<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div style="RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">I am SO glad they're finally going to be opening, I'm looking forward to it. If anyone else has lived in the area for any length of time, I'm sure you remember what the store was like before the Spiropoulos family took it over. It's come a long way and I wish them every success with the new store, even if they AREN'T taking my suggestion to put some huge retro-looking animated <VAR id=yui-ie-cursor></VAR>neon beer signs on the roof! (smile)</SPAN></div>
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<DIV style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #ccc 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 0; MARGIN: 5px 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; HEIGHT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 0px; BORDER-TOP: #ccc 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #ccc 1px solid; PADDING-TOP: 0px" class=hr readonly="true" contenteditable="false"></DIV><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B> Vernon Archer <varcher@gmail.com><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> TownTalk <TownTalk@riverdale-park.org> <BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Monday, May 21, 2012 9:46 AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> [RP TownTalk] Fwd: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<BR></FONT></DIV><BR>
<DIV id=yiv964284300>See below the press release for our new town center market!<BR><BR>---------- Forwarded message ----------<BR>From:<BR>Date: Sunday, May 20, 2012<BR>Subject: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<BR>To: Jim Spiropoulos <<A href="mailto:spiro111@aol.com" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:spiro111@aol.com">spiro111@aol.com</A>><BR><BR><BR>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<BR><BR>Town Center Market<BR><BR>Small family-owned business is finding a way to survive and grow in this economy.<BR>Dumm’s Corner Market (renamed Town Center Market) opens in its new location May 23, 2012, with a grand opening event on June 17, 2012. After 100 years at its old address, pressure from lenders, and a grueling permit process, the small family owned business is expanding to a modern convenience store which will be a central point in the small community of Riverdale, MD.<BR>Prince George’s County history books suggest a store opened on the corner of
Riverdale Road and Lafayette Avenue sometime in the early 1900’s. Pete Spiropoulos purchased the store known asDumm’s Corner Market, along with the real estate, in December of 1988. He grew the market from a small corner store, to a thriving convenience store in the suburban community of Riverdale. A rarity these days, the market is truly a family-owned business and supports Pete, his two sons, and their families.<BR>The Spiropoulos family and Dumm’s Corner Market became a victim of the real estate bubble and bust. In 2004, when credit was easy andlenders were handing out money, the family purchased a neighboring building at 4705 Queensbury Road from a credit union. The credit union that was occupying the building and wanted to lease it back from the family. Unfortunately, several years later the credit union decided to leave.<BR>Fast forward to 2011. The company and family were being threatened with legal action by the credit
union which refused to refinance their mortgage even though they had lent them the funds in the first place and they had never missed a payment. This subjected their business and livelihood to disaster.<BR>Instead of relinquishing everything they had worked so hard for, the Spiropoulos family decided to turn this problem into a solution.Recognizing the ethnic and economic diversity of the Riverdale area, they wanted a business that catered to everyone’s needs. With the help of the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Consultant Christian Olsen, they developed a business plan for a modern convenience store to fit the changed needs of the community. Instead of holding on to the property as an “investment property,” which is a high risk category for lenders, they decided to move their 100 year old store into the larger space at 4705 Queensbury Road. The new store would cater both to the existing customers and to the
diverse needs of the Riverdale area which including families, college students, white-collar and blue-collar workers.<BR>The business plan, the strength of their ownership, and the SBDC helped them convince another Lender – BankAnnapolis - to provide financing to take out the credit union and improve the location. In addition, the family is investing a substantial amount of their own money to improve the property, the façade, and the overall aesthetics of Riverdale. The new store will offer a wider variety of carryout food, beer and wine, and will have an outdoor seating area near the Riverdale MARC station and the center of town. It is close to the neighboring communities of College Park and Hyattsville.<BR>For more information Contact:Jim Spiropoulos<BR>Town Center Market<BR>4705 Queensbury Rd<BR>Riverdale, MD 20737<BR>(301) 758-3821<BR><A href="http://www.towncentermarket.net/" rel=nofollow
target=_blank>www.towncentermarket.net</A><BR><BR><BR>Sent from my iPad<BR><BR><BR>-- <BR>Vernon Archer, Mayor<BR>Town of Riverdale Park, Maryland<BR></DIV><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>TownTalk mailing list<BR>To post to the list, send mail to <A href="mailto:TownTalk@riverdale-park.org" ymailto="mailto:TownTalk@riverdale-park.org">TownTalk@riverdale-park.org</A><BR><A href="mailto:TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org" ymailto="mailto:TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org">TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org</A> is for automated subscription processing only<BR><A href="http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk" target=_blank>http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk</A><BR><BR>For more information about Riverdale Park, visit <A href="http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/" target=_blank>http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info</A><BR><BR><BR></DIV></DIV></div></body></html>