ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, December 21, 1996 TAG: 9612230029
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
The outgoing president of Pulaski Main Street Inc. declared Friday that the only salvation for the town's business community is a renewed emphasis on shopping at home.
"There's only one way for this community to grow," Alex Rygas said at the organization's annual meeting, and that is for its people to at least look at the products offered by local automobile, appliance and other dealers before buying elsewhere. The same applies to smaller businesses, he said. "That's the only way this community has a chance."
Rygas, who operates Alex & Dana's clothing store on Main Street, said he was offering a challenge for Pulaski residents "to actually do something for this community rather than just talk about it."
The meeting was held at MimiAnne's, the newest restaurant on Pulaski's Main Street offering gourmet coffees, pastries, soups, salads, sandwiches and a variety of some 50 magazines unavailable elsewhere in town.
Rygas said local people needed to support the restaurant, unlike what happened when Paul Etzel reopened the Renaissance Restaurant a few doors farther down. Etzel eventually had to close.
"'We need a nice restaurant' ... I've heard it a hundred times," Rygas said. "And it's the last time you saw those folks."
The Main Street organization also elected new board members for the coming year and clarified its relationship with the Pulaski Business Alliance, made up of local business owners who have spearheaded promotional and advertising initiatives for downtown Pulaski.
With the Main Street organization having lower visibility in recent months and the Alliance doing most of the promotional activities, there had been questions in many citizens' minds as to their relationship or whether they actually were different organizations.
The Alliance is a committee of the Main Street organization, Rygas said. Main Street is a tax-exempt organization, and the Alliance's alignment with Main Street allows the merchants' group to have the same tax status.
That does not mean the Alliance cannot continue to carry out its own programs, he said, and keep the money it has raised for these program. "I don't think the [Pulaski Main Street] Board of Directors wants to dictate to the Alliance or anyone else," he said.
The Main Street board will meet later to elect officers. Elected to the board were Philip Baker of First American Bank; Karen Chitwood, Old Dominion Insurance; the Rev. David G. Coffey Jr., First Presbyterian Church; lawyer Mike Fleenor; Pat Gooch, owner of Casimir Company; Judy Isen, Larrone Caldwell & Co.; Martha Moody, Farm Service Bureau; Gene Stuart, James Insurance Co.; and Thomas Wallace, owner of We Copy!
Gooch is currently president of the Alliance, which will be meeting early next month.
LENGTH: Medium: 56 linesby CNB