In 1914, Albert Smyth founded Smyth Jewelers on a very simple principle: Offer the best product and service.
When Tom Smyth, co-president at Smyth Jewelers, joined the family business, it was a fairly small, mostly wholesale operation. Over the years, Smyth and his team grew Smyth Jewelers through conscientious customer service and quality.
Smyth is still family-owned and -operated. The company started in downtown Baltimore, and today has three locations: Annapolis, Ellicott City and Timonium. Today, the company has more than 130 employees.
The Timonium showroom is the largest jewelry store on the East Coast.
You’ll find friendly, non-commission sales people ready to help find the perfect piece for any occasion. Whether a gift for a new mother, a wedding anniversary, graduation or custom engagement ring, Smyth staff can help guide you to find the right gift. With more than 100 years of combined experience in the fine jewelry field, the Annapolis staff is brimming with knowledge and experience to assist customers.
The sky is the limit with custom jewelry creations, and Smyth hosts redesign events twice a year to turn old jewelry into new, beautiful pieces made just for you.
Smyth also carries a hand-selected assortment of speciality estate pieces, including old European diamonds, Art Deco pieces, designer names such as Tiffany and Co. and Cartier, and a variety of high-end timepieces (i.e., Rolex and Cartier).
An in-store jeweler can help with repairs and appraisals. If you are looking to sell your old or unwanted jewelry, Smyth also evaluates and purchases jewelry.
“From a best-kept secret in the 1970s,” Smyth says, “We’ve grown to be one of the largest independently operated jewelry stores in the nation.”
Smyth Jewelers: 1915 Towne Centre Blvd, Annapolis: 443-321-0300, www.smythjewelers.com
Essex Bank: 1920
Your Community Bank in Anne Arundel County and in Maryland
Providing services for retail customers, business and commercial, as well as non-profits and investors, Essex Bank draws on more than 90 years of experience and growth. Essex Bank is a well-funded community bank that is managed conservatively; we are proud of our top-rated five-star status on BauerFinancial.com.
The bank has six retail branches in Maryland, three of which are in Anne Arundel County (Annapolis, Crofton and Edgewater). Our branch retail teams consist of longtime local professionals who are invested in the communities they serve. Each are committed to their customers at a highly personal level, welcoming them by name at every visit.
The bank provides complete services for individuals and families, from checking accounts to savings, IRAs and more. Essex Bank also provides loans, helping to improve the lives of our customers while also benefiting the local economy. The bank is a prime source of mortgage products to help homebuyers achieve their dreams, and loans based on home equity to enable our customers to put their homes to work.
Beyond branch banking, Essex Bank has a very active and competitive commercial and small business banking division. Our business bankers have made a huge impact throughout the region, from Solomons to Baltimore. We provide lending and banking services to small businesses with a uniquely individual way of doing business that you won’t find in most other banks. Our customers connect with a single business banker who guides them personally.
Our commercial bankers have financed the business activities and real estate of industries throughout the region, providing loans and operating lines of credit up to $10 million.
Essex Bank and our associates are also involved in our communities. You can find us at local fundraisers, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and food banks and serving on local boards and charities. The bank itself supports such causes as the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Organization and the American Cancer Society.
Essex Bank: Call 800-443-5524 to reach any branch or lender. Find us on EssexBank.com, and on Facebook.com/EssexBank
• 1835 West St., Annapolis; 443-569-7515
• 2120 Baldwin Ave., Crofton; 410-721-7330
• 3062 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater; 410-757-7777
Bowen’s Grocery: 1929
Charm and quality of the past with the convenience and variety of today
Opened in 1929 by Frederick and Frances Mogck and then known as Mogck’s, Bowen’s Grocery is a Southern Maryland landmark. The Mogcks’ grandson, Gordon Bowen, grew up in the business. In 1964, Gordon and wife Gracie became owners of Bowen’s grocery.
For the past 90 years, Bowen’s Grocery has served the community. The Bowens and staff enjoy getting to know their customers well enough to call them by their names. This dying breed of grocery store will transport you to an era of community and quality, while keeping today’s standard of convenience and variety.
Bowen’s Grocery sells high-quality meats, poultry, seafood, grocery and gifts with personal service. The deli offers homemade soups, salads, desserts, sandwiches and subs, wraps, hot breakfast sandwiches, rotisserie chicken and freshly baked rolls. Bowen’s also stocks a wide selection of beer and wine.
The meat department offers freshly ground chuck, steaks, stuffed pork chops with homemade stuffing and homemade country sausage, as well as Boar’s Head deli meats and cheeses. Fresh-picked crabmeat and fresh-shucked oysters are always in stock in season.
Bowen’s has a sweet tooth. Hershey’s ice cream is hand-dipped, and one whole aisle is filled with bulk candy, gummies, snack mixes, nuts and cookies.
“We’ve kept the old-style values we inherited, but we’ve made some changes,” says Gordon. “Since 1986, we’ve advertised our butcher business with a bigger-than-life model of a bull on our roof. It was stolen once but recovered nine months later from the roof of a high school in the suburbs of Washington.”
Bowen’s recently celebrated 90 years as a family-owned business in the same location.
Bowen’s Grocery: 4300 Hunting Creek Rd., Huntingtown: 410-257-2222; 410-535-1304; www.bowensgrocery.com
Happy Harbor: 1933
Where the locals gather for food, fun and waterfront festivities
Happy Harbor — where the food is good, the drinks are great and the crowd is always happy — is all about relaxation and a waterfront vibe. Fun-seekers from around the region join locals for comfort food, fresh seafood, a good strong Crush or Bloody Mary or a cold beer and a front-row waterfront seat.
For many people, Happy Harbor is the heart of Deale. “We try to keep the lovely tradition of Happy Harbor alive,” says manager Jason Bocchi.
Happy Harbor hosts the region’s largest charter fishing fleet. Plan a day trip, and don’t worry about packing food or beverages. Happy Harbor can take care of that for you. Charter guests have the option of pre-ordering. Meals and drinks are delivered right to the boat before departure.
“We work hand-in-hand with the captains to provide breakfast or lunch,” Bocchi says. “We also offer a hook and cook: your captain will call us on your way back and we will have a table waiting for you. When you get back, we will cook your catch and serve it family-style.”
Watch sports on 14 TVs inside, or spend the afternoon with friends — and your dog — on the patio. Thru September, come for live music on the dock every weekend and local DJs on the second and last Saturday of each month.
Voted Best of the Bay by Bay Weekly readers six years in a row
George H. Heine Jr. calls Chesapeake Country “the land of pleasant living” and has been helping buyers find their perfect spot in it since 1964.
Schwartz Realty, located in southern Anne Arundel County, has been in business since 1949, when Max C. and Bertie Schwartz established their first office in Deale.
Today, the Schwartzs’ son George G. Heine Jr. is the broker-president.
“This is a great area. Easygoing living and an easy commute to Washington,” Heine says. The agency is the only “full-time brick-and-mortar real estate agency from Edgewater to the Calvert County line,” he adds.
The first home that Heine sold in 1964 was a cottage priced at $3,500. That same home recently sold for $300,000.
Schwartz Realty now boasts 24 agents. Schwartz has made honesty, integrity and solid business practices the norm through gas shortages, hurricanes, war and recessions.
A fond memory that’s been passed down in Heine’s family is from the 1930s, when a Washington, D.C.-based radio station raffled off chances to win lots in Avalon Shores. “A raffle ticket during the Depression gave you the chance to win a 25-foot-by-100-foot lot in the new subdivision that gave access to the West River and Chesapeake Bay,” Heine says.
Open seven days a week, Schwartz Realty is ready to assist you with purchasing a new home or putting your home on the market, renting, managing your property or moving out of state.
“We are a locally-owned, family business,” Heine says. “We treat the people who walk in the door like they’re part of that family.”
Pirates Cove, situated on the scenic West River, has been an institution since 1960. Current owners celebrated their four-year anniversary on April 15.
Michael Galway and Anthony Clarke continue to keep the direction and the energy of the time-honored restaurant and dock bar going in a positive fashion, focusing on food and customer service. Following their five-year plan to complete renovations and improvements over the winter and spring each year, they’ve added new kitchen equipment, furniture and a rebuilt outdoor bar. Additional improvements include redecorating the dock bar and renovating the bathrooms.
Pirates Cove executive chef Steve Hardison works hard at producing wonderful fresh food for you and your guests, whether you’re there for a dinner for two or a rehearsal dinner for 75. Menus continually change to showcase local seafood and produce.
All the dressings, sauces and, of course, the famous cream of crab soup are made from scratch under the watchful eye of Chef Billy, who has worked at Pirates Cove since he was a wee lad.
Sunday Brunch is a popular choice. With live music at the dock bar on Sunday afternoons, Pirates Cove is a great place to be on a summer’s day.
Pirates Cove’s community outreach grows each year, with multiple fundraisers for the West Riverkeeper. The Galesville restaurant also hosts fundraisers for local schools and churches, including South River and Southern high schools and most recently Horses Help Heroes, a fundraiser for disabled veterans and families who have lost loved ones on active duty. Please support Horses Help Heroes by donating online at www.horseshelpheroes.org.
“Our commitment to the community and environment is a constant,” Michael says. Each year, Michael and Anthony challenge themselves to find out what they can do to improve. “This year we will commit to reducing our landfill footprint by no longer offering straws in our drinks,” Michael says. “Years ago we replaced our Styrofoam to-go containers, which we were delighted to see the Anne Arundel County Council has banned.”
Michael and Anthony look forward to another year and hope to see you at Pirates Cove restaurant and dock bar in Galesville by land or by water. Come in and enjoy a crab cake or a cocktail on the deck or listen to the music and watch the sun set. There’s live music Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the dock bar and inside on Fridays and Saturdays.
Pirates Cove is accessible by water through an adjacent marina on the West River. By boat, head out on the West River and look for palm trees. Call Pat the Dockmaster to reserve your slip.
Dr. Aelia Syed and her trusted team are dedicated to ensuring you and your family receives top-notch dental care in a comfortable environment at Deale Family Dentistry, under Dr. Syed’s ownership for 13 years.
“We truly practice general dentistry for the entire family, from preventive dental care for your child to fillings, crowns, root canals and extractions for all ages,” Dr. Syed says. “We also provide cosmetic dentistry, dentures, periodontal surgery, dental implants and limited orthodontics.”
In business for more than 50 years, Deale Family Dentistry is also committed to making sure affordable oral care is available with its own in-house dental plan.
“We stress the importance of regular exams and routine cleanings at least twice a year,” Dr. Syed says. “We know that many members of our community are struggling to get affordable dental insurance. Many retirees know that Medicare does not cover dental care. We have come up with an affordable in-house dental plan that provides routine cleanings and many other benefits to our patients.”
The office welcomes new patients with a July special: Come for your first cleaning in July and you’ll receive a new Oral-B electric toothbrush for free at the visit.
Keeping your home and family comfortable since 1962
Heat waves and blizzards belong outside. Season by season, you can depend on the experts at Belair Engineering to help control your indoor climate.
Services extend to installing and servicing air cleaners and conditioners, heat pumps, gas furnaces and logs, humidifiers and standby generators. Belair Engineering is also your reliable source for installed commodes, water heaters, garbage disposals and kitchen or bathroom fixtures. A full-service air-conditioning, gas-fireplace and heating contractor serving Maryland for 56 years, Belair Engineering has earned its reputation for reliability and quality craftsmanship.
Woman-owned and managed, Belair Engineering won the Small Business of the Year award from the Prince George’s County Board of Trade. Owner Debbie Risher is one of the few women ever nominated to serve on the executive board for the Air Conditioning Contractors of America.
