The Daily News-Journal from Murfreesboro, Tennessee • 37

Sunday, July 5, Term. 1 BUSINESS LvJouJ Mmm Competition road construction cooked Piggly Wiggly chances Tom Spigolon Business roundup Company officials are also helping tne store's 28 part-time employees find jobs at other local grocery stores. more or less evolved over the last nine months," division wholesale manager Buddy Best By DAN WHITTLE New Journal Staff Writer It may be a FoodMax. Or it could be a Food World supermarket Another name might be Food -Fair, and then Murfreesboro's newest food store operation could simply be named Bruno's the name of the parent company that is putting a new supermarket in the 700 block of Memorial Boulevard. We don't have a name selected yet," said Bruno Inc.

real estate spokeswoman Katherine Byrd this week from the firm's Birmingham, headquarters. "Sometimes when we put in a new store we dort't make a decision on what to name the store until one of the last steps right before the grand opening But the name FoodMax might be considered on the inside track since the company already has a string of four FoodMax stores 30 miles up the road from Murfreesboro in Nashville. The Bruno company, which has been studying the Murfreesboro CO runes INC. market for at least the past two years, is no lightweight when it comes to supermarkets, Byrd said. "Bruno's today has 260 supermarkets throughout the Southeast," Byrd said.

While other parts of the country are experiencing lots of job layoffs in the current recessionary market, Murfreesboro remains bullish in terms of new jobs. We will be opening our doors with 150 new jobs when the store opens and most of those jobs will be from local people," Byrd said. "Since this store is to contain nearly 60,000 square feet of space, we are bringing our company's latest new enlarged format store with an expanded selection of general merchandise." (See New, page 3E) the Murfreesboro store again, it was "struggling," Besfcsaid. Piggly Wiggly had offered double coupons to attract customers. But when the Kroger Co.

and Red Food Stores started doing the same thing, that increased competition, he said. Another contributing factor in closing the store was the recent announcement that Birmingham-based Bruno's Inc. planned to open a store at Memorial Village on Memorial Boulevard. Recent road construction in front of Northfield Crossing also played a part in closing the Piggly Wiggly store, Best said. "It was a hindrance," Piggly Wiggly office manager Vicki (See Competition, page 3E) aid.

Irs sudden in one sense. "We knew that if we didn't build sales back, we would close it sooner or later. Best said, HrVe bought the store back two years ago." Malone and Hyde first bought the store in 1989, he said. It, owned a lot of Piggly Wiggly stores, but sold all the stores, including the Murfreesboro Piggly Wiggly, to independent grocers. When Malone and Hyde bought By ANGELA CANNON News Journal Staff Writer Road work on Memorial -Boulevard and local grocery store competition contributed to the low sales volume that forced Murfreesboro's Piggly Wiggly store to begin closing its doors, a company official said.

Public notice of liquidation signs went up in the store in the Northfield Crossing shopping center Monday, store manager Gary Hackett said. The store will close in less than two weeks. Most of Piggly Wiggls 12 full-time employees have been offered jobs through Memphis-based Malone and Hyde which owns and operates the Murfreesboro store, Hackett said. DNJ Photo by Jim Dvtt Import limits" not favorably received here J. A little more off the sides Barbie Sauls, left, and Shirley Pollard take a little more off the sides of two customers' hairdos at Odom's Barber Shop on the Public Square.

The sister barbers opened March 3. It's the only women-owned barber shop in town. "We named it after our maiden name because we thought that might make Daddy proud," Sauls says. Ba rber shop traditional except for the barbers Fred Hobbs returns to county seat Longtime Eagleville real estate company owner Fred Hobbs is returning to Mur-freesboro after 19 years of business in his hometown. Hobbs, who worked in Murfreesboro with a firm headed by John O'Brien in the early 1970s, has moved his company to Murfreesboro and renamed it Hobbs-Maxwell Auction Real Estate Services Inc.

Hobbs, a real estate broker and auctioneer, and partner -and auctioneer Bob Maxwell will operate at 312 S. Church St. next door to Hargrove Office Supply. They will be joined by affiliate broker Debora Maxwell, who is Maxwell's daughter and a graduate of Missouri Auction School in Kansas City! Hobbs said he moved his company because he Wanted to get more involved in the county's thriving real estate market Murfreesboro is the middle of the action in Rutherford County, he said. 1 was potentially limited in Eagleville" he said.

