BY CATHY JETT / THE FREE LANCE–STAR

Amanda Fircetz and Jeff Mccroskey rarely went into the old Food Lion store in Fredericksburg Shopping Center after the retailer converted it to a Bottom Dollar.

The selection was limited, the Fredericksburg couple said, and they didn’t like having to pay for bags or use the boxes Bottom Dollar provided to cart their groceries home.

But Fircetz and Mccroskey have started doing most of their grocery shopping at the store ever since it was switched back to a Food Lion in February, and the company gave it new look, reduced prices and made other improvements.

“It’s actually better than Walmart,” said Fircetz.

Food Lion, which has long reigned as king of supermarket sales in the Fredericksburg region, has paid attention to feedback from customers like the Fredericksburg couple.

This past week it celebrated improvements to 178 stores, including one in Fredericksburg Shopping Center and 15 others in Colonial Beach and the counties of Culpeper, Stafford and Spotsylvania. The first 50 shoppers at each store Wednesday through Saturday received a free bag of groceries.

The biggest change—besides turning stores that had been Bloom and Bottom Dollar back into Food Lions—can be found in the produce department, said spokeswoman Christy Phillips–Brown during a tour of the Fredericksburg Shopping Center store on Wednesday.

The supermarket giant launched a “Fresh from the Field” initiative after hearing that customers wanted fresher produce. It is seeking out better-quality fruits and vegetables in a wider variety, shipping it to stores more frequently and giving employees additional training on handling it. Food Lion also added signs in some sections that offer storage tips.

“We feel that it will last longer in the home,” said Phillips–Brown, adding that Food Lion produce now comes with a double-money-back guarantee.

The revamped department has a look of a farmers market with chalkboard-like signs with color-coded edges. Yellow trim, for example, signifies that that particular item is on sale. The signs also carry the prices in large type and are in clear line of sight so customers don’t have to hunt for them.

Produce prices have been lowered 10 to 20 percent. Some items are available in shrink-wrapped packages so customers can tell at a glance how much they’ll have to pay before they check out. And one item each week will be offered in plastic tote bags. This week it’s Vidalia onions priced at 99 cents per pound.

“You don’t have to go through produce on a table. You just grab and go,” said Patrick Thurman, Food Lion’s execution and implementation specialist for 25 stores from Fredericksburg to Manassas.

That’s not the only way Food Lion has made shopping at its revamped stores less costly and more convenient.

It’s reduced prices on 6,000 items in its stores and has a machine near the entrance where customers can swipe their store loyalty cards to get discount coupons good for that day.

“It’s all focused on making that total basket price lower for the customer,” Phillips–Brown said.

Displays have been removed from the center of each aisle, so two shoppers pushing carts can pass each other with ease.

“I think it’s real nice,” said Julia Harris of Fredericksburg, who was at the Fredericksburg Shopping Center store on Wednesday. “You can stand in any of the aisles and see everything on the shelves.”

Checkout service also has been improved. Cashiers have been retrained to scan items and bag them as they go according to a new system. Frozen items, for example, are bagged together so they stay cold longer. Produce and meat go in separate bags to avoid cross-contamination.

There’s also a service leader on duty during peak times who will direct shoppers to the least busy line and can get an additional cashier if more than two shoppers are waiting in line.

“All the comments we’ve gotten from customers so far have been positive,” manager Randy Tiller said of the changes at the Fredericksburg store. “We’ve been showing a sales increase.”

Cathy Jett: 540/374-5407

cjett@freelancestar.com

It’s been said many times, and it’s just plain common sense. But prepare to be reminded over and over this summer that texting while driving is reckless and stupid.

A massive ad campaign set to launch Monday via TV, radio, and even blimps will reportedly wag a finger of blame primarily at teenage drivers.

But whether we’re 16 or 60, whether we’re texting or changing the radio station or putting on makeup, we all need to be reminded from time to time just how dangerous distracted driving is.

Next week AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T–Mobile will join forces to lead the ad blitz against texting while driving.

That’s a good thing. But let’s recognize that much like drinking and driving, distracted driving is a problem that spans generations.

