Arnold Still Healthy After 5 Business Closings, Chamber President Says

Despite the closing of local businesses, it's not all gloom and doom for Arnold, says a local business leader.

This is Part Two in a two-part series focusing on the business atmosphere in Arnold following the closing of five businesses over the last four months (Part 1: After 5 Closings in Arnold, Councilman Says 'Sky Not Falling Yet') A county business leader said that despite Arnold's recent troubles, the business corridor it's a part of is in solid shape. But that bright outlook hasn't stopped several business owners from having to make the tough decision to close up shop. Bob Burdon, president of the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, said the group actively monitors business activity in the region and concluded the recent closings were not a part of a downward economic trend in the area. Rather, Burdon said the closings …

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After 5 Closings in Arnold, Councilman Says 'Sky Not Falling Yet'

Former business owners comment on the state of Arnold's economy and the future for shopping locally.

This is part one of a two-part series on the atmosphere in the Arnold business community following a series of closings this year. Broadneck's county councilman said the closing of five businesses in four months is an indication that the local economy has an uphill battle to recovery. Since December, five businesses have closed in Arnold—many of them longtime shops with a history. Some have been replaced by newer businesses, but most haven't. Patch asked Anne Arundel County Councilman Dick Ladd, who oversees the Broadneck region on the council, what his thoughts were about this trend. "I don't think the sky is falling, but I do think there is more gloom to come in the economy before we see an uptick," Ladd said. "I think people are just …

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New Wine Shop Pulling Into Arnold Station

A new business is coming to Arnold Station in place of The Depot.

Della & Jane Closing Arnold Shop, Expanding Online

The store is the fifth to close in as many months in Arnold.

Della & Jane, a fashion store in Arnold, is closing its doors Tuesday, but will be expanding its online presence, the store’s owner said. Closing the store was an emotional decision for Kim Cantoli, but she said she’s excited about the opportunity to dive headfirst into the online vendor space. “Honestly, I’m happy and more than a little excited about the potential,” said Cantoli. “The online space is growing, and by closing the store, I can afford to offer items for less.” Cantoli said she will be pushing more merchandise online and taking the store's clothing on the road with "trunk shows," themed parties where women can check out the clothes in person in a fun environment.  The store will officially close Tuesday, and until then there …

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Hallmark Store Owner Saw 'the End Coming' Before Closing

The card and gift store is set to close at the end of the month.

After more than 25 years, the Bay Hills Card and Gift Hallmark store in Arnold will close its doors at the end of February. It's the end of an era for store owner Brad McCormack, who has been working at the business since the 1980s, inheriting it from his father, Fred, who had worked for Hallmark since after Vietnam. The Arnold store officially opened in November 1987, doing much of its business selling holiday and birthday cards, with a thriving gift and candy market on the side. But times have changed. McCormack said he was closing the Arnold store because it was no longer financially viable. Part of that is due to an online shift in the retail market that several businesses are experiencing, but another factor is the local market, he …

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Rite-Aid Plans Location Swap with Arnold M&T Bank

The community is invited to discuss the potential for M&T Bank to be replaced with a larger Rite-Aid.

A community meeting is set to discuss a developer's plans to replace the M&T Bank site in Arnold with a 14,000 square-foot Rite Aid. The existing M&T Bank would then move into the spot vacated by Rite-Aid, according to Robert Tipton, of Sigma Engineering, Inc. The preliminary plans being discussed would not necessitate any additional buildout, Tipton said. The community meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Feb. 4 at the Broadneck Library, and is hosted by Sigma Engineering, Inc.—the engineers associated with the project—according to an Anne Arundel County Planning and Zoning document obtained by Patch. "The developer proposes to replace an existing bank pad with a 14,673 square-foot Rite-Aid," said Tipton in a release. The meeting is open to…

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Tina by the Bay

1:32 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013

Frank, to get an idea of the proposed size is to imagine an area of a typical 2,000 square feet single family house multiplied seven times. Compare that with the current M&T Bank building.   more ›