MRA in the News

• What Retailers (and all businesses) Need to Know about Phased Reopening

  Wednesday, May 27th, 2020

  HR & Cocktails is a podcast that talks about compliance, challenges, great ideas and mishaps, and how Human Resources can move from an administrative, overhead department to a strategic contributor to the bottom line. Episode 10 : What Retailers (and all businesses) Need to Know… Read More

• Some Maryland Businesses are Preparing to Reopen. But Don’t Expect the Economy to Bounce Back Quickly.

  Thursday, May 14th, 2020

  Retailers are pushing to get back to work with curbside service immediately, which has so far only been possible for those shops that have an online presence. Many Main Street-type businesses have remained shut down because they can’t afford shipping or websites, said Cailey… Read More

• Retailers Urge Hogan to Allow Greater Use of Curbside Pickup

  Friday, May 1st, 2020

  Maryland retailers who were forced to close last month because they were deemed “non-essential” have seen a crushing drop in sales since restrictions on commerce were issued. Now, they are begging the Hogan administration to allow greater use of curbside pickup. Allowing customers to… Read More

• Carroll County Commissioner Urges Action to Reopen Maryland’s Economy from Coronavirus Restrictions

  Monday, April 20th, 2020

  Gov. Larry Hogan has implemented social distancing measures in order to limit the spread of the coronavirus. But some residents, as well as a Carroll County commissioner, are raising their voices in frustration over those measures and the resulting economic damage. Commissioner Eric Bouchat,… Read More

• Retail Sales Plunge Unprecedented 8.7% Amid Shutdown

  Friday, April 17th, 2020

  U.S. retail sales plummeted 8.7% in March, an unprecedented decline, as the viral outbreak forced an almost complete lockdown of commerce nationwide. The deterioration of sales far outpaced the previous record decline of 3.9% that took place during the depths of the Great Recession… Read More

• Study: Maryland’s Small Businesses Are Faring Better Than Most States

  Monday, April 13th, 2020

  Maryland ranks near the bottom among states whose small businesses are most affected by the coronavirus, according to a study released on Monday. The WalletHub study found that Maryland ranked 40th among 51 jurisdictions in terms of small businesses most affected due to the virus. Hawaii… Read More

• Coronavirus-Related Closures Tough On Some Retailers

  Thursday, April 9th, 2020

  The closure of non-essential businesses to help in the fight against the coronavirus has been hard on retailers. “There are sectors, entire sectors, of the retail economy that are shut down right now. And that’s very concerning for what this is going to look… Read More

• “The US Economy is in a Depression,” UMD Business School Professor Says

  Tuesday, April 7th, 2020

  The coronavirus has plunged the U.S. economy into a depression, according to a one-time chief economist at the U.S. International Trade Commission who is now affiliated with University of Maryland. “The U.S. economy is in a depression. That is a recession from which it… Read More

• Business groups send letter to White House calling for swift and flexible economic stabilization efforts

  Sunday, March 22nd, 2020

  The National Retail Federation and Maryland Retailers Association were among 90 retail industry trade groups that sent a letter to the White House today applauding the Trump Administration and House and Senate leadership for their efforts to protect public health and minimize the economic impact… Read More

• Maryland receives SBA designation for low-interest loans during COVID-19

  Friday, March 20th, 2020

  Governor Larry Hogan today announced that Maryland has received official designation from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for its Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which provides low-interest federal disaster loans for small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the SBA, the… Read More