All Belair technicians are drug-screened and mom-approved. A 100-percent satisfaction guarantee gives you added peace of mind.
Visit the office, and you’ll see another side of this down-to-business company. Partner Don Risher decorates for every holiday.
“It’s purely for the fun of it,” he says of his seasonal labor. “It raises office spirit for the co-workers, and the customers who come in dig it.”
Many Bay Weekly readers who took advantage of our offer of free milkweed seeds can thank Don Risher for the plants currently feeding monarch butterflies in their yards. When we ran out of a reader’s first donation, Risher re-supplied us.
“I found out about the need from my membership in the Crofton Village Garden Club,” Risher says. “I’ve been a member for about four years. If you do an online search for monarchs and milkweed, you’ll see the info about how it was banned in certain states and the monarchs died off. Now milkweed is picking back up as is the population.
“Butterflies are my favorite, so I wanted to help in whatever way I could. I thought by bringing awareness to the problem and resolution it would help the population, and it has. They are starting to come back up in numbers!”
Medart Gallery director Teresa Schrodel is the art guru nowadays, running the gallery founded by her parents, William and Annamaria Radosevic.
Stationed at NATO headquarters in Naples, Italy, in the 1960s, William Radosevic met his wife, Annamaria. Traveling throughout Europe, the couple met many artists and began collecting original works of art.
Back in the States, William and old shipmate Jim Fletcher turned their shared passion into a career. Fletcher returned to Italy and exported oil paintings to the Radosevics. Thus Medart was born in 1968.
“We used to wholesale the oil paintings from Italy,” Schrodel says. “Then we opened a retail location.”
In 1979, when Medart’s first storefront opened on Andrews Air Force Base, the whole family was involved. Schrodel and her brother Frank grew up traveling the East Coast with their parents. The kids helped their parents tend the shop after school, a tradition that continued when Medart moved to Owings in 1985. Frank became a skilled custom framer, and Teresa developed an eye for color and design, with William and Annamaria still lending a hand.
“Art makes me happy,” Schrodel says. “I find it hard not to buy art for my house.”
The family business has expanded to include original art and objet d’art by artists of renown both local and international.
“Custom framing keeps us busy,” Schrodel says. “We also frame memories and mementos. It’s very important that people frame an item the right way the first time. If you do, you’ll never have to do it again.”
When a customer comes to Medart to find a piece of art, they have the wealth of Schrodel’s experience and eye for color and design to help.
“Often, what people ask for may not necessarily be what they really need,” Schrodel says. I usually start by asking, what do you currently have? Your home can look so beautiful with art. And you don’t need to overwhelm the space.”
Specialties include handcrafted Christian icons and original botanical tableware imported from Tuscany. Medart also offers photo restoration and custom framing.
Medart Galleries: 10735 Town Center Blvd., Dunkirk: 410-257-6616, www.medartgalleries.com
Maryland Clock Company: 1969
Keeping your timepieces ticking
Somewhere in your house, there may be a forgotten clock that was once the showpiece of a room in the past. You could bring it out to display it in all its antique glory once again — if you could get the darn thing to work. Maryland Clock Company is the place to do the job.
Owners Rick and Doris Graham know their way around a clock. Rick began working in his father’s clock repair shop at the age of 16, then acquired the business in 1969. The Grahams have been repairing clocks for half a century. After all this time, it still gives them great joy to watch an old antique clock come back to life.
“Working on clocks dating from 1700 to 2017, every day is an adventure,” Doris Graham says. “After 50 years, we still enjoy seeing different clocks come into the shop for repairs. The endless variety is astounding.”
Even in this digital world, Maryland Clock is busier than ever. “I wish clocks could talk,” says Rick Graham. “They were privy to every conversation in every home, office and government building since time began.”
“It’s an honor for us to be trusted with our clients’ family heirlooms. We love making people happy by bringing their clock memories back to life,” says Doris Graham.
Now joining the Grahams in their shop is grandson Noah Kline, who began an apprenticeship last year, learning all aspects of the business.
Maryland Clock Company: 1251 West Central Ave., Davidsonville; 410-798-6380; www.marylandclockco.com
Beechnut Kennels: 1973
Daycare and boarding for your canine and feline companions
Beechnut Kennels in Edgewater began in 1973. Owner and operator Melissa Medick purchased the business from its previous owner, a close friend of hers, 12 years ago.
“I worked as a vet tech, kennel attendant and geriatric caregiver during college as I focused on psychology and animal behavior,” Medick says. “I had a passion for pets and older people, so I did geriatric medical case management for seven years before returning back to my dream of providing pet care.
“Since I took over, I have added play yards, opened daycare and been renovating one building at a time.”
Quality of care is as important at Beechnut as facilities.
“We truly know every dog who walks through our door,” Medick says. “We see the same furry faces over and over again, and it allows us to have an extremely bonded relationship with each pet, know their norms and be able to provide a stay catered to each pet.”
Beechnut focuses on the things pets love to do: play, learn, cuddle, eat good stuff and sleep in comfy spots. There are no lonely pups at Beechnut. With socialized boarding (with private rooms) and daycare, every pet gets to play for up to five hours at no extra charge.
“We focus on your pet’s overall wellness, which includes social and mental health,” Medick says. “Play time is included. Having access to a pack of playmates and loving humans for the majority of their day changes boarding into puppy summer camp.”
Add-ons like special treats, extra cuddle times and even crib mattresses are available. Other services include bathing and nail clipping.
Medick has been a pet parent to as many as five dogs and 15 cats at one time; now she counts three dogs and one cat as pack members.
Beechnut Kennels: 525 E. Central Ave., Edgewater; 410-798-4304; www.beechnutkennels.com
Bay Community Health Center: 1974
Merged health center reaches more people in Southern Anne Arundel with more services
Bay Community Health was created by merging two long-standing community health and wellness institutions, Owensville Primary Care and Shady Side Medical Associates. Owensville Primary Care served patients for almost 40 years.
Unchanged is the community health center’s commitment to provide quality medical services in a patient-centered environment at a reasonable cost to all who seek help at either office. As a nonprofit organization, Bay Community Health returns its financial gains to under-served patients through free or discounted services.
Bay Community Health offers affordable premium health care services and is one of eight federally qualified community health centers that make up the Priority Partners Managed Care Organization through a partnership with the Johns Hopkins Health Systems. Both physical and mental health care are offered, including podiatry, lab work and affordable health care counseling.
Staff is committed to delivering services to each person in a compassionate, caring, confidential and professional environment. Standards of care are under constant review for quality improvement.
Bay Community Health: www.owensvillepc.com
• 134 Owensville Rd., West River; 410-867-4700
• 6131 Shady Side Rd., Shady Side; 410-867-2200
En-Tice-Ment Farms: 1974
A fourth-generation farm family diversified to modern tastes
At En-Tice-Ment Farm-Raised Meats in Harwood, beef cows, pigs, lambs, broiler chickens and laying hens graze on 90 green acres.
These naturally raised animals are all free-range, raised naturally in fields without hormones, drugs or steroids. This standard of care produces high-quality meat.
“Our naturally raised meats are raised on our family farm,” says owner Deana Tice. “We do not feed our animals anything we would not feed our family. They eat an all-natural diet.
“They are also free to roam and enjoy the sunshine in the fields,” Tice adds.
Tice and husband Joe are proud that their teenage sons Josh, Cody and Justin have taken over most of the animal care and sales.
Products range from sides and quarters to meal-sized packages, all sold in familiar super-market cuts. You can also order a whole or half animal and special order your favorite cuts. All meat is butchered under U.S. Department of Agriculture standards and immediately frozen.
Farming is a Tice family heritage. Joe Tice’s father and grandfather raised the traditional Maryland cash crop, tobacco, along with many animals on the family farm on Bestgate Road, where a Wawa now stands. The Tice family bought En-Tice-Ment Farm in Harwood in 1974. When Deana and Joe married in 1986, they went to work on En-Tice-Ment Farm together. The rise of farmers markets and customers’ demand for smaller quantities of meat turned the Tices into market farmers.
En-Tice-Ment is also a part of 4H, the national club for kids ages eight to 18 who raise and show livestock at fairs. Tice animals are on display at the Anne Arundel County Fair every year.
The Tices are active in Future Farmers of America, Boy Scouts, the Anne Arundel County Fair, Anne Arundel County Farmers Market and more.
The En-Tice-Ment Farm store is open by appointment. You can also visit any local farmers markets for your En-Tice-Ment meat. Anne Arundel County Market on Saturdays and Sundays are busy for En-Tice-Ment, with their own fresh-made breakfast sandwiches shoppers’ favorites.
En-Tice-Ment Farms: 231 Polling House Rd., Harwood; 443-336-8590; www.enticementfarmraisedmeats.com
McBride Gallery: 1980
Teaching you to see art, know art and bring art into your life
I wasn’t a big city girl. In truth, I was a Minnesota farm girl. But while my father worked the farm and I helped him, my mother managed the house and painted in her home studio. I did not have her talent — though my daughter Abigail does — but I enjoyed art and artists, which led me into the gallery end of the business. It was a business I could take with me, as my husband’s career moved us around the country. It kept my hand in art, gave me a career of my own and gave work to many other women, too, as staff in my early home-business days was often family women who thrived on part-time work.
When we settled in Anne Arundel County, I began planning to open my second gallery (first was in Hull, MA). The Annapolis Marine Art Gallery on Dock Street opened in October of 1974, just in time for the boat shows. After it was sold two years later, I developed a plan for McBride Gallery at 215 Main Street, which opened in June of 1980. When I made my move, Main Street had long been lined with stores that supplied their neighbors with groceries, shoes and medicine. But new merchants were coming in, catering to tourism, which meant restaurants, gift shops and bookstores. Another gallery would bring more people — and more culture — to our capital city.
Needing more space for framing, I opened Benfield Gallery in Severna Park in February of 1984 to offer framing services and gallery show space to local and regional artists.
Part of the reason for my success is that I love to work with artists to help them showcase their paintings, sculpture and ceramics.
I also enjoy working with people who want to add art to their homes or offices. Galleries bring together artists and people who want to have the beauty of art in their surroundings, which leads to success all around. I’ve tried to make McBride Gallery a local center for seeing and learning what’s happening in the art world locally, regionally and nationally, with great artists, themed shows, artists giving talks and doing demonstrations.
Promoting artists and their creations is work I love. At the same time, I enjoy giving back to my community through volunteer work. I was the first woman president of the Rotary Club of Annapolis 1998-’99, less than a decade after women were allowed to join Rotary. I continue to enjoy supporting our community through Rotary.
My mother taught me to look at art another way, too: as a way to make your life bigger than the everyday world you can see and touch. I hope you’ll come in and see the art we have to offer. I hope you’ll introduce yourself. Whether you’re an arts novice, admirer or advocate, there is a bond in enjoying the beauty found in art.
In the fall, come in to see the Annual Best of the Chesapeake, an invitational group show of artists featuring vintage boats, schooners to steamboats, wildlife, marshes, small coves, family farms and harbor towns that define our waterway.
–Cynthia McBride
McBride Gallery: 215 Main St., Annapolis; 410-267-7077; www.mcbridegallery.com
Anne Arundel County Farmers Market: 1981
Your one-stop shop for local and handmade fare and wares
You’ll find top-quality local produce and products at the Anne Arundel County Farmers Market. Friendly farmers and producers are happy to share their knowledge and answer your questions.
“We pride ourselves on being a producer-only farmers market,” says Deana Tice, secretary of the market. “That means our vendors produce what they sell.”
