Long Branch Business League
Volume 7
Join the Business League
IN THIS ISSUE
Over the last four years the Long Branch Business League, with its Discover Long Branch! initiative, has gradually built a more exciting image for Long Branch commerce. We brought the community the successful Super-Block Party last May; we started a Salsa Night series this September and we have helped install art work. What is more, the Business League's newsletter keeps you up-to-date on important events, local business news, and business tips. What are the benefits to you of membership? Preferred access to store design improvements Assistance with marketing and business planning Help with Enterprise Zone tax credit applications Greater visibility in business league marketing materials
Carlos Perozo, President Long Branch Business Leagues carlosperozo@verizon.net. 301-587-4829 or 301 812-4141
Issue 7
And with big changes coming to our area because of the Purple Line, now more than ever we need to stand together to make sure all of us benefit from the expanded customer base the Purple Line will bring. Making Long Branch successful for everyone.
Flowers On Flower Page 1 Weather Updates Page 2 Economic Impact Award Page 2 New Businesses Page 2 New Businesses (continued) Page 3
Long Branch Business League
June 2014
Flowers on Flower The Long Branch Business League (LBBL) and Montgomery Housing Partnership continue to engage in the revitalization of our commercial district. We’ve facilitated two murals for the community – Flower Dreams and El Golfo’s Toucan – and we are excited to unveil our next project. We will be installing flower pots on the lamp posts along Flower Avenue, now through the first week of June. If you are interested in joining us for the planting and installation, please contact Shqipe at skajtazi@mhpartners.org . A celebration of the installation of flowers on Flower Ave. will take place June 7th from 10:30am to 12:00pm, at the Toucan Mural, 8739 Flower Ave., in Long Branch. At the event we will have space for LBBL businesses to highlight their services. If you are not yet a member, it is not too late to join. If you are a member, and would like to display materials, please contact Shqipe Kajtazi at skajtazi@mhpartners.org to reserve your space. (continued on page 2)
Trees in Long Branch Page 3 Azalea Sculpture Unveiled Page 3
Resources: Small Business Development Center SBDC provides counseling and classes. Counselors speak Spanish and other languages. sbtdc-training@umd.edu 301-403-0501x11 7100 Baltimore Ave, Suite 303, College Park, MD 20740 Enterprise Zone Tax Credit Program Access to County tax credits for real estate improvements and employee hiring. Mr. Pete McGinnity peter.mcginnity@montgomerycountymd.gov 240-777-8126 Montgomery County Council county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov 240-777-7900
Department of Permitting Responsible for all permits to make property improvements and signage. permittingservices.montgomerycountymd.gov 240-777-0311 DED’s Small & Minority Business Empowerment Resources and training for small businesses. Judith Stephenson judith.stephenson@montgomerycountymd.gov 240-777-2012 Montgomery County Police Non-emergency dispatch for Long Branch: 301 279-8000 All emergencies: 911
Montgomery County (All other services) For all Montgomery County services there is now a single number you can call, this includes bulk trash pickup (5 requests annually) 311 (English) 311 + 1 (Español) Department of Liquor Control DLC licenses and regulates businesses that sell alcohol, and provides education and assistance to businesses and their employees. Emily DeTitta emily.detitta@montgomerycountymd.gov 240-777-1904
Long Branch Business News, a monthly publication , Paul Grenier, Editor 301-622-2400, x 41 pgrenier@MHPartners.org
Join the Business League Page 4 Resources Page 4
Supported by:
Long Branch Business League Gathering Tuesday, June 3rd from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. El Golfo Restaurant, 8739 Flower Avenue
Stick around and plant some flowers with us
(Flowers On Flower from page 1) We will encourage participants to hang around and explore the community – please consider joining us with special promotions and events at your business on June 7th.
- La Passion Bakery and Restaurant The newest location for Latin American cuisine in Long Branch, La Passion Bakery and Restaurant, opened this spring in the Flower Shopping Center. Owned by Melvin Mendoza, Uber Mendoza and Jose Contreras, who first opened a business together in Olney, MD, where they have a high demand for their food and delicious bakery products. La Pasion specializes in Latin American Cuisine and cakes for all occasions such as weddings, birthdays and sweet-sixteens.
We would also like to thank our sponsors NeighborWorks and the Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs for their support in making this project happen.
