AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services
For those of us who love to #SHOPLOCAL, Black Friday revealed some beautiful decorations, great gift ideas and bargain prices from our local retailers. Choosing to start our shopping in Severna Park as darkness fell, we came across two lots selling Christmas trees. The first evergreen sale (an important annual fundraiser) was that of Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company at 161 Ritchie Highway.
Backtracking to Olde Severna Park, we discovered a “forest” of evergreen trees surrounding the familiar red & white striped tent of Diehl’s Produce at the corner of B&A Boulevard and McKinsey Road. We saw manager Jennifer Diehl standing just outside the tent which held even more Christmas trees, wreaths, ropes of evergreens and other holiday items.
“The trees just came in this morning and they look great,” Diehl said. “We unloaded and and managed to set up most of them. Additional greenery, wreaths and holiday items are available inside the tent.”
Crossing B & A Boulevard, we noted that The Blended Essentials shop was ablaze with light and a candle making workshop was underway inside.
In conversation with manager Danielle Bowen, we learned that the shop will be busy throughout the holiday shopping season.
“We’re looking forward to it,” Bowen said. “We have events like this candle making session and we have lots of special events. We’re also partnering again with The Big Bean and the shops along the strip here to do an Olde Severna Park Shop & Stroll on Sunday, December 10th from 4 to 7 pm. Though a secret for now, we’re also going to create a little something behind our shop this year that will be magical.”
We next took a shortcut to Park Plaza, found a parking spot by Park Home and spotted a Black Friday sale sign. Venturing inside, we discovered Christiana and J.R. Landsman pushing a stroller with son Joseph riding in front and daughter Isabel riding backwards in a compartment facing her father.
The Landsmans were visiting most of the stores in the shopping center and were browsing the well-stocked shelves looking for gift ideas.
In purchasing items for their holiday inventory, Park Home owners Ted and Brittany Meade considered the country’s far from good economy.
“We’ve tried to offer items that would make nice gifts at different price points,” Ted said. “A lot of times, especially if they have kids, people might set a limit on how much they want to spend. Linen napkins, table runners and placemats, dish towels, decorative cushions and unique Christmas tree ornaments are popular this year. We’re even carrying a line of hot sauces that some folks really like.”
While estimates on brick-and-mortar Black Friday sales won’t be available for some time. Fortune Magazine (Black Friday shoppers hold out for deeper discounts | Fortune) says that sales show US consumers are watching their wallets. Our excursion among local retailers last Friday indicates that Fortune’s observation may be correct.
A visit to Park Plaza at around 5 pm on Black Friday – prime shopping hours – revealed light shopping traffic. The parking lot was far from full and bargain hunters weren’t plentiful. Interestingly, it was the locally owned shops that seemed to have the most sustained flow of customers.
A chalkboard snowman on the Park Plaza sidewalk beckoned shoppers to The Cottage. The outer windows positively glowed with holiday lights.
Inside, shoppers browsed among a veritable wonderland with decorations and gift ideas as far as the eye could see.
Some holiday items were discounted for the day. In addition to the Black Friday deals, The Cottage locations at Park Plaza in Severna Park and at 149 Main Street in Annapolis will be hosting special events. They include Open Houses at both locations on November 30 and December 2, a Severna Park Ladies Night on December 6, and Midnight Madness events at the Annapolis location on December 7, 14 and 21.
Walking toward the back of the shop, one found items ranging from sunglasses, potions, lotions and jewelry to handbags and a lovely selection of women’s clothing.
We spoke with several very busy clerks including Emerson Guiser who indicated that Black Friday had been busy and hectic, with no slow points, but fun.
We asked if the economy was likely to affect the shop’s holiday sales.
“I’d say business over the summer was definitely up and down and we had to change a few prices but it’s starting to have a steady pace now,” Guiser said. “I think, over the holidays, sales will be as good as last year. We haven’t had to change any prices in a long time.”
Directly across from The Cottage, at Nature Junction, some great gift ideas were on display in the windows. The shop’s interior was holiday perfect. There were lovely decorations including a Christmas tree containing handmade ornaments from one of owner Kim Stagi’s favorite artisans from Delaware. There were extraordinary items for nature lovers wherever one looked, from handsome books titled “Backyard Birds” and “Galaxies” to birdhouses, birdseed, birdbaths, lawn ornaments and products for other wildlife.
