Garrett County Government - Department of Business Development

"Friendsville Way" Soliciting New Members, Businesses

Last Updated on Feb 15, 2019 at 8:59am | Garrett County Economic Development

Article courtesy of NCWV Media - The Republican. Staff Writer: Renee Shreve. Photo Credit: Renee Shreve.
 
 
Members of Friendsville’s business association, known as “The Friendsville Way,” have been thinking of ways to attract new companies and spruce up the town.
 
“Could you give an update on The Friendsville Way?” Mayor Spencer Schlosnagle asked the group’s president, Mike Robinson, during a recent council meeting.
 
Robinson said Friendsville Way members have come up with some new ideas and were trying to promote “anything and everything” they could to help the town and surrounding area.
 
“We have several smaller businesses and young people who would want to start businesses in the area, not necessarily in Friendsville,” he said. “So I think we’re going to go with (the name) the Greater Friendsville Business Association.”
 
He noted the Grantsville business group changed to the Greater Grantsville Business Association several years ago to include businesses in fringe areas.
 
“Thankfully, we do have some interest,” Robinson said about expanding Friendsville’s association.
 
He said his group would like to see a state police trooper take up residency in Friendsville.
 
“I’ve been kind of soliciting that,” he said. “I think if we had a state policeman who lived here in town, we could see a little bit of atmosphere change just by that.”
 
The trooper would be on the “town’s side” and send a message that Friendsville’s “not a bad place,” Robinson pointed out.
 
The Friendsville Way would also like to see a beautician, chiropractor, and other business professionals set up offices in town. It would give people a reason to come to Friendsville, learn about the town, and patronize shops and restaurants, Robinson indicated.
 
“Not just cottage businesses, but some businesses to fill up some of these buildings on Main Street,” Robinson said.
 
He reported local entrepreneur Trish Yoder suggested “coloring” the town. The first step could be painting the doors of Main Street buildings various colors.
 
“We would pay for the paint, sponsor the person and just start livening up Main Street, maybe just starting with the doors and doing small things that would make a change in the town,” Robinson said.
 
His emphasis for this year, he added, is to “build bridges” between all area businesses and “connect people.”
 
“By networking together, we’ll get bigger,” Robinson said.
 
He noted his group would be officially welcoming Jamie and Rayetta Riggleman to town in the near future. The couple own Deep Creek Lake Catering and have been renovating the Jubilee Junction.
 
A definite date for the restaurant’s re-opening has not yet been set. But the Rigglemans tentatively plan to be open for breakfast and lunch (close at 3 p.m.) Tuesday through Sunday, and stay open Friday and Saturday until 8 p.m. for dinner.
 
More information about The Friendsville Way can be obtained by calling the town hall at 301-746-5919.