In an area like ours, where so many people are commuters who spend three or four frustrating hours a day on the road, the temptation for 30-, 40- and 50-year-olds to check email, text or check the weather and traffic via their phones while driving is great.

AT&T in particular deserves a lot of credit for its “It Can Wait” campaign, inspired when a friend of an AT&T employee died in a crash while texting and driving.

Still, AT&T, like most of us, should broaden its focus when it comes to distracted driving.

“We have young people being injured, we have young people being killed by not being responsible in terms of how they use this technology,” Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T, says in an anti-texting-and-driving YouTube video.

Really? “Young people?” Just young people?

An AT&T survey published in USA Today in March showed 49 percent of adult drivers and 43 percent of teen drivers admitted to texting while driving. And 98 percent of the adults surveyed said they knew it was dangerous.

Granted, that’s just one study, and the numbers are reversed in others.

Let’s hope the barrage of lecturing ads helps. But I doubt it will make a lot of difference. As the AT&T survey showed, people already know it’s a bad thing to do.

An NBC News online poll found that nearly half of those responding said it would take anti-texting-and-driving tech built into cellphones to stop the practice.

Only 1 percent said advertising campaigns would do the trick.

I agree. The phone carriers paying for this ad campaign should require all phones they carry to include anti-texting-and-driving tech like AT&T’s DriveMode app right out of the box. A few phones already do come equipped with such apps.

I also agree its going to be tough to come up with something that’s sensible and works.

Some have suggested that GPS could be used to turn off texting when drivers reach 25 miles per hour. But why that speed? And what about passengers who want to use their phones to text?

The Virginia legislature enacted an anti-texting-and-driving law this year that increased the fine from $20 to $125 for a first offense and $250 for a second.

But drivers can dodge a ticket by claiming they were dialing a number or setting the GPS on their phone. Those things are still legal. Again, the problem isn’t just texting and driving, it’s distracted driving in general.

Technology has created this problem. And technological innovation will probably be needed to solve it.

We can’t count on common sense, no matter how old drivers are.

Michael Zitz: 540/846-5163

mikez@freelancestar.com

Cyberattacks are happening every second somewhere in the world.

They’re costing governments, corporations and consumers billions of dollars, but as awareness of the threat increases so is interest in cybersecurity training.

“We are definitely getting more calls from students to see what’s out there,” said Martha O’Keefe, Germanna Community College’s interim vice president for Workforce & Community Education. “The awareness of all the breaches that we’ve heard about has put these programs on their radar screen.”

GCC’s Center for Workforce & Community Training, which already offers some classes in information-systems security, is rolling out an intelligence and homeland security training program that includes courses in critical infrastructure protection, cybersecurity, and risk assessment and management.

It also began working with a new advisory council last month to determine which skills such businesses as MITRE, ManTech International Corp. and Terremark Worldwide think their employees will need in the next five to 10 years, O’Keefe said.

At the University of Mary Washington, students can earn a bachelor’s degree in information assurance and security and a master’s degree in management information systems, whose core curriculum includes a class in computer information security.

New this semester was a hands-on cybersecurity class for undergraduates taught by two adjunct instructors who also work at the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Dahlgren.

Cybersecurity “is a major focus on everybody’s minds,” said Kenneth Allwine, who teaches the class with Joel Peck.

He said the class discussed such things as the computer virus that sent spinning out of control some of the centrifuge machines Iran was using to enrich uranium, and attacks by a suspected group of Chinese cyber warriors on the New York Times, among other targets.

Students also got to try their hand at ethical hacking in a lab situation, which gave them the chance to practice testing for weak points in a computer system so it could be made more secure.

“We talked with the chair of the department, and think we may be offering this again,” Allwine said of the class. “There was good feedback on it.”

Cybersecurity training appeals to employees working in IT for the Department of Defense or defense contractors as well as those involved in IT for a wide variety of businesses and organizations, said GCC’s O’Keefe. It also appeals to people who are transitioning into another career, such as those getting out of the military.

“Really, every business has secure and confidential information that needs to be maintained,” she said. “These skills are useful in any industry, government agency, educational institution; even nonprofits have a lot of sensitive information in their databases.”

David Broadhurst, a former director of human development for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, is consulting with GCC to develop its new intelligence and homeland security training program.

