[RP TownTalk] RPBA Meets Wednesday, 6 pm Town Hall

[Jeffrey Yorke]

Pete Spiropoulos,
President                                               Bruce Wernek,
Treasurer

Michael Herman, Esq., Vice
President                                  Jeffrey Yorke, Secretary



*RPBA’s Spiropoulos: ‘It’s Time To Get Back to Business!’*

*Biz association’s president launches group, 2019 business agenda with
gusto*



*RIVERDALE PARK, MD., Jan. 15, 2019*– A reconstituted Riverdale Park
Business Association will conduct its first public meeting at *6 pm on
Wednesday, Jan. 16*at Riverdale Park Town Hall. President *Pete Spiropoulos*,
who has run businesses in the town for more than 31 years, is one of the
association’s founding members. Spiropoulos invites the entire business
community– members and non-members -- to attend and participate in this and
all future meetings.



 “It’s time to get back to business and focus on our emerging community,”
said Spiropoulos in announcing the regrouping of the town’s premiere
business association. He recalled how RPBA was formed nearly three decades
ago by Riverdale Park business operators from both sides of the CSX
railroad tracks who suddenly faced the threat by CSX that the Queensbury
Road crossing would soon be closed.



Blocking off the vehicular and pedestrian traffic meant putting the
Spiropoulos owned-and-operated *Dumm’s Market*out of business on the east
side of the tracks, and possibly shuttering a handful of businesses in Town
Center on the west side, Spiropoulos recalled. (The market was the
forerunner to Town Center Market, now operated by his sons, Ted and Jim
Spiropoulos.)



“All of the businesses got together and fought the railroad’s proposal. We
went to the railroad and we went to the town. And we won! We’ve been
working hard ever since to protect businesses and to speak to the town
officials in one voice,” Spiropoulos noted. He recalled how, in 2015 the
Riverdale Park Town Council passed legislation that immediately doubled the
licensing fees for apartment operators. The trickle-down, he noted, meant
steep rent increases for Riverdale Park renters. The business association,
represented by RPBA VP *Michael Herman, Esq*., took on the legislation and
within months, the Council reversed its legislation, saving renters and
apartment owners thousands of dollars in unnecessary fees.



Riverdale Park is sandwiched between College Park and Hyattsville along
U.S. Route 1, two small Maryland city’s that *Washingtonian Magazine*in
April 2018 predicted were among “Washington area neighborhoods that will
boom next.” Spiropoulos said, “Riverdale Park must be part of that BOOM!”



The purpose of the RPBA is to represent all businesses serving Riverdale
Park and the environs, and to work with town officials in regulatory and
permitting matters to boost businesses and build a stellar business
environment in Riverdale Park.



RPBA meetings last 60-to-90 minutes and regular feature guest speakers who
are selected to help you and your business grow. Wednesday’s meeting will
also feature pizza from *Dumm’s Pizza & Subs*. To get the pie count right,
please *RSVP by 3 pm Wednesday to Jeffrey Yorke*, 301-502-1243 or
Yorkedial at gmail.com.



*Riverdale Park Business Association, c/o Pete Spiropoulos, 4705 Queensbury
Road, Riverdale Park, MD 20737*

-- 
Jeffrey Yorke
Yorke Property Management, Inc.
Yorke Partners
Jeffrey at YorkeRents.com
(C)301-502-1243
(M)301-832-0000
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