Fry Guy Southern Homestyle Cuisine has closed its Gaithersburg location. The restaurant opened at 7601 Airpark Rd Suite B in Gaithersburg, the former site of Penang Garden, in July of 2021 and offered a wide variety of southern cuisine. Fry Guy has an additional location in Capitol Heights.

Per the Fry Guy Southern Cuisine website: “Fry Guy Southern Homestyle Cuisine is a family owned black business that is centered around great cooking, love family recipes with a southern homestyle flavor. Fry Guy was a name given to me by a close friend because I always use to cook fish and chicken in the early morning hours and he started calling me Fry Guy.  But it didn’t start there my cooking was inspired by watching my grandmother cook and helping her clean fish for dinner.  She loved her some fresh fish and I loved her cooking, so I watched her every moved in the kitchen.  Yes, grandma Dorothy “Dottie” Johnson I paid attention. I can also remember growing up in my neighborhood “Lincoln Park” when Mrs. Beet Offutt and Ella Hawkins will sell Friday night dinners  and the whole community would be talking about it and they would sell out so fast because it was that good.  As a child that always stayed in my head of how good the food was when they cooked along with my children grandmother Francis Hawkins whose chicken I would do anything for I mean it was the best.  I can’t leave out my mom who made the best old bay chicken ever the Queen B.  As time went on my passion grew for cooking on the grill  and watching people enjoy eating my food, from having the fish fry’s  on the football field for coach Rob Hill (RIP), holidays and selling dinners for my Germantown Hardknocks Basketball AAU program.  Cooking at coach Big Dog house after a great season or tournament and seeing how it bought everyone to gather in  love and happiness, I knew I was going to open a restaurant one day.  I use to tell my son one day were going to have our own restaurant and here it is Fry Guy Southern Homestyle Cuisine.  GOD IS GOOD”


(~145a) 15200blk Dufief Dr, off Darnestown Rd, SFH, kitchen fire @mcfrs PE731, PE732, PE708, PE703, PE722, T731, PAT708, RS703, M731, BC703, BC705, RS729, AT703, A732, ALS708 & others responded, all occupants got out, fire extinguished, no injuries , 1 family displaced pic.twitter.com/Hgs97dc2Xm

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) March 13, 2023


Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 17-year-old from Gaithersburg.

Jeisy Aryani Lopez Lopez was last seen on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at approximately 9 a.m., in the 500 block of W Diamond Ave. Lopez Lopez is approximately 5-feet, 4-inches tall and weighs 200 pounds. She has brown eyes and black hair. It is unknown what she was last seen wearing. Police and family are concerned for her welfare.


Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 15-year-old from Montgomery Village.

Benito Mabilo was last seen on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at approximately 2 p.m., in the 20200 block of Lea Pond Pl. Mabilo is approximately 5-feet, 8-inches tall and weighs 130 pounds. He has brown eyes and black hair. He was last seen wearing a black jacket and grey sweatpants. Police and family are concerned for his welfare.


With Lakeforest closing in just a couple weeks, we felt it was time to bring back an old favorite here at The MoCoShow. Our founder, Mr. MoCo (Alex T.) has previously stated that some of his fondest MoCo memories took place at Chi-Chi’s (photos of the Lakeforest location below). Growing up in Gaithersburg, he and his family would frequently go to the Lakeforest location for dinner– it was the restaurant that introduced him to fried ice cream.

Chi-Chi’s also had a Rockville location in Wintergreen Plaza that later became Broadway/Ted’s 355 Diner and is currently Habit Burger and Jersey Mike’s. Tough the restaurant chain left town approximately two decades ago, Lakeforest never replaced it (located across from the old Lakeforest Silver Diner). The vacant location was closed off, but a few years backthe window covers were temporarily removed and MoCo resident Jeff Melia was able to take a few photos through the window. Inside were the ruins of days past.


Mayor Jud Ashman and members of the City Council will host the annual State of the City Address on Thursday, March 30, 2023, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Rosborough Cultural Arts Center on the grounds of Asbury Methodist Village. In addition to the Mayor’s annual address, the event also includes the presentation of awards for the Distinguished Resident, Outstanding Organization and Distinguished Friend of Gaithersburg, and serves as the final official event for Junior Mayor Loriele Nix.

Stacey Simon, City volunteer & Educational Enrichment Committee Chair, will be presented with the 2023 Distinguished Resident Award. The Outstanding Organization Award is being presented to Seneca Creek Community Church in recognition of its contributions to the Gaithersburg community. The Distinguished Friend Award will be presented to Jessie Chew, owner of Subway in Olde Towne, for supporting Gaithersburg Community and Homeless Services.


Per Montgomery County: The Paws in the Park Dogwalk and Festival will return to Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm in Gaithersburg from noon-4 p.m. on Sunday, April 30. After a three-year hiatus during the COVID-19 health crisis, the Montgomery County Humane Society will hold the event for the 22nd time to raise funds to help homeless cats and dogs. Bohrer Park is located at 506 South Frederick Ave. in Gaithersburg. Pets, dog owners and families will be able to enjoy a one-mile dog walk, an agility competition, contests and games. There will be music, prizes, vendors, food available for purchase and kids activities.

Registration is now open. To register and for more information, go to https://www.mchumane.org/paws-in-the-park-2023.


The Housing Element public hearing draft has been released by the City of Gaithersburg for public comment and can be viewed here. Comments on the public hearing draft may be submitted in writing to the Planning & Code Administration, 31 S. Summit Ave. Gaithersburg MD, 20877, or by email to [email protected]. A joint public hearing is anticipated for June 5, 2023. To ensure that your comments will be included in the public hearing materials packet for consideration by the Council and Planning Commission, please submit them no later than May 9, 2023.

Background: Land Use Article of the Maryland Annotated Code requires municipalities to adopt a comprehensive, or “master” plan composed of various elements, such as Land Use and Transportation, which are intended to guide future growth and development of the City.  In 2019, the State legislature passed HB 1045 requiring all master plans to include a new Housing Element. This new Element is required at a minimum to address the need for affordable housing, including both workforce and low-income housing. The Element may also discuss other facets of housing. The City, over the next several months, will begin working on this new Housing Element, which will include goals and recommendations meant to address future housing needs in the City. Please continue to check this project page for background information, status updates, and engagement opportunities.


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