At that time we were not given confirmation, but I just got off the phone with a Lifetime employee from the Rockville/Potomac location and was told that they will be opening a Montgomery Mall location “within the next couple years.”

I asked if that meant the location on Seven Locks Road would close and was told that the plan is to keep all three MoCo locations open (Gaithersburg, Rockville/Potomac, and the new Bethesda location).


Sweeney was born and raised in Potomac, graduating from Winston Churchill High School in 1988. His first game, ZZT, was made on his computer at his parents home in Potomac, when he’d commute home on the weekends from College Park. It’s considered responsible for the early growth of the company when it was made in 1991.

In 1992, the company name was changed to Epic MegaGames and Sweeney worked hard to grow from a one-person operation to a company with 50 employees by 1997. In 1999, they dropped the “Mega” and Epic Games relocated to Cary, North Carolina.


Smith wrote of a situation that occurred in the same year, involving his capture by the Powhatan tribe. He was brought to meet the chief, but was released without harm when Pocahontas threw herself across his body– effectively saving his life. Smith’s account of the situation has been questioned by many historians, but was sensationalized in Disney’s 1995 animated film, Pocahontas.

Many believe that through the years, the name changed from Captain John to Cabin John.


Paul “Boo Boo” Palmer graduated from Churchill in the early 80s and went on to lead the nation in rushing yards his senior year at Temple University with 1,866 yards. In the same season, he broke Marcus Allen’s NCAA record for all-purpose yards with 2,633. He rushed for nearly 5,000 yards in his 4-year college football career.

Palmer went on to become the Kansas City Chiefs first round draft pick in 1987, drafted 19th overall. After two years with the Chiefs, he went on to play for the Lions and Cowboys, gaining over 1,000 career rushing yards in the NFL.


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