May 2018 ‘GOOD NEWS’ Newsletter

Hello, fans of the greater Crisfield area:

This newsletter is long, but I cannot apologize for having so much ‘Good News’ in Crisfield! It’s remarkable how quickly things are unfolding. Here are the details:

GOLF CARTS ALL AROUND TOWN:

• City Manager Rick Pollitt reported a few weeks ago that Golf Carts were approved for use on all streets within the city limits by a unanimous vote of the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates and signed by the Governor. Last year’s limited use allowed us to test the safety and logistics of the golf carts, thus preparing us for an expansion of their use. Bobby Tawes at Tawes Brothers has five new shiny ones on display in front of his business and 150 more available for purchase, including gas, electric, and low speed vehicles. All can be customized any way you want. Prices range from as low as $1950 to about $8000. I particularly like the one below 

FISHING OFF THE CITY DOCK:

• In other good news, Mr. Pollitt also reported that the Department of Natural Resources has approved license-free fishing from the City Dock. Signs will be posted to notify the public that no license is needed for fishing at the Depot. Just another step forward in creating things here for visitors to enjoy and residents as well.

NEW SERVICES AND IMPROVEMENTS AT DJ’S CAR WASH:

• Erik Emely is running DJ’s Car Wash in partnership with owners Jay and Debbie Tawes and is offering two new services to the public. In addition to the drive-thru car wash and the car washing bays, you can now call Erik at 443-880-1731, and he will have your car picked up at your home, taken to the car wash to be washed and vacuumed, and returned to your driveway. There are different levels of service from wash and vacuum; wash, vacuum, and dress the tires; and full detail. This pickup service has really taken off and is spreading by Facebook and word of mouth. Last weekend, they serviced 30 cars between Friday and Sunday. Not bad considering this has only been available for two weeks. A second new service Erik is offering is for people to get their cars hand washed onsite. They have hired 3 people part-time to clean the cars, and they have even made improvements to an indoor space for patrons to wait while their cars are being washed. The building is air conditioned and will have a TV and coffee available, plus some auto supplies for sale. People like having amenities, and these are two more services provided by a local business for our community and anyone who visits here. It’s good for business and good for Crisfield!

THE FIRE WAGON BBQ IS A HIT:

• Another success at DJ’s Car Wash is The Fire Wagon BBQ owned and operated by Eric Banks. During the past two weeks, Eric has served his barbeque chicken and ribs three times from his mobile wagon on the car wash property and sold out each time. He will be available there and at other locations around town throughout the summer. Look for The Fire Wagon BBQ and treat yourself to the best barbeque chicken and ribs in town! It’s good to support local entrepreneurs and even better to get delicious food to take home and enjoy. Yum!

FOOD LION IS RESPONDING TO CUSTOMER DEMAND:

• The Crisfield Food Lion exceeded sales projections the first year in operation here and continues to do well each year. One reason for that, I believe, is that they are responding to the requests of the people living here. As one of my friends said, “Crisfield is changing. You can tell by the foods Food Lion is carrying.” She was referring to the fact that they are carrying more and more gluten free products, organic, natural, and other healthy food choices. For example, they have cage-free eggs and organic strawberries, blueberries, carrots, popcorn, etc. They also carry Braggs vinegar and sprouted grain breads. These are all choices nutritionists recommend, and it is my experience that Food Lion carries more healthy choices than WalMart. Their prices are also affordable when you consider their weekly specials and the new Shop & Earn Program. Food Lion employs 40 people, and I hope they continue to carry healthy products and do well so that we can be well.

CRAB & CRUISE EVENTS IN THE NEWS AND ON THE MOVE:

• Last week The Crab Place was listed as #2 of the top 15 places in Maryland for the best steamed crabs. See the article entitled “Maryland Is Home to the Best Steamed Crabs and Here Are 15 Places You Can Find Them” at: http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/maryland/best-steamed-crabs-md/. In addition, Crab & Cruise ticket sales are up 40% compared to this time last year. Part of the boost is due to the organic growth of sales to people in the Delmarva region and part is also due to a lot more groups of 25 or more booking tickets than had done so before. All this will no doubt help support the need for a first class motel or hotel for Crisfield in the near future.

NEW SEAFOOD MARKET:

• Lamount Potter is opening a new seafood market on West Main Street across from Subway in the next couple of weeks. He previously had a business on Route 413 with tables indoors and outside where you could eat steamed crabs and other seafood. This year he will operate his business as a seafood market that will sell fresh seafood including steamed crabs, soft shell crabs, shrimp, scallops, and fish. He has named his business LMEN Seafood Market. In case you’re wondering about the unusual name LMEN, he chose his business name using the first letter from the names of his four children: L = Lamount, Jr.; M = Maurice; E = Evyan; N = Nateri. I think it’s pretty cool that a father would do that. Some of his children work in the business too, and I believe the community and visitors will support this new family business opening soon on Main Street.

