The Caroline County Economic Development & Tourism (CCEDT) team celebrated our local businesses with a Thank You! Tour October 23-27 as part of Economic Development Week in Maryland, an event that gives economic development professionals the opportunity to showcase businesses that contribute to their local economy through job retention, innovation, public service, and improving the quality of life in our communities.

CCEDT was honored to visit 16 businesses throughout the week in a variety of sectors. The value these businesses bring to our community is far reaching, from specialized care for the adult population and innovative family run facilities to women owned businesses and those that nurture the agriculture industry in our county. There are plenty of reasons to celebrate the businesses that call Caroline County home!

There are businesses that we go to for our daily needs, such as the Ridgely Pharmacy, a community staple that houses an ice cream parlor and cafe where locals meet and greet each other daily. The owner is a great contributor in the community, hosting and participating in numerous community events. Choptank Supply takes pride being more than just a typical hardware store, offering many services and rental items.  Their incredible service and extensive offerings bring customers from near and far. The Sewing Outlet is another example of a community staple, supplying fabric, upholstery, and decorating services right in the heart of Federalsburg, as is the Tri-Me Warehouse, a full-service grocery store in Ridgely.

Caroline County has businesses we turn to for fun and entertainment, such as Smokey Cat Lavender Farm, where you can pick your own lavender or shop in their artisan gift shop and Outstanding Dreams Alpaca Farm, specializing in alpaca sales and breeding services. You can also shop at their farm store for artisan items crafted from alpaca fiber.

There are businesses who provide care and compassion, such as Arcadia Living, a premier assisted living facility that sets a new standard for elder care and those with unique needs. The Benedictine School in Ridgely is another example, supporting children and adults with developmental disabilities.

There are businesses we turn to for life’s big moments, such as On Your Mark Lighting, offering specialized lighting for events of all sizes – from fundraisers and weddings to awards programs, and more. Awards Engraving in Denton is there for you when you need a beautiful, custom award, trophy, memento or gift.

And there are businesses that help other businesses, such as Lorry Industries, a forward-thinking fulfillment provider servicing innovative e-commerce brands and international partners in the design and furniture industries, and Sisk Fulfillment, who has been in business for more than 30 years and offers personalized customer service, and the attention to detail and flexibility of a small company combined with the efficiency, high volume capability and competitiveness of a very large company.

Caroline is also home to the companies you count on for large projects, such as Bob Breeding General Contractors, a leader in construction and installation of metal buildings and foundations. There is Masten Pools, who have been performing high quality pool installations since 1982. And there is Lywood Electric, specializing in industrial and commercial instrumentation, automation and controls.

Lastly, there are businesses that work tirelessly to keep us informed about the great things taking place in our community, such as the Caroline Review, Caroline County’s information magazine since 1980.

These companies are just a snapshot of Caroline’s incredible businesses, and Caroline County Economic Development and Tourism is honored to be able to recognize all they do for our community and quality of life.

For more information, follow Caroline Economic Development on Facebook at facebook.com/carolinebusiness, email info@carolinebusiness.com , or call 410-479-4188.