For the Lederman family of Pikesville, celebrating the 45th anniversary of their business — Badges, Buttons … Plus!! Inc. — is truly a remarkable milestone.
“Most Pikesville small businesses from the 1980s are gone, but Badges, Buttons … Plus!! is still around,” says Ayme Lederman, who is married to the business’s co-owner, Andrew Lederman, and has worked as a store employee since 2001. “I think it’s because our customers became our friends and family over the years.”
Family-owned and operated since its inception in 1981, Badges is a staple in the local business community for ordering customized promotional materials, ranging from t-shirts for b’nai mitzvah giveaways, tallitot for synagogues, plates for benches at Camps Airy & Louise, and badges for Towson University.
Brothers and co-owners Andrew and Marc Lederman say they can pretty much do it all, and mostly in-house.
Marc, the store’s sole designer, says their business is much like the online retailer Custom Ink and Amazon, but with a personalized experience for everyone who enters their store, which is located at 303 Reisterstown Road in downtown Pikesville.
“I will sit with you for an hour or however long you need,” he says. “We will figure out the best plan for you and your needs. We also work with people’s budgets, whether they’re high or low. This allows our customers to buy tailored products in small batches.”
The rest of the store’s team includes Andrew, who is in charge of production, and Ann Gorton, a store volunteer and Ayme’s childhood friend.
“In a world of online ordering and limited attention to details, they thrive on customer service and attention to details,” says Gorton. “They enjoy the hands-on approach to customer service, often getting calls to help fix orders people placed with the big online companies.”
Gorton also marvels about the Ledermans’ modesty. “They don’t speak much about themselves,” she says. “They’re very humble people.”
The Ledermans produce badges for such local businesses as Maryland Live Casino and Baltimore’s National Aquarium, as well as for the Baltimore Ravens and Baltimore Orioles.
Previous customers include the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation in the 1990s and the Baltimore Zoo (now known as the Maryland Zoo).
The Ledermans have also manufactured props for several movies and television shows filmed in the area, including “Ladder 49” starring Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta, “Lady in the Lake” with Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram, mugs and badges for “House of Cards,” and “vice president” mugs for “Veep.”
Ayme, Marc, and Andrew welcome and encourage community members to stop by their store to see all of their products in person. They say the establishment is not only a place of business but also a comforting environment where customers can gather and have conversations for hours.
Since their multi-generational customers often became family, the Ledermans frequently attend community members’ life-cycle events. They enjoy showing up for their customers during happy and sad times.
The Ledermans say recent tariffs have impacted the availability and prices of some products. Despite the current economic shifts, they say Badges, Buttons … Plus! will remain a pillar of the community for years to come.
“We need community support,” Ayme says. “We invite everyone to stop by and see what we have to offer!”
For information, visit badges-buttons.com.
Harper Goldberg is a local freelance writer.
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