THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, April 29, 1996 TAG: 9604270246
SECTION: BUSINESS WEEKLY PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: TALK OF THE TOWN
LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
Spring. It finally came. And retail sales soared as Tidewater mowed and mulched and nailed and painted away its cabin fever.
``Certainly in the month of April we're on an upswing,'' said Robert Taylor, president of Taylor's Do-It Centers, which operates five Virginia Beach stores.
Taylor figures the economy was softer a year ago. But after a slow fourth-quarter '95, and a frozen first quarter '96, wholesalers report orders have shot up, even for products such as concrete.
``Definitely. Our sales are going up,'' said Sharon Edwards, vice president of Pre-Mix Industries Inc., a Chesapeake concrete supplier to home improvement chains such as HQ and Lowe's.
``I believe the economy is better this year,'' Edwards said.
One economic barometer, Bress Loans Inc. of Norfolk, also reports stability.
``Normally when the economy gets a little worse, we see people come in and pawn some items. And when things get a little better we make more sales,'' said assistant vice president Shari Bress``Right now it's equal.'' by CNB