CAMBRIDGE, Md. - Looking for ways to bolster small-business success in Dorchester County.
Panelists at today's Dorchester Democratic Central Committee meeting said keeping small businesses open is a top priority. State and City leaders are mapping out a plan to help Dorchester County grow.
Democratic delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes says keeping the doors open for local businesses in Dorchester County starts with finding and retaining workers.
"When we also look at the workforce, we want to make sure that we have a sustainable workforce to help the mom and pop businesses because they need to know that they have someone in their business that can help sustain them. Whether it be apprenticeship opportunities that they can provide, which really goes a long way," says Sample-Hughes.
The owner of Dorchester Pizza in Secretary agrees with the idea.
"You know we welcome everyone that is willing to work here all the time but it's hard to find help now a days," says Gokhan Satilmis.
Sample-Hughes also points to recently passed legislation that provides grant money for business owners to boost the appearance of their shops.
"If it means that the infrastructure just needs to be spruced up a little bit to welcome people into the business, then that's something that they wont have to worry about. That can be taken care of through a grant," says Sample-Hughes.
The co-owner of Art Bar 2.0 in Cambridge likes the sounds of that.
Jermaine Anderson says his restaurant has structural problems and he'd welcome any grant money to help fix things up. He says, "It needs it. Especially if you go down here where the old ice cream shop was and the Blue Awning and the other spot down there, with the outside of the building. It needs help."
Cambridge Waterfront Development Inc. joined the conversation during todays meeting and added how they're looking for small businesses to open on it's new property. They even added they would help with things like rent to help those small and local businesses.
CWDI Executive Director Matt Leonard says, "That will allow entrepreneurs and small businesses to grow in a way that they can afford to start off. That's usually a stumbling block for small businesses. They just don't have the capital, they don't quite have the cash flow in the short term to be able to handle those things like rent and overhead. We can help with those things because we're a private public partnership and a non profit."