Couple Opens Second Anne Arundel Shop With Creme de la Creme Downtown Annapolis Store

A husband-and-wife team has opened its second business in Anne Arundel County, adding a store in downtown Annapolis that draws on French and Italian living with a touch of Southern hospitality.

Tara and Ben Wegdam welcomed customers to the new Creme de la Creme shop on Francis Street on Thursday. The Annapolis storefront is the latest of six Creme de la Creme businesses the couple operates.

The Wegdams launched the business in 2000 in Middleburg, Virginia, and have expanded steadily since. Ben Wegdam said the company looks for fantastic, fun locations with plenty of potential customers, and he described downtown Annapolis as "the perfect spot."

Tara Wegdam said the area's constant activity was part of the appeal. Many people visit for a variety of reasons, she said, but many also live in the neighborhood, which suits a store where shoppers can make the space their own. She added that no other store like it was already operating there, which also helped draw the couple to the city.

Ben Wegdam said the company's stores learn from one another, both in the products they sell and in how merchandise is arranged and managed. Managers from all locations talk every week, he said, in an effort to improve. When an opportunity such as the Annapolis location comes along, he said, the couple moves quickly because it is a great location.

The grand opening brought a mix of first-time visitors and familiar faces. Tara Wegdam said meeting new people was a highlight, and that some longtime customers came by, including one who was wearing Creme de la Creme clothing, one of the items the company sells. She said it was great to hear how customers use their purchases and that some were glad the store had opened because they had recently moved to the area.

The new shop joins a growing list of businesses in the county. According to the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, nearly 60 new or expanding businesses were added in May and June of this year.