PIKESVILLE, Md. — This year's Preakness Weeks started on April 28th, and each day of the week since, the Maryland Jockey Club put the spotlight on one local business.
Audra Madison, Director of Marketing, Maryland Jockey Club, says, "We wanna make sure that these businesses have the traffic. We want them to have the visibility. They have been selected specifically because they offer a unique service or food experience, and so we want to showcase the best of Baltimore in leveraging the Preakness platform."
VIDEO: Preakness celebrates Baltimore's black and women-owned businesses with 'Preak Weeks'
Each business gets to show off its specialty to people who come through the door ahead of the 150th Preakness Stakes.
"The First Lady her vision was to have so many activities and people experience the best that Maryland has to offer," says Madison.
One of the 19 businesses selected for this year's Preak Weeks is Self-ish Beauty, on Reisterstown Road in Pikesville.
"We do manicures, pedicures, we do full body waxing, eyebrow tinting, lash extensions, we do facials—all the things. We have one hair suite here, so you can come here and spend the day and get everything that you need," says Kelly Dailey, co-owner of Self-ish Beauty.
Co-owners Kelly Dailey and Keisha McClain say Preak Weeks has helped bring in business the last few weeks.
"It's amazing to be selected in the beauty space specifically; there's not a lot of businesses that do things like we do it, so to be acknowledged, to be kind of like something different, something refreshing," says Keisha McClain, co-owner of Self-ish Beauty.
"For me, it feels really good to be thought about, um, in any capacity here at Self-ish, you know, we're a small business, and we're all about women. We're all about making women look good, feel good, so to know that someone else, you know, considered us for those reasons, I don't know, it makes me feel amazing," says Daily.
Audra Madison, Director of Marketing for the Maryland Jockey Club, says not only have Preakness Weeks been successful so far, but excitement for the Preakness Stakes is high this year.
"Tickets are selling out and doing exceedingly well, so to have that opportunity and to be there for this particular milestone, um, is, is amazing for them to have," says Audra Madison.
Keisha McClain says, "This is our 2nd year doing Preak Week, so I think now we've kind of created, and we had to build up, and you know everyone that comes in, they're kind of giving us this look like it's me, right? So it's really, really fun."
And although 19 local businesses were highlighted ahead of the races, Madison says this shouldn't be the only time these businesses get attention.
"We want them to continue to support after the, the big celebration, right, so go out and support them," says Madison.
The last day to visit one of the 19 businesses and possibly win free Preakness tickets is Friday.
