Local Bar vs. Nationwide Restaurant & Bar Chain - Reporting from Gaithersburg 6

By Elvan Katmer

Thursday, December 1, 2014

Local Bar vs. Nationwide Restaurant & Bar Chain

Quince Orchard Plaza has two sports bars, but they have very different customers.

Quincy's bar and Grill has been in business in Gaithersburg for 30 years, though it was named Ernie's Bar until Marty and Alexis Magill bought it six years ago.

The small restaurant is known for good food, cheap beer, a jukebox full of classic rock and live music several nights a week.

Quincy's bartender, Stephanie Ayton on the move.

Nearby is Buffalo Wild Wings, a national chain with over 840 locations.

When Buffalo Wild Wings moved  into the plaza, Magills felt threatened at first. The business could be affected by the competition, but it did not happen.

"We expected a 10 to 15 percent hit for the first couple of months. But I literally can tell you, it [Buffalo Wild Wings] actually increased our business," said Mrs. Magill.

The bar has a good regular customer base thanks to its years of reputation at Quince Orchard Plaza. Carlos De La Carrera, a regular customer at Quincy's said the environment is friendly, and you would always see an old friend when you come to Quincy's.

"It feels like you are at a friend's house," he said.

Buffalo Wild Wings has on the other side established its business successfully. According to restaurant's manager Matthew Halbrook who has been running the business since its opening at the shopping center May 19, 2013, the location is great for the sports bar chain, and it helped give a new face to the shopping center along with along with LA Fitness on the opposite side. That's where you go to burn the beer and wings.

"We are bright, we are colorful. We stand out. You can almost see us right off 270," he said. "People see that the shopping center exists."

Buffalo Wild Wings is a large three section bar and restaurant with over 75 HD TVs and a few projectors. Although it seems to have a larger variety of choice when compared to Quincy’s food, serving preconditioned food meant to be prepared, served and consumed quickly doesn’t get thumbs up from customers.

Quincy’s on the other side is almost half the size of Buffalo Wild Wings. Although it gets the highest draw through the football season, Quincy’s is not the best place to watch football according to Ryan Kwasnik, a server at Buffalo Wild Wings.

“I go there. I like Quincy’s, but I would never go there like on a Sunday or Saturday night to actually watch a game,” he said.

What draws people to Buffalo Wild Wings are sound quality, TVs and the stadium like atmosphere. Sound is adjusted to the sections. Lounge area by the bar is where people come together, watching the games drinking beers and yelling. Rise section is preferred by families for its surrounding, and low dine is the place where speakers are less loud.

“I could see the game in every direction,” said De La Carrera. “There are some TVs that are showing the same game, but at the same time you still see up to five or six games.”

A total of 67 people work at Buffalo Wild Wings, but some customers say they don't have the same skills as their counterparts at Quincy's.

Erik Mercilliot, shopper at Quince Orchard Place who has been to both bars complained about servers at Buffalo Wild Wings.

“The one time I went, the girl [server] was like ‘Sorry that the service is crappy,’ and then still continued to give us crappy service,” he said.

Consistent staff at Quincy’s also helps business. One of the bartenders, Paul Watson now in his early 70s, is still bartending now two days of the week at Quincy’s since its first day in Gaithersburg. It receives compliments about staff’s professionalism, friendly and swift service along with food quality.

A local real estate agent in her mid 50s, Laura Patterson recalls the days she came here as a teenager. She has been a regular at Quincy’s since the restaurant, then Ernie’s, moved to Gaithersburg from Rockville in late 1976.

“There is nothing fancy about it. It is the people that go there and the atmosphere,” she said.

Quince Orchard Plaza Survives Reconstruction - Reporting From Gaithersburg 5

By Elvan Katmer

Thursday, November 5, 2014

 

Quince Orchard Plaza Survives Reconstruction                                          

A reconstruction project at Quince Orchard Plaza has hurt business at several shops, but retailers say it should help in the long run.

“Stores Open” signs posted on the constructions

area fences.

Federal Realty Investment Trust has been partially reconstructing the Quince Orchard Plaza as a part of modernization project, bringing discount grocery store Aldi to the shopping center.

As a part of the project, an addition and a reconstruction was approved on November of 2013.

A pizza restaurant Cici's, a small grocery store Gourmet Grog, a fitness salon Studio X and two empty spots could not renew lease or were not leased to allow renovations. The space being built is already leased by Aldi grocery store.

According to Federal Realty development manager Nick Over, the renovations are projected to be completed by year 2015. The goal is to make shopping plaza less like a strip mall, with more lighting and fewer dark corners.

According to construction superintendent James Grose, nearly 19000 square feet retail space is being added by removing useless breezeways in between stores.

“It is going to be a fairly tall building,” he said.

Brandon Tolley, assistant Manager at Staples, which employs more than 20 people, said it was forced to downsize 50 percent for the additions.

“We were either going to move out of the shopping center or we were going to downsize,” he said.

Along with the added space to the building Staples partially gave up, three stores on a total of 8,155 square feet area will be settling in the plaza early in next year. The spaces are still in lease negotiation.

Because of the construction, some customers thought stores at the mall had closed, but business owners say they hope to get them back once it’s over.

“The day that they started clearing out the stores, people were coming in a lot less frequently,” said Tolley.

Still, they were not affected as badly as they had anticipated.

According to Alexis Magill, the owner of Quincy’s Bar and Grill that has been in the shopping center over 30 years with different names, her business gets affected slightly early evenings Thursday through Saturday because people can’t find a parking spot. Construction took away 50 parking spots.

Due to construction, businesses lost power several times up to six hours. There has been a gas leak that they had to evacuate the stores. some stores lost power a few times and the main road in the plaza has been closed time to time.

"We will be sitting down and discussing there issues with them [Federal Realty officials]," Magill said.

