<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=2 PTSIZE=10 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">Looking back to the recent past we had businesses in and around town center..... we had the Second Time Around Shop, Taylor Wells Antiques, Dorsey Plumbing, The Barber Shop, A Beauty Shop, A Dry Cleaner, A Rug Store, A Bike Shop, A Doll House Shop, Coffee Shop/Book Shop. What remains is Dumm's Corner Shops, S&J Restaurant and Aunt Emily's Dolls. We are in danger of losing Aunt Emily's Shop. The new owner of the building is raising the rent and the money she makes in that empty location isn't enough to support the higher rent. If other businesses were there, she might be able to afford it, but not now as things are. I would like to suggest we do something to save the Doll shop. Instead of wishing for businesses to come in, let's protect the ones we have. Does anyone and I am hoping the council person for that area, Alice, would know how we can get a grant or some subsidy from the economic development fund to help save the store. Any suggesstions? Recently the Magic Shop in Wheaton lost their lease. People protested and the County came up with a $25,000 grant to help them relocate and move. How can we help Emily's Dolls. I also want to remind everyone that Emily works on the Children's room of the Mansion. I don't know all the details of what her work entails, but I do know that she spends many hours, her own money and her own dolls and supplies to make this a nice place for the community. I would like us to help her now and keep her business in town. <BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#ff0080" BACK="#ffffff" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=4 PTSIZE=14 FAMILY="SCRIPT" FACE="Vladimir Script" LANG="0"><U>Audrey</U></FONT><BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> See what's free at http://www.aol.com.</HTML>