DATE: Saturday, September 20, 1997          TAG: 9709200281
SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   47 lines

LOCAL SCENE

NORFOLK

CLARK NEXSEN AMONG THE TOP 200 DESIGN FIRMS WORLDWIDE: Clark Nexsen, an architectural and engineering firm headquartered in Norfolk with offices in Charlotte, N.C., and Rome, Italy, was named to the top 200 international design firms by Engineering News-Record Magazine. The firm was ranked 187th of the top 200 firms worldwide in the July 21 edition.

HAMPTON

HOTEL TO OPEN MONDAY: Candlewood Hotel Co., the Wichita, Kan.-based owner, developer and franchisor of value-oriented, business extended-stay hotels, will open its first hotel in Virginia on Monday at 401 Butler Farm Road. The new 98-suite hotel will have 74 studio suites and 24 one-bedroom suites.

VIRGINIA BEACH

ATLANTIC DOMINION OPENS CIGAR SHOP: Atlantic Dominion Distributors has re-entered the premium cigar market with a retail shop at its corporate headquarters at 5400 Virginia Beach Blvd. M.F. ``Mannie'' Hendrix is cigar buyer and store manager.

DRISCOLL JOINS LAW FIRM: Paul A. Driscoll, formerly law clerk to A. Thomas Small, chief judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and formerly with the law firm of Brumberg, Mackey & Wall in Roanoke, has joined Pender & Coward. He will concentrate on the areas of creditors' rights and commercial litigation.

VIRGINIA

ROWE FURNITURE REPORTS THIRD QUARTER OPERATING RESULTS: Rowe Furniture Corp., a McLean-based manufacturer of upholstered furniture, reported operating results for the three months and nine months ended Aug. 31, 1997. For the third quarter of 1997, net shipments amounted to $34.3 million, compared with $34.8 million a year ago. Net income, prior to unusual charges in 1997, amounted to $1.8 million, or 14 cents per share, vs. $1.9 million, or 14 cents per share, in the 1996 period. In the quarter, the company recorded unusual charges of $2.7 million, or 21 cents per share, primarily associated with the previously announced write-off of receivables from Levitz Furniture, which has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. MEMO: To submit an item, send it to Local Scene, The Virginian-Pilot

Business News Department, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va. 23510.

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