PAINTED ARTWORK ADIRONDACK CHAIRS TO BE AUCTIONED AT CRAB DERBY:

• The first “Have-A-Seat in Crisfield” fundraiser sponsored by the Crisfield Arts & Entertainment District Project is lining up to be a huge success. (See attached pictures of two of the chairs being auctioned.) The 34 painted artwork adirondack chairs to be auctioned off online and at the Crab Derby include two chairs by well-known celebrities. First, Richard Petty, the King of Nascar, sponsored a chair for the event. Then, Dolly Parton signed on for a pink chair that she will embellish with rhinestones and sign. (I want that one!). It’s going to be fun watching the chairs being auctioned and seeing what price each goes for. I compliment the A&E leadership for such a creative and well organized fundraising endeavor.

PLEIN AIR ART EVENT MAY 24-26:

• Crisfield will host 30 nationally ranked artists in a Plein Air Art event here May 24-26. Artists will be painting in various locations in Crisfield and on Tangier Island during the three-day event, and then there will be a Fresh Painting Sale at The Custom House on Saturday, May 26 from 4:00-7:00 PM during the 4th Saturday Bay Stroll. This is a new event for Crisfield and is hosted and sponsored by Debra Howard and The Art Center of Crisfield at 33 West Main Street. Let’s hope for great weather and a great turnout to watch the artists paint and then to purchase the original artwork that is produced during their time in Crisfield.

MAY ACTIVITIES:

• There are a lot of activities in Crisfield and the greater Crisfield area in May, and you can see the full schedule in the Crisfield Arts and Entertainment newsletter put together by Jennifer Merritt for the City at: http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Crisfield-Arts-and-Entertainment-News—May.html?soid=1127315818299&aid=V1I-K8bTqU0

NEW VISITOR GUIDE AND BROCHURE COMING IN MAY:

• Ads sold out for the newly-updated 32-page full color Crisfield Visitor Guide and brochure being produced by the Greater Crisfield Action Coalition (GCAC). The copy has gone to print and will be ready for distribution mid-May. It is interesting to note that we can see a growth in the number of Eateries and Attractions as compared to 2016 when the brochure with map was updated by GCAC. In 2016 we had a total of 31 Eateries and Attractions. In 2018, after omitting a few businesses that have closed, we now have 41 Eateries and Attractions. That’s an increase of 32%! What if by 2020, we have 60 or 80 or 100 Eateries and Attractions…? We are definitely going in the right direction.

EVIDENCE OF VISITOR GUIDE IMPACT:

• Speaking of the Visitor Guide, I just learned last week that Linda Singh lives in Crisfield partly because of the Visitor Guide. She and Vinay were looking for a home to buy, and the Visitor Guide was one of the things that convinced her that this is where she should now live. That is one of the outcomes we hope for with the Visitor Guide and brochures. We want people to come and enjoy our little piece of paradise, and we hope some of them will buy homes and live here, just as Linda did. The extra good news is that not only does Linda now live here, she also started a new business, The Bay Gift Vault, which is a favorite of locals and visitors from Salisbury, Chincoteague, and Ocean City. I pray the new Visitor Guides and brochures will draw more “Lindas” to Crisfield who will come here, enjoy Crisfield, and decide to stay and get involved as Linda has done.

TOURISTS ARE COMING!

• In making my rounds in April as I worked on the newly updated Crisfield Visitor Guide and brochure, business owners mentioned that tourists are coming early this year. They usually don’t start until sometime in May. They are coming, and they are asking questions about Crisfield. It’s possible the warm weather is driving them. In any case, as Dan Nelson, owner of Water’s Edge, told me about the tourist season, “It’s on like Donkey Kong. Here we go!” 

NEW WINDOW STICKERS:

• The Greater Crisfield Action Coalition had two new color window stickers designed for the 2018 season. One celebrates Crisfield as the Crab Capital and the other celebrates love for Crisfield. These will be available in local shops by the middle of May. We hope tourists and locals alike will buy and display the new stickers to promote Crisfield.

PAINT THE TOWN:

• The first “Paint the Town” project has been scheduled for May 4th and 5th.  Erik Emely will be working with volunteers from the Crisfield Campus of Emmanuel Wesleyan Church to power wash the exterior of the Crisfield public bathroom building located at the city’s parking lot near the City Dock. They will also paint the trim, doors and curbing as well as the trellis. In addition, Kim Hopkins, who is leading the overall effort, has tentatively set up exterior paint projects on May 18th and 19th for two properties that are located along the main corridor into Crisfield. Both properties are owner-occupied, and the homeowners are unable to do the work themselves. Rubberset is supplying the paint for these projects. There will be more projects in the months ahead thanks to a coordinated effort with Rubberset and local volunteers including churches, the Coast Guard, Rubberset employees, and It Takes a Village and facilitated by the Greater Crisfield Action Coalition.

So, if you were working toward becoming “the #1 unique tourist destination on the Eastern Shore“, which is the vision of the Greater Crisfield Action Coalition in the Five Year Action Plan, what would you need? How about beautification efforts to improve the town’s appearance? How about new marketing materials? How about more activities, food and attractions? How about new businesses that cater to tourists and locals alike? How about growth in visitors to town and positive publicity? Well, that’s exactly what’s happening. And guess what? We are a long way from our *true potential and capacity* to be the #1 unique tourist attraction on the Eastern Shore. If I were you, I’d invest in the town and be a part of its success and growth because it’s coming with or without you.
Best regards to all,
Charlotte