LOCAL BUSINESS PROFILES 2023

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Published, February 1, 2023

Q. Tell us a bit about yourself Anna Claire, what was the path that led you to becoming Program Manager for Chevy Chase Main Street?
A. The path began in Birmingham, Alabama where I was born and raised, then continued to Auburn University and Atlanta, GA, where I studied and worked as an actor and theatre artist, before eventually ending up in London, England to study Applied Theatre in Communities. This Master’s degree was my first taste working with nonprofits and government agencies, and I quickly became interested in a career in non-profit community development work. Traveling and living abroad gave me an appreciation for the things that make a community’s culture unique. After relocating to DC during the pandemic, I began volunteering for District Bridges. After two years of freelancing as a program director, events coordinator, and teaching artist, the Chevy Chase Main Street (CCMS) position sparked my interest, and here we are today. I have loved getting involved in the neighborhood and meeting all the business owners and organizations that are so involved in this community. 
Q. What types of things can you and CCMS do to strengthen and expand the Chevy Chase business community? 
A. A cornerstone of the Main Street work is providing grants and technical assistance to business owners along the corridor. CCMS connects them to financial and informational resources and plans fun events that aim to foster the community’s connection to this unique commercial corridor. We use a holistic and relational approach, developing trusted relationships with the business owners, spending time listening and understanding their unique challenges and goals. 
Q. You have been in this position about 5 months, what characteristics of the business community have impressed you the most?
A. Some characteristics that stand out to me are the ingenuity, diversity, and passion of the business owners. There are so many different nationalities and backgrounds represented in the Chevy Chase business community, as well as many women business owners, and supporting them along their journey is so rewarding. Their interesting backgrounds lend themselves to creative ideas that the community greatly benefits from.
Q. Does being on the border of Maryland expand your vision on what activities or events might prove to be impactful for our business community?
A. The DC Main Streets grant has geographic boundaries that limit how and where you can spend funds. However, I am working to make sure that our marketing, engagement, and collaboration efforts reach both DC and Maryland residents. By establishing relationships and partnerships with organizations in other areas of Ward 3 and 4 and Maryland, I can better create programming that is mindful of the entire ecosystem. With this mindset, we can expand the reach of our events and promotions to hopefully connect local businesses with community members across state and ward lines.
Q. Chevy Chase has two designated properties, with businesses, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Avalon Movie Theatre, and the Chevy Chase Arcade. How does that influence you in working with them?   
A. One of the things I loved most about traveling was visiting historical buildings and learning about their story, so engaging with these two landmarks in the community is extremely exciting for me. The Main Street approach is rooted in historic preservation and bringing new life to vital community spaces, so in my role, I aim to find creative ways to engage with these architecturally beautiful buildings so that we can recognize their historical significance while also ensuring their vitality and relevance in the present.
Q. I am sure you have some exciting new ideas that you are looking forward to putting into action here in Chevy Chase, can you give us an idea as to what those might be?
A. I’m really excited to create events that make people feel connected to their community. For instance, we are revamping our First Friday event series and moving it from its previous location at the PNC Parking lot to up and down Connecticut Ave., and my hope is that other community organizations will partner with us and bring their energy and expertise, and folks will remember the first Friday of the month as an exciting community block party. Due to my background in the arts and performance, I would also love to include music, performing arts, and studio arts in more of our programming as, in my mind, they go hand in hand with community development.
Q. What are some things that people would be surprised to learn about you?
A. I’ve performed in over 500 professional puppet shows, I’ve previously lived in Lucca, Italy, Newcastle UK & London UK, I’m a published academic writer, and I also live on Conn. Ave. and regularly visit the corridor even when I’m “off duty.”  