HI wanted to expand and do more business." The new company will join the Rutherford County Association of Realtors and the Multiple Listing Service, Hobbs said. Hobbs recalled moving from Murfreesboro to Eagleville in 1973 because of the convenience of doing business in the same town as his residence. Now, with a greater focus on residential real estate sales, Hobbs said he needed to move to where more houses were being sold. 'The potential is there to be successful," Hobbs said. However, Hobbs said his firm will continue to concentrate on auction sales of residential and agricultural land.

He said he and Maxwell are currently interviewing potential agents for the firm and all interested should contact him. Hobbs' new location contains plenty of office space and is located in a high traffic area near Murfreesboro's new city hall complex. Hobbs-MaxweH's opening in Murfreesboro will not have the effect of saturating the market with realty firms because housing and land sales remain strong here, he said. "I think there's still plenty of opportunity for everyone," he said. Hobbs has been active in real estate, auctioneering and politics for 25 years.

He served from 1984 to 1990 in the 49th District seat representing north and west Rutherford County in the Tennessee House of Representatives. Hobbs also served in the 1970s and 1980s as mayor of Eagleville, and is a former chairman and current member of the Rutherford County School Board. His move will leave Eagleville with only one part-time real estate company, Buddy Woodson Realty Auction. CDI to Warrior Drive area A tractor-trailer driving school will begin construction within two weeks on an office and retail building near South Church Street and Interstate 24. Commercial Driver Institute will build an building to be named Warrior Drive Office Park across from Stones River Terrace apartments on Warrior Drive, said CDI general jnanager John Lochmondy.

The speculative venture will include office and retail space. The building will include a brick front and steel face on the remaining three sides of the pre-manufactured structure, Lochmondy said. He said CDI will occupy 2,000 square feet and lease out 6,000 square feet. CDI is based in South Bend, but is moving its ac- counting department to Murfreesboro, he said. By LISA MARCHESONI News Journal Staff Writer Legislation proposed to limit imports and tie Japanese-owned production levels to U.S.

car sales would raise prices to protect American automakers, a Nissan executive said. Nissan Manufacturing's President Jerry Benefield disagreed with the protectionist legislation sponsored by Rep. Richard Gephardt, D-Ma "Nissan has never been in favor of protectionist legislation that reduces consumer choice and makes the industry uncompetitive," Benefield said in a prepared statement Thursday from the Smyrna manufacturing plant. Many provisions of the legislation threaten to close the market, not open it, the president said. Restraints historically raise prices for both U.S.

and Japanese nameplate vehicles. "American consumers should not have to foot the bill to protect U.S. auto manufacturers," Benefield said. The House scheduled hearings last Wednesday on the proposal to free the 1.65 million Japanese imports and link their number to the production of Japanese-owned plants in the U.S. and the sale of American cars in Japan, The Associated Press reported.

U.S. Trade Representative Carla Hills told AP she would recommend a veto. "Many of the bill's provisions threaten to close markets, not open them," Hills wrote to Congress. 'This bill would be particularly destructive at a time -when the U.S. ecqnomy and job creation are enjoying sustained support from strong export growth." AP reported Chrysler and Ford support the legislation, while General Motors, a leading importer, opposes the limit.

Benefield said his understanding of the bill meant parts Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corp. USA Tennessee employees make with U.S. steel wouldn't be counted as domestic content "We think it's a bad policy," Benefield said. Imports are not the problem and not the cause of the woes of the Big 3, said Mark Pirtle who markets three lines of domestics and three of imports at dealerships in Murfreesboro, Shelbyville and Cookeville. Tutting limits on the Japanese 'Putting limits on the Japanese will actually hurt American workers Mark Pirtle Car retailer will actually hurt American workers, he Baid.

"Most of the import' vehichles I sell are made by Americans in American plants in Smyrna and Ohio," he said. The domestic contents of many Nissans and Hondas is actually often higher than some GM and Chrysler products," he said. Don Alexander, owner of Alexander Ford Lincoln Mercury and Mitsubishi, expressed mixed feelings about the legislation. Alexander, who sells both domestic and foreign cars, said the bill may be "too protectionist. I don't feel it will be good for the competion of the Big 3 Northern imports." On the flip side, there may be unfair pricing of vehicles by manufacturers of domestic and import cars, he said.

For example, foreign-made mini-vans were sold in the United States cheaper than production costs in their home market, the owner said. They're selling for less than the cost to get the market share," Alexander said. "Gradually there will be an increase in price. I don't agree with that" German and Japanese automakers shouldn't be permitted to sell for less than cost just to gain a market share, the owner said. "It's got to be equitable," the owner said.

