October 22, 2020
Media Contact:
Scott Peterson, Director of Communications, Office of Public Information, 202-277-9412
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – VM Services, a storefront selling cellular phones, phone plans, wire transfers and more, is moving into 1,643 square feet of the Long Reach Village Center, as part of the Long Reach Rising Revitalization project led by Howard County. The owner, Nora Sanchez, previously rented a small space in Deli Town, another store in the Village Center, and is now expanding to her own space. Ms. Sanchez has two other business locations in Gaithersburg and Arlington.
“Long Reach Village Center is becoming a central hub for a diverse set of businesses and entrepreneurs – it’s wonderful to see VM Services join the community with a dedicated space to grow,” said County Executive Calvin Ball. “The continued revitalization of Long Reach over the past 10 months has brought in numerous creative services that will encourage community engagement and becoming a central hub for the Long Reach neighborhood."
“We are proud to be able to serve the community,” said owner Nora Sanchez. “Our goal is to serve our clients with the best attention, kindness and respect that our clients deserve."
In the past year, more than 45,000 square feet of office and retail space has been leased, including 25,000 sq ft of the space that previously housed Safeway. The Village Center was built in the late 1970s and is widely used by the neighborhood, residents to meet a variety of office and commercial needs. Prior to the center opening, residents of Long Reach gathered for a village meeting and voted for arts and crafts as the prevailing theme for the village center.
The Long Reach Rising goal is to help stabilize the area through maintenance, repair, beautification, and placemaking. VM Services joins Howard International Grocer, Blooming Hope Dominican Salon, Roving Radish, Manneq Art, Head Start, Every Kid Can Cook, Roll Up N Dye, the Columbia Arts Center, the Stonehouse Community Center, the African Art Museum of Maryland, and new Howard County Arts Council artists’ studios, as part of the emerging arts, culture, and entrepreneurship hub.