Downtown Frederick Partnership receives grant from Truist Foundation to support launch of first Retail Incubator in Downtown Frederick, MD

Downtown Frederick Partnership has received a grant from Truist Foundation to launch a new Retail Incubator, providing unprecedented support for emerging entrepreneurs and expanding diversity in business ownership and opportunity in Downtown Frederick. Downtown Frederick Partnership will manage the program in partnership with SOUL Street, a Frederick-based collective of Black business owners and community leaders dedicated to fostering entrepreneurial success.

This first-of-its-kind Retail Incubator will be located at 22 S Market St, inside the historic Federated Charities building. The incubator will host three participants at a time for up to 12 months, providing access to affordable retail space, shared operations, mentorship and hands-on business training. The program is designed to help emerging retail entrepreneurs test and grow their business concepts in a supportive, lower-risk environment.

“This incubator advances a key goal set by the Partnership’s Business Development Committee – to cultivate new retail entrepreneurs from idea to implementation while diversifying ownership and offerings downtown,” said Kara Norman, Executive Director of Downtown Frederick Partnership. “It fills a critical need for affordable, accessible pathways into brick-and-mortar retail, particularly for entrepreneurs who have historically been underrepresented in the downtown business community.”

Developed through collaboration with local businesses, economic development partners and community-serving organizations, the incubator leverages SOUL Street’s experience working with Frederick’s vendor and maker community. SOUL Street will oversee day-to-day operations, coordinate training and help participants transition to sustainable storefront business models.

“SOUL Street is excited to partner with Downtown Frederick Partnership and provide underrepresented businesses an opportunity to succeed in Downtown Frederick’s small business ecosystem,” said Catherine Dorsey, Board President of SOUL Street. “This incubator space provides a unique and real opportunity for vendors to showcase their products, reach a new customer base, and receive valuable training and resources that lead to long term success. The incubator space allows us to support not just Black-Owned businesses but other diverse businesses while ensuring that all businesses who need a hand up or a foot in the door are given the opportunity.”

The Downtown Frederick Retail Incubator will receive additional support from Frederick County’s Office of Economic Development and the City of Frederick’s Department of Economic Development, both of which are providing financial backing toward the program’s launch along with ongoing guidance and resources.

“The Downtown Frederick Retail Incubator is exactly the kind of innovative, collaborative initiative that helps small businesses take their first steps toward long-term success,” said Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater. “This effort directly addresses a recommendation of my Transition Team to support retail incubators. Frederick County is proud to support the Downtown Frederick Partnership on this effort to foster inclusive entrepreneurship and ensure our small business community continues to thrive.”

Incubator participants will benefit from a comprehensive suite of business development support, including one-on-one counseling from SOUL Street and Downtown Frederick Partnership, as well as training and resources from county, city and other local partners – combining real-world retail experience with professional expertise to create a powerful pathway to long-term business viability.

“This retail incubator represents the kind of future we are building in Frederick, one where bold ideas are welcomed, barriers are lowered, and entrepreneurship reflects the full breadth of our community,” said Mayor Michael O’Connor. “By investing in emerging business owners and creating space for them to grow, we are strengthening our local economy, energizing our downtown, and ensuring Frederick continues to be a place where innovation and inclusion move forward together.”

The incubator is designed not only to launch new businesses but also to strengthen Downtown Frederick’s long-term economic resilience. As participants complete their time in the incubator, they will be better positioned to take their business to the next step – whether that is opening their own brick-and-mortar location in Downtown Frederick or growing their business in another direction. By introducing a wider range of products, cultures, and experiences, the incubator will also enrich Downtown Frederick’s retail mix, making it a more vibrant, inclusive, and competitive destination for residents and visitors alike.

“At Truist, our purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities comes to life when we invest in entrepreneurs,” said Bernita Bailey, Truist’s Maryland Market President. “Through Truist Foundation, we support all types of small businesses, and we’re proud to back Downtown Frederick’s Retail Incubator as it expands opportunity for founders at every stage.”

Incubator participants will be selected through an open application process. Downtown Frederick Partnership and SOUL Street plan to open the first round of applications in the spring of 2026. Businesses interested in applying to participate in the incubator should fill out the interest form at downtownfrederick.org/retailincubator.

Photos from January 16, 2026 Groundbreaking Ceremony, taken by Ali Chaturbhai.