The Farmers Market was organized in 1981 by the county, state, Farm Bureau and Co-operative Extension Service. Today many of the original farm families are among the 100-plus vendors selling year-round at the market. Unchanged in the years since the first market season is the marketeers’ pride in bringing you the freshest and best that Anne Arundel County and Maryland has to offer.
“There have been ebbs and flows to the market over the 30-plus years,” Tice says. “We are happy to say that our customers are very supportive of our market, and we have many new producers in the market. We have almost doubled our vendors in the last five years. This is in part due to opening the market on Sundays as well as Saturdays.”
Shop for an array of fresh-grown vegetables, fruits, flowers and plants and herbs from Anne Arundel County farmers. You’ll also find cheese, eggs, honey and meats. Local producers bring baked goods, coffee and jams plus usables like beeswax candles, jewelry, pottery and much more.
All these producers are intimately involved in everything they bring to market, and they enjoy telling you about their wares.
“Ask us any questions you have about our products or about growing or making things,” Tice says.
Anne Arundel County Farmers Market: Sundays 10am-1pm (year-round), Tuesdays 7am-noon (May-Sept.) Saturdays 7am-noon (April-Dec.) Harry S. Truman Pkwy. at Riva Rd., Annapolis: 410-349-0317, www.aacofarmersmarket.com
Fishmermaniac Crabbing and Fishing Charters: 1983
Spend a day catching Maryland’s finest
Captain Trey Plumb, who comes from a family with a long history as commercial watermen and marina owners, has been running Crabbing Charters in Deale for 36 years.
Plumb takes hopeful anglers out aboard his custom 26-foot deadrise fishing and crabbing boat. He custom tailors the experience to what you desire.
The name Fishmermaniac is, Plumb says, “just something I made up.” He credits the Disney movie The Little Mermaid as his influence.
Rods, tackle, ice for fish on board, all required licenses and a fish-cleaning facility are provided.
Other cruise options include dinner and booze cruises.
Captain Plumb reminds you to come prepared to take lots of photos.
“You’ll have a great day on the water. We are dedicated to creating a memory you won’t soon forget,” he says. “Everyone loves our crabbing charters.”
Fishmermaniac Crabbing and Fishing Charters: 240-882-5926; www.fishmermaniac.com
Old Stein Inn: 1983
Zum Wohl!
Mike Selinger keeps improving the authentic German experience — dining or enjoying a drink in the Biergarten — plus the cuisine and entertainment at Old Stein.
A destination since 1982, Old Stein Inn draws lovers of Gemütlichkeit from far and wide to the Mayo peninsula. You don’t have to be able to pronounce Gemütlichkeit to love its components: good beer and wine, good food in the German style, good fellowship and good times.
Selinger, son of founders Karl and Ursula, will teach you how to say the word that’s at the root of all you enjoy at The Old Stein.
“First and foremost, we are a place that people come and gather with friends and family and enjoy themselves,” Selinger says.
“We also have a duty to share German culture, entertainment, food, drink and festivities to those who want to rekindle their previous time spent in Germany. And I want to present Germany to those who have not been there in the hopes that they venture to explore the wonder and beauty themselves.”
Inside, you feel cozy camaraderie. Outside, the heated and covered Biergarten Bier Bär brings excitement in summer and rustic charm in winter.
Drink is part of the Old Stein experience, with craft beers on tap and a library of bottled beers. German wine deserves the reputation it has earned among oenophiles.
“People say they like our beer the best,” Selinger says. “They also enjoy our traditional German menu — almost unchanged now for 36 years — and our cocktail, craft beer and our more modern Bier Bär menu featuring seafood, steaks, wild game, inventive salads, Spargel —asparagus — month in May, Über burger, small plates and other kitchen creations.”
“We always try to have something going on,” Selinger says. “On Friday, we have live local acoustic music; German Saturdays and Spanferkel — pig roast — Sundays.”
“We will continue with our summer Bier Bär menu until mid-September when the festive Oktoberfest menu comes out. Then in the fall we have our much anticipated wild game menu that runs throughout the winter, featuring venison, duck, wild boar, goose and whatever our kitchen can get their hands on. After the thaw of winter we spring into our May monthlong Spargel-fest asparagus menu.
“We have our ever-changing 10th tap draft beer, seasonal craft and cocktail menu to keep folks interested while sitting on our long Biergarten tables with family and friends.”
Old Stein Inn: 1143 Central Ave., Edgewater; 410-798-6807; www.oldstein-inn.com
Calvert Hospice: 1984
Specialized care to enrich the quality of the lives they touch
Calvert Hospice opened in 1984 and celebrates 35 years serving Calvert County this year.
“We are committed to helping patients and their families make the most of every moment and create memories that will live in their hearts forever,” says executive director Jean Fleming.
The independent, community-based non-profit agency provides specialized care for those facing a life-limiting illness. It also assists the families and caregivers of the patient. Hospice care is a six-month benefit of Medicare and most private insurances. The team consists of a physician, nurses, personal aides, social workers, chaplains, bereavement coordinators and volunteers.
“Our goal is to ensure dignity at the end of life and to respect the wishes of our patients,” Fleming says. “We support our patients and families wherever they call home: in their personal home, a nursing facility or assisted living.”
Hospice also provides bereavement services to anyone in our community, not just for hospice families, to provide grief support after the loss of a loved one.
In 2010, the Burnett Calvert Hospice House opened — mortgage-free thanks to community donations.
Barbara Burnett donated the 2.5 acres of land on which the house stands in memory of her husband Rob Burnett. The house is a new home for those who, for one reason or another, are unable to be cared for in their own homes.
“We provide care 24/7 and never turn anyone away due to a lack of ability to pay,” Fleming says. “Expenses for providing this financial assistance, plus the operation and maintenance of the 15,000-square-foot home exceed $500,000 each year, approximately half of which we need to raise through donations from our community and from our fundraising efforts. Funding our house is one of the main goals of our current campaign, Open Your Heart to Hospice, and we are asking our community once again to consider supporting this critical community resource.
“We’ve helped patients attend weddings, see a grandchild and fulfill bucket list wishes,” Fleming says. “Additionally, one of the most frequent comments we receive is how much our hospice team supports families as they navigate these often difficult and potentially confusing times.”
Calvert Hospice: 238 Merrimac Ct., Prince Frederick; 410-535-0892; www.calverthospice.org
Captain Avery Museum: 1984
Historic home and museum on the West River welcomes private events
Thirty-five years ago, a group of dedicated volunteers decided that the history of Shady Side was too important to lose.
They formed a non-profit, now known as Captain Avery Museum and set out to document and archive the story of our unique area.
Since then, our collections of oral and written histories have served researchers and amateurs alike.
Captain Avery Museum is a community resource. New and exciting events take place, attracting people of all ages.
There’s Captain’s Canvas painting class; Captain’s Café and Music on the Lawn with jazz, rock and bluegrass; the Winter Luncheon Series with six weekly presenters speaking on diverse subjects; and much more.
Last year, our annual October Oyster Festival was named Bay Weekly’s Best Community Event of 2018.
We are also promoting the museum as the perfect place for your private party, corporate event or historic waterfront wedding.
In this, our 35th year, we are reimagining our museum to tell the stories of Navigating Three Centuries of Chesapeake Bay History with Captain Avery Museum.
The Avery house, built in 1859, will tell the story of watermen who earned their livelihoods on the Bay in the 19th century.
Our great room will tell the 20th century stories of those who moved here or visited to enjoy the Bay.
And outside, our environmentally designed rain gardens and waterfront tell the 21st century story of the future of the Bay as a cleaner resource for many generations to enjoy.
–Deborah Gangloff, Ph.D., executive director
Captain Avery Museum: 1418 East West Shady Side Rd., Shady Side; 410-867-4486; www.captainaverymuseum.org
D. Miller Associates: 1985
Computer solutions
At D. Miller Associates, a full-service computer company established in 1985, desktop computers are custom-configured and a variety of laptop brands are sold.
D. Miller Associates, located in Deale in the Herring Bay Shopping Center, always puts the customer first. We take the time to evaluate each client’s needs and make the appropriate hardware and software recommendations.
In addition to new computer sales, we offer a variety of recertified computers, trying to meet everyone’s budget. We also offer on-site services and networking for businesses and retail customers.
We provide monitored cloud backup solutions and set up external hardware backups, services very important to both our commercial and retail customers. D. Miller Associates provides data recovery services and can successfully complete even the most complicated computer repair.
We have the expertise to even help with legacy hardware and software, which is a task that not many companies have the know-how to do these days.
Educating clients on the types of computers available on the market is always a challenge, when the big-box stores are most interested in the sale and not the needs of the customer. The promise of “plug and play” rarely comes true. Many businesses and retail clients greatly need the assistance of a local computer company.
In addition to hardware and software services, D. Miller Associates works with industry-specific software for the construction industry, and has numerous installations in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylania.
–Lisa Richardson, co-owner
D. Miller Associates: 5720-C Deale-Churchton Rd., Deale; 301-261-5989; www.dmillerassociates.com
Side Street Framers: 1989
Preserving and displaying your cherished memories
Stop into Side Street Framers in Severna Park and you’ll find custom picture-framing, hand-crafted local gifts, jewelry, art and home décor.
The frame and gift gallery is family-owned and -operated. Barbara Daniels opened the shop 30 years ago.
“I started the business with my three daughters: Dawn, Donna and Sandy,” Daniels says.
“Our family has always been very artistic. We all have a passion for art, design and home décor,” Daniels says.
The plan was for Donna and Sandy to leave the shop to work in their chosen professions. Dawn would stay working in the shop since her degree is in art. She’s a talented artist. Today, Daniels runs the shop, along with daughter Dawn and staff. All are lovers of art and interior design.
This store offers custom picture framing, photo restoration and transfers videos to DVDs.
“We’re nourished by the community we’ve helped create,” Dawn says. “We have had a hand in creating annual community events such as the Shop Local Fun Festival, First Fridays at Park Plaza (June thru October), which are free outdoor movies that begin with a community gathering together enjoying music, food, art, demonstrations and family games. We also helped in bringing Santa and Mrs. Claus to Park Plaza.”
Side Street’s creativity is continually refreshed by the projects people bring them.
“We’ve framed an antique wedding gown, Elvis Presley’s scarf, part of the Berlin Wall, mementos from the Titanic and even a whale eardrum,” Daniels says.
Daniels, daughters and staff enjoy helping customers choose the right colors and frames and finding solutions for three-dimensional items.
Side Street Frames & Gift Gallery: 558 Ritchie Hwy., Severna Park; 410-544-9050; www.sidestreetframers.com
Harbour Cove Marina: 1992
Home for your boat, vacation for you
What better way to enjoy the Chesapeake Bay than on a boat? Feel the sun kiss your face, try some water sports and spot tons of wildlife. When it’s time to go home after a long day on the boat, consider putting your boat up at Harbour Cove Marina.
Under manager Peter Mueller, Harbour Cove has become much more than just a place to park your boat.
The mid-Bay Deale marina is a true weekend home for you, your family and your friends as well as for your boat.
Boats are berthed in one of over 185 high-and-dry boatel spaces — a unique offering in the area — or 62 wet slips. The full-service marina offers mid-grade fuel, pump-out service, hauling with a 25,000-pound forklift and a 15-ton travel lift, maintenance and winter protection. Harbour Cove is also a certified Mercury outboard dealer and can help you with all of your repowering needs.
Harbour Cove’s Maryland Clean Marina certification assures you that this marina is as friendly to the environment as it is to you.
With your boat safe, you, your family and friends can enjoy Harbour Cove’s amenities, including a pool, a barbecue and picnic area and a beautiful clubhouse with billiards, foosball, table tennis, TV and wireless internet — plus a play area for the kids. The property is gated and monitored by state-of-the-art security that allows members 24/7 access.
