Meet Maryland's small business owners: Fishpaws Marketplace

This post is the first in our "Meet Maryland's small business owners" series, which highlights family-owned businesses throughout the state that strengthen their communities, promote local brands, and employ Marylanders in stable, high-quality jobs.

When Kim Lawson’s parents first bought Fishpaws Marketplace in 1983, “they called it the liquor dump”, she says with a laugh, “because it was an old, run-down building”. Kim was 17 at the time, and when she graduated from college a few years later with a degree in marketing, she got to work improving Fishpaws’ appearance and upgrading its product selection and service.

More than thirty-five years later, Fishpaws Marketplace has transformed itself into the go-to spot for wine, beer, liquor, and gourmet foods in Arnold, outside Annapolis. But more than that, it has become a gathering place for locals and gives back to the community it serves. Its family-owned roots run deep; Kim took over 10 years ago, her sister-in-law is the events manager, her sister is the office manager, and her son works part-time when not in school.

One of the most rewarding aspects of Kim’s job is her ability to give back to the community through Fishpaws’ charitable giving. For many years, Fishpaws had offered a weekly free beer, wine, and spirits tasting to customers, but in 2011, due to changes in Maryland liquor licensing rules, they were no longer able to do that. “So, we decided to turn a negative into a positive” Kim says.

They decided to allow customers to pay for their tasting with a donation to a local charity. Every month, the Fishpaws management team chooses a charity and customers donate an amount of their choosing for the tasting. Fishpaws then matches all customer donations. Since 2011, they’ve donated thousands of dollars annually to local charities and causes like SPAN (Serving People Across Neighborhoods) and the Pediatric Emergency Department at the Baltimore Washington Medical Center.

Kim describes her role in the community as “providing a full-service, customer-oriented beverage retail establishment while working with other businesses and local charities in a mutually beneficial manner.” Hearing her family’s story, it is easy to see why Fishpaws Marketplace has become part of the fabric of its community over the past 36 years.

Next time you’re in Arnold, be sure to stop by Fishpaws Marketplace, 954 Ritchie Highway, Arnold, MD 21012.

Photo: Owner Kim Lawson with her son Dylan at Fishpaws Marketplace