It’s Mark Smith’s time to bask in the sunshine. Smith, a Boston native, left his job as an engineer at Qimonda in 2004. In 2006, he started Sun Smith Solar, a Richmond-based company that builds and sells photovoltaic solar panels. The first two years were dedicated to research and design; last year, the company started… Read more »
Al Harris
The puck stops here for Richmond hockey
Allan Harvie Jr., general manager of the Richmond Renegades hockey team, announced Tuesday that he would apply for a one-year suspension of the team if a new investor could not be found by summer. “Between buying gas or buying health care or buying a ticket to an event — whether it is hockey or anything… Read more »
Monday Q&A: What’s in store for retail?
Retailers battled through last year’s tough shopping season. Now it’s all about survival. The pullback in consumer spending has made the past six months difficult for retailers across the county, and Richmond is no exception. Negative sales. Decreased foot traffic. Slimmer margins. What can a retailer do? Some have turned to the Retail Merchants Association… Read more »
Man accused of $8 billion fraud found in Fredericksburg
Sir R. Allen Stanford, who is accused by the Securities and Exchange Commission of perpetrating an $8 billion financial scheme, was found in Fredericksburg yesterday by Richmond FBI agents. The Texas native, who resides on his estate in the U.S. Virgin Islands, was found visiting his girlfriend in Fredericksburg, according to news reports . He… Read more »
Circuit City’s HQ tag sale
Let the rummaging begin. Blu-Ray players, promotional displays, Hawaiian shirts and wireless routers were among the hundreds of items on display in a downstairs conference room at Circuit City’s former headquarters on Broad Street. A liquidation employee said the brand-new goods were pulled from one closet.
The Pipeline: Commercial Real Estate Round Up for 2.20.09
Justin French of French Consulting purchased the 14,400 square foot Summit Building at 3018-3022 W. Clay St. in Richmond for $825,000 from Viking Investment. Grubb & Ellis Harrison & Bates reports EMS Rentals purchased the 10-unit apartment building at 12 E. Main St. in Richmond for $1 million from Main Street Investments LLC. Porter Realty… Read more »
Digital media tax passes General Assembly
Yesterday the General Assembly approved a 10 percent tax on hotel room media purchases to fund the attraction of film production projects to the state. The House of Delegates passed the bill with a vote of 69-27. The Senate approved the bill earlier this month by a vote of 36 to 3. The bill now… Read more »
Beware snail mail ‘phishing’ scam
The U.S. Small Business Administration is warning small businesses not to respond to a wave of fake letters that request bank account information in order to qualify for federal tax rebates. The letters mimic the SBA letterhead and have been received by business owners across the country. None have been reported in Richmond yet, according… Read more »
Food distributor laying off almost 100
Locally-based food distributor Performance Food Group is downsizing its purchasing division. About 98 people will lose their jobs, according to paperwork filed with the Commonwealth of Virginia. Last Friday, the company announced that its independent purchasing organization, Progressive Group Alliance, would outsource its food service and group purchasing operations to Atlanta-based UniPro. The deal was… Read more »
Richmond libraries boosted by the slump
The public library is back en vogue. Circulation of books and DVDs at Richmond Public Library are up 11 percent month to month over last year, according to Harriet Coalter, the city’s library director. The number of people using library computers is also up 11 percent. Coalter said the poor economy is behind the up tick… Read more »