“It’s the best of both worlds,” Mayor Cook explains.“I grew up in a really small town in upstate New York, and while we had the rural feel, we didn’t have any shopping or many restaurants. So, it’s nice to have that blend of everything.”The town’s appeal is more than just convenience. With its James Beard Awardwinning dining scene, courtesy of Bas Rouge Head Chef Harley Peet, and designation as host of the 2025 Main Street Maryland Conference, Easton has earned recognition as a model for downtown revitalization. The conference theme,“Great Places Win: Powering People, Places and Possibility,” highlights what the town has quietly achieved over decades of careful planning. “We’re a regional shopping destination, so we’re able to marry that small town charm with shopping options,” Mayor Cook notes. The balance attracts diverse demographics, from young families seeking parks and trails to active retirees drawn by cultural amenities. Greg Mueller, the town’s communications director, emphasizes how Easton’s events calendar reinforces its community identity. “All the activities and events help Easton stand out from other small towns, it generates a strong sense of community,” he says.The formula appears to work: businesses thrive alongside historic preservation, while new residents integrate seamlessly with established families who have called Easton home for generations. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAKES FLIGHT The Mistletoe Hall Commerce Park project is the next major step in Easton’s strategic approach to economic growth. This project sees thirteen largescale business plots, put up for sale by the Town in the interest of bringing in new economic drivers. Located on over 80 acres adjacent to the flourishing Easton Airport, the development has already attracted significant interest from mid-sized businesses and manufacturers, with six of thirteen lots sold. “We’ve had one groundbreaking so far, which is on the new training facility for our Easton Volunteer Fire Department,” Mayor Cook reports. “It’s actually an emergency responder training campus for all agencies on the Eastern Shore.”The town anticipates another groundbreaking this fall for an international agricultural feed supplement company, signaling diverse industrial interest in the location. The adjacent Easton Airport provides a crucial competitive advantage to the incoming businesses, and the airport’s ownership by Talbot County creates a symbiotic relationship with the town’s developmental efforts. Meanwhile, Route 50 continues its own transformation. While primarily attracting food chains and gas stations, recent investments include 3 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07 EASTON, MD
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