Maryland state comptroller, Peter Franchot, and Pat Donoho, president of the Maryland Retail Association are both speaking up in support of small businesses this holiday season. Franchot derided online shoppers for not contributing to the local economy, saying that the best way to limit unemployment and raise incomes in Maryland is promoting patronage of small businesses in local neighborhoods. Donoho cited reports from this Thanksgiving that showed sales at small businesses increased more than 5% from last year, a good start for the holidays.
Franchot was in Bethesda on Wednesday and plans to visit Reisterstown, Cumberland, Chestertown and Leonardtown while touting a mantra of good products and good service that shoppers cannot find at mega-stores or online.
