facility Services at 714-744-2446 or visit us online at http...

By: Hibu California

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Restaurant Construction | Orange County, CA - Orchid Construction & Facility Services - Video

The city has embarked on a multi-million-dollar capital improvement project in downtown Gilroy, but some business owners say its costing them money, too.The proprietors of the Milias Restaurant and Hotel estimate they lost thousands of dollars in potential revenue between Dec. 1 and 5 after a weeklong construction project drove away customers during whats traditionally the busiest month in the restaurant business.

Along Eigleberry Street between First to 10th streets, contractors are replacing nearly century-old water lines under a contract with the city. After that part of the package is completeexpected to wrap up early in the New YearEigleberry Street will be dug up, patched and re-paved in the spring.

The last time the street was done was in the 1920s, City Transportation Engineer Henry Servin said.

A hodgepodge of different sidewalks surrounding the Milias, located at the corner of Sixth and Monterey streets, will be replaced and standardized with the rest of downtown in February. The streetlights at the intersection will be replaced with ornamental LED streetlightswhich save money on electricity costs and provide better, clearer lighting, Servin said.

But Milias co-owners Adam Sanchez and Ann Zyburra told the Dispatch that having contractors block off the intersection of Sixth and Eigleberry streets for the water line project cut thousands of dollars from their bottom lineafter would-be customers turned elsewhere when they saw construction.

All our parking was gone, and parking is already bad enough in downtown Gilroy, Sanchez said. Some very good customers of mine said they came by, drove around three times and went somewhere else. We heard that all week.

The city notified businesses and residents who would be affected by the construction via a letter.

Its not that were pissed off theyre doing the work; it has to be done, Sanchez continued. I just wish they worked with us a little closer.

The lunch crowd suffered the most, Sanchez added, but some dinner customers assumed the construction went on into the night. Work at the intersection on the water line wrapped up by 3:30 p.m. as a consideration to downtown businesses, according to Servin.

The city installed a changeable message sign adjacent to the Milias on Sixth Street that displayed a message reading business open during construction. Sanchez said they appreciated the gestureit shows the city is trying, he explainedbut there is still room for improvement.

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Downtown construction cuts into restaurants bottom line

Orlando, FL (PRWEB) December 10, 2014

Sunshine Recycling, a premiere roll off dumpster rental company in Orlando, is supplying a construction company with their services for a new restaurant development site in Clermont, Florida. The project began in November and is expected to finish next year.

The contractor in charge of the construction site is Schmid Construction, a general contractor located in the Southeast that works on a variety of projects like franchise restaurants, retail establishments, automobile dealerships and industrial distribution centers. Like Sunshine Recycling, they are a LEED certified company and are committed to working in the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly way.

The restaurant being constructed is named Culvers, which first opened in 1984 in Wisconsin and is labeled a fast-casual restaurant. As opposed to fast-food restaurants, fast-casual restaurants do not offer full table service but provide higher-quality meal options with less frozen or processed ingredients. As of this year, there are over 500 Culvers restaurants in the country and Culvers first Florida location was opened in 2013 in Naples. Their staple menu items are the ButterBurger and their frozen custard, which can be turned into Concrete Mixers.

Sunshine Recycling is providing the construction site with several roll off dumpsters as well as their hauling services. Recycling construction debris properly and in an environmentally friendly way is of the highest priority. Roll off dumpsters are the ideal product for construction sites, as they are manufactured to withstand the heaviest of materials including concrete, brick and asphalt. Hauling services are also being provided several times each day to ensure there is no delay on turnaround. Sunshine is also supplying the construction site with portable toilets.

Recycling debris quickly and efficiently is of the utmost importance on a construction site, said Chuck Herb, owner of Sunshine Recycling. Our services ensure that these sites are capable of being completed on time and on budget.

About Sunshine Recycling of Orlando: Sunshine Recycling Inc. of Orlando is a dumpster rental company servicing central Florida. Offering various sizes of dumpsters including front-load, roll-off and full-size construction dumpsters, Sunshine Recycling also provides recyclable, waste and construction debris collection and hauling services and trash compactors. The company is a proud member of the U.S. Green Building Council and is LEED AP certified. For more information about construction dumpsters from Sunshine Recycling, please visit http://www.orlando-dumpsters.com/construction-dumpsters/.

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Orlando Dumpster Rental Company Provides Services to New Restaurant Construction

PORT RICHEY Culver's, a popular restaurant best known in the Midwest for its ButterBurgers, has submitted plans for a restaurant in Port Richey at the city's busiest U.S. 19 intersection.

Plans call for a 4,200-square-foot, 123-seat restaurant at U.S. 19 and Richey Drive, across from the highway's bustling Ridge Road intersection. It will be the first franchise in Pasco County for Wisconsin-based Culver's, which has been making a recent push in Florida, including two restaurants in Tampa and another in Largo.

