Comings & Goings: Clothing shop coming to Hagerstown Premium Outlets

Independent clothing store coming to Hagerstown Premium Outlets

A new locally owned and operated clothing shop is coming to Hagerstown Premium Outlets, according to a news release from the Washington County Chamber of Commerce.

Shhmackable will have a grand opening and ribbon-cutting at 3 p.m. Dec. 15 at the shop halfway between Loft Outlet and Legacy Furniture at 335 Premium Outlets Blvd. south of Hagerstown.

The store offers designer jackets, T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, polo shirts, hats, athletic apparel, sweat suits, Toboggan beanies, and other small accessories, according to the release. Custom printing is available, and the brand will be selling online as well.

"We are family-oriented, with apparel for everyone," said owners Harley Brooks and Jordan Douglas in the release. "We brought our business to Washington County in October of 2023. The location and the growth of the County brought us here, as well as the people. Very nice and helpful."

At grand opening, there will be giveaways and light refreshments available for guests. The event is open to the public, according to the release.

Park near Legacy Furniture, which is on the same side of the Outlets as the Food Court. See Shhmackable indicated on the map below.

Ghost Writer promotes grant specialist; owner presents at conference

Professional fundraising counsel Ghost Writer LLC has promoted its former grant specialist to agency advocate. In addition, the company's CEO presented at the inaugural Pennsylvania Arts & Humanities: A Statewide Convening.

Clay Cordell, the new agency advocate, serves as Ghost Writer’s presence in the Harrisonburg, Va., area, according to a news release from the company. In the Ghost Writer business model, the agency advocate serves as the primary contact point for nonprofit organizations and coordinates projects for clients across Ghost Writer’s team.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Cordell started working with Ghost Writer in October 2022. In his new role as agency advocate, he now focuses on connecting with clients and organizing projects in grants management, marketing, and donor database management. While his work has less of a focus on writing grants, he still writes grants for his clients from time to time.

Also, Kirsten Hubbard lead two presentations at the statewide conference hosted by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., according to a separate news release from Ghost Writer.

“It’s truly an honor to be included among some of the foremost arts and humanities professionals in the state and in the nation,” Hubbard said in the release. “To share our experience as both the funding landscape and community need shifts is a testament to the importance and innovation of Ghost Writer’s work, and all who have built it.”

Hubbard’s talk focused on the foundational tools of grant seeking and an understanding that grant seeking is an organizational-wide activity, according to the release. According to Hubbard, a successful grant search is like a treasure hunt: You need to have the right tools and a good map. That map is grounded in  an organization’s mission, strategic plan, development plan, and budget, ensuring all in the organization are aligned toward common goals. Only with those tools can you search for well-fitting grants, the release states.

First United names Hessler to board of directors

The board of directors of First United Corp. recently elected Kevin Hessler as a director, according to a news release from the financial institution.

Hessler will hold this position until the annual meeting of shareholders in 2024 and until a successor is duly elected and qualified, according to the release. The board intends to appoint Hessler to serve on its Audit, Loan, and ALCO Committees. He will also serve on the board of directors of First United Bank & Trust, which is the company's wholly owned subsidiary.

Hessler, a certified public accountant, is a principal at LSWG, P.A., an accounting firm with offices in Frederick, and Rockville, Md. He has been with the company since 1982, serving as managing principal for 12 years.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Shhmackable to open in December in Hagerstown Premium Outlets