CATONSVILLE, Md. — It's tough to tell the story of Music City Maryland without Bill's Music; though last weekend's snowstorm, and the ensuing lack of foot traffic, means much less business is drumming up for the music emporium.
"It's definitely been a trying month here in Catonsville," Brian Higgins, the shop's general manager, told WMAR-2 News.
January meant a roller-coaster month for shops in Catonsville, with break-ins one weekend and snow-ins another weekend.
Catonsville stores bounce back after break-Ins & snowstorm challenges
"We're lucky enough where we have people call us from who knows where, and we're still a lot of shipping out and online type business, but yeah, it's been pretty slow within the store for the last 3 or 4 days," Higgins said. "The good thing is when people brave the elements to come in, they usually do come in to get something."
This January in Catonsville, extreme weather was one of many factors beyond the ordinary for the town's iconic Frederick Road. Police say a total of seven businesses were targeted in a series of burglaries in mid-January.
READ MORE: Several small Catonsville businesses targeted in overnight burglary spree
Blue Iris Flowers was among those shops; a once-bashed glass pane is already good as new.
"We just bounced back and we didn't let this stop us," said Allison Glascock, owner of Blue Iris Flowers.
Glascock says the winter weather forced Blue Iris to close another two and a half days, and walk-in business is surely down because of it. Things are looking up for February.
"Valentine's Day is by far our busiest holiday," Glascock added. "Mother's Day is a close second, but Valentine's Day, it's just crazy for about 24 hours."
Glascock credits the community with supporting the business through a volatile month.
Bottom line - neighbors rallied behind these Frederick Road shops through it all.
"That's kind of the most nice thing that happens. It happens every single time there's anything that happens for any of the business in Catonsville. It's always a big rally," Higgins said.