He said that businesses are telling the community college’s Workforce Center that in addition to cybersecurity training, they need their IT professionals to understand the broader implications of a cyberattack, not just what happens to the computer system. They should be able to figure out who perpetrated it and analyze why it happened.

GCC is considering offering a class in analytical and critical thinking that would be geared toward intelligence analysts, but would also be a good option for those in IT.

“Our view is that we can offer important certification and training programs that can meet a number of corporate needs, but we can also tailor them to individual businesses’ needs,” Broadhurst said. “We understand the threat. They understand the threat. We’re trying to get a better handle on what services to offer.”

Cathy Jett: 540/374-5407

cjett@freelancestar.com

National retailers apparently have their eye on Culpeper.

At least three—rue21, Sports Authority and Panera Bread—have expressed interest in opening in shopping centers.

“In the course of the last few months there has been some interest in retail areas that were vacant,” said Maxie Brown, the town’s zoning administrator. “That’s a good sign, and we’re real happy about that.”

So far, none of the three retailers have submitted a signage or business application, she said. But rue21, a trendy shop for teen fashions, and Sports Authority, one of the country’s largest sporting goods retailers, have posted openings for management positions in Culpeper on their websites.

Rue21 is tentatively expected to open on July 15 in Dominion Square Shopping Center at the intersection of James Madison Highway and Ira Hoffman Lane, according to the Culpeper Star Exponent.

The retailer offers exclusive, branded merchandise for girls and guys that it describes as “young, fresh and affordable.” The “21” in its name refers to “the age that everyone wants to be!” according to its website.

Rue21 currently operates 900 stores in 47 states, and expects to open another 125 stores this year. The closest location now is in Hanover Square North in Mechanicsville. Long-term, the company plans to have more than 1,700 stores.

Colorado-based Sports Authority is expected to open a store in Culpeper in August. The location hasn’t been announced, but Brown said she’s heard rumblings that it also might be Dominion Square.

A Panera Bread franchisee has expressed interest in Culpeper Colonnade, 15341 Montanus Drive, according to Brown. Marketing manager Cori Lintner was checking on Friday, and was able to say that the company will open a location on South Gateway Drive in Stafford County in late fall.

April Laney, leasing agent for Culpeper Colonnade, said that she is in negotiations with two nationally known quick-service restaurants, but declined to name them.

“We are definitely starting to see a lot more interest, especially in the Culpeper market, which is really exciting,” said Laney, who works for national owner, developer and operator Regency Centers.

Her office in Vienna handles about 50 assets from Richmond to Baltimore, and is seeing a “pretty large” prospect list for top-tier shopping centers with anchor stores. Even those without anchors are getting calls, she said.

“People are fishing, kicking the tires, thinking about opening again,” Laney said. “It feels good. It feels positive.”

Cathy Jett: 540/374-5407

cjett@freelancestar.com

Peter Chang’s mission to bring authentic Chinese cuisine to the United States in a style Americans enjoy will soon make its latest stop in Fredericksburg.

Since coming to the United States 12 years ago for a job as private chef at the Chinese embassy in Washington, Chang has been studying what foods Americans like. He’s categorized Chinese restaurants in the United States into three categories: buffets, Americanized Chinese food and takeout joints.

Chang doesn’t want to be any of the above. Instead he has developed a cooking style that is true to his Chinese roots but with some twists that Americans love.

It certainly seems to be working. Chang has developed a cult-like following and garnered numerous accolades over the past decade while working at restaurants in Virginia, Georgia and Tennessee. He’s also developed a reputation for vanishing shortly after people begin flocking to his restaurants and later reappearing somewhere else.

Chang’s wandering days now seem behind him. A couple of years ago he and business partner Gen Lee opened a Peter Chang restaurant in Charlottesville, and since then they have opened locations in Richmond and Williamsburg.

On Friday, Chang will open his fourth Virginia restaurant in a 4,000-square-foot space that used to be home to China Jade at 1771 Carl D. Silver Parkway in Fredericksburg’s Central Park. The restaurant will be open daily for lunch and dinner.