Spring and fall fishing tournaments keep the competition hot. There are also fishing cleaning stations by the docks.
Harbour Cove is fun as well as clean and secure. Step into some of the cleanest restrooms in the industry, offering laundry, lockers, showers and toiletries. Within walking distance of the marina, you’ll find coffee shops, restaurants, tennis courts and more.
“I am very lucky to have the Peel family as owners,” Mueller says. “The family is very supportive and puts money back into Harbour Cove. Plus, we have a great staff.”
“My philosophy for managing is to work hard and be honest,” Mueller says. “I ask my employees to do the same. You may not see the result the next day. But being upfront and honest with customers goes a long way down the road.
“In this industry, you must work very hard — especially from April to August — even if it takes working six or seven days until you get caught up. We try to promote a family environment and make boating easy. Boating should be stress-free, and we try to make it easy on our customer.
“I really enjoy seeing our customers at Harbour Cove Marina learn about and appreciate everything the Bay has to offer — from fishing to crabbing to exploring the different islands or enjoying the waterfront restaurants along the Bay.
“The boating industry is in my blood, and sharing it with you is my passion as well as my livelihood.
“My grandmother started a marina in Edgewater in the 1960s, so since I can remember, I spent my summers sanding and painting bottoms and waxing boats. I cannot think of another job or career that would give me greater satisfaction than continuing my family’s tradition.”
“We’re as interested in our customers as in buses and vans,” says American Bus & Sprinter Van owner Jack Leonard. “Our goal is to partner with our customers to solve their transportation needs with the vehicles we sell and the solutions we provide for safe and efficient operation. We take pride in representing top manufacturers, including Daimler and El Dorado-REV buses.”
Team spirit and concentration on customer satisfaction has led American Sprinter to receive the distinction of being named the Freightliner Sprinter Van Dealer of the Year for 2018.
“Only one dealer in North America receives this award from Daimler annually, so we are proud to have been chosen for 2018,” Jack said. “Our business philosophy is to always be moving forward with a vision to the future.”
American Bus & Sprinter Van also believes in being environmentally and socially responsible. The office building and shop are covered with solar panels, and the company extensively engages in recycling.
A visit to the building isn’t complete without checking out the mural in the two-story service stairwell. It begins in western Maryland with Wisp in the winter and works its way around to Ocean City in the summer. The entire staff got involved with picking the points of interest to include: Wisp, western Maryland farms and waterfalls, Cumberland, Frederick, Antietam, Camp David, Great Falls, Washington, the University of Maryland, Goddard, Annapolis, the U.S. Naval Academy, their facility, Baltimore, Fort McHenry, Pimlico, the Bay Bridge, Thomas Point Lighthouse, Patuxent Naval Station, Ocean City and Assateague Island.
“It’s great. Stop by and see it,” Jack says.
American Bus & Sprinter Van Sales: Defense Hwy., Annapolis; 800-888-5466;www.american-bus.com
Little Treasury Jewelers: 1996
Providing for all of life’s occasions
Little Treasury Jewelers was established in 1996 by Linda Hammalian as a silver pushcart in a local mall, followed by a booth in a jewelry exchange at Arundel Mills, and now a free-standing store in the Village at Waugh Chapel in Gambrills. Linda’s husband Steve joined the business as co-owner in 2002 as his “retirement” project after several careers ranging from college professor to book editor to executive in an international environmental engineering firm.
Still independent and family-owned, the business has evolved from its humble beginnings to one of the premier luxury jewelry stores in the DMV area. Local customers visit from throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia, and the store has a dynamic online and over-the-phone business for timepieces and jewelry nationwide.
The store stocks many brands of designer jewelry and more than 23 watch brands. In addition, custom design services are offered where the client works interactively with a designer and the agreed upon design is made right in the store by a master jeweler. Moreover, all kinds of jewelry repairs are performed in-house, and the store also offers watch repair, appraisals and more.
Linda and Steve, along with the highly trained staff, enjoy helping clients from a wide variety of backgrounds and getting to know them on an ongoing basis. One of the hallmarks of Little Treasury from the beginning is to provide interesting educational and social experiences having to do with jewelry and watches. This ranges from events co-hosted with a brand to introduce new products, to demonstrating watch movement assembly by a watchmaker brought in from Japan especially for the purpose.
The biggest challenges for the store are staying relevant with products, as customer desires change, and keeping staff trained to the highest level possible. This involves a lot of research and travel to industry shows and training events in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
Linda and Steve delight in showing customers something they’ve never seen before and in providing true advisory service. Also, as the business has grown, there is now the luxury of being able to give back to the community. Little Treasury has supported a significant number of charitable and educational causes.
Little Treasury Jewelers: 2506 New Market Ln., Gambrills 21054; 410-721-7100; www.littletreasury.com
Eastern Carts: 1997
Cart sales and repairs for a growing industry
Our parent company, Eastern Performance Accessories, has been in business since 1997 as Eastern Performance Cycles, specializing in Harley Davidson motorcycles.
We saw an opportunity to branch off into golf carts two years ago and began selling used ones. We also realized that cart owners needed a good, local company to service and upgrade their carts. Filling that need has allowed us to expand greatly.
Golf cart usage is growing every day, especially in private neighborhoods and beach-access areas. They’re equally great for loading up the kids, the cooler and the paddleboards for a day of fun and for decorating for your favorite holiday.
Color body swaps, custom wheels, bluetooth audio, lighting and suspension packages allow for a one-of-a kind tailored cart that will last for years.
An escape to Italy, if only for an evening, is as close as Calvert County. In 1997, Sal and Maria Lubrano pioneered real Italian cuisine when they opened the first Mamma Lucia location in Dunkirk.
In 2007, their second restaurant opened in Prince Frederick.
In 2017, Chesapeake Beach welcomed the opening of their third restaurant: Mamma Lucia by the Bay.
Bay Weekly readers have repeatedly voted Mamma Lucia the Best Italian Restaurant, and they have also been named Best New Bar, Best New Restaurant and Best New Business — Mamma Lucia by the Bay.
Bay Weekly readers are not the only ones to recognize Mamma Lucia’s authentic Italian cuisine. In 2016, Sal and Maria traveled to New York City, where they became part of an elite group of Italian restaurant owners who received Ospitalita Italian, an award presented by the Italian Chamber of Commerce to restaurants that distinguish themselves with true Italian food.
Ambiance is part of the Mamma Lucia recipe for success. The Chesapeake Beach location offers seasonal roof-top and patio dining, a tiki bar and the same exceptional service and exquisite cuisine that you have become accustomed to at the other two locations.
The menu at all three locations offers authentic Italian cuisine: antipasti, delize dal mare, polo, vitelli and an extensive wine list. Don’t forget — because Italians love sweets — dolci and espresso to complete your dining experience and put you in a bellavita mood. If you want wood-fired brick-oven pizza made with authentic Italian ingredients in the Old World Italian tradition, you will have to visit the Chesapeake Beach location.
You’ll find a romantic spot for two and big tables for tutta la famiglia. Mamma Lucia is also the region’s favorite Italian caterer.
Find special events including music and wine-tasting dinners on Facebook.
More than just a parts shop; a source for trailer safety
In 1999, Centreville Manufacturing opened and began building top-quality trailers, from trailers for a lawnmower to hi-tech, state-of-the-art heavy haulers for the Army, Navy and Department of Defense.
In 2017, the manufacturing side of the business closed its doors as the owner took a step toward retiring. Centreville Manufacturing dissolved into Centreville Trailer Parts and operates under the management of president and former general manager Joe Uber.
The company focuses on supplying customers with any trailer part needed. In the rare event Centreville doesn’t have it — you’ll find more than 3,500 parts in stock — Uber and staff will find it.
The company operates three local stores — Annapolis, Prince Frederick and Stevensville — as well as an online store with direct shipping.
“The trailer industry is constantly changing and moving forward, which means there are new parts available every day,” says marketing director Shawn Solloway. “That’s where the challenge comes in. We try to maintain an inventory that caters to the new market as well as the old market. Normally once a trailer is a few years old, it requires maintenance. We have to make sure we have the parts ready when that time comes.”
Centreville offers more than just trailer parts. “We offer knowledge. Years of building trailers in the past now allows us to pass along a vast amount of knowledge to our customers,” Solloway says. “The more you know, the safer you are.”
The company website offers how-to documents that take the mystery out of installing parts or maintaining your trailer. You’ll also find federal and state rules for trailers, parts breakdowns and vehicle specific part searches.
Centreville Trailer Parts: www.centrevilletrailer.com
• 2023A West St., Annapolis: 410-224-2887
• 514 Solomons Island Rd., Prince Frederick: 410-414-3625
• 1201 Shopping Center Rd., Stevensville: 410-758-1333
Jalapeños Restaurant: 1999
Add a little spice to your life
Your state of mind changes in Jalapeños, where décor and service lead you to believe you’ve just stepped out of the zocalo into a cool, timeless hacienda. Jalapeños is warmed by color, soothed by a wall of water, transported by olive-grove murals and solidly seated at colorful tables. Quality and value are consistent, and service is smooth and personal.
Over two decades, Jalapeños has built its reputation on combining the cuisine of Spain and Mexico, with a touch of Cuba.
Owner Alberto Serrano hails from the Mexican state of Oaxaca, the source of many of Mexico’s richest moles. In the kitchen, you’ll find experts in the cooking and presentation of authentic Mexican food and modern Spanish food, combining the best of both worlds.
Create your meal to your taste by ordering from the menu of tapas, the original small plates. Four-dozen choices include fish — calamari, mussels, salmon, scallop and shrimp — meat and vegetable.
Made-to-order guacamole and a margarita or sangria are good starters as you browse the menu that includes, as you’d expect, wide choices of burritos, enchiladas, fajitas and tacos.
Favorites from Spain, Mexico and Cuba include appetizing preparations of shrimp, scallops, fish, chicken, pork, beef, lamb and vegetables in both small and large plates, plus seven authentic taco varieties, salads and guacamole made fresh-to-order.
Kent Island Jewelry owner Patty Knell grew up in Prince George’s County, relocating with her family to Kent Island in the 1970s. There, she says “I met James Hamilton, a graduated jeweler of 30 years experience, and we started Kent Island Jewelry in 2000.”
The shop carries such lines as Stuller and Venett as well as custom jewelry, jewelry repairs, appraisals, special orders and watch batteries and repairs. Gold and silver are bought.
“Being in the business for 19 years, we have learned that the most important thing is to listen to our customers,” Knell says. “They might not have a specific design in mind but whether it’s a gift or a personal purchase, they know some things such as metal color, whether they want silver, 14- or 18-karat or platinum, type and shape of stone.
“We have the ability to make a piece of jewelry to fit the customer,” Knell says. “It can be a stock piece that is changed or a design that the customer has in mind. Our custom jeweler can make it happen.”
The jewelers are proud of the stunning work they’ve done. “One of our customers had stones from her grandmother and mother,” Knell says. “Our jeweler took those stones and made a beautiful ring, unique to the customer.”
When not at the shop, Knell enjoys crabbing and fishing. “I’m a typical Eastern Shore lady,” she says.
Kent Island Jewelry: 204 Island Plaza Ct., Stevensville; 410-643-7766; www.kentislandjewelry.com
Luna Blu: 2002
Your neighborhood restaurant in Annapolis
Walk or drive on West Street in Annapolis and you can’t miss Luna Blu, with its bright Mediterranean-blue and sunshine-yellow facade.