Stained glass suncatchers adorning the windows at Nature Junction would make great gifts. 
Cheerful holiday decorations were interspersed with many items that would make perfect gifts for nature lovers.
Nature Junction staffers were clearly appreciative of the traffic generated by Black Friday.
“With this economy, we’ll take anything,” Stagi said.
At Side Street Framers & Gift Gallery, one of Park Plaza’s anchor businesses, sales were steady as was also the case with Side Street Framers Pasadena at 8220 Ritchie Highway – the family-owned company’s newly opened second location.
Black Friday sales were steady at Side Street Framers & Gift Gallery. 
Unique handcrafted items like the Christmas ornaments created by artisan Terri Hechler are popular – especially her Chesapeake Bay crab ornaments.
To my surprise, Black Friday was one of the busiest we have ever had,” said the shop’s owner Dawn Wilson.
Wilson went on to announce that many of the local artists and artisans whose work is represented in both stores will be on hand for Side Street Framers Pasadena’s Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting on December 9 from 2 pm to 5 pm. In addition to what’s available in the shop, there will be sidewalk tables with items created by the artists for sale and, as a surprise for children, a small sheep named Bruno will be on hand to meet them.
Never is Franklin’s Toy Store more popular than during the Christmas shopping season… and both the Park Plaza and Annapolis locations were well prepared for Black Friday. Not only were sale signs in the windows but also just inside the entrance.
There was a large four-tiered shelving unit full of smaller toys titled “Stock those Stockings” that we noticed. It seemed to draw a glance from shoppers passing by who’d come back later to browse or buy.
Last but not least on our list of must visits for Black Friday was Homestead Gardens Severna Park which, as you can see from the opening photograph, was as beautifully decorated as always. Signs for discounted prices were everywhere.
Looking for the store office to get the lowdown on special prices, I spotted the familiar face of Denise Tray Rosson (who wrote the original Around The Park column in The Capital before it was taken over by Leslie Hunt and subsequently by me and carried on here as Around The Park Again).
“We were very busy throughout Black Friday,” Rosson said. “Christmas is on. We have quite a lot of sales at special discounts today but they’ll continue to be on sale. We’ll continue to have our Bella and Glenhaven ornaments at 50% off and we’ll also have 50% off our cabbage, kale, and pansies. Our Weber charcoal grills are on deep discount and our artifical trees will be going down by about 40%.”
Leading the way to a sign near the store entrance, Rosson pointed out that Homestead Gardens Severna Park was about to start a round of holiday events. They include Santa Vists which began November 25 and take place every weekend through December 17. A Santa Paws event held this Friday, December 1 from 4 t 7 pm will give shoppers an opportunity to get a photo of Santa with your dog. Lastly, the popular annual Girl’s Night Out. People need to register online for each of the events at Homestead Gardens – Garden Supplies, Nursery, and Landscaping,
Having missed one of Anne Arundel County’s most popular holiday events – Homestead Gardens Davidsonville’s “Grand Illumination” – due to another commitment, we determined to visit the festively decorated greenhouses along Central Avenue on Saturday. We can never pass up the opportunity to see the display of Christmas lights or the sprawling train display so reminiscent of bygone days.
We were not disappointed. The Holiday Lights Display was magnificent with the translucent greenhouses shining past the sparkling trees.
Not surprisingly, we found a mix of teens and younger and older couples…. but mostly families with children crowded around the train platform with its multiple tracks, tunnels, bridges, hills and villages. Many individuals were holding cups of hot chocolate provided by Homestead gratis.
It was touching to see the expressions on older individuals’ faces as they experienced once more scenes like those from childhood days.
We roamed through what seemed like fields of poinsettias and Christmas trees, both real and artificial and bare branched or decorated. But we had one last stop to make. The jolly old elf was occupied elsewhere on the grounds, but we just had to visit Santa’s Workshop. We found it cheery and bright and charming with the moon rising behind it.
Here’s hoping everyone will follow our lead and #SHOPLOCAL to support our merchants and small businesses thereby preserving our communities.
Late breaking news: Community Tree Lighting rescheduled to Friday, December 8th
Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce CEO Liz League informs us that, due to rain, the Community Tree Lighting will take place Friday evening, December 8 at 5 pm at 1 Holly Avenue.
“Thereafter, we’ll walk over to the Community Center to enjoy their festivities. They are hosting our entertainers, and our sponsors will be there too,” League said.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