Chang will spend most of his time at the Fredericksburg location during its initial months, said business partner Stone Shi, who went to college with Chang in China. Chang has also developed a process to train Chinese chefs in his spicy Szechuan cooking style, which will be increasingly important as he opens more restaurants.

Chang started honing his cooking style growing up in Hubei province in east–central China. He grew up poor and saw a cooking career as both a ticket out and a way to fill his stomach.

Shi recalls Chang obsessively practicing his food-cutting skills while in college. While Shi learned English, Chang never did. Shi translated for Chang during an interview for this article.

Chang won the position at the Chinese embassy after being named one of China’s top chefs. Magazines including Bon Appetit and Travel + Leisure have since declared him and his restaurants among the best in the U.S.

Chang gets the majority of his ingredients from China. He is known for using large amounts of peppers, a vegetable that is on the Peter Chang sign outside his new Fredericksburg eatery. He tries to cook a healthy blend of meats and vegetables and uses no MSG.

Chang personally developed the majority of the more than 75 menu items at his restaurant. Among his best-known dishes are dry-fried eggplant, cilantro fish rolls and bamboo fish.

Chang plans future locations in Virginia Beach, Northern Virginia and downtown Richmond next, and within a decade he hopes to make it a national brand.

Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405

bfreehling@freelancestar.com

The jobs reports are looking pretty rosy, but are they gilding the lily?

On Thursday, the weekly numbers for Americans seeking unemployment aid fell to the lowest level since January of 2008.

Friday, the jobless numbers for April showed a drop to 7.5 percent, the lowest figure in four years. And, hiring was better than reported in February and March.

That was the good news.

The not-so-good news? There are all kinds of jobs. Some of them pay well and offer health benefits. Some don’t.

In 2010, the monthly jobless rate in the U.S. ranged from 9.3 to 9.8 percent. In 2011, the range was 7.8 to 8.3 percent monthly. So, as a nation, we should have been making more money in 2011, right?

Instead, median household income was down, from $51,144 in 2010 to $50,502 in 2011. Adjusted for inflation, it fell 1.5 percent. (Median is the spot where half the households are below that figure and half are above.)

You probably know what’s going on from first- or second-hand experience. Hours and salaries are being cut. Unpaid furloughs are becoming the norm. Free-lancers are doing what salaried employees used to do. People who are laid off take another job for much less money, just for the health benefits, if any.

During the recovery, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 60 percent of new jobs created have been low-skill and low-wage.

Piling on to that is the decline in employer-sponsored health coverage. Even before the Great Recession, it was falling. From 1999 to 2010, employees covered through their jobs fell from 69 percent to 60 percent, more than a 13 percent drop.

And employees who do have insurance are paying an average of $1,056 annually for it, compared with $435 in 1999.

As if that isn’t enough, the people who have given up (not looked for a job for a year or more) are not included in the unemployment figures. If you had a football team, and it won six games, lost two and also forfeited two when the score got too lopsided, by government figures, you’d be 6-and-2. In the real world, you’d be 6-and-4.

Making those figures even more bogus to average working people is this: Between 2010 and 2011, the Census Bureau reported that the top fifth of U.S. households’ income rose 1.6 percent, while everyone else’s living resources were dwindling.

The gap is getting wider. The American Dream—get a good job, buy a home, have it better than your parents did—is floating away like a helium balloon, in sight but beyond the grasp of too many.

Business Editor Howard Owen writes this column on business and the economy. He can be reached at 540/374- 5539 or howen@freelancestar .com.

That’s My Dress Bridal and Prom at Merle Norman Cosmetics hadn’t even opened last January when high school girls and their mothers started knocking on the front door.

Valerie Kettl, who owns the store in Harrison Crossing shopping center in Spotsylvania County, ended up opening that month instead of Valentine’s Day as she’d originally planned so they could pick out the prom dress of their dreams.

Those gowns don’t come cheap. The least-expensive ones she carries start at $99, and they go up to about $500 for confections by such name brands as Disney, Tony Bowls and Mac Duggal.

“I would say my average price was $350,” said Kettl. cq spelling

At Formal Envy, 1924 William St., the average price for a dress is slightly less, about $300. Alterations done in-house can add an additional $75.

“Usually every girl has to get her dress hemmed and taken in,” said manager Craig Strickland.