Pulled in by the good vibrations of bright color, you discover a neighborhood place to retreat when you don’t feel like cooking. Yet it’s also a place to celebrate special occasions … or to gather a like-minded group for a wine-pairing dinner to benefit a favorite charity.
Whatever your reason for coming, whoever you are, Luna Blu welcomes you.
“I’m very excited to be entering our 17th year of business,” says owner Erin Dryden. “Inner West Street’s continued growth over the years with First Sunday Art Festivals, Dining Under the Stars and the Chocolate Binge Festival has been amazing. We have a great community of local businesses and supportive patrons.”
Personal service is part of Erin’s definition of community.
“I make all dishes to order, so they are fresh and customizable,” she says. “Whatever your special diet — from gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan or lower in calories — we can accommodate you,” Dryden says.
Also made in-house are all sauces and desserts plus fresh-baked bread.
“I’m very proud to be a part of such a wonderful group of business owners on inner West Street who have a passion for food and our community,” Erin says.
Luna Blu: 36 West St., Annapolis: 410-267-9950, www.lunabluofannapolis.com
Cleaning Maid Easy: 2003
Cleaning tailored to your needs, from basic to beyond
“At Cleaning Maid Easy, we love providing families with more time,” says president Lucia Tucker.
The Cleaning Maid Easy team collectively takes pride in doing its very best to ensure that it can spread a little ease and happiness to all clients, both residential and commercial.
This June, Lucia celebrated her 16-year mark in business. The company has grown so much over the years, but one thing has never changed: This business is not just about cleaning; it’s about caring for and helping people.
In the years Cleaning Maid Easy has been in business, the company has been able to give back to the community. “From our time, donations and sponsorships, we know that we are growing deep roots in this great community of people,” Lucia says. “We don’t plan to stop there!”
Cleaning Maid Easy’s commitment goes beyond homes and business to the community. A small crowd of about 15 adults gathered outside their office one June Saturday morning. The volunteers spread out and picked up more than 20 bags of trash and two tires in an effort to beautify the community.
Great style does not have to equate to big dollars
A retail boutique offering an ever-changing selection of personal fashion accessories, unique furniture and beautiful home accessories, The Magnolia Shoppe is a great place to gather inspiration and find your new favorite things. Patrons enjoy the colors, scents and textiles of each season. The Magnolia Shoppe services include gift certificates, a gift registry, lay-away and special orders.
Pamela Whitlow, the owner of The Magnolia Shoppe, is thrilled to be celebrating her 16th anniversary in October.
“Owning a business in the community in which I live sets the bar high,” Pamela says. “It is a pleasure and joy to support our local schools, organizations and the U.S. armed forces.”
The Magnolia Shoppe: 2 W. Friendship Rd., Friendship; 410-257-7510
Maryland Paint & Decorating: 2003
Add color and style to any room
You’ll find a one-stop shopping experience for paint, stain and other painting and decorating products at Maryland Paint, which also carries a large library of wall coverings, fabrics, window treatments and rugs.
Owner Mark Coale began Maryland Paint 16 years ago and is a second-generation expert on all color, paint, stain and related products.
With more than 20 years experience, the staff can advise on products and their application, answer technical questions and duplicate practically any color.
In paint, Pittsburgh Paints and Stains is the main line. This premium paint has been sold in the store from the start. Additional specialty lines are C2, Coronado, Farrow & Ball, Fine Paints of Europe and Modern Masters.
C2 Paint is a favorite of designers due to its sophisticated palette and because it is a full-spectrum line of paint, with no black colorant used in any of its paint formulas, creating rich, multi-dimensional, vibrant colors.
Come in for in-store consultations on color and products, or make an appointment for at-home design services.
Design consultant Cindy Morris provides design services.
“I have been in the home furnishings and fashion industries for more than 35 years in New York, Connecticut and Maryland,” Morris says. “I can help you choose the best color for interior or exterior projects and have experience in window treatments, fabric, rug and wallpaper selections. My design team can also help with anything from space design to small and large remodeling projects.”
PJ and Debbie Wilson enjoy the hometown Cheers feeling of their Top of the Hill Babes Boys Tavern in Upper Marlboro.
The tavern has been a favorite of locals for 15 years.
“Some of our new additions include a lot more seafood,” Debbie Wilson says. Fried oysters, soft-shell crabs, fish tacos and fried green tomatoes with shrimp salad and corn chutney are a few of the new selections.
“All of our food is homemade,” Debbie says.
Top of the Hill serves up a wide range of seafood, steak, burgers and tavern-style eats, plus specials Monday through Friday and a daily homemade soup. The specialization is homemade comfort food from local ingredients.
Daily specials include soups, barbecue, fish tacos, fried oysters, meatloaf with mashed potatoes, fried liver and onions topped bacon with mashed potatoes and gravy.
Named for PJ’s father, a baseball player for the Boston Red Sox in the 1940s, Top of the Hill Babes Boys is cozy, casual and friendly. Sports are always a big ingredient at this Top of the Hill tavern; you can watch your favorites on one of four widescreen TVs.
“Our customers are part of the gang, playing a very special part in making Top of the Hill a place you want to be,” says Debbie. “We have great staff and great food.”
Top of the Hill Babes Boys Tavern: 15903 Marlboro Pike, Upper Marlboro: 301-627-2012; www.babesboystavernattop.com
Response Senior Care: 2004
Helping families care for loved ones, in their own home
Response Senior Care in Annapolis has helped people live independently at home for 15 years.
“We’re lucky to live to grow older,” says Response Senior Care founder Gary Franklin. “Yet as age advances, we lose some of our youthful agility and independence.”
This in-between stage of life doesn’t mean it’s time to check into the nursing home. You can preserve your lifestyle with a companion who can check on you when your family can’t, drive you where you want to go and help around the house. When you need assistance to continue to live at home, what you need is Response Senior Care.
Response Senior Care’s mission is to provide the highest level of non-medical in-home care for adults. Response caregivers are competent, well trained and ready to provide friendly care to meet your individual needs. Their role is to help you realize your desire to live in your own home.
The first step of setting up in-home care is to contact Response to set up an assessment. “There is no fee; no cost to do this,” Franklin says. “We will meet with your family to go over options.”
The assessment is a thorough one. The registered nurse who comes out to complete it will discuss and determine nutritional, physical and mental needs as well as medications and more.
“We then come up with a plan of care for your family member,” Franklin says.
Response Senior Care is locally owned and operated with a staff of 60 that has a combined 50 years experience in administration, clinical social work, direct care and registered nursing. Franklin has more than 35 years of experience in geriatric work.
All staff members are screened: Background checks are run; references are researched and experience is verified. All are certified in CPR and first aid. Many are also trained to provide dementia care.
“We match up personalities when pairing a caregiver with a client,” Franklin says. “If at any point we find you need more specialized care, we can refer you to that.
“We provide care 24/7 and can cover any and all shifts,” Franklin says. “We are here for you and your family whenever you need us, be that short-term or long-term.”
Response Senior Care LLC: 1831 Forest Dr., Annapolis: 410-571-2744, www.response-seniorcare.com
Meadow Hill Wellness: 2005
Healing with acupuncture and more
Dr. Sara Poldmae started Meadow Hill Wellness in 2005 with the goal of empowering and educating the Annapolis community about drug- and surgery-free natural solutions for health issues.
“Wellness offers many natural solutions for health problems that many people don’t even know we can help with,” Poldmae says. “Often, there are drug- and surgery-free ways to deal with health issues.”
At Meadow Hill, highly trained health professionals help clients get well with acupuncture and other holistic health care services.
“Anyone struggling with migraines knows how debilitating they can be” says Dr. Poldmae. Once acupuncture cured my teenage migraines, I knew I was hooked. After my undergrad studies, I went back to grad school and become an acupuncturist. I’ve since completed my doctorate.”
Acupuncturists Lindsey Fox and Molly Harbour Hutto have taken higher-level training, Fox in fertility enhancement, Hutto indigestive health, helping you reach more of your health goals.
“Acupuncture can be considered for many different ailments, from headaches to fertility, to back, neck and knee pain,” Poldmae says. “We can even help with hot flashes, digestive issues and stress.”
Meadow Hill also offers Chinese herbal medicines. “Chinese herbal medicine is a sophisticated medicine and can be used to treat many internal medicine disorders,” Poldmae says. “We commonly prescribe herbs for low energy, anxiety, fertility and much, much more.”
To help promote healing at home, Poldmae suggests we “eat good food; drink lots of water; get plenty of rest and include activity each day.”
Dr. Poldmae and her associates work closely with physicians and other medical professionals to ensure that you receive high-quality, safe and effective health care. Acupuncture is a covered benefit under many health insurance plans; Meadow Hill Wellness is a network provider with most major insurance carriers.
Meadow Hill Wellness: 53 Old Solomons Island Rd., Annapolis 410-263-0411; www.meadowhillwellness.com
Wimsey Cove Framing and Fine Art Printing: 2007
Connecting art with frames, artists with opportunity
At Wimsey Cove, owner Elizabeth Ramirez knows what you need. With her artist’s eye and quick insight into character, she envisions how the treasures you bring her for framing will look their best in your home — even to taking them apart and rebuilding them.
When Ramirez earned her Bachelor of Arts in painting, she wondered what to do with “her starving-artist degree.” Because she loved art and helping other artists, she took a job at Michael’s arts and crafts store in the framing section. On the porch of her grandmother’s Weem’s Creek home, she set up her own business. In 2007, Ramirez opened her own store, naming it Wimsey Cove after her grandmother’s house.
Framing has become her art.
She enjoys the novelty of her work, which ranges from framing sports uniforms to a collection of bird pictures deconstructed from a calendar.
Building relationships is Ramirez’s parallel satisfaction as a business owner. She loves working with customers, often knowing your vision before you do.
She’s also a connector, drawing everybody she meets into a community of artists.
Last year, opportunity came to Wimsey Cove in the form of a new studio. Three times the old space makes room for new features, including a gallery, classes and expanded scanning and printing services.
The process can be as easy as handing over your phone. With many choices of printing paper, Ramirez will guide your choice. Wimsey Cove also offers canvas gallery wraps and canvas museum wraps, along with many other options to protect your piece once it’s printed.
To preserve a thing of beauty or a memory, Wimsey Cove is the right place.
Wimsey Cove Framing and Fine Art Printing: 209 Chinquapin Round Rd., Annapolis; 410-956-7278; www.marylandframing.com
Catalina Pool Builders: 2008
Creating your home oasis
Family-owned and -run Catalina Pools helps homeowners design their own backyard oases at reasonable prices.
An alternative to the cookie-cutter designs of franchise pool companies, each Catalina design is custom-created. You get personalized service from the initial project consultation to the completion of your pool.
With more than 30 years experience, Catalina Pool designers create an oasis around a custom-made, in-ground, concrete pool.
Whether it’s a new pool or an older one brought up to date, you will get a beautiful space to relax or play. Designs are custom-made for each yard and homeowner, ensuring that the pool will satisfy you now and in years to come.
Catalina Pool Builders: 836 Ritchie Hwy., Severna Park; 410-647-7665; www.catalinapoolbuilders.com
Second Wind Consignments: 2009
Something different every day
Second Wind Consignments — which celebrated its 10th anniversary on July 11 — invites you to hunt for treasures, from home furnishings to hard-to-find collectibles to marine paraphernalia, at affordable prices. The popular shop also gives your old things a second lease on life.
Locals are delighted at the appeal Second Wind Consignments adds to the Bay community of Deale. It helps draw visitors and shoppers from all over the region.
Teri Wilson, formerly a buyer at Annapolis Lighting, launched a business and a second career, a source of income not only for her but also for her consignors who receive a check every month. She and her artful staff know how to display lamps, china, crystal and jewelry to attract shoppers — and to sell.
