Dorchester Banner/Paul Clipper Cambridge Main Street president Tom Hutchinson takes a photo at Liv Again on High Street. Pictured are Delegate Christopher Adams, Senator-elect Addie Eckardt, Armah Dashiell, Governor-elect Hogan, Adrian Holmes, Comptroller Franchot and Jermaine Anderson.

CAMBRIDGE — Maryland State Comptroller Peter Franchot invited Governor-elect Larry Hogan along on his annual Shop Maryland for the Holidays tour of the Eastern Shore. The tour included local shops in Easton and Cambridge, where the two state officials met shop owners and examined their wares, purchasing a number of items to take back with them to Annapolis.

Comptroller Franchot and the Gov-elect were joined by Patrick Donoho, president of the Maryland Retailers Association, and a number of friends along the way, including Senators-elect Chris Robinson and Addie Ekhardt and Senator Richard Colburn.

At the Sunnyside Shop, the Comptroller presented a proclamation to owner Heidi Griebel recognizing the store’s 10th anniversary. The group visited A Few of My Favorite Things and Katie Mae’s Country Shop, and marveled at all the work that has been done at Realerevival Brewing Company.

A hand-painted chair caught the Governor-elect’s eye at Liv Again, prompting the Comptroller to quip that they would “need another vehicle in the motorcade to carry everything the Governor-elect wanted to buy!”

Democrat Franchot and Republican Hogan made a somewhat odd couple, but Mr. Hogan said he appreciated the invitation from Franchot on his holiday tour. “We may be from different parties, but we agree on a lot of things,” Mr. Hogan said. When asked about the upcoming year, Mr. Hogan said, “I’m going to work hard to help Maryland,” and said he’s looking forward to taking office in January.

At the Simmons Center Market Comptroller Franchot and Mr. Hogan ate homemade cookies with Calvin and Ricky Travers, and marveled over local molasses and homemade Maryland beaten biscuits. Well-wishers packed into the crowded market, and the two state officials lingered a while before heading back to Annapolis.

“I encourage everyone to shop small businesses first,” the Comptroller said. “Money spent locally stays local. This is the heart and soul of our Maryland economy.”

“It’s been great to be on the Shore today and I have especially enjoyed meeting so many people during my stops with Comptroller Franchot,” Governor-elect Hogan said. “It’s so important that Marylanders patronize their local small businesses during this year’s holiday season and beyond. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and we need to do everything we can to support one another as we work to make Maryland a better place to do business again.”

Dorchester Banner/Paul Clipper Mr. and Mrs. Hogan and Peter Franchot talk with Calvin and Ricky Travers about molasses at the Simmons Center Market during their Shop Maryland tour in Cambridge.