Business News - January 15

Involvement Opportunities ⭐ Meeting, Events, and More

Author

Joya Garris
January 14, 2025

Happy Tuesday!

Today’s Top Three:

  • Our next Retail & Restaurant Meeting is this Thursday, January 16th. Check out the agenda below.

  • Restaurant Week begins Friday! Don’t forget to send me your menus.

  • We’re already knee-deep in planning St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Get involved by participating in the parade or volunteering.

Keep reading to stay informed!  

- Joya Garris, Community Engagement and Communications Manager

Stay Informed

Cutting the Ribbon ✂️

Join The Spa at the Hotel Roanoke for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3pm followed by an Open House until 7pm. The Spa provides a rejuvenating mini-escape with a lasting impression.

Nestled within the historic Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, The Spa provides a distinctive and luxurious spa experience in Roanoke, VA. Renowned for its indulgent foot soaks, the sanctuary also offers a comprehensive range of wellness services, including facial and skincare treatments, as well as massage and bodywork therapies.

Ambassador Updates 📝

Snow and ice were no match for the Ambassadors! Anthony can be seen shoveling the snow from Market Square while Mack, Matt, and Jai tackled the sidewalks, ensuring a safe and welcoming downtown for visitors, employees, and residents.

Want to see more from the team? Follow our official Downtown Ambassadors Facebook Page.

Get Involved

Retail & Restaurant Meeting 💻️ 

Let’s start the new year strong— join us for our next Retail & Restaurant Meeting on Thursday, January 16th at 8:30am and 3:30pm via Zoom!

Agenda:

  • Restaurant Week

  • Dickens wrap up

  • Opened and closed businesses

  • Introduction to new Outreach Specialist for the Ambassador Program

  • Submitting specials and events

  • New business

  • Get to know each other exercise

Restaurant Week Reminders🍔 

Get ready because Restaurant Week begins THIS FRIDAY, January 17th!

Menus are still needed from 11 out of the 31 participating locations. Please send us your menus as soon as possible so we can upload them to the website. Acceptable formats include PDFs, JPGs, PNGs, and Word documents.

Menus needed from: Beamer’s 25, Fortunato, The Hatch, Hibachi Guys, Inka Grill, Jaybird Tavern, Lucky, Roanoke Weiner Stand, Six and Sky, Stock, and Tuco’s Taqueria Garaje.

Reminders:

  • Inform your staff of Restaurant Week, prices, and specials

  • Print physical copies of your Restaurant Week menu(s)

  • Staff adequately for increased foot traffic

  • Share your pricing and menus on social media to attract customers

  • If you participate in the Downtown Gift Card Program, please ensure all staff know how to properly accept gift cards and inform them about possible speedbumps (with solutions)

Get Your Green On ☘️ 

St. Patrick’s Day will be here before you know it! Downtown Roanoke will host the annual parade and shamrock festival on Saturday, March 15th. Parade applications are now available! Additionally, we’re looking for trusty volunteers to help the event run smoothly. Grab your green and get involved in your downtown community!

Gain Knowledge & Network

Taxes, Privacy, and You: Industry Discussion 🔒

January 28, 2025 | 1pm – 2pm

Taxes and privacy are major issues impacting the advertising and marketing industry in 2025. From new regulations to ensuring that our collective voice is heard on major issues, AAF Executive Vice President of Government Affairs Clark Rector will cover what’s happening in Washington, DC, and how it trickles into local businesses every day.

Join AAF Roanoke at the Roanoke Higher Education Center for an insightful discussion on the future of the advertising and marketing industry. This talk is important to everyone connected to advertising and marketing, whether you work at an agency, in-house, as a freelancer, or at a media organization. Members and non-members are invited to attend.

Events, Street Closures, & Parking

Downtown Events and Street Closures 🚧

The following street closures and associated events may affect Downtown traffic and business for the week of January 13 - 19.

Check out our Event Calendar for a full list of events.

Find Downtown Parking 🅿️

With more than 1,300 on-street spaces and 7,000+ off-street spaces, plenty of free or paid parking options exist.

DRI - Your Downtown Partner

Put DRI to work for you! 💼

Our mission is to make Downtown Roanoke the preferred place to Work, Live, and Play. As a Downtown business, you have a valuable FREE resource at your fingertips. Let us help share your story!

Website Listings on DowntownRoanoke.org - Our business listings often come up among the first in Google searches. Help us enhance your listing by providing us with vital information including website, phone number, description, hours, menus, and images.

Job Listings on DowntownRoanoke.org - Downtown Roanoke is the most vibrant workplace around and a destination for job seekers. Let us help get the word out when you’re hiring!

Event Listings on DowntownRoanoke.org - Our Event Calendar is THE place people go to find out what’s happening Downtown. Get your event in front of the audience you’re looking for.

Important Contacts 👤

Often businesses need phone numbers for government services, such as solid waste, permitting, etc., and other services, such as private parking and transportation.

Check out our list of frequently requested information!