Takoma Park urges residents to shop where they live
On a recent Saturday afternoon, Bethany Karn perused a display of earrings and necklaces in the Now & Then gift store in Old Town Takoma Park. Although finding the perfect holiday gifts for her loved ones was at the top of her priority list, Karn also was on a mission to give back to hometown businesses by buying as much as possible in the city.
“You don’t want vacant buildings and storefronts,” she said, explaining her dedication to shopping locally for the holidays. “But it also has a lot to do with preserving the character and vibrancy in downtown Takoma Park. . . . I live here because it’s a walkable community with a vibrant town feel, but if I were not shopping here, the stores can’t stay open.”
With two businesses closing in the past month — the Savory Cafe on Carroll Avenue and the Drifting Nomad sandwich shop in the District’s nearby Takoma neighborhood — the plight of the area’s independently owned businesses is apparent. Two weeks ago, the Takoma Park City Council passed a resolution declaring this month “Think Takoma — Buy Local” month, encouraging residents to shop where they live.
Aside from her goal to support local shops, Karn also faced the challenge confronted by every mother with a 13-year-old-daughter for whom she’s shopping. “She just got her ears pierced,” Karn said, examining a promising pair of earrings for daughter Sonja Plungis. “So we’re starting that whole adventure . . . more things to buy.”
At first, buying locally worked for Karn. She found just the right earrings, along with a selection of toys for a friend’s newborn, all within a mile of Karn’s house.
Her mother, Karen Karn, who was visiting from Ohio, found a stylish knit hat. By the time they reached the Tranquil Soul boutique down the block on Westmoreland Avenue, Karn’s “buy local” strategy had hardly seemed like a challenge.
