Alisha Yocum It seems like Domino’s was always in the works for Marco Paci and his wife, Megan. Born and raised in Montgomery County, Marco started his first job at the age of 14 with Domino’s before he moved to Brazil to complete high school. At age 17, Marco found his way back to the…

James Rada, Jr. When the Discovery Station in Hagerstown decided to move to Fort Ritchie last fall, they were only closed two weeks between the time they closed in Hagerstown and when they opened their new larger location at 14326 Barrick Avenue in Cascade. “In this location, we’ve grouped the exhibits to be more logically…

by Richard D. L. Fulton Claire Frock Company The Thurmont Claire Frock Company was established in 1936, and incorporated on December 23, 1947, by Abraham Jules Bernstein of York, Pennsylvania, in a vacant high school on East Main Street, according to an article published on July 30, 1977, in The (Frederick) News. The News further…

Emmitsburg New Business and Development Briefs The following are the statuses of new businesses and development coming to Emmitsburg from the town planner’s report: Christ Community Church (Creamery Road) — Awaiting the submission of updated improvement plans. Emmit Ridge — Road closure and street cut plans have been received and reviewed. Improvement Plan is currently…

Alisha Yocum Sara Kep, owner of Sara Kep’s Kitchen in Thurmont, saw her dream come true after starring in the “Farm to Skillet” segment of Maryland Farm & Harvest. The show, which airs on PBS, has reached more than 19 million viewers since its debut in 2013 and showcases agriculture-related stories from across the state.…

Alisha Yocum Midnight Hour Tattoo, owned by Shawn LaFramboise (pictured right), has opened its doors in downtown Thurmont at 113 East Main Street, offering custom tattoo work in a studio that feels more like an art gallery than a traditional shop. LaFramboise relocated to Maryland from Maine in mid-2025, and he chose Thurmont as the…

Meritus has a new option for when you need to visit a health care professional in the evening, but don’t necessarily need the Emergency Department. Meritus Fast Lane Care is open from 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. in Suite 147 of the Robinwood Professional Center, located at 11110 Medical Campus Road in Hagerstown. Staffed by…

by Richard D. L. Fulton Boyle’s Store Boyle’s Store, also known as the B. H. Boyle Store and as the B.H. Boyle and Sons, opened in Emmitsburg in 1933 in an empty 25-foot by 16-foot storeroom, located at 304 East Main Street, that had been vacant for 20 years, according to a June 6, 1946,…

The following are the statuses of new businesses and development coming to Thurmont from the town planner’s report: Subdivisions: Hammaker Hill, Phase 2 (Westview Drive) — 22 single family lots in R-2; Under construction. No remaining lots. Mechanicstown, LLC (Emmitsburg Road) — Final Plat conditionally approved for 31 single family lots in R-2/ ARP. Mountain…

Frederick County’s Woodsboro Bank has appointed Dwayne Myers, CEO of Dynamic Automotive, to its Board of Directors. Myers brings more than 30 years of experience in the local business community. As CEO of Dynamic Automotive, a full-service auto repair and maintenance company, he has overseen the growth of the business to seven locations across Frederick…

Alisha Yocum Carissa Kijowski boot-scooted and boogied her way into her new business, FIBE Dance, back in December 2024, and it has been growing ever since. The company offers line dancing lessons throughout the local area. Kijowski says FIBE stands for Feel Inspired Become Empowered, something she hopes people feel after taking one of her…

Alisha Yocum Jonathan Barton has been a familiar face at the Thurmont Roy Rogers for many years. After serving as assistant manager for three years, Barton stepped into the role of general manager, a position he held for nine years. Recently, Barton was promoted to district manager, where he will now oversee several locations, including…

Emmitsburg New Business and Development Briefs The following are the statuses of new businesses and development coming to Emmitsburg from the town planner’s report: Federal Stone (Creamery Road, east side of U.S. 15) — As-builts for water, sewer, lighting, and landscaping were reviewed. The town engineer inspection took place on December 4, 2025. The bond…

As winter settles across our area, many small businesses face one of the most challenging stretches of the year. Shorter days, unpredictable weather, and tighter household budgets can slow foot traffic and sales, especially for locally owned shops, restaurants, and service providers that form the backbone of our communities. Despite these challenges, community support can…

by Richard D. L. Fulton Gettysburg National Tower The Gettysburg National Tower was previously located near the current Evergreen Cemetery and Taneytown Road private property, adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park. Access to the site was attained via an access road that had branched off of Taneytown Road. The proposal to build the Gettysburg…

Alisha Yocum A new locally owned business is bringing compassionate, dependable in-home care to families in the Northern Frederick County area with the opening of Heartfelt Homecare.  “I wanted to create a service where care truly comes from the heart—where clients feel seen, respected, and treated like family,” Kendra Williams-Ingle said. Williams-Ingle founded the company…

The following are the statuses of new businesses and development coming to Emmitsburg from the town planner’s report: Federal Stone (Creamery Road, east side of U.S. 15) — As-builts for water, sewer, lighting, and landscaping were received and are being reviewed. The town engineer inspected the property on December 2, 2025. Creamery Court Extension (Creamery…

by Richard D. L. Fulton Emmitsburg Water Company The incorporation and first board of commissioners of the “Emmitsburgh (sic) Water Company” was initially approved by the Maryland General Assembly in 1816. The board consisted of Robert L. Annan, Patrick Reid, John Agnew, Lewis Motter, and Daniel M. Moore, according to waterworkshistory.us. A Private Corporation The…

by Richard D. L. Fulton Taneytown Garage The Taneytown Garage (also known as the Taneytown Garage Company) was established in 1914 on West Baltimore Street, selling Ford vehicles and Goodrich tires, according to Images of America, Taneytown. John J. Hockensmith (died 1955) had served as the manager of the company for 38 years until the…

Emmitsburg New Business and Development Briefs The following are the status of new businesses and development coming to Emmitsburg from the town planner’s report: Federal Stone (Creamery Road, east side of U.S. 15) — Awaiting as-builts for water, sewer, lighting, and landscaping for bond release. The grand opening was October 12, 2025. Creamery Court Extension…