Gowns are typically the largest expense for prom, followed by tuxedo rentals, which can easily top $100. Add in prom tickets, flowers, limousine rentals, dinner, and the cost for girls to get their hair, makeup and nails done professionally, and couples and their families are spending an average of $1,139 this year on the annual high school ritual.

That’s an increase of 5 percent from the $1,078 that those who have a teenager attending a prom spent on all aspects of the dance in 2012, and is the second straight year that spending on prom has increased, according to a survey by Visa. In the South, the average this year is even higher: $1,203.

The survey results are based on 3,000 live telephone interviews conducted nationally in February and early March before prom season kicked, and was done in cooperation with GfK Roper OmniTel.

Sheila Kendrick said she was surprised at how much more it cost to outfit her daughter, Spotsylvania High School sophomore Brittany Kendrick, for her first prom compared to the $400 total she paid for homecoming.

Brittany’s prom dress, a bright red strapless number with a trumpet skirt, cost about $500 at That’s My Dress. She got shoes there for $100, and paid about $42 for jewelry and a clutch at Charming Charlie’s in The Village at Towne Centre.

Add in the $142 that her date, Spotsylvania High senior Pasha Cox, paid for his tux, plus their other expenses, and the total came to around $1,000. That figure includes tickets for the prom and after-prom party, the limousine they shared with five other couples, flowers, dinner and Brittany’s cost for getting her hair, nails and makeup done.

“The economy is terrible and my husband and I struggle like everyone else,” Sheila Kendrick said. “Do I think it’s outrageous? Yes. But to see them that glamorous for one night, it was worth every penny.”

The Visa survey also found that parents are planning to pay for 59 percent of prom costs, while their teens are covering the remaining 41 percent.

Vicky LeMaster, for example, paid $152 to rent the black tux that her son, Chancellor High School senior Andrew LeMaster, wore to his prom. He paid $60 for the tickets for himself and his date, Chancellor junior Mackenzie Neylon, and drove them to the dance in his mother’s car.

They didn’t go out to dinner beforehand because he was coaching a Little League team that day and she was going to a quinceañera before the dance.

“I basically lucked out,” Vicky LeMaster said.

One troubling statistic that Visa found in its survey was that parents with an income of $50,000 or less planned to spend an average of $1,245 on prom, while parents who make over $50,000 said they’d spend an average of $1,129. Additionally, single parents were planning to spend about $1,563.

Yet there are ways for those who are struggling financially to still afford to send their teens to a prom without spending a bundle. Concord Baptist Church in Ruther Glen, for example, has run a “Cinderella’s Closet” ministry since 2003 that provides donated new and gently used but up-to-date dresses and accessories free to high school girls who are going to a spring dance or prom.

That first year the Cinderella’s Closet “fairy godmothers” outfitted five girls, but attendance has grown as word spread. This year, they helped 32 girls. In addition, four girls from Caroline County won tickets to the Caroline High School prom and four won a $15 gift card to Target.

“It’s fun. We have a good time,” said Jeannie Ball, who helped to organize the program. “They come and they’re all excited about getting their dress. The parents are excited because they’re getting a good dress and they’re not paying an arm and a leg.”

Cathy Jett: 540/374-5407

cjett@freelancestar.com

Culpeper Renaissance Inc. once again has been designated as an accredited National Main Street Program for meeting revitalization performance standards for a commercial district. The standards are set by the National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and a list of accredited Main Street programs is announced each year.

“Accredited Main Street programs are meeting the challenges of the downtown in the economy head on and are successfully using a focused, comprehensive revitalization strategy to keep their communities vibrant and sustainable,” said Valecia Crisafulli, acting director of the National Main Street Center.

Culpeper Renaissance’s performance is evaluated annually by Virginia Main Street, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet performance standards. Last year, CRI won a Great American Main Street Award.

“Since CRI’s designation as a Virginia Main Street Community in 1988, more than $50 million has been invested in downtown Culpeper through consumer spending, financial contributions, and volunteer hours. In 2012 alone, 2,684 volunteer hours were performed at events and programs sponsored by CRI,” said Trez Holmes, president of the organization’s board in a prepared statement.

