With 19 New Businesses Downtown, Annapolis Leaders Say Shop Local

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The ongoing coronavirus pandemic still challenges businesses in Downtown Annapolis. With safety requirements and capacity caps, business leaders are working to protect their customers and keep their doors open.

The upcoming holiday season will crucial keys to their success. The city still plans to continue most of its holiday traditions, so business owners ask for your support.

Patch recently partnered with several local organizations to bring you their latest news. This week's guest contribution comes from the Downtown Annapolis Partnership. Here's what Executive Director Erik Evans wrote about supporting Annapolis businesses:

"This weekend kicks off Small Business Saturday and Artist Sunday, which is quickly followed by Midnight Madness. These three events all support downtown Annapolis' diverse collection of locally owned boutiques, stores, restaurants, salons, and other small businesses.

Over 400 businesses call downtown Annapolis home including about 90 stores and 80 restaurants. Most of these businesses are locally owned by your neighbors. They hire locally and support community causes and bring unique offerings and services to your community that you cannot find elsewhere.

These one-of-a-kind stores offer unique items you will not find on the world's biggest websites. When you shop local you can visit several stores where the items are handmade including Local by Design, Gallery 57 West, Here. A Pop-Up Shop, Mango + Main, and a dozen other galleries in downtown Annapolis. You can get personal shopping and custom-made items at Zachery's Jewelers, Annapolis Pottery, and Capital Clothiers and the list goes on and on.

COVID has caused many businesses to struggle including in Annapolis. However downtown has been fortunate to not yet see the store closures that many communities and shopping malls are reporting. Part of the success of downtown Annapolis has been its use of outdoor public space for outdoor dining, keeping events like the First Sundays Arts Market, and converting Midnight Madness from a shopping party to a safe shopping only night. Downtown Annapolis will also offer its largest holiday display of lights this winter which is sure to attract the attention of locals wishing to take a stroll in the evenings, window shop, and get some holiday cheer. The Downtown Annapolis Partnership created a shopping directory of downtown stores and restaurants on its website for those that prefer to shop online during this time. But the biggest factor to downtown Annapolis' success is community support, everyone votes every day with their dollars on which business in their town stays open.

The benefit of this community supporting local is paying off and 19 new businesses opened over the past year in downtown Annapolis. New stores on West Street include Gallery 57 West, Zen and Crystals, Dangerously Delicious Pies, and Kim Hovell Studio. Along Main Street and the City Dock new stores include Fat Face, Musto, 727 Sailbags, Salty Paws, NV'y Optical on Main, 20th Century Design, B Boutique, Del Sol, Boatique Resortwear, A Christmas to Remember, Inspire Nails, and Rock and Roll Cajun Seafood. New to Maryland Avenue are Brice Interiors, Vignette, and Impressions Lounge. This is a testament that Annapolis is still a great destination for shopping locally.

To learn more about downtown Annapolis businesses and events visit http://www.downtownannapolispartnership.org

Erik Evans
Executive Director"

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• Annapolis Still Has Christmas Tree, But Pandemic Changes Lighting
• Small Business Saturday 2020: Help Them Stay Afloat In Annapolis
• Coronavirus Hasn't Stopped These Anne Arundel Holiday Traditions
• Drive-In Movie Comes To Annapolis: Safe Holiday Fun

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