First Watch will be adding alcoholic beverages to both of its Montgomery County locations, assuming everything goes as planned in its hearing with the county’s Alcoholic Beverage Seevices (ABS).
First Watch opened its first Montgomery County location in Rockville Town Square in 2007. Seven years later, in 2014, the restaurant opened its second Montgomery County location at 802 Muddy Branch Rd. in Gaithersburg’s Muddy Branch Square- replacing longtime restaurant Finger & Claws.
The franchise owners will have hearings with Montgomery County ABS on Thursday, December 7 on behalf of both MoCo First Watch restaurants for a “New Class B, Beer, Wine & Liquor License, On-Sale Only” license. If approved, drinks could be available at the location as early as 2024.
The name “First Watch” is a nautical reference to the first work shift aboard a ship as First Watch restaurants are only open from 7:00 AM to 2:30 PM. The first location was opened in Pacific Grove, California in 1983 by Ken Pendery and John Sullivan. The chain now has over 500+ locations in 29+ states.
Featured image courtesy of First Watch