A Sykesville Small Business Fights (And Wins)

Recently the Eldersburg Patch published a story about a long-time business——closing its doors.

This week, we’re highlighting a long-time local business that has weathered challenges in a difficult economy.

Owners of , 1519 Liberty Road in Sykesville, recently announced they would purchase the building they had been leasing since 2000, a move made with some hand-wringing since the previous owner had faced foreclosure.

The decision to stay in the Eldersburg/Sykesville area is one owners Ken and Mary Rippel, both 67, say they are proud of.

Here is an edited excerpt of a Patch Q & A with Ken Rippel.

Tell me about the history of Rippel’s Florist. I understand you are the third generation in this family business?

My grandmother got the place in 1927 in Baltimore. And my dad moved it to Baltimore County in 1969. My brother and I moved it [to its current location] in 1999/2000. We were just basically following our market share – our customer base was migrating.

How have you been able to make it, owning a business in the Eldersburg area, even during downturns in the economy?

Surprisingly, we’ve weathered it pretty well. The only thing I can surmise is Eldersburg has been a continuing growing area. We’ve been doing real well. That’s why we wanted to stay here. If we see small steady growth now, in the future it will only be better.

I understand the building you are in was facing foreclosure, and you recently decided to buy it?

It was either that or take the risk of having the place go up to auction. This is an old building. If it went to auction, they would probably bulldoze the place.

Was it a hard decision for you?

A bit. I’m getting up in years. I’m not going to be here all my life. It was a matter of bailing out or trying to keep it going. We decided we could pull this off and keep it going. There’s seven of us here on the payroll, and I certainly didn’t want to add to any unemployment.

What is your favorite part of being a florist?

I’ll tell you what a fun part is – not that I do much of it – is actually delivering [the flowers] and seeing all the smiles when you open up the doors.

What would you like to see change or improve in the Eldersburg/Sykesville area?

I enjoy the rural aspect--the farms and the hills, and of course, they are gradually disappearing as development and expansion occur. You gotta take the good with the bad. Right now, it’s a good compromise. You don’t have to go very far to get to the countryside.

Anything else you’d like to say about this decision to say in the area?

It’s just a nice place to do business and we want to grow right along with it.

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