About Downtown Frederick Partnership

Founded in 1990, Downtown Frederick Partnership is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing, promoting and preserving the vitality, livability and diversity of Downtown Frederick — a nationally recognized Main Street community. The Partnership has managed Downtown Frederick’s Main Street program since its designation in 2001, playing a pivotal role in downtown’s revitalization, economic growth and community engagement. Learn more at downtownfrederick.org.

About SOUL Street

SOUL Street is a collective of Black business owners and community members in Frederick, MD, dedicated to empowering and supporting Black entrepreneurs through events, advocacy, education, and outreach. By fostering a strong, connected business ecosystem, SOUL Street provides critical resources and opportunities that help small businesses thrive. Learn more at mysoulstreet.com.

About Truist Foundation

Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. The Foundation, an endowed private foundation established in 2020 whose operating budget is independent of Truist Financial Corporation, makes strategic investments in a wide variety of nonprofit organizations centered around two focus areas: building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses to ensure all communities have an opportunity to thrive. Embodying these focus areas are the Foundation’s leading initiatives – the Inspire Awards and Where It Starts. Learn more at truistfoundation.org.

The post Downtown Frederick’s First-Ever Retail Incubator appeared first on Downtown Frederick Partnership.

In an era of increasing online shopping, it’s important to remember that shopping small makes a big difference. An impressive 99% percent of our downtown retailers are independently owned — which means you can enjoy a guilt-free shopping experience, knowing that 68 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays in the local economy.

So before you turn to the internet or head to the mall, take a spin through Downtown Frederick and visit the amazing independent retailers that you won’t find anywhere else.

Don’t forget, Downtown Frederick has free weekend parking at meters and in city parking garages through New Year’s Day!

Many of our shops even stay open 7 days a week during the holiday season!

Keep reading for a list of those shopping locations, which will be open every day through Christmas Eve. Many shops even extend their hours over the weekends, staying open late ’til 8pm on Fridays & Saturdays (these businesses are marked with an * in the list below). Find a complete list of shopping and dining in Downtown Frederick here!

Holiday Gift Guide

Whether you’re hunting for handcrafted treasures, treating someone to a memorable meal, or supporting the small businesses that make our downtown shine, you’ll find endless ways to make this holiday season special and – best of all – LOCAL.

Shopping (open 7 days a week!)

Food + Drink (open 7 days a week!)

Entertainment (open 7 days a week!)

Fitness (open 7 days a week!)

Open for Business (may have reduced hours)

The post Downtown Frederick is Open for the Holidays! appeared first on Downtown Frederick Partnership.

Our list is just a starting point, so be sure to confirm hours with your favorite shops, restaurants and downtown businesses. Find even more ways to enjoy Downtown Frederick at downtownfrederick.org/events

The post Open for You this Veterans Day: Explore Downtown Frederick! appeared first on Downtown Frederick Partnership.

There’s a new spot to make your holiday season shine! Downtown Frederick Partnership is thrilled to announce the opening of Holiday HQ, a festive pop-up info center and selfie paradise located at 22 S Market St, inside the historic Federated Charities building.

Follow the wall of colorful lights and step into the magic – Holiday HQ is decked out with fabulous, photo-worthy installations perfect for sharing (and showing off) your Downtown Frederick adventures.

Pose in front of our glimmering disco wall, snap a postcard-perfect shot inside our life-sized Polaroid frame, or get cozy in our retro 70’s-inspired holiday nook – it’s all here waiting to make your season brighter. Get a sneak preview of the space at downtownfrederick.org/holidayhq.

The space will serve as the weekend winter headquarters for the Downtown Frederick Ambassador team, who will be on hand to help visitors discover shopping, dining and holiday happenings all season long.

Holiday HQ Hours: November 8 – December 21

• Saturdays | 3-6PM
• Sundays | 1-4PM

Whether you’re downtown for shopping, dining or dazzling holiday lights, make Holiday HQ your first stop for festive fun and a quick photo op that’s guaranteed to sleigh.

The post Holiday HQ… Your Holiday Headquarters! appeared first on Downtown Frederick Partnership.

Our list is just a starting point, so be sure to confirm hours with your favorite shops, restaurants and downtown businesses. Find even more ways to enjoy Downtown Frederick at downtownfrederick.org/events

The post Who’s Open this Holiday Weekend? appeared first on Downtown Frederick Partnership.

In celebration of Deaf Awareness Month, Downtown Frederick Partnership is delighted to feature Erin Rae Buck, Outreach and Community Relations Coordinator for the Maryland School for the Deaf, in this month’s edition of Voices of Downtown Frederick. Erin reflects on her life as a CODA in Frederick, MD — a community that has a rich Deaf culture, which is evidenced by our local businesses, artwork, and a strong and positive presence in daily life.

