FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 08, 2001

On March 8, 2001 – e2grow, inc., announced that it has acquired eTownShops.com, a leading provider of internet marketing services in the Akron area.

e2grow also announced that it will launch 7 Akron-area suburban news and information portals by summer of 2001. These web sites will be built to support the marketing efforts of the over 1000 eTownShop businesses currently online. e2grow also will offer its proprietary suite of e-commerce and site building/site maintenance tools to the entire eTownShop business network.

Dennis Barba, e2grow Chairman and CEO, said, "Our business model not only brings professional online services to small businesses, but delivers local consumers to them as well. By deploying localized community news sites, we provide an instant media to reconnect local businesses with the neighborhood consumer. Our online 'local newspapers' drive customers to the business sites, and these are customized to meet the information and shopping needs of the online consumer."

Tom Meadows, eTownShops President and CEO, said, "This is a real win-win for the participants of eTownShops and users of e2grow. Our customers now have a focused channel of local users through e2grow's community portals, while the e2grow visitor gains information and convenience from our local business community."

The acquisition will take 4 to 8 weeks to completely merge the two businesses. Each will continue to service the local business community during the transition. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Barba added, “The acquisition of eTownShops brings another set of paying customers to e2grow. This purchase fits perfectly into our customer acquisition cost model.”

e2grow's technologies will be made available to all eTownShop customers.

eTownShop subscribers also will enjoy both banner advertising and local listings in e2grow's network of suburban news and information web sites. Secure credit card and electronic check transactions are available through e2grow's technologies.

In announcing the acquisition, Dennis Barba Jr., e2Grow Chairman and CEO, said, “We hold a shared vision of empowerment with eTownShops. We both empower both small business and their local communities with the connective strength of online information. Tom Meadows has built an impressive network of online businesses, and we looking forward to growing this vision and our network together."

About e2grow

e2grow provides online enabling services to small, local businesses and the communities they serve. The company focuses its services on 'micro' businesses (typically those with under ten employees and annual revenues under $500,000), in rural and suburban communities with populations between 10,000 and 50,000. e2grow's provides its professional subscribers with an instant web presence, consolidated access to online services, web site management tools, vertical market portals, national partnership purchasing network and e-commerce services. To enable interaction between small business owners and their local customers, e2grow provides each community with a premier online information source for local news, school information, and community events and activities. For more information about e2grow's services, visit the e2grow web site at www.e2grow.com or call 1-440-729-1774.

Contacts:
Dennis P. Barba Jr.
President & CEO
e2grow.com
440-729-1774
dbarbajr@e2grow.com

Robert W. Craig Jr.
President
Craig Advertising/The Craig Creative Companies
440-338-1572
craigcreative@att.net