Barefoot Boutique is a happy little shop in downtown New Market.  You will find beautiful clothing from cool places around the world.  Batik dresses from Bali, Blouses from Nepal, Sweaters from Peru, and Baskets from Morocco… all fairly traded!  Owner Sara England’s love for animals and life is portrayed in her original artwork offered on matted prints and photoes. 

Her art is sold in pet boutiques and gift shops around the world.

Every month a new shop will be showcased on the New Market blog.  Please show your support and visit all shops in New Market.

Is there a service that you would like to see offered by the town?  The local government is always trying to find ways to reach out to the community.  Sometimes we try thinking outside of the box, but with your help we can achieve the services you wish we had.

This blog was a thought of one of our business owners.  The “Good Neighbor Program” was a thought of a Councilman, and the newly purchased cluster boxes was a recommendation by a resident. 

Give us your thoughts.

The Final Four college basketball games will start on Thursday, March 19th.  Do you have a favorite team?  Who will win it all?  Do you have all #1 teams in the final four? or is your heart with the local teams?  Tell us.

We have several businesses in New Market ranging from the General Store, a few restaurants, to several antique stores.  What do you think New Market needs to bring to our area?  Our newer shops provide a unique character to our town attracting folks from all over with their great items.  Do we need more of these types of shops?  Do we need to have a mixture of shops providing a more historical point-of-view?  We would like to hear what you think our next successful shop will be.

New Market:  The People
2nd Annual photographic competition sponsored by the Downtown New Market Partnership
Contact
David Price
12 West Main Street
New Market, MD  21774
gallery@12westmain.com
301-865-1212 gallery/home number
Photographers are encouraged to enter their photos of people in the town of New Market in a competition sponsored by the Downtown New Market Partnership.  Subject matter MUST include at least 1 human being or at least a portion of a human being and have been shot within the townlimits of New Market, MD.  Interiors, exteriors, posed, candids – all are acceptable provided the photo was taken in the town limits of New Market.  The idea is to have photographs featuring people who live in New Market or visit New Market.  This competition will be open to the public.  Last year nearly $500 in prizes were awarded.  Entries will be exhibited throughout the shops of New Market on 2 consecutive weekends in May.  It’s an event that amounts to a town wide art show.  There will be a special photographers reception TBA.  Exact details of the reception to follow.  Prizes will be awarded in 2 categories Student and Adult.  Student category is for entrants 17 years of age and younger.  Adult category is for entrants 18 years of age and older.  Details on dropping off entries can be had by emailing gallery@12westmain.com. 
Submitted photos must be the original work of the photographer identified on the entry form.  You may submit 1 photo per photographer.  Matted exhibition ready prints only will be accepted.  Submitted photos may be digital or film in origination.  Prints may be chemical or digital.  There will be no classification of photos this year:  they may be monochrome, color or photo effects.  Photos may be of any size, however, all entries must be mounted on backing, matted (white or ivory only) to a size of 11” X 14” – no larger, no smaller.   Unmatted photos, colored mats and framed images will NOT be accepted. 
Entry Fee is $9 and should be made out to “Downtown New Market Partnership” or “DNP.”  The DNP is a registered non-profit organization. 
Please drop off entries on April 19th and April 20th from 11 to 5 pm at 12 West Main.  The photographers reception will be on May 2nd.  If you are unable to make the drop off dates – please let me know so I can arrange an alternative for you.  Remember – every entry should come to me matted and ready to be framed.
Works may be offered for sale at the photographer’s discretion;  however they must remain on exhibit for the duration of the show.  A 25% commission will be taken by the Downtown New Market Partnership.  Retail prices will be set at $75.  Individual stores will collect the money and the Downtown New Market Partnership will pay the photographer.  More info on the pricing requirements can be discussed with David Price.  It is the right of the photographer to NOT offer their photo for sale.
The Downtown Partnership will have the right to use any image to promote the town and/or contest in ads, posters, cards, mailings, press both before and after the event.  Stores exhibiting entries will be required to be open from 11:00 to 5:00 Saturday and Sunday of both weekends of the exhibit.  Winning photos will be displayed in Town Hall for 4 weeks.
Each photograph must be labeled on the back in the upper right hand corner with Name, Address, Phone and Email.  All work should be signed by the photographer either on the mat or the actual photograph.  Photos may be titled on the back.  The DNP will frame the entries.  The frames will be uniform in nature and will be available for entrants to purchase for $15 at the end of the show.  A complete list of the stores exhibiting work will be available to the photographers and the public at a later date.
Any questions please contact David Price
Please drop off entries on April 19th and April 20th from 11 to 5 pm at 12 West Main.  The photographers reception will be on May 2nd.  If you are unable to make the drop off dates – please let me know so I can arrange an alternative for you.  Remember – every entry should come to me matted and ready to be framed.  I’ll put the entire list of rules, entry requirements and schedule on our www.12westmain.com website in the calendar section AND I will forward this info the Shane Rossman who keeps up with the town website.

With summer fast approaching what are you up to?  Is there something that you can’t wait to do this summer.  A visit to the New Market General Store, a stroll through historic downtown, roller coaster ride at Adventure Park U.S.A, or is it the New Market Spring Stroll event?  Doesn’t have to be local.  Maybe there is a place or event you and your family can’t wait to do this summer.  Please share it with everyone.  Please let us know what your up to. 

Items that others have recommended in the past can be located on the Kid’s page under the townofnewmarket.org website.

On April 4th, 2009, New Market Elementary will hold a 5K Run/Walk from 9am-11am.  Please come out and show your support for our elementray school by signing up for the event at:

 http://schools.fcps.org/nmes/new%20site%20with%20flash/index.html?CFID=367104&CFTOKEN=31371178

Do you plan on attending this event?  Give us your stories of past runs.

Dear Residents:

Yesterday I received the sad news that Mealey’s has closed its doors. This is not only the marquee establishment of New Market, but of the entire County as well. I have a lot of fond memories of Mealey’s from Mrs. Mealey greeting customers in her pink mo-mo and fuzzy slippers to her cat knocking the balls of the Christmas tree in the waiting area to Friday lunches at the town table with my grandfather and Mayor Shaw.

Losing Mealey’s is not only a threat to our history and culture, but to the viability of our business community. I have contacted Frederick County Economic Development and will be contacting the Chamber of Commerce. I, the Town Council, David Price from Downtown New Market Partnership and the entire business community will be working on every means reasonably appropriate to save a vital piece of history and economy.

This leads me to bigger picture. There are simply not enough businesses in town to create a critical mass to sustain us. As a business community we are spread too thin if losing Mealey’s can have a devastating effect on our businesses. The Main Street waterline, currently in production, will provide the infrastructure for future business development. Likewise, the Town is contemplating its new zoning ordinance. It will open the town to more business while granting greater authority to our HDC to preserve the character of the town. No one document makes a greater statement about being open for business than its zoning ordinance. If we as a community want shops that we can all enjoy, we must get serious about the business of business. I am a firm believer, as are many of our business and town leaders, that economic development benefits historic preservation.

Your continued support of Mealey’s and the business community is greatly needed.

Sincerely,

Winslow

burhanscab@earthlink.net

Tell us your thoughts on the recent story out of the Gazette from staff writer: Chris Brown.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/02262009/newmnew160454_32470.shtml

Please share your thoughts on this story.

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=87198