From the moment I was born, I was immersed in two languages, two cultures, and two communities. Born in Frederick, MD with one Deaf parent (my mother), one hearing parent (my father), and an older brother, American Sign Language (ASL) was our first language. My brother’s first sign was “milk” at just six months old and mine was “mom” at nine months. Long before we entered elementary school, we were interpreting phone calls and navigating life as part of both the Deaf and hearing communities. Two languages, two cultures, two communities — one family. The best of both “worlds,” which shaped who I am today.

So when I was asked to write about living, working, or playing in Downtown Frederick as someone actively engaged in the Deaf community, ideas flowed immediately.

Frederick has always been home. Some of my earliest memories include visiting Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD) where both of my parents worked, birthday parties in Baker Park, and learning alongside classmates at South Frederick Elementary (now Lincoln Elementary), where teachers were familiar with the concept of having a CODA in their classrooms. One of my favorite family photos is from a fall afternoon on the MSD campus — my brother and I fidgeting by the iconic water fountain while our parents signed to us to sit still. Though it dates back to the early 1980s, the feeling of family and culture it captures remains timeless.

That photo was taken in September, a month I’ve always loved. As a second-generation MSD employee, it marks the start of a new school year. September also holds special significance as Deaf Awareness Month — a time to educate, celebrate, and reflect on Deaf history, language, and achievements.

Signs of the Deaf community are everywhere in Downtown Frederick, offering daily exposure to the culture that is embedded in our city year-round — not just in September.

If you live, work, or play in Downtown Frederick, chances are you’ve walked or driven by the expansive MSD campus. A cornerstone since 1868, MSD serves deaf and hard of hearing students from birth through age 21 across 14 buildings. Daily life of academics, athletics, and after-school activities unfolds in a language-rich environment. Nestled on 68 acres in Downtown Frederick, MSD fosters access and awareness in ways many residents may not even realize. I just entered my 24th school year as an MSD employee and my 45th year roaming its campus with my family. If our paths cross, I’d love to hear your story or memory from our campus. If you don’t have one yet, come to a home game or event — we’d love to have you!

Spending time downtown, you’ve likely already experienced both obvious and subtle signs of Deaf culture. Maybe you’ve taken an ASL class taught by members of our local Deaf community at either Frederick Community College or with your soon-to-be Downtown Frederick neighbors on East Street at the Maryland Deaf Community Center (MDCC). Perhaps a Deaf neighbor has taught you a few signs and greets you each morning with a wave or smile.

Where does Downtown Frederick begin for you? Maybe it’s Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium, where the Frederick Keys host an annual Deaf and Hard of Hearing Night — welcoming students, families, and fans to cheer, sign, and shake their keys. Or maybe it’s the Carroll Street water tower, a City of Frederick landmark guiding students and visitors to MSD.

Exploring downtown with family? You might stop by C. Burr Artz Library, where ASL storytime brings books to life and the front desk loops ASL-accessible information on screen. At The Delaplaine Arts Center, MSD students’ artwork is featured each December in the Community Art Gallery. Walking along Carroll Creek? Look for engraved bricks — one features the ASL sign for “I love you.” Nearby, the ASL “FREDERICK” bike rack offers a perfect photo op and moment of cultural pride. Shopping close by? Visit Ivy’s Haven, a Deaf-owned boutique in Shab Row blending fashion and culture.

Frederick isn’t just a place where Deaf culture exists — it’s a place where it thrives.

As we celebrate Deaf Awareness Month this September, I invite you to look around Frederick with a new lens — through the eyes of your Deaf and hard of hearing neighbors. Notice the signs — literal and figurative — that highlight the Deaf community’s strong and positive presence. Learn a few signs, attend a community event, or support a local Deaf-owned business.

Celebrating Deaf Awareness Month goes beyond acquiring knowledge — it’s about connection. It’s about embracing what makes our community unique and united. Two languages, two cultures, two communities, one town — Frederick, MD.

Learn more about the Maryland School for the Deaf: msd.edu

Erin Rae Buck is a proud CODA (Child of a Deaf Adult) and lifelong resident of Frederick, MD, where her personal and professional journeys are rooted in both the Deaf and hearing communities. A 1998 graduate of Frederick High School, she went on to earn her BA from Mount St. Mary’s University and her MA from Hood College. Now in her 24th school year at the Maryland School for the Deaf, Erin is a second-generation employee and serves as the school’s Outreach and Community Relations Coordinator.

