PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. (January 23, 2011) — When Laurie Uherek opened Educate & Celebrate in Prince Frederick, she was following a dream. “My aunt was actually my inspiration for opening this store,” she says. “She was a teacher and used to take me into a store like this as a child in Pittsburgh and I loved it. I learned then that there’s nothing better to sell than education and that’s what we do here – we make learning fun.”
That original dream has now been going strong for 20 years and has even become a chain of sorts with the establishment in 2002 of another retail shop in Waldorf. Both Uherek and her accomplished staff of former teachers and retail experts know how to integrate activities, workbooks and crafts into a love of learning for children from infancy to high school.
But they don’t just sell to teachers. “People know we’re a school supply store,” says Uherek, “but you don’t have to be a teacher to shop here. We have educational books and games, seasonal gifts, puzzles, classic literature, test preparation materials, summer required reading titles and a whole line of arts and crafts. Parents love our retro toy section where they can find items from their own childhood like Lincoln Logs®, Sea-Monkeys®, spinning tops, tiddlywinks and Tinkertoys®.”
Uherek is also a strong proponent of the buy-local momentum sweeping many communities. “I want our region to understand the value that small businesses bring to the community – from agriculture to retail and professional services,” she says. “When products and services come from a local business, we all succeed. Local business owners invest back into their communities, pay taxes, employ local citizens and purchase goods and services themselves from other local business owners.” She also believes that local business owners and small shops can provide better service than their larger competitors. “We can respond quickly and personally to the needs of our customers – in fact, we know most of them by name,” says Uherek. “We enjoy being the catalyst that makes education motivating and captivating.”
Educate & Celebrate has membership in the National School Supply Equipment Association, Calvert County Chamber of Commerce, SchoolPlace Advisory Council, Trend Enterprises Advisory Council and Scholastic, Inc. Advisory Council and they are approved to provide school and classroom supplies to all school systems in Maryland. They are also an approved vendor of Girl Scout uniforms and supplies. Stores are located at 122 W. Dares Beach Road in Prince Frederick and in St. Charles Towne Plaza at 1300 Smallwood Drive West in Waldorf.
For more information, visit online at www.learning-experts.com or call 410.535.2771 in Prince Frederick or 301.632.2882 in Waldorf.
Source: Calvert County Department of Economic Development