"If it's good for one, ifs good for all. There should not be one set of rules for domestics and one set of rules for imports." Many American automakers teamed up with Japanese manufacturers to produce vehicles, he said. A joint venture of Ford and Nissan produces the Ford mini-vans in a Ford plant in Ohio, the owner said. "You can't really say ifs a sterile environment anymore," (See Import, page 3E) DNJ Photo by Pm Harrteon are always real nice. They've always been real sweet." Even before the Marks can leave, the broom and dust pan arrive.

"Girls are cleaner," Shirley announces mat-ter-of-factly. ou're not going to say that?" Barbie asks incredulously. if true," answers Shirley Other listed differences between Odom's and male-owned barber shops: Politics. TheyVe got men barbers who talk politics," notes Barbie. "We don't talk politics.

We don't know it" Brighter. "Some other places are real dark," Corrie Marks offers. Odom's walls are green. Wallpaper border with floating ducks line two walls. Flowers cover the far wall.

"Flowers for girls. Ducks for men," Barbie explains. Prices. Haircuts are $6 period. Men, women, boys and" girls.

"It's a haircut. Why should it be higher?" reasons Barbie. With these differences it's no wonder why business has boomed at Odom's since it opened March 3. The sisters average about 25 to 27 cuts a day. Another advantage over the competition became apparent Wednesday during a short visit.

One male customer broadcasts shortly after arriving: "I heard a good-looking girl works here." "Who told you that?" queries Shirley. The closed-mouthed tall brunette customer just smiles and shakes his head. "You're not going to tell me? Well, the next time you see him you tell him thanks." By KELLY LOCKHART News Journal Staff Writer From the red, white and blue ever-twirling striped barber pole out front to the blue Barbicide which sterilizes combs in between clients, Odom's Barber Shop is almost like any other small-town, old-timey hair cutting establishment. Except for the owners. Theyre women.

"Some of the men are really shocked when they first walk in, admits 25-year-old Barbie Sauls, who like her sister and business partner, 28-year-old Shirley Pollard, has brown curly hair, Caribbean blue eyes and an easy style of talking. Same cloth. Different pattern. They're real surprised we can do it. They see we're girls and ask, 'I want an olS-style haircut.

Can you do Barbie chuckles. Young Josh Marks, one of Odom's regulars, knows they can. When he and his mother, Corrie, walk off the Public Square and through the door, Barbie pounces over to them like a barnyard cat on field mice. She whisks Josh over to her barber's chair while mom takes a seat on a long church pew the sisters bought at auction in their native Readyville. With plastic cape fastened around Josh's neck, Barbie pulls out her buzzing black electric clippers.

To the floor goes the dark mane around the back and up the sides. A snip here and there on the top with shears finishes the cut. Barbie brushes away any stray bristles and uses a hand massager to smooth away any tensions the 10-minute haircut might have caused. The cape is removed. Josh moves over to the penny gumball machine while his mother hands Barbie a check for $6.

Shampoo costs $2 extra. Tou know, my husband's real conservative and old-fashioned, but he's never objected to having a female barber," Corrie Marks relates. 'These girls a 1 Federal dollars to help keeo lake tourism afloat ,1 By DAN WHITTLE News Journal Staff Writer WASHINGTON The Corps of Engineers will have $9 million to operate Center Hill and Percy Priest lakes in 1993 to ensure recreational opportunities and boost job-producing tourism, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon said last week, A Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce official said the economic ripple effect of tourism from area lakes is growing and substantial.

"I live by Percy Priest Lake, so I see the boats and all the people who come to our area to enjoy the recreational opportunites," said Chamber vice president of tourism Ginny Lee. "We have a mini-market on the corner near where I live and I see on nice sunny days the great number of lakegoers who stop and buy gasoline, picnic and ice supplies so the economic impact is great," Lee said. There are a lot of people, young and old, who utilize the lake," Lee added. "Since boats are so expensive, we are seeing more and more bank fishermen." Tourism generates up to $70 million annually into the Rutherford County economy, Lee said. The beauty of Percy Priest is that people here and in the metropolitan area of Nashville do not have to travel mileB and miles Lee added.

"So we are fortunate to have the lake right here in the middle of a heavy populated urban area including Smyrna, Murfreesboro and La Vergne." The funding of $25 million was approved to operate six lakes in Middle Tennessee as part of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill approved by the House. The House appropriated $5.42 million for Center Hill and $3.6 million for Percy Priest so the Corps can maintain facilities in a safe and efficient manner," said Gordon, D-Murfreesboro, who represents the 6th Congressional District. addition to providing much-needed flood control, hydropower and water to Middle (See Federal, page 3E) Lucrative lake Area lakes, especially Percy help generate the $70 million tourism annually produced in Rutherford County..