Shopping

The Park Plaza building, which was ravaged in a December 2010 fire, has lined up a new tenant. Dooby's, a coffee shop, will open in the former Indigma space in spring 2013. Mount Vernon residents noticed signs announcing Dooby's on the space's windows. A message on doobyscoffee.com says, "Our vision is to create a fun and welcoming place where friends and neighbors can gather over coffee, pastries, sandwiches and beer from morning to night, right in the heart of Mt. Vernon. " None of the Park Plaza tenants that were ousted by the fire are returning.

It soon became obvious last weekend at the Westminster Senior Center that there are certainly different approaches to wrapping presents. Westminster Police Chief Jeffrey Spaulding had a no nonsense approach, cutting fast and flipping a box quickly. Detective John Emminizer was more meticulous, helping his 7-year-old companion, Caleb, even the sides and wrap tight. "I do all the gift wrapping at home," Emminizer said with pride. "I'm a perfectionist when it comes to wrapping.

Baltimore has its first "cupcaketini" shop. Jazzy's Sweet Treats sells alcohol-infused cupcakes in the revamped food court at the Gallery at Harborplace. Jazzy's is a family-owned shop. The principals are Jasmine Zellner-Fing, the "cupcaketini mixologist," and her children, Joshua Zellner-Fing and Denise Zellner-Fing. They've been introducing their Happy Hour Cupcaketinis in flavors like Peach Sangria, White Russian and Watermelon cupcaketinis at wine festivals and other events.

City officials are offering a trade: groceries for guns. This Saturday, Klein's ShopRite will give a $100 gift certificate to anyone who turns in a firearm. The "Goods for Guns" buyback will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Coldstream Homestead Montebello Community Corp. headquarters, located on the campus of City College. "Every single gun we get out of our neighborhoods is a success," said City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young, who helped organize the event.

On Wednesday night, you can shop and eat the Manor Tavern . The Monkton restaurant is bringing in some two dozen vendors and offering complimentary gift-wrapping. Vendors include the Point at Pintail, Claudia Brookes, Farmstead Goat Cheeses, Maria Ciarpella Classic Works of Art, Silpada Designs, The Pampered Chef, Jack Christopher Custom Clothing and Jewelry, Third Mind Arts,  Radcliffe Jewelry and Main Street Cigars. Reliable Churchill is providing liquor and cocktail sampling, and there will be live classical guitar and flute music Author Michael Rybak ("Transitions")

Catherine G. Votta, a homemaker and retired card shop manager, died of complications from Alzheimer's disease Dec. 1 at Stella Maris Hospice. She had lived in the Box Hill section of Abingdon. She was 87. Born Catherine Emery in Baltimore, she grew up near Patterson Park and attended St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parochial School. Mrs. Votta lived for many years in Cedonia and later moved to Harford County. In 1946, she married Charles Votta Sr., a meat cutter at the old Food Fair grocery chain.

The Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office said Friday it had arrested a man and charged him with arson  after he allegedly started a fire outside Cranberry Square Shopping Center in Westminster. According to a release, Edwin Lawrence Kaiss Jr., 49, was taken into custody without incident after deputies identified him as a suspect in a small fire that was set at about 3:20 p.m. behind the shopping center located at 405 N. Center St., off Route 140, in Westminster. According to the fire marshal's office, investigators believe a man removed combustibles from a trash receptacle and set fire to them near the building.

Penn National Gaming was a $44 million loser in its bid to block expanded gambling in last month's election, but it came out on top in terms of its spending locally. Get the Facts - Vote No on 7, the Pennsylvania-based casino company's ballot committee, spent almost three-quarters of its money in Maryland in Maryland's most expensive campaign ever. Penn National and a rival coalition led by MGM Entertainment together spent almost $95 million in the fight over Question 7, which opened the way for table games and a new casino in Prince George's County.

Catonsville Rails To Trails (CRTT) would like to welcome and thank the C'ville Bike Shop and The Hub, two of the newest additions to Catonsville's retail section. These bike shops have already made a significant impact on our community. In October, they hosted a successful first Catonsville Oystoberfest, then donated $350 of their proceeds to CRTT and $350 to the Mid-Atlantic Mountain Bike Enthusiasts. They also run a non-profit program, Changing Gears, turning donated bikes into reliable transportation for those who depend on non-motorized vehicles to get to work.