I’ve noticed an increase in viewership over the last few hours and I would like to welcome everyone to the website. Check back often as updates are forthcoming.
Please take your time to peruse the site and leave suggestions in the comments section of this article (by clicking “Comments” below).
Also, please sign up for our Mailing List. By signing up you will receive information and updates from Wards Corner Now in your email inbox.
Wards Corner Now - Wards Corner, Norfolk, Virginia 
NOTE: I received this response to my objection to the picture on the WardsCornerNow website:
“The Wards Corner Partnership did not do the rendering. The rendering was done by the consultants from WRT commissioned by the city of Norfolk.”
I urge the Partnership to change or remove the offending picture. If you want to be fair to everyone, put a generic name, such as “bookstore” and “restaurant.”
This is typical of the mind set of the city. Sometimes they try to attract large national companies by offering incentives that are not available to the smaller mom and pop businesses. The large ones put a lot of small ones out of business – many times because of unfair and sometimes illegal actions. What happens to the city, when years later, the large ones start to lose money; and they close and leave a large empty building?
**************************************************
I take great exception to the picture at the top of the website!
My family and I operated a used and new book store, Bargain Books of Virginia, Inc. (formerly Wards Corner Book Shop, Inc.), from February, 1965 to November, 2006 – more than 40 years. I sold the shop to Lynn Howard, an employee; and she and the long time staff are taking the business to new heights. Note: there is also another independent bookstore at Wards Corner.
Why in the world would you put a Barnes & Noble store in your picture of Wards Corner? I once operated a 4200 square foot book store in the Giant Square Shopping Center on Independence Blvd. in Virginia Beach. Within 6 months of the opening of the Barnes & Noble store – 1 1/2 miles from my location – my sale of new books dropped about 75%, and I was forced to close the store. Watch for the closing of many small businesses because of the new Wal-Mart at Southern Shopping Center!
Also you put a Red Lobster in your picture? The Pancake House has been at Wards Corner for a longer period of time than the 40 plus years of Bargain Books.
Your picture is telling the small businesses at Wards Corner that they are not an asset to the area.
Your concept of a retail shopping area is a carbon copy of most other shopping centers. Wards Corner may be more successful with a mix of small, independent and unique shops.
How about supporting the businesses that are located at Wards Corner!
Harvey D. Eluto
757 456-0005 work phone
harvey.eluto@yahoo.com
Mr. Eluto, I believe that your concern for product labeled art renderings is reasonable. I do, however, do not believe that this was placed to offend anyone. I understand the importance of getting this very important web site up and functioning. I am sure that the site will be tweeked in many ways as it rolls out to the Partnership.
I agree that the picture was not “placed to offend anyone.” But using it does show the insensitivity of the city, and the Partnership, to the struggles of small businesses.
Please refer to studies published on the website of the American Booksellers Association http://www.bookweb.org * (or use the link below) showing that smaller independent businesses are more valuable to a city, or a shopping area, than large national chains.
http://www.civiceconomics.com/SF/
* Tab on “ADVOCACY” & then select “Economic Studies.”
Harvey D. Eluto
757 456-0005 work phone
harvey.eluto@yahoo.com
Mr Eluto,
I encourage you to attend the next Partnership meeting and bring with you some images and/or pictures to propose using. Preferably in digital format.
Your criticism is greatly appreciated and I can assure you that your concerns are being reviewed.
Thanks for fixing the picture. You came up with a great solution.
PS – Who is responding as “Wards Corner Now?”
Harvey D. Eluto
757 456-0005 work phone
harvey.eluto@yahoo.com
Yeah that picture at the top looks like Ward’s Corner.
Don’t forget to put the NO GUNS ALLOWED signs in the store windows and let’s all sit back and watch the robberies go through the roof.
I will NOT have anything to do with Ward’s Corner as long as the merchants there will not allow me, trained, checked and armed into their stores, but freely open the door to criminals.