ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, December 6, 1995            TAG: 9512060047
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-5  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MARY BISHOP

AGAIN, ROADS ALTER TAILOR'S BUSINESS

Roy Prusak could write the book on how a business survives road construction.

Five years ago, the widening of Franklin Road forced J.P. Tailoring Co. from its location of 26 years.

Now the tailoring shop's new building on Salem Avenue is surrounded by construction for the new Second Street bridge.

Prusak's customers are being faithful, but he's worried about elderly ones walking across ripped-up asphalt and parking farther from his shop than they've had to before. He hopes Salem Avenue will be repaved before long so they can park outside his door again.

A spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Transportation says that will be in six months.

When the whole project is finished - maybe in two years - a new spur road connecting Salem and Norfolk avenues will run beside the shop at 131 W. Salem Ave.

"Once the job is completed, I think it'll be pretty nice," Prusak said. "It's just that transition time that's a little bit rough right now.''

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