
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 3, 1990                   TAG: 9005030640
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

SANTA CLAUS TRADITION TO CONTINUE - AT RIVAL'S

To hear U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Douglas Tice tell it, he had no choice.

"I am not going to be known as the judge who refused to allow Santa Claus to continue in the Miller & Rhoads tradition," Tice said during a hearing Wednesday.

Tice granted Thalhimer Bros. Inc. approval to purchase the rights to the Santa Claus program developed by its bankrupt rival retailer, Miller & Rhoads Inc.

There were no challenges from other retailers to the $18,000 sale, and the white-bearded Tice said there were no objections "from Santa or the elves."

The Santa program at Miller & Rhoads' flagship store was a downtown Richmond tradition every Christmas season until the department store chain closed its doors earlier this year.

Santa drew about 75,000 visitors last Christmas season to Miller & Rhoads. - Associated Press

by CNB