Businesses Urge Consumers to Buy Locally

The 2008 holiday shopping season will be a make it or break it time for many North American retailers. Economists predict a record number of businesses will fail during the economic downturn. But in Baltimore, a group of small, independent-minded business owners are confident they can weather the storm. The secret, they say, is giving customers a reason to come back. VOA's Mil Arcega visited the Hampden Village section of Baltimore to take a look.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• baltimore
• hampden
• village
• Hampden's
• Junque
• Café
• Hon
• economy
• retail
• arcega
• voa
• news

[tobyradloff]

Reminds me of the joke shop that Jerry Stiller ran in the 1988 "Hairspray", looking at that "junque" store.

[upinflamezzz]

You have to be kidding me. Hampden is NOT a community any longer since she has come. There are no more corner markets, no local gas stations, no jewelry store, no clothing stores, the rec is not what is once was. There's nothing but junk dealers claiming to be antique shops. The bakery was even relocated for God knows what kind of store. People come to Hampden because it's the white part of the city. The shabby chicness is ridiculous. BTW I am a Poly Grad.

[wizzybee21113]

No she did not grow up in Hampden, but her father is a Poly grad Balt. born and raised, her mom worked and shopped downtown, and Denise has lived in the city since she was 18. No she was not from there, but drove by on her way home to 37th ST one night and saw the incredible potential in Hampden. She remembers Edmondson Village and the monkeys and the store windows downtown at Hutzler's and Stewart's and has worked very hard to bring those visions to Hampden and it shows.

[upinflamezzz]

I don't like it when they gave some outsider credit for putting Hampden on the map. That woman is not from Hampden. The Hon Bar used to be Heiss Jewelry where the original Hampden folk bought their jewelry. Next to it where her restaurant was a hardware store. These people who live in Hampden now are no where near what Hampden is about! BTW that giant pink flamingo has to be the dumbest thing I've ever seen.