NOVEC wins safety program certificate

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association has recognized the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative for its ongoing commitment to safety in the workplace and in the field as a provider of electric service to utility customers in Northern Virginia. Stan Feuerberg, NOVEC president and CEO, accepted the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program certificate at a meeting of the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives on April 22 in Staunton.

“Everyone is aware how dangerous electric utility line work can be. A rock-solid commitment to safety is essential every second dedicated individuals are working to build or maintain electric lines,” VMDAEC Executive Vice President Richard Johnstone said at the presentation.

NOVEC, which has its headquarters in Manassas, supplies and distributes electricity and energy-related services to more than 150,000 customers, including some in Stafford County.

—Cathy Jett

Japanese restaurant set for Eagle Village

A Japanese restaurant is coming to Fredericksburg’s Eagle Village mixed-use development off U.S. 1 across from the University of Mary Washington.

KUNO Sushi and Hibachi will occupy the 2,610-square-foot space that was formerly home to China Star, whose owner has now retired.

KUNO is owned by Wen Xin Li, who also owns restaurants in Norfolk, Williamsburg and Stafford County.

KUNO will open following an extensive renovation of the former China Star space, which is expected to take at least four months.

KUNO will be the ninth restaurant in Eagle Village, a number that will grow to 10 when the restaurant inside the under-construction.

Hyatt Place Hotel opens in November.

The UMW Foundation owns Eagle Village, which also includes office space and student apartments.

Lydia’s moving one door down in the city

Lydia’s, which offers an assortment of personalized gifts and stationery, is moving one door down in downtown Fredericksburg.

Owner Kitty Wafle is moving the shop to a ground-level retail space at 415 William St., a building she and her husband purchased in 2010 and renovated.

Lydia’s has been in rented space at 417 William St., which is owned by local real estate investor Mike Degen. Wafle is now trying to sublease that space and is working with Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer to secure a tenant. Degen has considered developing condominiums on the parking lot adjacent to the building at 417 William, but he might sell the property and try to find a partner for the project. The asking price for the property is $759,000.

—Bill Freehling

Market bounces back

Better jobs news, higher profits lift stock pricesNEW YORK—Encouraging news about the job market and higher profits from CBS, Facebook and other companies sent stock prices higher on Wall Street.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 130 points, or 0.9 percent, to close at 14,831 Thursday, wiping out nearly all of its 138-point fall the day before. The Standard & Poor’s 500 climbed 15 points, or 0.9 percent, to 1,597. The Nasdaq rose 41 points, to 3,340 points.

—Associated Press

Kings Dominion employees are now decked out in uniforms made by a firm whose name is best-known in the grocery business.

Richmond-based Ukrop’s Dress Express last fall won a contract to provide uniforms to about 40,000 employees of Hanover County-based Kings Dominion and the other amusement and water parks owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. The announcement of the contract corresponded with the start of the 2013 season at Kings Dominion.

Kings Dominion General Manager Pat Jones worked with Ukrop’s Dress Express CEO John Carrico on taking the idea to Cedar Fair’s corporate office.

“It’s exciting to say that Kings Dominion has partnered with a well-known and established Richmond-based company,” said park spokesman Gene Petriello.

Petriello’s remarks notwithstanding, Ukrop’s is probably still better known as a grocer than a clothing manufacturer, even though it’s now been more than three years since Ukrop’s Super Markets Inc. was sold to Giant–Carlisle.

Ukrop’s Dress Express was in fact first started as an entity of the Richmond-based grocery chain, which formerly had a store off State Route 3 in Spotsylvania County.

The Ukrop family started the division in 1993 to make uniforms for its grocery store employees after being dissatisfied by the products the company was receiving, Carrico said. The Ukrop family later saw a business opportunity to supply uniforms for other companies.

Ukrop’s Dress Express was spun off as a separate entity in 1998.

The Ukrop’s grocery business is now a thing of the past, but Ukrop’s Dress Express remains in growth mode.

The company now supplies uniforms to more than 1 million people with a client list that includes Kroger, Harris Teeter, CarMax and HCA Health System. Many of its customers are in the grocery, convenience store, restaurant and healthcare businesses.