Culver's Port Richey franchise owner Krys Zielinski, 34, who moved from Germany to Wisconsin 14 years ago, said that after an exhaustive search for a restaurant location, he is thrilled to be settling with his family in Port Richey. He said construction will begin this month, with an opening date slated for April.

"It's a beautiful location," Zielinski said. "The street is busy, and the corner lot is awesome. So I'm pretty pumped. It's a great spot to be."

Culver's opened its first restaurant in Sauk City, Wis., in 1984 and now has more than 500 restaurants across 22 states. The restaurant in Port Richey will be on a former used car lot, also slated for another 3,000 square feet of retail space, according to plans submitted to the city.

The chain touts its signature ButterBurgers, with never-frozen beef on a lightly toasted, buttered bun. Culver's is also known for its vanilla and chocolate custard made daily, as well as a flavor of the day. The quick-service restaurant also offers chicken sandwiches, shaved prime rib sandwiches, hand-battered fish, beef pot roast and fried chicken.

Port Richey City Manager Tom O'Neill said Culver's could not have selected a better location for the restaurant an area that has been booming with development, including a Wawa service station and sub shop last year and a new Asian fusion restaurant currently under construction, both across the street.

"It's a sign that the U.S. 19 corridor is being looked at with a lot of interest," O'Neill said. "It will be another thing that will beautify and modernize the corridor."

Culver's bringing its ButterBurgers to U.S. 19 in Port Richey 12/10/14 [Last modified: Wednesday, December 10, 2014 2:57pm] Photo reprints | Article reprints

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Culver's bringing its ButterBurgers to U.S. 19 in Port Richey

February opening planned for fast-food restaurant

December 9, 2014 | 3:31 pm

Popeyes, an Atlanta, Ga.-based fried chicken restaurant chain, will open its first store in Cedar Rapids early next year.

Jeff Braverman of SASAJ LLC in Coralville said the foundation for the 60-seat, 2,700-square-foot restaurant is under construction just east of the Road Ranger store at Blairs Ferry Road and C Avenue NE.

The actual structure is being trucked in and should be here on Dec. 15, said Braverman, formerly president of Hawkeye Foodservice in Coralville. Anyone driving down Blairs Ferry Road will see a real change at that intersection.

Our goal is to open Feb. 9. We plan to initially hire about 60 people and hope to keep them really busy.

Braverman said SASAJ in July bought an existing Popeyes location in Waterloo to become proficient at running the business.

Ive never been on this side of the business, said Braverman, whose family owned Hawkeye Foodservice until July 2012. Ive always worked on the supplier side of the restaurant business.

Its a chance to talk and interact with the people who actually consume the food, rather than those who prepare it.

Braverman said the restaurant will offer dine-in and drive-up service. He said Popeyes corporate monitors service through the drive-up window, which can account for 50 percent of the restaurants business.

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Popeyes chain coming to Cedar Rapids

Chicago firefighters were tasked with an emotional assignment in the South Loop on Wednesday: Trying to save a historic former fire station from being destroyed in an extra-alarm fire.

Its a little heartbreaking, said Deputy District Chief John Shehan, who was on the scene Wednesday afternoon when the fire caved in the buildings roof. Its a shame.

The firehouse-turned-restaurant at 1401 S. Michigan Ave. has hosted a president, movie stars and served as one of former Mayor Daley's favorite eateries.

It is architecturally significant as well, according to Bonnie McDonald, president of Landmarks Illinois, who confirmed the building was designated as a landmark in 2003.

"It is a legitimate historic resource its a significant building that we believe can be rebuilt, said McDonald.

"I think whats wonderful is to see the outpouring of support from the firefighters themselves because many of them remember it being a firehouse its important for us to reuse this place as a landmark to firefighters, McDonald said.

Shehan remembers it because his father, a firefighter himself, used to take Shehan along on visits to the station in the early 1970s, where he could explore the building and play handball as a child.

The extra-alarm fire started by accident at about 10:20 a.m. while roofers were working on top of the building, according to CFD spokesman Juan Hernandez. The building was evacuated of construction workers and retaurant employees and everyone was out safely.The blaze was under control by about 12:15 p.m. after its roof collapsed.

Fire commissioner Jose Santiago used to work from the building when it housed firefighters, according to Hernandez. Once Santiago learned of the fire, "he focused all efforts on extinguishing it," Hernandez said. The building last served as a firehouse in the late 1990s, according to a CFD spokesman.

Hernandez said every effort was made to preserve the building, though since the roof had collapsed it would "take a lot of motivation to be rebuilt, and we hope that it is, because obviously it's a nice, iconic area."

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Fire guts century-old South Loop firehouse converted into restaurant