The consignment business is a tough one. Few shops achieve the success Second Wind has achieved. “We are consistent,” Wilson says. “We treat our customers and our consignors with professionalism. This is a business, not a hobby.”
Second Wind has welcomed thousands of consigners who trust the shop to provide fair pricing and honest business practices.
“When we tell them we will be mailing them a check at the end of the month, they know we mean it,” Wilson says.
To stay on top of trends, Wilson reads magazines — like DIY, House Beautiful and Architectural Digest — and watches shows on networks such as HGTV. She also utilizes social media, visiting sites like Pintrest and Instagram.
Putting social media to work for herself, Wilson posts an album of new items to the shop’s Facebook page every Thursday night. In response, customers hurry in. And there’s certainly plenty for potential customers to pick from: Second Wind checks in 500 to 700 items per week.
Local charities also benefit from Second Wind’s good business. With consigners’ permission, goods that fail to sell go in a twice-annual charity sale, with proceeds donated to local charities. The next is Friday, July 20, and will benefit the South County Churches’ Energy Assistance group.
Second Wind Consignments: 661 Deale Rd., Deale; 410-867-0480; www.secondwindconsignments.com
Umai Sushi: 2009
Introducing new Korean and sushi options
Ten years ago, owner Chang Park opened Umai, which means delicious, to introduce sushi and authentic Korean dishes to Southern Anne Arundel County. Since then, sushi has become easier to find, but Korean cuisine is still a novelty in much of Chesapeake Country.
When you visit Umai, Park is likely the one waiting on you while you dine, greeting you like a friend and making certain you enjoy your dining experience.
She came to the U.S. 23 years ago and worked hard to provide son Isaac with a quality education. He’s now an officer in the Army. Today, Park dreams of the day she can teach her first granddaughter — welcomed in September — to cook.
Behind the sushi bar, Chef Paul slices thin slivers of very fresh fish. Paul, a sushi chef for 26 years, is originally from Korea and emigrated to the U.S. more than 30 years ago.
You’ll find a new item available with your sushi. Park explains that in Korea, sushi is dipped in a lemon-and-cherry-flavored sauce. “It’s not easy to make,” Park says. “It takes time.” She is tight-lipped about the top-secret recipe. Park warns that it’s so good you’ll want to buy it. She reminds us that it is a special sauce and only meant to be enjoyed with certain foods — sushi among them.
Park’s Korean dishes, though traditional there, may be new to you as well as delicious. Try bibimbob, bulgogi or Jap Chae to expand your range.
For Japanese dishes, Park also makes avocado dressing, yum yum sauce and the samurai roll, a combo of spicy tuna, spicy salmon and spicy white fish.
Park says be sure to try her new specialty, deep-fried sushi.
Owner Dan Mallonee got his start crabbing at the age of five as he joined his grandfather, a commercial fisherman, to catch Atlantic blue crabs.
“I’ve been crabbing ever since,” says Mallonee, owner of Bay Country Crabbing Supply.
To begin catching your own crabs, you’ll find everything you need to fill your crab stringer pot, including the pots, at Bay Country Crabbing Supply. Find trotlines and accessories, topless crab traps and commercial pots and accessories. You’ll also find the steamers and spices for your feast.
“To get started crabbing, you’ll need a license through Department of Natural Resources,” Mallonee explains. He recommends you start with a pull trap. “They’re easy to use,” Mallonnee says.
Mallonee offers some helpful tips to newcomers: “Try to find a hard, sandy bottom. And then stay anywhere from six to 10 feet from that bottom when placing the traps.”
For fishing, Bay Country Crabbing also sells G-Eye jigs, trolling lures, shads, tails and custom lures.
In the winter, find oyster shafts and tongs here, too.
You want and need dependable equipment when you’re spending the day on the water. Bay Country Crabbing Supply stands behind both equipment and service.
“We believe in good customer service and quality-built supplies,” Mallonee says. “We offer unique things that other tackle stores don’t carry — and our prices are better.”
Bay Country Crabbing Supply: 214 Mayo Rd., Edgewater: 410-956-0300; www.baycountrycrabbingsupply.com
Chesapeake Health and Fitness: 2010
New owners add options and build community
Last year, Kristina Gardiner and Vanessa Runion took over as the new owners of Chesapeake Health and Fitness. The gym has been helping the South County community live a healthier life since it was opened by Linda Strohecker in 2010.
Gardiner and Runion, who worked together in property management for over 17 years, used to “dream of a life where we could work together; make our own decisions and follow our passion for fitness,” Gardiner says.
“Once we started to get serious about making our dream a reality, we looked into several franchises within the area,” Runion says.
“Chesapeake Heath & Fitness (while not for sale) was always in the forefront. Vanessa had been a member of this gym for five years, and we both felt that it was a true gem. It already had such a sense of community, and the instructors and members were fantastic. We decided to take a leap of faith and give Linda a call to discuss an opportunity to sell. The rest is history, and we are now living our dream.”
Chesapeake Health and Fitness Club offers a wide array of private and group classes for any fitness level. All classes are professionally designed and led by our top-notch certified instructors. Group classes include Pilates, cardio kick, yoga, zumba, step, spin and Les Mills BodyPump. They have five dedicated personal trainers to help you crush your fitness goals.
However, it doesn’t stop there. Chesapeake Health and Fitness is dedicated to being a resource in the community. The gym has sponsored numerous community events such as Deale Elementary’s Deale Dash 5K, various food drives and Adopt a Family for Christmas. Next month, the owners hope to team up with local schools to provide school supplies for kids who may not be able to afford what they need for the upcoming school year.
Gardiner and Runion are always seeking to add more options for gym members. “We have added a new class called FUNctional Fitness,” Runion says. “It focuses on balance, strength conditioning and stretching and is good for anyone just getting over an injury or looking for a more low-impact class that is easier on joints.”
“We are also planning a Lift and Row pop-up class in August with Kayla Schell,” Runion says. “This class will feature exercises on the water rower as well as strength training with weights.” This is one that you will not want to miss.
Chesapeake Health and Fitness: 624 E. Bayfront Rd., Deale; 410-867-7440; www.chesfitclub.com
Woodcraft Artisans: 2010
Teak and silk treasures make you dream of voyages
Woodcraft Artisans first opened its doors 20 years ago, at the end of a round-the-world voyage on our old wooden sailboat.
Our family was ready to settle down on land, and our knowledge of wood and connections to craft-people in distant lands helped us open our first store in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Nine years and two stores later, we decided to relocate and chose Annapolis, a sailing town we had gotten to know during our seagoing days. Next year marks our 10-year anniversary at 155 Main Street. Our second store in St. Michaels has been open since 2015.
Being travelers at heart, we know our geography and put it to use daily, as our most popular items are nautical maps carved in wood. When we started out, we had a few dozen choices of wood maps. These awesome three-dimensional wood-crafted maps can be custom-made to depict any water area, and over 6,000 lakes and coastal areas are already mapped. And new maps are being created daily.
We have the biggest wooden map collection on the East Coast. We also have a large selection of indoor and outdoor teak furniture as well as home decor options to complement any space.
We still travel quite a bit but take shorter trips. We travel to Europe and Asia, where we put together containers of wooden art and furniture.
–Merja Washburn
Woodcraft Artisans: 155 Main St., Annapolis; 410-280-0008; www.woodcraftartisans.com
Friendship Antiques and Vintage: 2011
Vintage collectible shop celebrates eighth anniversary this month
Eight years ago in July, Myles and Laurie Tillmans opened Friendship Antiques and Vintage along with six other antiques dealers.
All of the dealers have different areas of interest, which leads to a lot of variety. In the shop, you’ll find anything from jewelry, furniture, glassware, toys, military and art to rocks, minerals and fossils. And each dealer takes a turn working the shop, so you may meet someone new each time you visit.
On the half-acre lot outside, the yard-sale site, you’ll find garden items and sculptures.
“I have always been interested in old things and the history they represent,” says Myles. “You then start to collect them and soon you have so much you decide to pretend to sell them so you can accumulate more. Sometimes you really do sell them.”
“When Laurie and I had a chance to get this building in 2010, we were really lucky,” Myles says. “The oldest part of the building was built in 1806 as a house and store for Samuel Gott. In 1807 it became the post office and Gott the postmaster. The town officially became Friendship; before that, the area was known as Hell’s Corner and Greenhead.”
In 1816, the Calvert Circuit of the Methodist Church purchased the building and added a two-story addition. The building became the church parsonage.
Tillmans was a dealer in several antique shops, starting with Southern Maryland Antiques in Huntingtown, before purchasing and opening Friendship Antiques. “The process took over a year,” he says. “The building had been empty for two years and needed attention.”
Most everything you’ll find in the shop is unique or at least as Tillmans says, “seldom seen.” “It may not have started that way but over the years things go away, and what’s left becomes unique,” he explains.
“We have sold everything from a 10,000-year-old fossil to a restored 1972 Cheverolt Nova.”
The store hosts its anniversary sale August 1-4.
Friendship Antiques and Vintage: 3 W. Friendship Rd., Friendship; 410-286-5932
AFC Urgent Care: 2012
Feel better, faster
Visit AFC Urgent Care for quick, convenient, non-emergency medical services.
Primary care physicians may be unable to see you when you’re sick. At AFC Urgent Care in Edgewater, physicians are waiting for you. After you visit, your visit notes are faxed to your primary care doctor for continuity of care.
Bringing the best possible urgent care to people in and traveling through this centrally located community is why owners Ginni and Rick Morani opened AFC Urgent Care in 2012. AFC has a lab on site so point-of-care testing — like strep tests and flu tests — are also easy.
Lacerations, even those requiring stitches, can be treated here. Allergic reactions, rashes and infections can also be treated. Potential fractures or broken bones don’t need to go to the ER for assessment; AFC has digital X-rays on premises.
“True emergencies should be seen in the ER. But for many non-emergent injuries and illnesses, AFC Urgent Care is a quicker and less expensive alternative to an often crowded ER,” Ginni Morani says.
AFC Urgent Care also handles work injuries and other occupational health services, such as DOT physicals and pre-employment physicals. School, camp and sports physicals are all available. Patients can get their annual flu shots here, too.
Open every day with extended hours for convenient, quality care, AFC emphasizes customer service and care. Every patient sees a fully qualified physician.
AFC Urgent Care also offers a state-of-the-art lab. Laboratory testing can include CBC (checking for infection or anemia), cultures (strep throat or flu), urinalysis (pregnancy, infection and drug screening) and chemistry (checking for signs of dehydration, electrolyte and liver function abnormalities).
“For us as business owners, providing a needed service to the community is a daily reward,” Ginni Morani says. “I love to see patients hugging our staff or calling or writing to tell us how satisfied they are with our services. Some successes are extra rewarding, such as when our staff helps to save a person’s life.”
A visit to AFC Urgent Care begins with completing a short registration form, shorter if you’ve been before. After check-in, a medical assistant brings you to the triage room to record your medical complaint and obtain your vitals.
Then in an exam room, a physician reviews your symptoms and provides a thorough examination to determine if further lab testing or X-rays are needed.
The physician then provides a diagnosis and treatment plan and reviews the information with you to answer any additional questions or concerns.
A member of the clinical team then returns to the exam room to provide printed discharge instructions and any needed prescriptions, if your prescriptions have not be electronically sent to your pharmacy of choice.
Physicians treat patients six months and older on a walk-in basis. No appointment or referral is needed, and wait time is short. Bring a photo ID, insurance card and form of payment for co-pay (cash, credit or check). Most major insurances accepted; discounted rates offered for self-paying patients.
