Posted: February 4, 2011

By Danielle Walker

danielle.walker@insidebiz.com

Hayashi Sushi & Grill, a Japanese restaurant with locations in Williamsburg and City Center in Newport News, opens its third Hampton Roads location at Peninsula Town Center in Hampton on Feb. 7.

Owner Lenny Sean explained how the latest restaurant will be different from the rest.

"Rather than hibachi-style dining, it will be a more upscale atmosphere, and the menu will reflect that," said Sean in a release for Peninsula Town Center.

The menu will include poultry, steak and seafood entrees, in the establishment's contemporary environment.

"I have always planned to open multiple locations, and this was a great opportunity to expand," Sean said in the release. "I look forward to being a part of Peninsula Town Center and all the great stores and restaurants that are here."

The new restaurant at 3110 Allainby Way is near the Macy's department store entrance, and seats more than 100 people, with a covered patio adjacent to Mary's Park.

SALON TODAY magazine, a salon and spa industry business publication, has named two Ghent establishments in its 14th annual SALON TODAY 200 issue. The January 2011 featured 200 salons submitted by readers, which represent the 25,000 top-producing salons and spas in the country, according to a release from the magazine.

Changes Hairstyling and City Spa and Jake's Place Barbering Lounge and Spa made the top 200 list, and are both owned by Norma Dorey, who runs the businesses in Norfolk. Jake's Place was honored for its sales growth and marketing, and Changes was honored in the marketing category.

Honorees mentioned in the issue were separated into 12 best practices categories, being honored for achievements in compensation and benefits, retention and referral programs, customer service, recruitment and training, advanced education, marketing, environmental sustainability, philanthropy, retail and merchandising, technology and sales growth.

"Our editors recognize that strong business leadership requires the mastery of a number of different best business practices," said Stacey Soble, editor-in-chief of SALON TODAY, in a release.

"The salons named to the SALON TODAY 200 for 2011 not only proved they excel in one or more of these areas, they also have created rewarding environments for their staff members and standout experiences for their clients. Their willingness to share their success offers our readers important business benchmarks and fresh, sales-building ideas."

MacArthur Center in Norfolk will welcome two retailers in April, one of which is returning to the mall after closing in 2006.

White House Black Market, a women's apparel store that sells black and white fashions for the office and "everything in between," will make a reappearance at MacArthur Center this spring.

The new 3,000-square-foot store will be larger than the last, and will be located on Level 2 near Center Court near Teavana, the other new retailer set to open the same month.

Teavana, a tea bar that will also offer a retail emporium with tea pots, gifts and accessories, will have more than 100 varieties of loose-leaf tea.

The tea retailer, whose name means "a heaven of tea," will be the first Hampton Roads store for the company, which has more than 135 locations throughout the U.S. and Mexico. Teavana opened its first teahouse in Atlanta in 1997.

"We're happy to welcome White House Black Market back to MacArthur Center," said Karen Winters, marketing and sponsorship director of MacArthur Center in a release.

"And our shoppers are in for a delightful new experience when Teavana opens this spring."

Kroger opened its first fuel center in Hampton Roads on Jan. 27, in Virginia Beach. The national grocery store chain, based in Cinci nnati, has more than 1,000 fuel centers, with the newest center in the region opening adjacent to the 3330 Virginia Beach Blvd. store.

The fuel center will sell gasoline and highway diesel, in addition to auto supplies, candy and tobacco products.

"Our research indicated that our customers wanted the convenience of purchasing fuel where they shopped for groceries," said Carl York, a spokesman for Kroger in a release.

"So Kroger responded. There are now 28 fuel centers in Virginia and more on the way. Kroger's prices usually are below those of major brands when customers use their Kroger Plus Card or the Kroger 1-2-3 Rewards MasterCard."

Discounted rates apply, which save customers 10 cents per gallon, for purchases of $100 in groceries for customers using their Kroger Plus Card, the release said.

Farm Fresh, another grocery store chain with local stores, also sells fuel locally, and began doing so nationally in 2002.

The new Kroger fuel center created seven new jobs for the Virginia Beach Kroger location. nib