We’d like to welcome Classic Bakery, a bakery with a rich MoCo history as the newest member of the MoCo Directory (amazing photos below). The family business was introduced over half a century ago by Grandpa Souren, who discovered his passion for baking in 1947 at the age of 17 in Tehran, Iran. He left his job as a machine mechanic to focus on his small bakery.

Grandpa Souren’s oldest son, Rubic, began helping at the family business when he was just seven years old. Rubic was doing everything from sweeping the floors to mixing large batches by hand– learning the business from the ground up. After immigrating to the United States, Rubic Movsessian and his Grandpa Souren opened Classic Bakery in Gaithersburg in 1991 in its original location in the shopping center that was then home to Hechinger’s and currently home to Bruster’s ice cream.


TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies, announced a recent State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) investment of $200,000 into  Gaithersburg-based Givhero, Inc., a startup company supporting employee health and wellness. This SSBCI investment is from TEDCO’s Social Impact Funds. Givhero’s headquarters are located at 9841 Washingtonian Blvd Suite 200 in Rio Lakefront. “People are connected to causes, deriving meaning, value and motivation when they support a cause they’re connected with,” said Vishal Chintawar (featured photo), founder and CEO of Givhero. “Plus, the workforce is changing and it’s time for employers to change with it by creating new ways to engage with, support, and encourage employees, which is why we created the Givhero platform. Givhero is a simple solution for employers, creating ways to connect and support employees in a way that makes sense to the up-and-coming workforce.”

Givhero, based in Gaithersburg, Md., is a mobile-first solution that lets human resources (HR) teams customize, run and measure well-being programs with a social impact, increasing employee engagement and advance CSR, ESG and DEI objectives. Employers tap into the power of purpose by supporting community causes employees care about and rewarding healthy behaviors with donations to those charities. Givhero can help increase well-being engagement and reduce HR Admin time for value-driven organizations. “Givhero has found a way to support employees while also creating a better community,” said Jean-Luc Park, senior director of Social Impact Funds at TEDCO. “It’s great seeing businesses looking for new ways to connect with their employees. The platform created by Givhero has potential to support and embody a sustainable system that will positively impact businesses as well as the ecosystem.”


Milan Laser Hair Removal, the nation’s largest laser hair removal center, is opening its new Gaithersburg location at 826 Muddy Branch Rd on Tuesday, May 30th. It will open in the space that was previously home to Weight Watchers in the Muddy Branch Square shopping center. Milan Laser Hair Removal has over 200 locations nationwide.

Per a recent press release: “We owe our success over the last decade to our commitment to standing out from the competition,” said Dr. Shikhar Saxena, co-founder and CEO of Milan Laser Hair Removal. “We have 214 (and counting) locations in 27 states because we guarantee our clients’ results for life at one affordable price.” In addition, Milan Laser has always been a medically focused company. Its team of medical experts utilizes ongoing medical research to evolve and refine its proprietary treatment protocol to ensure all providers offer the safest, most effective treatments in the industry for all skin tones. Additionally, all treatments are performed by highly trained medical professionals who are overseen by physicians.


Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Hanan Al-Saghir, a missing 15-year-old from Gaithersburg.  Hanan was last seen on Thursday, May 25, 2023, at approximately 7 a.m., in the 19600 block of Goshen Road.  Hanan is approximately 5-feet, 3-inches tall and weighs 110 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. It is unknown what clothing she was last seen wearing.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Hanan Al-Saghir is asked to call the police non-emergency number at (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line) or the Special Victims Investigations Division at (240) 773-5400. Callers may remain anonymous.


Per the Cities of Gaithersburg and Rockville: As part of National Water Safety Month, the City of Gaithersburg and the City of Rockville are jointly hosting Water Safety Day, a free event designed to help people of all ages safely enjoy water activities throughout the summer. It takes place on Friday, June 2 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the  Water Park at Bohrer Park. The event will be held rain or shine.

Water Safety Day includes information booths, lifeguard demonstrations, instructions to safely assist someone struggling in the water, the importance of sunscreen to prevent skin damage, and free swim lesson screenings.As a bonus, when you attend Water Safety Day and visit the various information booths, you can stay to enjoy a free swim. An adult must accompany children under the age of 14.


Most City facilities & offices are closed on May 29, 2023, in observance of Memorial Day, with the exception of the following:

Recycling will be collected the preceding Saturday, May 27, 2023. Bulk pick up is unavailable. Note: Regular trash & garbage collection for City residents is handled by private contractors. Please contact your HOA or your private contractor regarding the holiday collection schedule for these materials.


Permanent signage is up and construction is ongoing at the upcoming Neal’s Bagels in Kentlands. Neal’s Bagels is  relocating from its current location about a mile and a half away at 12141 Darnestown Rd in the Potomac Valley shopping center in Gaithersburg. The Jewish deli has been there for about 30 years, previously operating under the name Bagels Delox.  The new shop will be located in the Kentlands paseo, next to Burtons and across from RanKen Noodle House. Originally scheduled to open this month, we’re told the store is now on track to open in June. The Darnestown Rd location will remain open in the meantime.

 


Updated to reflect Kentlands Baby Bar has postponed the Grand Opening date to Saturday, June 24th (initially postponed to the 17th, which will now serve as a soft opening)

Kentlands Baby Bar has announced it has pushed back its Grand Opening Celebration to 10am on Saturday, June 17th. “Please join us for a fun day of face painting, balloon animal making, and t shirt decorating while checking out the newest baby friendly spot in Kentlands!” It will open at 375 Main St. in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood.


Per MCPD: Gaithersburg teen has been arrested and charged with murder, in connection with the shooting death of an 18-year-old inside of the Wheaton Metro station on Thursday, May 18, 2023. 16-year-old Emmanuel Leonard Simmonds is accused of shooting and killing Tenneson Vaughn Leslie, Jr., of Greenbelt, on the Metro train platform following an altercation. Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes detectives learned that Simmonds and other juvenile males were on the escalator, along with Leslie, Jr., and a group of friends, when a physical altercation between the two groups occurred.

The altercation escalated and Simmonds allegedly shot Leslie, Jr. before boarding a train and leaving the scene. Detectives were able to identify Simmonds as the shooter, and a warrant for his arrest was requested. Simmonds is charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He is also charged with first-degree assault, reckless endangerment and possession of a loaded handgun. Simmonds has been charged as an adult in this murder.


View More Stories