AFC Urgent Care also participates in many community activities including the Anne Arundel County Back to School Program, End Hunger Dragon Boat Races, Toys for Tots Reindeer Run and more. Underway is a Christmas in July Food Donation Fundraiser for SCAN Food Pantry in Lothian.
AFC Urgent Care: 3059 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater; 410-956-3394; www.AFCUrgentCareEdgewater.com
Independent Tree Care: 2012
Dedicated to saving your trees
When not working as a federally employed arborist, Steven Graham of Independent Tree Care is saving trees around Chesapeake Country.
Graham, who owns and operates Independent Tree Care, has been caring for trees for more than 15 years.
“We go to great heights so to speak,” Graham says. “I’ve gone to the top of a 110-foot tree to remove one piece of deadwood for a meticulous homeowner and regularly climb 80- to 100-foot trees to complete a crown cleaning.”
Graham cautions homeowners from making rash decisions about trees. It’s not always true that a leaning tree is dangerous or dying and must be removed.
He recommends consulting a certified arborist to determine the needs of trees on your property.
Independent Tree Care balances the needs of customers with proper pruning techniques tailored to the biology and habits of specific tree species of all sizes.
“Our approach to tree pruning is rooted in evidence-based science, supported by the International Society of Arboriculture, and reinforced by consistent training and classroom study to ensure the most current and applicable pruning techniques are performed,” Graham says. “We also align our safety principles with those of the ISA to ensure not only healthy trees and happy property owners, but safe work sites for everyone involved.”
Properly maintained trees have a positive impact on your property, community environment and even your health. Trees can reduce energy costs and ambient noise; increase property values; help with storm water retention and erosion control and clean the air we breathe.
“Sometimes trees do have to be removed. But many times an issue can be corrected with a calculated and specific pruning or treatment to target the issue or point of conflict, rather than targeting the tree as a whole,” Graham says.
For those looking to be good stewards of their own collection of trees, Graham suggests learning and applying the three-step pruning method:
Step one: Undercut — Make a cut on the underside of the tree, just outside of the branch collar. Don’t cut all the way through the branch. The goal is to create a shallow notch. This prevents branches from tearing or ripping away from the stem as they fall.
Step two: Top cut — Make the second cut made from the top of the branch, taking place one to two inches outside of the first cut. This may result in the removal of an entire branch, leaving a short stub behind. The weight of the branch has now been removed, meaning the last cut can be performed safely.
Step three: Finish-final cut — Make this cut to remove the stub just outside the upper branch bark ridge, angling downwards, away from the branch collar.
Once all three cuts have been made, a ring of callus forms and enlarges. The cuts will close over time.
Independent Tree Care: 1719 Longwood Rd., Edgewater: 410-956-4918, [email protected]
The Point: 2012
The Best of the Bay: Good eating and drinking with waterviews and crabs
The restaurant business is a labor of love for restaurateurs Bobby and Julie Jones, who’ve been acquainted since high school, sweethearts since college. Its pull was so strong that the University of Maryland Baltimore County graduates left careers — Bobby spent eight years selling software and services, Julie working as a crisis intervention counselor — for a bright idea. Attract customers who might — or might not — be boaters onto a marina yard to get the feel of Chesapeake culture over good food and drink.
Just the place was the old Magothy Seafood Restaurant at Ferry Point Marina on Mill Creek, with the Joneses doing most of the work themselves.
Their reinvention opened in 2012. The Point combines casual upscale dining with the relaxed feeling of a crab house. Full-wall doors lift to bring you waterside in good weather.
Owner and chef de cuisine Bobby buys seafood from local watermen within a 50-mile radius and has earned a True Blue certificate from the Maryland Department of Seafood Marketing for serving only Maryland blue crab. Produce is also bought locally, and all breads and pastries are baked fresh daily.
Steamed crabs are served in addition to a seasonally changing menu of local and contemporary favorites that’s refreshed each day.
Crab dishes can be found all over Chesapeake Country, but The Point’s crab gazpacho is one you won’t see everywhere. Jumbo lump crab, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, celery, onion, olive oil, red wine vinegar and cayenne combine for the perfect summer starter.
Another marriage of local flavors is jumbo lump crab with fresh local corn, tomatoes, scallions and butter combined with grilled local organic beef tenderloin tips prepared with a spicy dry rub.
The Joneses bright idea worked so well at The Point that six years later it also illuminates Ketch-22, which has its own story.
The Point: 700 Mill Creek Rd., Arnold; 410-544-5445; www.thepointcrabhouse.com
Dunkirk Vision: 2013
Helping people see better one person at a time
Doctors Perry Lucente and Rose Susel-Lucente, both optometrists, opened Dunkirk Vision as an independent eye care practice in 2013.
“I have always been fascinated by the health and medical fields and knew I wanted to choose that career path,” Dr. Rose Susel-Lucente says. “I researched many options, but I believe that my optometrist I had while I was growing up was the most influential.”
Dunkirk Vision is focused on providing excellence in all aspects of patient care through the latest in premium products, staff education and technology.
“We selected Calvert County, as both of us had been practicing in the county under different practices for a number of years,” Dr. Rose Susel-Lucente says. “I practiced in Dunkirk and felt it was the best location to open a practice.”
“We love our patients, and that’s why we invest our time and energy in building this practice,” Dr. Rose Susel-Lucente says.
Dunkirk Vision has grown quickly. The practice attributes that success to putting patients first and listening to their feedback.
“Most often, we hear how our staff provides a friendly, warm atmosphere. Patients can tell that we strive to provide an excellent experience for them,” Dr. Perry Lucente says.
H2 Markets, an event management company specializing in food truck events and contemporary farmers markets, was started five years ago by Chad Houck and Scott Hariton
The company operates weekly free food truck events in Anne Arundel, Howard and Baltimore counties.
“We also operate the Maryland Food Truck Festival, a celebration of the regional food truck scene,” Houck says.
All events are family friendly.
At Mi Pueblo, they say mi casa es tu casa. The family-run, independent restaurant opened in 2014 and offers delicious and the most authentic Mexican dishes in the area, with traditional décor and a contemporary atmosphere.
The first Mi Pueblo was opened by owner Sergio Meza in Glen Burnie and remains open.
Mi Pueblo II is a great place to meet, eat and socialize for lunch or dinner. Handmade art and evocative details make every visit fun.
Enjoy drinks with mangos and papayas plus many Mexican favorites. Try the nachos supreme, fresh guacamole or queso dip, fajitas, grilled shrimp and veggies, quesadillas, pollo poblano, chile coloardo. Finish off your meal with dessert of tres leches or flan.
On the lighter side, come in to enjoy margaritas and mixed drinks with appetizers.
They hope to see you soon, amigos!
Mi Pueblo II: 5544 Ritchie Hwy., Severna Park; 410-544-4101; www.mipueblo2.com
Style Lounge: 2014
Rick Shane and his team of talented stylists offer blowouts, color, smoothing treatments and more
A salon and boutique created by Rick Shane five years ago, Style Lounge in Annapolis specializes in hair color and precision and free-form cutting. They also offer styling and texture services.
“We provide a relaxing beautiful, atmosphere with excellent access to Washington and Baltimore,” Shane says.
Prior to opening Style Lounge, Shane spent 17 years running Shane and Kauffman Salon.
“Our team of stylists combine years of training and talent offering corrective color, naturalizing color and texture treatments like Brazilian blowout, keratin treatments and Style Lounge’s exclusive air oxidizing body waves,” Shane says.
“We also have a beautiful boutique with hair care and unique gift items,” Shane says. “And all hair care items are buy one get one 50 percent off.”
Style Lounge Salon and Boutique: 87 Forest Plaza, Annapolis; 410-757-6424; www.styleloungellc.com
ARToberFEST: 2015
October 5, 2019
Historic Stevensville Arts and Entertainment District presents ARToberFEST on Saturday, October 5, from 11am until 4pm
The following categories are open for applicants: Food truck cooks, brewers, fine arts, crafts and music.
Applications may be picked up at Queen Anne’s Tourism, 445 Piney Narrows Road, or by calling 410-604-2100.
For more information, call Jeannie Noble at her gallery, Artists at Work, at 410-604-1230. Noble is the treasurer of Historic Stevensville Arts and Entertainment District.
If you just want to come and enjoy the picturesque town’s festival, arrive on Friday after booking one of the gracious inns just minutes away.
Spend the weekend shopping, dining and resting on the artistic benches donated by area merchants for your pleasure.
ARToberFEST: First Saturday event in Historic Stevensville; 410-604-2100 or 410-604-1230; www.stevensvilleartsandentertainment.org
The Shops at Ogden’s Commons: 2015
See you next month with all new wares in the same old store
“Our business is all about giving new life to old objects, down to the old country story we’ve made our home,” says Barby Harms, owner of The Shops at Ogden’s Commons in Port Republic. “We are keeping a piece of the community alive by creating a new chapter in its life of the Ogden Store, built in 1890.”
As a former interior decorator, Barby was drawn to the old building with the dream of creating a one-of-a-kind shopping destination that would be open once a month and present a brand new experience each time.
Harms has an eye for seeing what others may not; the promise in a piece another may overlook. “I may take a dresser and turn it into a bench or a bar,” Harms says. She may recognize that a table simply needs a new top or that a trunk can be turned into a unique coffee table.
With the help of permanent and guest vendors, The Shops have a steady supply of new and unique items. The eclectic and affordable mix of goods ranges from restored farmhouse furniture to classic vintage décor.
“All of our furniture is one-of-a-kind,” Barby says. “We have lots and lots of new home goods and accessories, including a full line of Dixie Belle paints.”
“We travel anywhere from here to Florida to Pennsylvania searching flea markets, auctions, antique shops,” Harms says. “But more time is spent repurposing than traveling, though traveling with my sister, Peggy, is always an adventure.”
Harms’ transformative technique depends on accessorizing. “If I paint a piece coastal blue, for example, it’s matched with accessories that are related to the beach. If I build a table, I accessorize it with things I think go with the style of that table. I try very hard to find goods that no other shop has. I like things that are different, unique.”
Paint classes taught by Barby’s daughter Julie Bowen are offered once a month. Students are taught three different techniques and walk away with a sign to take home.
That dedication is obvious throughout the spaces. Unique shops fill each room with coastal, farmhouse, industrial, romantic, rustic and vintage furniture and home goods. Each month, vendors show off new creations.
The Shops at Ogden’s Commons: Open the second weekend of each month: Fri. 3-7pm, Sat. 9-5pm, Sun. 10am-3pm. 2990 Parkers Creek Rd., Port Republic: 443-532-5981; Facebook: The Shops at Ogden’s Commons
JPozz Music: 2016
Lessons, instrument rentals and repairs
Since 2016, locals John and Valerie Posner have offered music lessons, band and orchestra rentals, instrument sales and repairs at JPozz Music.
Talented instructors provide lessons on a variety of instruments.
“I love seeing young students coming out after their lesson after learning something new and excitedly tell their parents and us about it,” says Valerie Posner.
Among the instruments available for sale are locally made guitars such as McSpadden, made in Calvert County.
John Posner makes and sells his own Crunchbird amplifiers.
“We have days when someone like the Eagles tribute band, The Long Run, comes into the store and jams,” Valerie Posner says. “We get a lot of really good players that come in and tell their road stories.”
Always on hand is Molly, the music store dog. “It’s Molly’s store, and we just work here,” Valerie Posner says.
JPozz also offers workshops and jam sessions in the store from time to time.
New treasures weekly to add to your home — or an opportunity to clean house!
Bunting Online Auctions in Dunkirk holds weekly online auctions, giving people from near and far a chance to find a new treasure.
