looking to run country store, need feedback! (Baltimore, Frederick: for sale, real estate)

[shamity]

Hi MD Area Folks,

My husband and I are hoping to open (or take over an existing) country store somewhere around there. Here are some of our ideas...

1) We would like to be in operation for tourists as well but mostly for locals... you know that old country store reputation of being the local hang out spot. We really want to exist mainly to further the local scene, though sometimes being in a high traffic spot that attracts tourists of some kind allows the business to continue financially. We just def. don't want to rely JUST on tourism... that's not our scene.
2) We are thinking convenience store items/cool gifty items/possible deli and/or simple to-go bakery items, in terms of what to sell. Also coffee, maybe some yummy, simple, cheap featured breakfast items. We would also LOVE to showcase consignments from local artists and craftspeople.
3) We would also like to host occasional events like a Saturday Farmer's Market, bluegrass jam night, kids' night, fall festival, etc.

So my question is, would this interest any of you? What else would you be interested in? Is there one area that would prove ideal for our style of store? Does anyone know of an existing store that is for sale, or even someone who wants someone to take over their store (but they want to retain ownership)? Or, does anyone know of a charming commercial building that would suit our needs... if an apartment was attached, that would be PERFECT!

We will be relocating from New England, where the lifestyle and pace is way too much for us. We need friendly faces, room to breathe, and manners!

Thanks in advance for all your input.

[samstersmom]

I would love somethng like that here. I moved here from Upstate NY so I am not that familiar with all of the different towns but I live in Anne Arundel county and I think people would enjoy that.

[North Beach Person]

Unfortunately in MD the old style country stores are being slowly replaced by 7-11s, WaWas and the like if not shut down completely. The typical new Marylander would not be caught dead in the kind of store you describe and in fact would lobby to have it closed so the area can become more upscale.

[westsideboy]

The big question is are you looking to relocate to a real rural area or a suburban/exurban area that retains some open space?

[acsnyder]

I live in Hagerstown, MD... about the most western suburb of D.C (A little over an hour northwest of D.C in Washington County.... not a tourist area.

I would check it out... there is huge push to beautify the downtown area which was previously pretty depressed. There is a new Arts & Entertainment district near the town square and Maryland theatre. A new school for the arts just began, and many upscale restaurants and galleries are being encouraged to the area. There are probably great incentives to businesses that are moving downtown.

I think that there is some disconnect in the city though between the country folk, and the city folk moving here from D.C. and nearby suburbs for lower living cost... I think if you could incorporate art (for the city people) and old town country feel, you could really do well. I think it is definitely up and coming... almost to a fault. It's losing its small town feel to the locals, but is still very attractive to those coming from larger cities...

Check it out, see what you think...

[PenguinSix]

I think it is important to note that Maryland is basically one giagantic mega-city that stretches from DC to past Baltimore, and many of the cities on the fringes are basically commuter bedroom communities that feed the beast. They are not exactly touristy areas, unless...

you want to live on the Eastern Shore or say in Western Maryland. There might be some more success out there, but generally in the central core of MD people just want to get to and from their homes and offices and not linger in some place. If you set up in a city catering to the locals (i.e. not tourists) you might have more luck.

There is a place in Davidsonville, MD (near Annapolis) that reminds me of what you are looking for, but I suspect even they are struggling as the almight Wa-Was continue their viral-like spread.

[westsideboy]

Sounds like the OP is looking less for a "country store," that is a place in an isolated rural community selling basics like milk, eggs, gas, beer, and more of a "corner store" selling higher end convenience products to locals and tourists alike.

I would second the suggestion to look in the western part of the state. Frederick, Hagerstown, and Cumberland are all smaller sized cities with downtowns that have stores similar to what you are describing. Frederick is more gentrified and expensive but has a vibrant downtown and a good tourist scene. Hagerstown and Cumberland are both rehabbing their downtown and would have cheaper real estate, but less less population to sell to.

[ki0eh]

The kind of place where I think there might be more of an emerging demand for this kind of place would be a "Trail Town" - basically a place where the big retail and the jobs dried up but happens to be on a trail (usually a rail-trail conversion, but sometimes a very well known hiking trail such as the Appalachian Trail). It's been observed that suddenly, there are pleasure seeking people (locals as well as tourists) around a community where everything moved out twenty years ago. Some planners have taken up the possibility of such a conversion as a cause. Here is one such initative that involves several communities in western MD and southwest PA: About The Trail Town Program (http://www.towncenter.info/downtown/trail_towns/about_the_trail.aspx - broken link) And another example, in PA this time: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/publ...TrailTowns.pdf

[7th Direction]

A good example of the country store you are talking about (sans the food menu) is O'Hurley's General Store in Shepherdstown, WV.

O'HURLEY'S GENERAL STORE

They sell various wares from toys, cookware, rugs, furniture, jewelry, etc. They have an Americana music jam on Thursday nights. Sounds kind of what you are looking at doing.

[North Beach Person]

One in Calvert County, MD:

Calvert County's Favorite Meeting Place for More Than 75 Years
http://www.calvert-county.com/bowensmarket.html


and another one:
Granddaughter Revives a Calvert Market - washingtonpost.com
Market & Deli, Alcoholic Beverages. St. Leonard, MD (http://www.buehlersmarketplace.com/ - broken link)