SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2013/Marietta Daily Journal
BUSINESS
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BUSINESS BOND Staff/Laura Moon
Members of the Marietta Merchants Association include, front row from left: Symphony on the Square violinist and DuPre's Antique Market Art Forum artist Shelley House; Marietta Museum of History Director Jan Galt Russell; ARTS of Cobb owner Lauren McBride; Ye Olde Christmas Candy Shoppe owner Dianne Murphy; back row from left: Marietta Wine Market owner Randall Heard; Avery Gallery office manager Nicholas Cole; Marietta City Councilman Philip Goldstein; Marietta Gone With The Wind Museum Director Connie Sutherland; and ARTS of Cobb back office manager Randy Bearden.
Merchants on Marietta Square band together for safety, to keep up with news By Noreen Cochran ncochran@mdjonline.com
MARIETTA — The Marietta Merchants Association doesn’t hang out a shingle, like most of its members do. Shops, boutiques, museums and restaurants lining Glover Park, a.k.a. Marietta Square, have their own signs bearing names like House of Lu, Christmas Shop, The Arts of Cobb, Kitchen Works, Go Fish, Australian Bakery and the Marietta Wine Market. Karen Heard of the wine market said
she cofounded the MERCHANT PROFILES 10BB newsletter listing memgroup in response to a bers’ phone numbers 2006 crime wave. and news about who “There was a series of break-ins “opened, closed, moved, changed their about six years ago. We were one of the name, expanded or downsized.” businesses that got broken into,” she said One month, she clocked seven moves, about the shop she owns with her husnine openings and five closings. band Randall. “We got together with the “The Square is constantly growing merchants and started meeting. I wanted and changing,” she said. us to talk. We were not communicating Heard’s primary goal paid off when a with each other.” reader realized something was amiss at Under the logo of the Marietta Welhis neighbor’s store. come Center’s “It’s Hip to be Square” “It happened that someone who had campaign, Heard began publishing a read the newsletter heard a crash and
saw a break-in in progress,” Heard said. “He alerted the police, and the smashand-grabber was caught.” The newsletter also lists upcoming events with the idea that merchants can capitalize on theater openings, concerts in the park and other events bringing customers to the Square. They have guest lecturers, too. “We have had guest speakers from code enforcement and the police on crime prevention. “That’s how it started initially,” Heard said.