Published: July 18, 2008 12:38 am         

Art Council visitors shop

Arts council, economic development representatives from around state get a taste of Queen City culture

Jenifer Dobbins entered the Tree House Toy Shop with $10 to spend.

Jam packed with toys, games and other children’s delights, the store wasn’t lacking anything to purchase. The problem was so many items fit her price range it was difficult what one item to choose.

Dobbins of the Frederick Arts Council was on her first shopping spree in the city as part of the Tourism, Arts and Downtown Development tour designed for representatives from Carroll, Frederick, Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties.

“This is an opportunity for all of us involved in community revitalization in Western Maryland to get together, share ideas and show successes and take back those ideas,” Andy Vick, executive director of the Allegany Arts Council, said of Thursday’s event.

Vick said such tours began on the Eastern Shore through the efforts of the state’s Department of Business and Economic Development. Judged a success, DBED staff from Western Maryland decided to try it this year.

For Thursday’s tour, everyone contributed $20 to attend with $10 going toward the shopping spree and the rest toward food.

Kim Shirer, director of tourism programs in Allegany County, explained that each person was armed with $10 and given the name of a business. To start, each person had to find his partner and then the two headed off to a business to shop. They had an hour before they were to return to the Allegany Arts Council at its new home at 9 N. Centre St.

The activity was designed to get people to visit various businesses downtown while also giving them the opportunity to look at the architecture and activities.

Following a welcome at the Western Maryland Railway Station, Dobbins was paired with Terri Bennett of the city’s economic development department and the two comprised one of 12 teams, all with different assignments.

At Tree House, Dobbins decided on a logic book that came to $10.49, but thanks to owner Margy Pein, a 10 percent discount was ordered bringing the price to $9.44. After hitting the Tree House, Dobbins made an extra stop at Cumberland Trail Connection to find a bike horn for herself. That mission accomplished, the two were headed to Aber’s Hallmark where Bennett found plenty of options and decided her $10 would go toward a candle warmer and two votives.

Getting her first true taste of downtown, Dobbins couldn’t help but comment on the beauty of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church and Masonic Temple along Washington Street as well as the downtown facades.

Bennett easily pointed out the features and filled her partner in on the history of various buildings.

“You guys are doing a great job,” Dobbins said.

She said she finds the tour a time when she can not only network with her colleagues, but also get to know them in their personal setting.

“Information sharing and team building is what it’s all about,” Kevin Moriarty of Washington County’s Arts Council said.

He added those involved in the community also find the events beneficial because they often don’t “discover things in the community actually are changing a lot.”

“We never step back and go, ‘We accomplished’ something,” Kara Norman of Downtown Frederick Partnership said in agreement with Moriarty. “I find these events good for recharging my batteries and to get fired up.”

She said these tours give communities a chance to share their ideas with others. And more often than not, at least some of those plans are taken back and incorporated in some way.

To finish the tour at the Arts Council, lunch came from Crabby Pig and ice cream from the Queen City Creamery. The teams also competed in a Jeopardy! game with categories in All About Maryland, Cumberland Tourism, Allegany County, The Arts and Downtown Sightseeing. The winning team had the option to keep the items it purchased or to trade them for something another team bought.

Other teams then were able to trade their items as well.

Cumberland is the third such tour this year with another to take place in the fall in a place to be announced. The group already has visited Hagerstown and Westminster.

Contact Maria Smith at msmith@times-news.com.