The Knoxville News-Sentinel from Knoxville, Tennessee • 30

wtrwr 06 StukLiv niarv 1x 3LH1F1 LiiKik'XVtiii I XnVSSENTLMl 1 Restaurant earnings better than expected sales declines in the fall would last through the end ofthe year he sail One company that said it would report a sales increase and delivered was Buffalo Wild Wings Inc The wing chain reported Wednesday that its same-store sales at company-owned restaurants grew 45 percent in the fourth quarter The company which offers something most consumers cant make at home along with the low-cost entertainment of televised sports also said its same-store sales to date in the first quarter have jumped 8 percent at cotnpanyowned restaurants Other including Cheesecake Factory Inc and California Inc this week that same-store sales may sink another 4percentormorein2009L Most restaurant companies do expect sales to gain in the second half of the year But with unemployment rising and consumers still feeling jittery about the stale of the economy nothing is certain like a football Derrington said going steepest sales declines are being seen at the restaurants with the highest average check amount At RF-Chang China Bistro Inc where the Mongolian beef entree costs same-store or sales at stores open at least a year slid 71 percent in its latest quarter which ended in December The company recently unveiled a four-course dinner for two for $3995 to boost sales but it expects average weekly sales to drop 6 percent this year Onaconference call with investors Wednesday Co- sumers continuing to hibernate at home to save cash al-most everyone is projecting a difficult yearn! Adining sales and in some cases clviiiw Tvnfiftt aU know tough out there" said Roth Capital Partners analyst Tony Brenner one is spending any Of course some people are still eating out But they're not dining at restaurants as much as they used toy and theyYe choosing less expensive options mote often Morgan Keegan analyst Bob Derrington said the 3T TRANSITION TO DIGITAL TV What RJ-power television stations are being required by law to broadcast orijy dgital signals This wi provide improved picture and sound quaity to viewers wtiie freeing up parts of the broadcast spectnsn for public safety communications ChiefExecudve Robert Vivian told investors his comments would be brief doesn't take me very long to say that we believe sales are going to remain he said we remain hopeful that sales trends will improve from 2008 we do not place great odds on that Derrington said low expectations were one reason so many restaurants companies beat Wall Street's estimates for their fourth-quar-ter profit Restaurant companies had a sufficiently gloomy that steep have devoted resources to extensive piMc outreach including notices and phone banks has shown there's a lot of confusion in hooking these Bob Williams director of operations for WATE said ofthe convex tor boxes needed for digital recepdon The ride sdderiy population isa concern when it comestofoe BY UUKN SHEPHERD MEW YORE -Despite repotting earnings this week that were better than expected restaurant companies say 2009 is going to be no treat as consumers continue to cut back and forgoa night on the town Of theseven restaurant companies that reported earnings this week all either met or beat Wall Street profit estimates once one-time items were stripped out But analysts and even the companies say this is no timetocelebrate With con DIGITAL from Cl The organization which represents about 100 radio and television stations statewide was pushing for amai ket-by-market transition because Adamson said it would have been more orderly have a mixed bag in Tennessee depending on the he said noting that ga ra lease one teievisioti stsoon in each ofthe six Ifennessee markets plans to go ahead with the the viewerstobe ready Thaft our lifeblood and we certainly want to do everything to make sure foeyke Local stations said they are prepared to make the switch but are trying to put viewers first rather err on the side of caution" WVLT Station Manager Chris Baker said adding that ift particularly important given such nproming programming ag the March Madness basketball tournaments and the Masters golf tournament feel like everybody should have a chance to see fBaher said of those events prepared to stay on until June tail well continue to evaluate the WVLT is owned by At-lantabased Gray Television whkfoallowedeachstationto decide whether to make the swilrhdeppndnigrinthpiiigr ket The delay will cost the additional! 