The post Celebrating Deaf Awareness Month in Downtown Frederick appeared first on Downtown Frederick Partnership.

With FREE PARKING in all of the City’s garages and meters all day on Monday, September 1, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t make a weekend of it in Downtown Frederick!

Don’t see your favorite place on our list? This is only a start! Be sure to check with individual businesses for their most up-to-date hours. For more great things to see and do in Downtown Frederick, visit downtownfrederick.org/events

Spend your Labor Day weekend with us!

The post Labor Day in Downtown Frederick appeared first on Downtown Frederick Partnership.

Downtown Frederick, Maryland – Downtown Frederick Partnership is pleased to announce the 2025 recipients of the Mission: Interior matching grant program: Edgeworks Knife & Supply, Hippy Chick Hummus, The Kitchenette, Maryland Ensemble Theatre, The Perfect Blend Cafe, Tenth Ward Distilling Company and Wag’s Restaurant.

Mission: Interior supports interior capital improvements that help strengthen the downtown retail and restaurant community. The program provides up to $5,000 in matching grant funds to eligible Downtown Frederick businesses. For the Spring 2025 round, a total of 20 businesses applied seeking more than $55,000 in grant funding. The Partnership’s Business Development Committee selected seven businesses based on the program criteria to receive the total available grant funds of $25,000. These applicants are supporting the selected improvements with more than $39,000 in matching contributions.

The funded projects include:

Edgeworks Knife & Supply: Replacement of old carpet flooring with wood laminate to enhance the retail space. Grant Award: $5,000

Hippy Chick Hummus: Renovation of the public restroom, including flooring, plumbing, and installation of a commercial toilet. Grant Award: $2,000

The Kitchenette: Upgrade the main showroom with new track lighting to create a brighter, more inviting space. Grant Award: $1,000

Maryland Ensemble Theatre: Addition of digital vestibule displays to improve brand visibility and better serve patrons in Downtown Frederick’s Theatre District. Grant Award: $4,500

The Perfect Blend Cafe: Interior improvements to enhance operations and visitor experience. Grant Award: $5,000

Tenth Ward Distilling Company: Refinishing hardwood floors, resealing brick, reglazing windows, and upgrading event space infrastructure. Grant Award: $5,000

Wag’s Restaurant: Public restroom improvements in a long-standing downtown restaurant. Grant Award: $2,500

“As a small business, it can be difficult to prioritize behind-the-scenes improvements. I am very grateful for the generous support provided through the Downtown Frederick Partnership. This Mission: Interior grant will allow Hippy Chick Hummus to remodel our public restroom to help us better serve our community. Thank you for caring about small business and for investing in our growth and accessibility,” said Erika Brown, owner of Hippy Chick Hummus.

“At Perfect Blend, we’re always looking for ways to enhance the experience for our customers, and the Mission: Interior grant gave us the opportunity to make meaningful upgrades to our space. We’re so grateful for the Partnership’s support and excited to continue growing in the heart of Downtown Frederick”, said Rabi and Pragya Dangol, owners of Perfect Blend.

“The Partnership is proud to continue investing in our downtown businesses through the Mission: Interior grant program,” said Kara Norman, Executive Director of Downtown Frederick Partnership. “These improvements, large and small, contribute to the long-term success of our retailers, restaurants and cultural spaces while preserving the character and vitality of Downtown Frederick.”

Applications were reviewed by the Partnership’s Business Development Committee and ranked on criteria including longer lease periods, business tenure, greater than 50% match, projects that expand the services offered by the business through improvements to either accessibility or fire suppression systems, geographic diversity and projects that improve and/or restore an interior historic feature. 

Since its launch, the Mission: Interior program has helped strengthen Downtown Frederick’s economic infrastructure while supporting projects that make downtown spaces more beautiful, accessible and functional. Prior to this grant round, more than $165,000 has been granted to downtown businesses which has been matched by more than $542,000 in business investments in improved commercial spaces.

About Downtown Frederick Partnership

Founded in 1990, Downtown Frederick Partnership is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to enhancing, promoting, and preserving the vitality, livability, and diversity of Downtown Frederick—a nationally recognized Main Street community. The Partnership has managed Downtown Frederick’s Main Street program since its designation in 2001.

Contact:
Feby Emelio
Communications Manager, Downtown Frederick Partnership
301.698.8118
feby@downtownfrederick.org

The post Downtown Frederick Partnership Announces Mission: Interior Grant Program Awardees appeared first on Downtown Frederick Partnership.

