D/FW Airport kiosk to make foreign currency exchanges
(Fort Worth Star-Telegram; 06/19/98)

THE METROPLEX'S MOST ELIGIBLE ATM: They're 6 feet tall, solidly built, speak 
several languages and carry lots of cash.

   No, they're not debonair bachelors or a lucky lady's dream date. They are 
foreign currency exchange kiosks. And one of the first to be based at a U.S. 
airport will be unveiled today in Terminal 2E, Section C at Dallas/Fort Worth 
Airport.

   The automated teller machines, operated by Thomas Cook, a German-owned 
provider of currency exchange services, have touch-screen technology. They 
dispense British pounds, Canadian dollars and Mexican pesos for U.S. dollars, 
and give up to 300 U.S. dollars for 20 foreign currencies.

   The kiosk will allow the airport to offer nonstop foreign currency exchange 
services as international traffic continues to climb. In the first three months 
of this year, 924,953 international travelers passed through D/FW's terminals, 
representing a 10.2 percent increase from the same period last year.

   LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: When Service King Collision Auto Repair 
decided to open its first Northeast Tarrant County location, visibility was 
considered a must by the Dallas-based chain.

   So the 22-year-old company - through the Phifer & Associates real estate 
company - has contracts pending to close deals on two North Richland Hills 
sites by mid-July, said Greg Murry, Service King's marketing director. One is 
east of Rufe Snow Drive and south of Loop 820, and the other is about a mile 
away at 5900 Rufe Snow Drive, Murry said.

   Why two sites? The one near Loop 820 - in addition to being visible from the 
freeway - will serve as a "neighborhood service center" where drivers can drop 
off their broken vehicles and pick up rentals simultaneously, Murry said.

   The repairs will be done at the Rufe Snow location, which will have a 33,000-
square-foot building capable of housing 75 vehicles, he said.

   "Our research has shown that about 75 percent of our customers drop off 
their cars going to and from work and like to do it within two or three miles 
of their home," Murry said. "Considering all the traffic that Loop 820 handles, 
it was important to show people we're here in the market."

   Service King has shops in Arlington, Carrollton, Dallas, Garland, Irving, 
Lewisville, Mesquite and Plano. The North Richland Hills locations are 
scheduled to open in October, Murry said.

   RETURN OF THE TAMALES: Because of popular demand, tamales were dropped from 
the menu at Bedford's La Casita in February. The owners said they could not 
keep up with demand.

   Now the tamales have returned to one of Northeast Tarrant County's smallest 
eateries - again by popular demand. The tiny drive-through at Industrial 
Boulevard and Airport Freeway, north of Texas 183, is offering beef, pork and 
beef-pork tamales for $7 a dozen or $4 for a half-dozen.

   Why the change of heart? For now, it's hard to say. Co-owner Henry Palacios 
was out of town yesterday, and an employee had no explanation.

   Biz Buzz runs on Fridays.

   Bill W. Hornaday, 685-3804 Fax: 685-3883 hornadaystar-telegram.com