Published, March 1, 2023

Q. Tell us a bit about yourself Rita, how did your background and experiences ready you for entry into the children's toy, games, and book business?
A. My family were refugees from Cambodia so, growing up, we didn’t have many toys to play with. I read what I could get my hands on from the public library, and my brothers and I did a lot of imaginative play with whatever was around us. So, when my older brother discovered Dungeons and Dragons, it opened up entire new worlds of play and countless hours of entertainment for us. That’s why my preference is for toys and books that really enhance a child’s natural curiosity and imagination, which are exactly the types of toys and games that Child’s Play specializes in. Plus, as a former public school teacher, I get pretty excited about games and books that I would love for kids to have at home or to see in a classroom.  In addition, with our children, I saw that there has been a limited (but slowly growing) selection of toys and books for children from diverse backgrounds. 
Q. I know you have lived in the DC area for a while, can I assume that you have had a long familiarity with Child's Play?
A. We’ve been regulars at Child’s Play since moving to DC over 16-years ago and discovered that we had our first child on the way. Many of the staff have seen our kids grow up and linger at the train table and in the arts & crafts section. Our kids have tried almost all the Klutz crafting kits, and it feels like we have every Brio train set, and more than our fair share of Legos. Our daughter Naomi can be found helping in the book section on the weekends, and our son Byron likes to tell anyone who is same-sized as him about his favorite trains, Legos, and Minecraft.  
Q. It must be challenging to take over an iconic neighborhood treasure, how do you approach that responsibility?
A. We’re mindful to really listen to everyone that comes through the doors, from regulars to staff, so we can understand what makes Child’s Play so well-loved. While we have a vision for what we would love to add to our stores, we want to nurture what already makes it such a magical space. I named myself the Chief Happiness Officer at Child’s Play, and I take that role and responsibility seriously.
Q. I am sure you have some exciting new ideas that you are looking to implement in the store, can you give us a sneak peek at what those might be?
A. The staff and previous owners have done such an incredible job with the thoughtful selection of toys, games, and books to have offerings that appeal to and meet the needs of so many different kids and families. As a former teacher and community advocate I’m always thinking about how we can be even more inclusive and accessible to families of all backgrounds. So we’re looking at how we can re-organize some things and more intentionally create spaces and resources for families with special needs and families from different heritages. I’ve started a collaboration to have sensory nights for families with children and adults on the spectrum. We’ve also been thinking about how to make more use of the large space in front of our store. We’ve used it for our annual sidewalk sale during Chevy Chase Day and for the Chevy Chase Art Walk, and I would love to talk to local artists, nonprofits, and others who would like to collaborate.
Q. Does being part of this neighborhood give you some ideas for getting involved in community events and activities?
A. Oh, absolutely. We used to live down the road on Connecticut and Davenport before moving, but we’ve always felt quite connected given how frequently we shop and dine in the neighborhood. One of the first things I did as soon as I knew we were taking over Child’s Play was to meet with Anna Claire Walker, the manager of Chevy Chase Main Street. She and I have been talking about ways the local small business community and Child’s Play in particular can contribute to making Chevy Chase an exciting place to live and play. We’ve already participated in a number of community events since we took over and we’re exploring how we can be involved in the First Fridays, as well as celebrate days and traditions important to Chevy Chase and the DC area.  
Q. What are some of your personal favorite toys, games, and books.
A. I absolutely adore Grace Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, which is such an amazing story to read with a child, with its beautiful imagery and moving story about magic, courage, and family love. Fantasy and folklore are among my favorite genres, so my childhood favorites include the Light Princess by George MacDonald, anything by Piers Anthony, and the Chronicles of Narnia. I love fantasy and role playing, so for games, Dungeons and Dragons is definitely my all-time favorite that I’ve played since elementary school, during college, and can now play with my kids, friends, and family.  I played Candyland and Monopoly when younger, so those hold a special place in my heart, especially as I loved imagining living in a land of infinite sweet.  For toys, I can’t get enough kinetic sand. I love the touch and feel of it, which I think is so soothing. I also love tangrams and Magna Tiles because of the fun shapes you can create. I also think everyone with young children need Water WOW books, they’re magical to a young mind.
Q. What about you would people be surprised to learn? 
A. Let’s play a game called three truths and a lie. I’ll share four amusing tidbits about myself but only one won’t be true. Come into the store and find out if you’re right about which one I haven’t done. Here we go.  1) I arm wrestled a Nobel Prize winner and won, 2) I was Miss Teen Idaho after my older brother surprise entered me in the pageant, 3) I was one of the Yale Anime Society founders and walked around campus cosplaying my favorite female warriors, and 4) I practice classical Khmer dance and have performed for various members of the U.S. Congress