With FREE PARKING in all of the City’s garages and meters on Friday, July 4, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t make a weekend of it in Downtown Frederick!

Don’t see your favorite place on our list? This is only a start. Be sure to check with individual businesses for their most up-to-date hours.

For more great things to see and do in Downtown Frederick, visit downtownfrederick.org/events.

Spend your 4th of July weekend with us!

The post 4th of July in Downtown Frederick appeared first on Downtown Frederick Partnership.

In celebration of Pride Month, Downtown Frederick Partnership is delighted to feature Martin Scarborough, Program Director at The Frederick Center, in this month’s edition of Voices of Downtown Frederick. Martin reflects on the incredible growth of Frederick Pride, from a small, hopeful gathering to one of the city’s most vibrant festivals. With honesty and heart, he shares the personal and collective journey of the LGBTQ+ community in Downtown Frederick—highlighting how visibility, resilience and love have shaped a stronger, more inclusive place for all.

In twelfth grade, my mother took me to a big picnic at Ballenger Creek Park. The sky was clear, the sun was hot, and it was the perfect day for party games. A big chalkboard covered in colorful lettering set the schedule for the day: egg tosses, cornhole, kickball, a pie-eating contest, and capture the flag.

If it weren’t for the fistful of rainbow flags tucked around the pavilion, you would never have known that this was Frederick’s first Pride celebration.

Thirteen years later, Pride is the largest festival in Frederick City and spans most of Carroll Creek Park. It’s surreal to think that there was a time when our community felt afraid to be public and visible in downtown Frederick—even more surreal when you realize that was only a decade ago. The first Frederick Pride on Carroll Creek in 2015 came after months of divisive debate over whether Downtown Frederick would be safe for our community to gather. Would there be protests? Would people stay home, fearing they would be outed if they attended? Would people lose their families, friends, or jobs over spending one day celebrating themselves and the people they love? Every LGBTQ+ person has had moments in their lives where they feared that being true to themselves meant being rejected and scorned by the people they loved. Would the visibility of a downtown Frederick Pride force people to risk that choice?

We know now, in hindsight, that these fears were unfounded. Bringing Frederick Pride to Downtown Frederick brought the festival to a place where it could flourish. But getting here was a struggle—it took risk, courage, and boldness to choose visibility over the safety of obscurity.

Being LGBTQ+ means living in a constant state of risk assessment. There are days when I wake up and wonder whether it’s safe to be honest about myself and my identity. I am lucky: I am beloved by my family, my friends, my community, and my faith. Within my own social sphere, there are very few situations in which I worry about a hostile reaction to my existence.

But I live in a world where violence against my community is pervasive. I work with clients who are younger than me and have been beaten for being gay or have had friends taken away to be psychologically tortured at conversion therapy camps. I live under a federal government that has threatened to strip me of my healthcare and my passport for the crime of existing as a transgender person. I’ve had slurs and threats and insults hurled at me by men and women who see my existence and my happiness as a threat to their worldview. There are people who fantasize about our deaths.

That’s why we are having Frederick’s first-ever Pride Parade on Friday, June 27th. As much as Pride is a celebration of our community and its history, it is also a radical act of defiance. Since the launch of the modern gay rights movement in the ’60s, parades have been high-profile demonstrations of solidarity and support for our community, even when institutions have attempted to silence us with force and fear. On June 27^th, over 50 local organizations will march through Downtown Frederick to show that solidarity: some are LGBTQ+ led, some are led by allies, but all understand that our Downtown Frederick community is made brighter and more vibrant when it welcomes our LGBTQ+ family.

In the face of loud and looming threats that want us to hide and cower, to return to our closets and pretend we never existed, the parade is a visible show that we are here, we exist, and our Frederick community loves us, cherishes us, and wants to see us thrive.

Learn more about The Frederick Center: thefrederickcenter.org

Martin Scarborough is a returning member of the Frederick County community. Originally from Myersville, Martin graduated from Middletown High School in 2013 and later from Hood College in 2017 with a double major in Global Studies and Spanish. For the last 6 years, Martin has lived abroad in Baltimore City, where he worked in fundraising and development for programs that supported youth education and enrichment, immigration advocacy, and racial justice. He is excited to bring his experience to the Frederick Center, where he can use his talents to support fellow members of the queer community.

The post Frederick Pride: Then and Now appeared first on Downtown Frederick Partnership.