Weather Updates Earlier this month, several days of heavy rainfall lead to overflowing streams, temporary road closures (including part of Route 29, a major state highway) and heavy traffic, which became even worse during evening rush hour. Weather events like these can lead to difficulties with employees getting to work, declines in customer visits, and even wasted inventory. Being Aware of weather conditions can help your business make informed decisions. Information is power! To stay up to date on the latest Road Closings, Severe Weather Alerts, or other alerts from Montgomery County, sign up at: https:// alert.montgomerycountymd.gov/ You can set alerts to be delivered via text, email, pager, and more. For Takoma Park alerts, sign up at http://avisotakomagov.org/ index.php?CCeck=1. For State road alerts (any numbered route) you can set up a personalized account at http// www.md511.org/My551/ Home.aspx. 2
Economic Impact Award Long Branch Business League officers receiving Economic Momentum award at “IMPACT Now!” – IMPACT Silver Spring's annual breakfast fundraiser and Momentum Awards Ceremony. Pictured, from L-R, Ellen Valentino, Executive Vice President of the MD-DE-DC American Beverage Association; Art Cobb, Secretary & Treasurer of the League and owner of BSP Media Services; Ada Villatoro Vice President of the League and owner of El Golfo Restaurant; and Paul Grenier from Montgomery Housing Partnership.
Their new location has meant success for this highly creative group of cooks and bakers. The day they opened for business in Long Branch; they realized they had found a special place for their second store. According to one of its owners, Melvin Mendoza, “business over the last two months has been more than excellent”. Melvin continued, “there is demand [for restaurants and bakery products] in Long Branch, whose flavor caters to a diverse community.” Because Melvin is an experienced baker – he started his career 24 years ago, working at the famous Watergate Hotel, in Washington, DC, he has high hopes that he’ll be able to create “a draw effect” that will bring new customers into the restaurant who might be looking for high quality cakes for special occasions.
Adarash Market: Ali Faris and Ngussu Gudu
The Long Branch Business League welcomes these new businesses to our family, and wish them much success. Please stop in and introduce yourself.
New Businesses open in Long Branch - Adarash Market We welcome Adarash Market. It opened for business with an exciting ceremony that attracted a crowd of the US-African diaspora and a diverse group of local customers. Among those in attendance on Saturday, May 17 were County Executive Isiah Leggett, District 5 Councilmember Cherri Branson, and the owner of Blessed Coffee Tebabu Assefa. Adarash Market’s owners, Ali Faris and Ngussu Gudu, say that they are already serving customers of all cultures in their store, located at 8706 Flower Avenue. “Location matters,” they say. Their ultimate business objectives include developing a broad-based business approach to serving the local Long Branch community and the broader surrounding area. The store’s main feature is Injera, which is traditional Ethiopian sourdough flat bread with a spongy texture, made with a grain called teff. “For Adarash Market customers, fresh Injera is baked every day,” said Gudu. Customers can also purchase a variety of everyday necessity products such as, cooking ware, flower, rice, and roasted and unroasted coffee beans – which are imported from farmers in Ethiopia. In describing their new location at the Flower Avenue Shopping Center, both owners pointed out, “business demand for our products has been good so far. Our focus it is not only Ethiopian customers. We aim for customers of other cultures so that everybody can enjoy the delicious Ethiopian foods and products.” (continued on page 3)
Join Conservation Montgomery to plant Trees in Long Branch On Saturday, May 31st, Conservation Montgomery will be planting trees at the Flower Avenue Urban Park (8746 Flower Avenue), across from El Gavilan, from 9 am – 1 pm. Sign up to help at conservationmontgomery.org
La Passion: Uber and Melvin Mendoza
Azalea Sculpture Unveiled Guest post by Erkin Ozberk, Housing and Community Development City of Takoma Park On May 8, Long Branch business owners and local government officials came together to celebrate the unveiling of the Azalea Sculpture at the southwest corner of Flower Avenue and Piney Branch Road. Commissioned by the City of Takoma Park in 2012, the piece was created by Howard Connelly Design, a Montgomery County artist that has contributed to other local art projects, like last year’s 'Please Sit on the Art' program along Carroll Avenue. The sculpture is fabricated of colorful metal and recycled rail tracks, celebrating the City's horticultural past as a railway suburb of Washington, DC. Its playful and vibrant design makes a prominent statement at Takoma Park's northern gateway, while coordinating with other creative interventions in Long Branch like the murals at Veronica's Bakery and El Golfo Restaurant. At the small unveiling event, Mayor Bruce Williams remarked that the City looks forward to seeing more public art commissions installed around the City.
Howard Connelly (Azalea sculpture artist) posing with Ada V. and Art C. 3