What recession?

Pejamajo Cafe, which specializes in crepes, is planning to open its bright red door in downtown Holliston early next month smack-dab in the middle of the worst economy in decades.

"I think we're looking at the needs of the town, rather than the downturn in the economy," said co-owner Joanne O'Connell, who contributed the "jo" in Pejamajo.

She and her partners are not alone in braving the chilly economic climate.

In Westborough, online entrepreneur Jennifer DeMaria is opening her first bricks-and-mortar Jenny Boston store to sell women's accessories. And in Waltham, Shirley Spinetta recently opened her second Tango Mango, after the success of her first burrito joint in Newton.

What they all share is a fierce focus on what locals want, and how they can tap into a market that has a lighter wallet.

The recession did make it a little harder to round up investors, said Jane Savas, the "ja" in Pejamajo, but the timing also makes it a little easier to market an affordable meal. (That Sicilian crepe, from the cafe's sweets lineup, will cost $4.50; savory crepes will be a little more.)

"We thought about maybe stepping back," Savas said, "but we all believe in the concept."

If "know your market" is one of the first commandments of business, then Savas and O'Connell have an advantage as residents of Holliston and as mothers, with 10 children between them.

They are well aware of their suburban demographic and are looking at ways to be kid-friendly, by hosting Wii game competitions, for example, on one of the cafe's large plasma televisions, which sat in boxes ready for installation on a recent morning.

"I want kids to come in here and feel welcome just as much as adults," said Savas, standing amid ladders and tools and construction workers in the cafe's space at 770 Washington St.

The owners hope the parents' generation will be drawn in by the wine and beer bar; healthy offerings such as whole-grain side dishes, and salads with homemade dressing; and the urbane decor. Think French bistro with an edge, summed up by the hip wallpaper, which from afar looks like baroque curlicues but closer up has a computer-generated effect.

And all age groups will like the variety of hot chocolate drinks, they predict, with traditional "skating rink" chocolate for children and darker chocolate for more sophisticated palates.

Savas came up with the idea years ago on a family ski vacation in Quebec, where they snacked on crepes at the bottom of a mountain. Since American ski resorts usually offer burgers and hot dogs for quick refueling, she appreciated having a healthy option that was also fast. So, the first Pejamajo opened as a kiosk at Maine's Sunday River Ski Resort in 2007.

Although it is too soon to know the recession's full effect on entrepreneurs, there are some indicators of how things have been going.

In the first three months of this year, the US Small Business Administration awarded 75 loans to Massachusetts start-ups, compared with 128 loans during the same period in 2008.

Six years ago, DeMaria started her business, Jenny Boston, as an Internet site from her Shrewsbury home, while selling jewelry, handbags, and other accessories at an outdoor market on Cape Cod during the summers.

Her first store was set to host its grand opening at 45 East Main St. in Westborough this weekend.

DeMaria, who describes herself as a "T.J. Maxx and Marshalls kind of girl," has beat the recession by selling lower-priced wares and by getting creative, she said.

Last fall, when the stock market started its dive, she launched a fund-raising program that allows clients to take advantage of the popularity of her preppy merchandise to solicit donations for their favorite cause, be it breast cancer research or school support.

DeMaria sets up a party, in the host's home or now at the new store, and 25 percent of the sales revenue goes to the charity.

"It's just caught on like wildfire," she said. "As far as me being nervous about opening the store, I think you just have to change things up in a down economy, find new ways to bring customers to your products."

As a result, her business has increased 25 percent in the last six months - during a time when most other businesses were fighting to stay even.

The recession also helped her get better store space, said DeMaria. After initially signing a lease last year, she backed away, she said, but then renegotiated in March for a larger space in the same building. Prices are much better now than when she first started looking two years ago, DeMaria said.

Spinetta, co-owner of Tango Mango, said she didn't notice that particular benefit, but she said she's thrilled with the space at 484 Moody St. in Waltham that she found.

"It was a risk," she said of her new store, "but I felt it was something I really needed to do."

Spinetta opened her first burrito restaurant in Newton Centre nearly four years ago, and said it's "really a recession-free concept," with burritos starting at $4.20.

The idea came from her daughter, who as a high school student was constantly going out for burritos with friends at a popular Brookline haunt.

The Waltham store makes sense not just because of the broad student base from both Brandeis and Bentley universities but also from the proximity to the west side of Newton, where there's already some word of mouth because of her first store, she said.

Although business is good, Spinetta said, she has noticed customers cutting back in smaller ways.

"Where I see the effect of the recession is people who used to come in three times a week maybe come in two times a week," she said. "People will buy a burrito, but they won't buy a drink."

Lisa Kocian can be reached at 508-820-4231 or lkocian@ globe.com.