Some Catonsville Businesses Thrived in 2011, a Few Didn't Make It

If one were to count the number of ribbon cuttings the Catonsville Chamber of Commerce held as a measure of success, 2011 was a red letter year.

Chamber staff and members attended six, which was more than in 2010, Executive Director Teal Cary said. There were at least a handful of businesses that also opened, moved or expanded in the last year, though there were no formal ceremonies involved.

"Catonsville has really been able to hold our own through it all," Cary said.

At least one business, however, did not weather the recession in its current business model. will be closing its shop on on Feb. 25. Owners Diana and Stacy Gosselin said they will convert their consignment business to an online store.

While consignment stores are a type of business that has been growing in a down economy, Kidz Closet struggled. It opened in March of 2007, several months before the real estate market collapsed.

Gosselin said in an email that despite many loyal customers, the store was not able to make a profit.

"The good news is, online stores in this industry appear to be doing well," she wrote.

At other small businesses on Frederick Road and Baltimore National Pike, owners report good news and bad news.

, owners of on Baltimore National Pike, said that 2011 was similar to 2010 in terms of their bottom line.

They are optimistic 2012 will be the year the economy turns around.

"Unemployment is decreasing slightly, the housing market isn't getting any worse, prices for wholesale items are stable and other small businesses owners seem slightly optimistic too," they wrote in an email.

Two other Frederick Road businesses reported a good year: and .

, owner of Objects Found, said the holiday season was profitable, mostly because of the good weather. The shop keeps many of its items on display outside the store.

She hopes that in 2012 there will be more banding together of local businesses to help bring more patrons to downtown Frederick Road.

"I'm participating with anything we decide to do here in Catonsville that is recommended by any of the committees-- signage, parking-- anything that we can do that'll make it easier for folks to shop in this great little village area. I'll be on any committee that I can be."

Cosmic Comix owner Rusty Simonetta said that his business follows trends in the comic book industry and in 2011 the industry had gains.

"We're doing just fine," he said.

, one of the owners of , said the challenge for her family's business is to not pass on increased expenses to customers.

The store has been open since June of 2009 and Chase said 2011 was a good year for solidifying its loyal customer base.

"It's kind of a like a ripple in a pond," she said. "It's the networking and building of relationships with other people."

Success of the business is also subject to the weather, which has been favorable so far this winter. The store is open for several hours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday this month.

"We have to make an impact in a short period of time and hope that people's memories are long," she said.

Chase said she is cautiously optimistic for 2012, but notes that it's hard to plan a year out.

"You never know what will happen," she said.

According to data analysis by the Jacob Frace Institute at the University of Baltimore, 19 percent of Baltimore County businesses are considered small businesses. Between 2004 and 2011, 50 percent of small businesses in Baltimore County either closed or changed hands. The data was pulled from the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.