Around the Rivers features stories from Patches in the region. This story originally appeared on Cranberry Patch.  Retail shops, community centers and yoga studios can be found readily enough on their own around the area, but The Center of Harmony's owners are taking those concepts and sticking them all under one roof. Add to that a location inside a century-old building within the heart of Historic Harmony, and you’ve got a rare combination. “There’s really not anything else like this in the Pittsburgh area,” said Dana Lowers. Along with Josh Meeder, Lowers is cofounder of The Center of …

Even when times are tough, people need birthday presents. That was Mary Elwell’s thought when she started formulating the idea for her shop, Plumberry Gifts in Cranberry Township. Elwell is one of a growing number of entrepreneurial women who have opened local businesses, despite the economy. Pine businesswoman Sharon Scheidemantle, a real estate broker with ACHIEVE Realty who specializes in finding business locations for entrepreneurs as well as residential properties, said that she has helped several women find “the perfect” spot for their new ventures. “Many people don’t even know we help …