About 50 people work for Ukrop’s Dress Express, whose headquarters are off Interstate 95 just south of the Philip Morris operation in the Richmond area. The company designs, tests and distributes its products, which are primarily manufactured in China and India.

Ukrop’s Dress Express isn’t the only business venture that brothers Jim and Bobby Ukrop own in the post-grocery store era.

Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods, which was founded in 2010 following the grocery chain sale, makes products including White House Rolls, baked goods, sandwiches and more that are sold in 30 states including at Kroger and Martin’s stores. That company employs about 400 people in the Richmond area.

Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405

bfreehling@freelancestar.com

A steady stream of women have been walking into a new Central Park store with armloads of clothing—and walking out with cash.

Clothes Mentor, a Fredericksburg resale shop located between DSW and the Navy Federal Credit Union, has been buying new and gently used women’s clothes and accessories since February in preparation for its grand opening on May 9.

That’s when it will begin both buying items bearing such labels as Ann Taylor Loft and White House|Black Market, and selling them for a fraction of their original cost.

Joe and Lily Ngo, who own the local franchise, say their target customer is a professional woman with a college education. They plan to home in on what she wants as they get a feel for what sells best in the Fredericksburg area.

Already, neat rows of shoes fill shelves on top of racks and racks of clothing. Handbags by such designers as Coach and Vera Bradley hang from hooks on the wall, and a wide selection of boots, belts, scarves and jewelry rounds out the inventory.

Employee Evangelus Vantrowski, who has worked with models during Fashion Week in New York City, has created displays of complete outfits, which help to give the store the look and feel of a traditional retail boutique.

“When the [company’s] owners came up with the concept, they wanted to make it look like a trendy place for women to shop,” Joe Ngo said. “That was their vision.”

Clothes Mentor works like this. Customers can bring in freshly laundered clothing in good condition, including maternity clothes, in sizes 0 to 26 up to an hour before closing each day. The staff will check each item’s age by looking to see if there’s a date stamped inside or by the style of the label. With few exceptions, the store won’t accept anything that was manufactured more than two years ago.

The staff occasionally has to explain that just because a customer bought something two years ago doesn’t mean that was when it was made, Lily Ngo said. Some stores offer deep discount because they sell items left over from the previous year.

“Women’s fashions change so often,” Joe Ngo said. “We try to be as fresh and current as possible.”

For high-dollar items such as Louis Vuitton bags, proof of authenticity are required, the Ngos said. It’s illegal for them to sell knockoffs.

On Friday, sales clerk Rachael Awan checked a dressy black suit for piling under the arms, and then flipped the jacket over to look for possible stains. Since it still looked brand new, she punched information into the Clothes Mentor database, and then printed out a ticket with the price the store would pay for it. Tickets for unacceptable items always list the reason for the rejection, she said.

If Clothes Mentor’s business model sounds familiar, that’s because the franchise’s founders, Lynn and Dennis Blum, also started two similar companies with franchises in Central Park—Once Upon a Child, which deals in children’s clothes, toys and equipment; and Plato’s Closet, which buys and resells teen fashions.

Lynn Blum, who’s been dubbed the Queen of Resale, was inspired to found Once Upon a Child in 1985 after her sons’ closets became full of outgrown clothes that were still in good shape.

Seven years later, she sold her concept for $800,000 to Grow Biz International, which also owned Play It Again Sports. Blum and her husband went on to launch five other resale concepts, including Clothes Mentor.

Currently, there are 85 Clothes Mentor locations in 24 states, including four others in Virginia.

The Ngos, who live in Richmond, also own the Once Upon A Child store in Central Park. They bought that franchise in 2010 after Lily Ngo complained about the high price of children’s clothes to a customer at her nail salon. The customer recommended shopping at the Once Upon A Child in Richmond.

The Ngos decided to also buy the franchise for a Clothes Mentor after talking to other owners at a Once Upon A Child conference last year. Even though they are separate franchises, a number of franchisees own both, they said.

“We felt there was a need,” Joe Ngo said. “We have Once Upon A Child, and there’s a Plato’s Closet [in Central Park]. Clothes Mentor was the next logical step.”

Cathy Jett: 540/374-5407

cjett@freelancestar.com