Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 7, 1994 TAG: 9408250059
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BETH MACY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``Once a man went down on the market and asked one of the clerks at Books Strings & Things, `What's there to do in Roanoke?' And the clerk told him, `NOTHING!' ''
Doughty believes the incident played a role in that company's decision not to move to Roanoke.
``People who are new here or visiting here are always much more positive about Roanoke than the old-timers,'' she says.
Doughty believes most Roanokers share a kind of community inferiority complex. Whereas many of her prospects view Roanoke very favorably, Roanokers tend be their own worst enemy, she says.
For a view from the outside looking in, here's what Beth Doughty's prospects tell her they like - or don't like, or don't notice - about the valley:
On St. Andrews Church: Love it.
On the Hotel Roanoke: Love it, but frequently call it the ``Roanoke Hotel.''
On the new Norfolk-Southern building: ``From my office it ruins the view of the market and hotel and makes parking harder, but the prospects love it.''
On the Dominion/First Union Tower: Never mention it.
On the tree in the middle of Carolina Avenue in South Roanoke: They say, ``You have a tree in the middle of your street!''
On Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea: ``You'd be surprised at what an impression that one little place makes. It's kinda sophisticated.''
On Roanoke's retail scene: ``They're impressed by Talbots, but everyone asks, `Do you have a Gap?' ''
On Roanoke's restaurant scene: Love Alexander's, especially maitre d' Mark Kary - ``He shows very well.''
On the Mill Mountain Star: ``They're speechless. . . . The sign says it's a `symbol of the progressive spirit of Roanoke.' Bull. It was a retail promotion.''
On Smith Mountain Lake: The drive leaves New Yorkers wondering if they've just seen ``Deliverance.'' ``We've taken people there, but they think it's too far away. These people from New York, they're not used to country roads.''
On Hunting Hills and other fancy neighborhoods: They're amazed by the cheap selling prices.
On Mini-Graceland, which is shown only upon request: Intrigued by it, especially the Lisa Marie airplane that moves along the clothesline.
On the Blue Ridge Mountains: ``They always mention how pretty it is. We've had beautiful fall days on the parkway where prospects have hung their heads out the car windows.''
On the slimming mirrors in the Central Fidelity office building, where the partnership is located: ``No one mentions it, but isn't that a great way to start your day?''
by CNB