Sellers come from all over the area and as far away as West Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Buyers are located nationwide, since Bunting offers shipping services.
A frequent buyer of glass lives in Florida, while a coin fanatic resides in Indiana.
“It takes us six days and 25 people to build each auction,” says owner Dawn Bunting.
It starts on Monday — when the auction house is closed, opening boxes and making lots. Objects come in from estate pick-ups or are brought in by the consignor and are sorted by Quintin Aspin.
“He has 40 years of experience buying and selling,” Bunting says. “He separates the items into lots and passes the items down the table to one of our ’describers,’ who enters a description, the consignor number and the category in a spreadsheet before putting the item on to one of our rolling metal shelves.”
Bunting’s team then photographs the shelves, with four to eight pictures are taken of each lot.
“All of the pictures are then edited and renamed by Laura McLaren, who decides whether pictures are good or if the lot needs to be re-shot. After all the pictures are done, they, along with the spreadsheet with the descriptions, are uploaded to our website.”
Any missing descriptions are filled in before the auction goes live. After being photographed, items are put on a metal shelving unit and rolled to the front where our interior designer Pamela Turner of Turner Design Studios stages all the items.
“Our auction house looks very different from traditional auction houses where items are generally shelved on racks,” Bunting says. “Our items are staged to look more like an antique shop or consignment store. Each Friday morning the new auction will be set up and ready for viewing so as our bidders collect their items from Thursday night’s auction, they can preview the new items.”
The store usually has people lined up at the front door before they open on Friday.
Items come to Bunting from across the region, but about 40 percent of their items are dropped off directly at the auction house.
“We are a convenient solution to make some money on the extra items everyone has lying around,” Bunting says. “We have consignors who drop off one item — a ring or an end table — and others that back up full truckloads.
Each week Bunting averages between 700 to 800 items up for auction. “Our break-even point on each lot is $7.50,” Bunting says. “That’s what it costs in overhead to run the auction. This means that we need to sell an item for $12 to 15 to break even.”
Items brought in that are unlikely to reach that are donated to Purple Heart or returned to the consignor.
“Between items put into the auction and those that are donated or returned, we probably handle 1,000 items each week. Multiplying that by 52 auctions a year, that means that we handle 52,000 items per year on average,” Bunting says.
Bunting takes consignments any day Tuesday through Saturday, except Friday morning. That time is too busy with buyers picking up the items they won in the previous night’s auction to do any intake. No appointment is needed; Bunting tries to be as convenient as possible.
Bunting Online Auctions: 10745 Town Center Blvd., Dunkirk; 301-298-9300; www.buntingonline.auction
Evelyn’s: 2017
Good eating from locals for locals
Since it opened in 2017, Evelyn’s has grown into the bright place that owner Brandon Stalker hoped to create.
“Working in restaurants when I was younger showed me the joy brought to customers by food made with fresh ingredients and love,” Stalker says. In Eastport, in the former Regina’s location, he found the right place to bring that “joy” to Annapolis.
“We transformed the space with lots of light and stainless steel and kept it small and intimate, with 24 seats.”
Named for Stalker’s daughter, Evelyn’s was created to bring the mom-and-pop-owned restaurant back to Annapolis, serving breakfast and lunch made from organic, locally sourced ingredients from farms in Anne Arundel County and the tri-state area — plus organic herbs and spices from the restaurant’s garden. Service is friendly, parking is free and outdoor seating is available and dog-friendly. Cocktails are also served.
Practically everything is made in-house, so nothing comes to you from a box or bag. The food is delivered multiple times a week to ensure the freshest ingredients.
“We thrive by serving our customer base as a friendly neighborhood shop,” Stalker says. “We like to be on a first-name basis with our customers and be active in the community. The environment is casual and makes you feel like you’re part of the neighborhood.”
Modern kitchen and tavern showcases unique wines paired with high-quality dishes
Owner Rik Squillari and wife Pam opened Harvest Thyme in 2017, replacing Sweet Mama’s in a Davidsonville shopping center.
Both Squillaris come from families with deep roots in the restaurant industry. “My parents and my great uncle owned their own restaurants,” Squillari says. “My wife, a baker, also grew up in her family business. Her family owned more than 40 bakeries.”
After attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., — where he met Pam — Squillari spent time as a chef in Atlantic City, then moved to the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., area in 1988.
He entered the wine business a decade later and traveled to Europe, Asia, Australia and South America learning the industry.
He puts that knowledge to work for you at Harvest Thyme. Each wine has been personally selected, and Squillari and his team are happy to offer pairing recommendations. On any given evening, you will likely spot Squillari greeting diners and sharing with them his personal pairing choices — and you’ll notice that the regulars seek his advice on their selection.
“Wines tend to go in and out of vogue,” Squillari says. “Currently, Malbec and pinot noirs are in.”
“A lot of people are missing out on some great wines because they are so focused on California wines,” Squillari says. “Take a look at some from France and Italy. You’ll find a lot of good values there.”
In the kitchen, you’ll find a commitment to balanced, delicious and healthy food. The menu adapts with the seasons and can be made vegetarian, gluten-free or vegan.
Dishes such as grilled cioppino, penne Bolognese and dry-aged New York strip are some of the selections. You’ll also be able to select from a pasta of the day, fresh catch of the day and butcher’s cut.
Harvest Thyme has now teamed up with a shrimper from the Outer Banks for fresh, local shrimp on Wednesdays.
Also on offer are wine dinners, the next on October 8.
Harvest Thyme: 1251 W. Central Ave., Davidsonville, 443-203-6846; www.harvestthymetavern.com
Jango’s Frozen Treats: 2017
Upgrade your vanilla soft serve in eight ways with the Flavorburst flavor injection system
Jango’s Frozen Treats in North Beach opened in October of 2017 after two years of remodeling. An independently, family-owned business, Jangos’s is not a franchise.
“We currently have nine employees, including my wife Dee and daughter Cassie,” says owner Jack Gregory.
“The concept of Jango’s started from our love of soft serve desserts,” Gregory says. “After doing some research, we found that 65 percent of our nation and 90 percent of the world are lactose-intolerant and not able to enjoy ice cream. Our Dole soft serve is dairy-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, cholesterol-free and fat-free. It is also Kosher and vegan.
“Our vanilla, chocolate and salted caramel are lactose-free but do contain a dairy byproduct.”
Picking the perfect name for their new store proved to be challenging. “We wanted something catchy and easy for people to remember,” Gregory says. “After several thinking sessions and a few headaches from it later, my wife called out to our Boston terrier Jango, and the light bulbs went off in our heads.”
Jango also serves as mascot. A cartoon image of him appears on signs and cups.
“At first it confused people, as they thought our place was for dogs only. But everyone soon caught on that it is for people too,” Gregory says.
Pets don’t get left out. Jango’s soft serve is edible for our canine family members — except for the chocolate, a no-no for dogs — so feel free to share with Fido.
Jango’s Frozen Treats: 9100 Bay Ave., Unit A104, North Beach; 443-964-6076
A Vintage Deale: 2017
Bring home a piece of the past
A Vintage Deale is a shop full of ideas. Co-owners Jane Walter and Paula Tanis, both well established antique dealers, collect and curate objects from the past, showcasing them in inspired ways to enhance the homes of today.
These imaginative entrepreneurs find many of their treasures on shopping trips to English antique markets.
“We enjoy offering our customers creative ways to use these pieces of the past,” says Walter. “We like to collect and arrange vintage items in ever-changing vignettes throughout the shop,” Tanis adds.
Jane and Paula, together with several other dealers, moved from Annapolis to a corner shop in Deale that better displays their furniture, lighting and artwork. The shop’s two large display windows invite you in with new themes every month, highlighting one-of-a-kind items to give you new opportunities to browse and imagine.
A Vintage Deale: 655 Deale Rd., Deale: 443-203-6157; www.facebook.com/avintagedeale
Bay Harbor Canvas: 2018
Unique, custom canvas items make an impression
Bay Harbor Canvas has been open just one year and is already making a name for itself.
The custom boat canvas creator will soon be featured in a boating magazine, and cushions will be seen on the pages of an upcoming feature.
Samples of Bay Harbor Canvas’s work can be seen on Foolish Pleasures, a boat featured on the show Wicked Tuna.
“We don’t do cookie-cutter jobs,” owner Ron Lavendar says. “We focus on innovative products with style; not your standard production choices.”
Pattern makers and seamstresses create their custom works.
Lavendar got his start in Shady Side, where he fabricated T-tops and hard tops before becoming more specific and focusing on canvas. He stays on top of industry trends to make sure he is turning out the best stuff for his customers.
He has set goals for the coming year: “Being voted Best of the Bay by Bay Weekly Readers; that’s what we’re looking for,” Lavendar says.
Bay Harbor Canvas: Custom canvas and upholstery creator. 6029 Herring Bay Rd., Deale: 410-867-6290; www.bayhrbr.com
Ketch-22: 2018
Casually elegant waterfront dining and drinking indoor or out
Restaurateurs Bobby and Julie Jones achieved such success in their first venture, The Point, that they tried for a second southern success at the far end of Anne Arundel County in Rose Haven.
The plan was much the same. Take an old favorite waterfront restaurant and redefine it for a new era. Making the old new took two years, with the old structure gutted from kitchen through dining rooms to the outdoors poolside bar and dining area.
Ketch-22 opened to immediate success in 2018 at Herrington Harbour South Marina.
The Point and Ketch 22 are sisters, but they are not twins. If you look closely you can see a family resemblance, but each has its own look and feel.
“We didn’t want them to be carbon copies of each other; we wanted each to have its own personality,” Julie said.
Adds Bobby, “We used Ketch as a tribute of respect to the tough, hardworking people who fish the Chesapeake and deliver to us the ingredients we are all lucky to enjoy.”
There’s another personal connection.
“The 22 is a very special reference to my late father, Robert Emmett Jones Jr.,” Jones says.
Another family tie is Mom Mom’s Maryland crab soup, which the Joneses serve in all its vegetable goodness or, for a yin-yang experience, tucked in one bowl next to the cream of crab soup.
“Ketch 22 is an extension of our home,” says Jones, “and we strive to give every customer who visits an amazing experience that makes them want to return again and again.”
That’s achieved with such dishes as Nanny’s Deviled Eggs. Assume these are your standard deviled eggs you’ll find at a family gathering? Wrong. Local eggs combined with Dijon, vinegar, fresh chives and spicy pepper sauce make for a memorable appetizer.
“I love this business, love making good food and being around great people,” Bobby says.
Ketch-22: 7153 Lake Shore Dr., North Beach; 443-646-5205; www.ketch22.net
Jesse Jays: 2019
Latin-inspired dining and drinking in the heart of Southern Anne Arundel County
Jesse Jays opened in April this year. The grand opening, on May 8, was dubbed Ocho de Mayo.
Owners Jesse Ramirez and Jayleen Fonseca happily report that the community has been much more welcoming and excited about their new restaurant than they expected. “It’s a tiny restaurant — only about 36 seats — but we stay pretty busy,” Fonseca says.
Ramirez graduated from culinary school and dreamed of having his own restaurant. “After 15 years of experience working in restaurants primarily in Baltimore, he felt ready,” Fonseca says.
Fonseca brings 15 years of sales and business management experience in the corporate world.
“We started off by opening only the inside part of the restaurant while we got staff trained and the restaurant flowing efficiently,” Fonseca says. She soon hopes to get the outside bar ready for customers to enjoy.
Another planned addition is a deck with more seating.
“We are hiring,” Fonseca says, “especially experienced cooks.”
Jesse Jays: 5471 Muddy Creek Rd., Churchton; 240-903-8100; www.jessejays.com
