March 9, 2010—It's been a long ugly winter, so let's get a week's jump on the calendar and celebrate Spring's arrival this Second Saturday in Downtown Cambridge. Lots of fun choices!

• Late shopping hours and spring-merchandise previews in all the stores. Lots of new clothing, jewelry, accessories, home items & more!

• Dinner out at Bella Luna, Bistro Poplar, Canvasback, Jimmie & Sook's, or J&J Banquet Hall!

• Four art-opening receptions at Joie de Vivre Gallery, Dorchester Center for the Arts, The Danny Doughty Gallery, and The Main Street Gallery!

• Great music by Minus One at 8 pm at Canvasback—featuring a special guest, the Grammy Award-winning bassist Max Murray. Then, the fun Bad Mojo will be rocking at Jimmie & Sook's starting at 10 pm.

March 2, 2010—Cambridge Main Street invites you to join in the fun during the 1st Annual Spring Fling on Saturday, March 27. Enjoy food, drink, live music by Sunny Isle Blues, auctions, mad money, and more—with proceeds benefitting the downtown revitalization carried out by volunteers. The party happens 6-11pm at the Cambridge Yacht Club, 1 Mill Street right on the Choptank River. Tickets cost $50 per person and include food and 1 free drink ticket. Dress is cocktail attire. Please RSVP by March 18 by sending a check payable to Cambridge Main Street to 505 Poplar Street, Suite 300, Cambridge, MD 21613. Questions? Email office@cambridgemainstreet.com or call 443.477.0843.

February 17, 2010—Are the businesses in historic downtowns worth extra loyalty from customers? A new study of the recovery in New Orleans says yes. Two groups, the Urban Conservancy and Civic Economics, compared stores in an old downtown area with chain stores in shopping malls. This is what they found:

• Small, locally owned shops generated twice the annual sales per square foot.

• Local shops recirculated revenue within the community at twice the rate.

• Local shops had 4 times more local economic impact in wages, profits, procurement of goods, charitable giving, and other categories.

• Plus, the researchers estimated that if consumers in the study area shifted just 10 percent of their spending from chains to locals, they’d put $60 million into the local economy that otherwise disappears and goes elsewhere.

February 15, 2010—Thanks to everyone who came out to the Visionary Valentine event at the Main Street Gallery Feb. 13. This second annual event, a fundraiser for the nonprofit Main Street Gallery, featured champagne, desserts, and a silent auction of artworks created especially for the event. There was also a lively performance by professional Elvis impersonator Bilvis, shown here in a photo by Dave Harp. Thanks also to all our volunteers and to everyone who donated their talents or items.

January 22, 2010—Tom Brokaw's hourlong documentary on Route 50, which opens with a segment on Cambridge, is now viewable online through the USA Network. The documentary premiered on Jan. 18. That's also when a huge crowd gathered at Jimmie & Sook's, which is featured in the program, to watch the documentary and to celebrate the restaurant's first anniversary. In the documentary, Tom Brokaw says of Jimmie & Sook's owner Amanda Bramble (pictured here with her mother): "Her fight is indicative of a kind of American spirit that seems alive and well in Cambridge." Watch the documentary here.

January 7, 2010—Gov. Martin O'Malley popped into our downtown today and brought news of up to $1 million headed this way. During a "Business Roundtable" with business owners from around the region, he made the announcement that funds through three different grant applications submitted by the city would be available in the near future to (1) build new green, energy-efficient houses; (2) help homeowners weatherize and improve older houses; and (3) fix up some streets and gutters.