Poolesville is a fairly small town with a population of less than 6,000. Because of the town’s tight-knit nature, there are a few locally-owned businesses that residents consider community staples—and that are aiming to bring more tourism into the area.
One of these is The Sweet Lemon, a gift shop and boutique founded in 2021 by former elementary school teacher Katie Horan and her husband, PJ. The shop sells cute and quirky home decor, gifts and snacks, often with a seasonal theme.
“My husband, PJ, and I wanted to open a gift boutique to bring not only quality, unique gifts to our small community but to curate an experience where our community members and customers feel special and celebrated year-round,” Horan explains. “We live in a time where it is often more convenient, and frankly sometimes lighter on the wallet, to shop at bigger-named, corporate-owned stores that deliver to your door. … But our customers and community members value so much more than “easy”; they value quality, customer service and community.”
The Sweet Lemon also opened in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with owners who did not have much prior experience owning and operating a retail store. But the boutique is quickly approaching its third birthday, and is starting to attract customers from outside of Poolesville as well.
Aside from offering gifts, The Sweet Lemon hosts community events and is a tentpole in the local government’s push to bring more attention to Poolesville as a destination town in Montgomery County.
“You’re now going to allow the rest of the (local) world to find out what we already know here in Poolesville—The Sweet Lemon and owner Katie Horan are absolute treasures in our community. We hear it time and time again—The Sweet Lemon always seems to have just the right gift for any occasion,” says Jim Brown, president of Poolesville’s Town Commissioners. “Katie’s tireless selection gift process for her store, along with
her intuitive feel for what people want to give, has made her store a real success
and a true anchor for our main commercial center location [in Poolesville Village Center].”
As The Sweet Lemon’s clientele grows, Horan adds that she hopes that people who travel to shop at the store will take the time to explore the surrounding area.
“We want The Sweet Lemon to be one of the many reasons MoCo community members make Poolesville a weekend destination spot,” she explains. “Our small town has so much to offer surrounding communities—shopping, eating, community gatherings at Whalen Commons and Riverworks Art Center, to name a few. We don’t want to be a best-kept secret—everyone should know about Poolesville!”
