Small Maryland Businesses Face Big Challenges

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) - The challenges of maintaining a mom-and-pop store in a big-box age are nothing new, but in an economy that has even giants such as Starbucks and Borders scaling back, keeping a small business alive takes hard work, creativity and sacrifice, local business owners and advisers said.

"You need to be ready to make a commitment," said Sarah Ardinger, who owns The Plum in Hagerstown with her daughter, Jennifer Kane.

"You have to be willing to always put the customer first, even if that means sacrificing your vacation, your doctor's appointment," Kane said. "It's not easy, but it is rewarding."

Alice Growden, a business consultant with the Western Maryland Small Business Development Center, said that since the downturn in the economy, she has been working with more existing businesses in addition to startups.

"They're struggling _ they're challenged _ with the economy and changes in what's happening in the area," she said.

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