155000 Congress has delayed the final transition until June 12 However some local stations wM be transitioning earfier IConwrtw bee Consumers with an analog television and who dont subscribe to cable or sateMte services wi need to toy a dgitatto-analog converter boor which are available at most retal outlets inducing Best Buy Circuit City Kmart RadbShack Sears Target and Wal-Mart Gmpme Al ULS households have unti July 31 to request up totwo coupons worth $40 each to be used toward the purchase of uptotwo dgrtaHo-analog converter bones Each coupon expires 90 days after it is issued More hfomaMaKwwwOTV2009ov Senior Qtizens Information and Refenal Service at 865-546-6262 news some A large Dumpster is filled with old analog television sets diving a recent recycling event at Chilhowee Park Most Knoxville TV stations are waiting until the new deadline of June 12 to make the change to digital but WKOP East Tennessee's public television station has already turned off its analog signal a challenge to get service to everybody "There's just a lot of variables because there different manufacturers and instructions Ift been something ofa challenge" Alcom said Pfeifer had her own trouble setting iqiaconvertor box athomegoingfonoughat least two different manufacturers: all converter boxes are created she said don't know that" Business writer Carfy Harrington may be reached at 865-342-6317 per month ersaid It will cost WBIR about $t7000permonthtocontiiue both analog and digital broad-castingadanskximadebyits parentccmpanyGannett expensive to stay on but we didn't make the decision on expense but on what our elected officials derided Station! said then to do to make sure every viewer has the chanoe to gotofoe new One local television station that made the switch to digital early is WKOP Chan nel 15 That was prompted by the failure of a major transmitter that would have cost $100000 to repair said Robert Hutchison director ofpro-gramming Sister PBS station WETP Channel 2 will switch over on Ibesday Thetotalconversiontodig-ital cost the public television station about $6 million over asixyear period including a new tower on Sharp Ridge and pHiringpqniprrenf not cheap All of that i 1 ili mi TT itnliiiii ffniJ nn aaasup ing that foe station rdies on its support to stay on foe air: Local television stations Warehouse featuring classifications for Commerciai Property Wanted to Buy Office Spece Rent Commercial Rent Pnf MeneRmnentWtatedtoRenL rTo list your commercial real estate contact your account executive or Brenda Hines at 342-6566 I Com Prop Rent I Warehouse Rent I Warehouse Rent Pent a ft New ihouse Office Space Suthvrtand Awe net Klnetfon Pk I Baonfcn Ata GnorvWbmyw drive- HwNwwameiwniiiiijV In door Sl450 por mo MS-71 V-7SN Tim Hid switchover said Anne Blount County Office on Aging director so confined so ift nvwy important tnfhwn I'm amazed at the TV sets they do have Ift a dominant part ofthe said Working on behalf of the FCC since January the Knox County Office on Aging has been helping folks with everything from applying for a coupon to actual installation Marie Alccm aging services manager said foank-ful for the latest extension because it would have been FOR THE BUTTON ON KNOKNEWSCOM oomee with Ml you naod ridel MM4M717MMW Color mefcee your ad eland out tarn die crowd Cal 637-4111 for mote MofiiwSon AWESOME Lacdtan noor Turkey Creek SUMS mo 165531-7000 CW 1ENT (ft SPACE Ec3i iCommfrop5ala I Office Spac 3L5Wikft2aonirn MariUKHeSUOML 3m Maw FM Sum mimmTmm tail taitarnip MtaMOmltaMr MMlValhtANMM The News Sentinel Classifieds: Where buyers and sellers get togetherl Cal 637-4111 to piaceyourad InomMOffl My loadod the opSone to buy orea AFFORDABLE SFACEForleeeeln Ferregut ATTN: BUSINESS SMferssiar MrlearMSSMS naSnETiml himsnid utra OFFICE Cell lor Vyounaodtoeanod or comet your ad CB66)342-6560 -SdHeM ouekxneia araournumborone piloiffyTbplacea daaaMadadcl (565)637-4111 SMALL OWNERS LEASE ISM SF or 4000 SF rln'- xonr "SSSfesaaBn- IfJSOSF InduNrtaL 12-RVSF Central location a XA ea ft office work and Inlra- nrm Jnvet frop Salt LOSS SF-Wat Keoprilk taea nADODahruMe lemodNed 1320 lo 2575 eq II Me of WM Knee on Middtaook noor Cedar BluK I you need nduoe your ram and mon op 08606881 monma mi BUT KETAIL323 ttvsaan downSlMCVmo 'VbELKSJk PM INDUSTRtALOFFtCE WR WAREHOUSE FOR SALELEASE flffici Space Rent NEW CONSTRUCTION WEST KNOXVILLE LOCATION FOR LEA8EI 1200 SF wdriwin doon ae eroni lo MW 75 Sl95MOforL200SF IndudM PMlhnie-DIABila FOR SALE 421X10 SF of wmhooHipece wW odmgk ko ffl kadine docU See (3) drive-in doon on Acn LocMed next le Airport in Gnniil4TN-597S000 Dkkhlrp Jllre toe floor 2000 renovaMore noor completion 51750 moi MS656-0J70 WEST KNOXVILLE CImsA OfHoe Space Off Klngeton Pika BSilOIF At doorerklng 4411 PoeermHI Read OSFSlOHMnontli 12NS COMMERCIAL REALTY CORP 865-693-3300 uvm WIV EH MmMn wj mHHl MHWpWOffi I -Cofflrfi Prop: Sale- VACANT LAND FOR SALE 1 44 MARYVILLE PK ml ml of hen ley ueue jmi wB Wm VPMffiHDD ffi gt door RonoM iSSoO EsUfo-afr j56mfflPropSair I Coim Prop I QQCOaXL Land a Job that makes you want to get up in the morning Knoxnewscom In partnership with Yahool HotJobs makes it easy with the latest listings Wake up to a great new job Find the right one 41 AC Convr of Kxxoon Valin iU Norrk oppomifiKVL pm sum uim Sail' WVESTMENT PROPERTY FOR SAU LOOK TODAY FEICE REDUCED FINANCING AVAILABLE NTtleMkiyaketnlntnoerts mtioMlImnL lUyeHihftonlfcfLaM wiadd inavaed in tae i 1L Jkn Stay COM See All Of Our Lietinge 0 wwwxbcwwxom In pertnonMp ertlti knaxnewsxom TftHoohjobs Vtew Ovor 100 Commorclal Listings wwwCapitalRealEstatecom Mmtrlml Qgtae Wed Skoffiitf Ctmttn Metmll leed frofertg Munmgtmmt I 1 VN I fUvkl vinii i iti 690-1111.