But overall, thanks to her regular customer base she is not much worried about the revenue her business lost so far. She said her numbers were very close to previous year, yet it is hard to gain new customers.

"We have actually been doing okay," she said. "We have a day bar business that virtually not many people in the area have."

She thinks their business will get better than it was after the project is completed as the bar will have a broader view from outside and the renovations they will have later will give more space to the restaurant.

Federal Realty development manager, Over said they will also renovate inside of some retailers' space after project is complete.

"The end result will be worth it," he said.

Jean Tagro, general manager for LA Fitness that has been in the shopping center for two years also thinks project is going to improve his business once it is complete. For the same reason he does not complain about parking hassle, noise or water being shut down occasionally because of the construction.

“It’s for a better place,” he said. He thinks parking will still be an issue after the construction though. “It is a hassle, and it is going to be more of a hassle.”

He sees the negatives effects but expects the good outcome afterwards.

“You’ve got to be positive my man. [My expectation is] a little bit of chaos. But at the end of the day it is going to work.”

 

 

 

Missing Clarksburg Children’s Family Needs More Volunteers for Search - Reporting From Gaithersburg 4

By Elvan Katmer

Monday, October 13, 2014

Missing Children’s Family Needs More Volunteers for Search

 

Volunteers are still needed in the search for two Clarksburg children since Sept. 7.

Search leaders discussing next briefing while one
volunteer is waiting for assignment.

Jacob Hoggle, 2, and Sarah Hoggle, 3, went missing at separate times along with their mother who has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

A volunteer community search was conducted in Germantown, Darnestown, Clarksburg and Damascus this weekend. Volunteers met at Germantown Community Recreation Center and were given briefings and directions to areas by the leaders.

Search leaders share information only with the police about the areas they search, briefings they provide to the volunteers, and residential areas they visit distributing fliers.

“They are trying to make sure details stay constant,” said volunteer Vicki Smith.



Volunteers search in group sand each group return to community center once they cover the given area. Areas include woods, tree-houses, homeless camps, abandoned properties or open fields.

Each area takes two to four hours depending on the size and field conditions.  Some groups are assigned for field search while others are visiting communities handing out fliers.

The search leader, who is also missing children’s aunt, Raelane Turner said they need more volunteers.

“We need to get people out there searching woods, and we need to get people doing fliers,” she said.
According to Turner,  family members did not realize their children’s disappearance because their mother, Catherine Hoggle, 27, said Jacob was at a sleepover on Sept. 7 and she said she took them both to a daycare once their father asked about Sarah on Sept. 8. She claimed she did not remember where the daycare was when she and Troy Turner, children’s father, drove off to pick them up. She went missing getting off the car while they were looking for the daycare, when Troy mentioned going to the police.
Searches conducted since their disappearance by Montgomery County Police and volunteers. Catherine Hoggle, 27, was found in Germantown Sept. 12 and arrested. She has not told the police where the children are or what happened to them.

Volunteer Luis Somarriba said they are there to help the family find their children. According to Raelane Turner, there were 40 volunteers on Saturday and less on Sunday even though there had been more people in their earlier searches.

Neither Turner nor volunteers reveal much feeling about Catherine Hoggle’s not speaking out.

Lorite Burns one of the earliest volunteers said the family members were more realistic today, the aunt mentioned they are at least looking for a recovery. She said searchers share anything they find notable with search leaders, who pass them on to Police.

“Police are doing their own thing. But, this is not a police-run thing right now,” she said.

The volunteer search is being assisted by KlaasKIDS foundation, a national organization dedicated to stopping crimes against children. The group sent a GPS system, provided maps and helped better organize the search.

“I wish we had known about them the first week,” said Turner.

Family members believe the children are with someone who does not realize they are missing. They hope that the fliers will help someone recognize the children the next time they are taken out in public.

But one frustration they have is that many people mistakenly think the children were with their mother when Hoggle was found.

“Some people think that the children are safe, so everyone is not looking out,” said Turner.

Searches will continue until children are found. Next weekend volunteers will meet at Germantown Community Recreation Center on Saturday and Sunday, Oct.18 and 19, between 9 a.m. andp.m.Turner said people can reach her texting 301-538-9372 during the week if they want to volunteer.

The family is offering a $25,000 reward for tips that will lead to Jacob and Sarah’s safe return.They set up a website to announce details and accept donations for searches http://findsarahfindjacob.com/.

 

Update: The children are still missing. 12/22/2014

En Son Haymana'da Görüldü Hocam

Bazen soruyorum kendime, "Neden bu ülkede yaşıyorum?" Korkular geliyor aklıma; çocukluğum, lise yıllarım ve gelecek korkusu. Korkudan başka bir şey aşılanmıyor çünkü o yıllarda.

O korkuyla hatalı seçimler de yaptım doğal olarak. Yapmadığım da var. Ne olacağımı bilmek. Yine de doğru yaptığım bir şey vardı. "Ben doktor olmam," demiştim anneme daha okula bile başlamadan önce.

Ne olacağımı belirlememiştim. Tabii yarış atı gibi, girilecek sınavlardan başka bir şey düşünmeden geçen yıllarda ne olmak istediğini düşünmek zor iş. Üstüne üstlük rol model de yok.

Benim kişisel olarak benimsediğim tek meslek, çocukluğumdan bu yana öğretmenlikti. Sebebi cok açık. En çok gördüğüm model öğretmendi. Günde yedi, sekiz saat öğretmen. İlkokulda çok da iyi bir öğretmenim vardı, şanslıyım o açıdan. Ama ilkokulda veya lisede öğretmenlik benim işim değilmiş, çok sonra anladım.

Lisede İngilizce, Matematik'ten kolay gelince olanlar oldu tabi. Matematik hayatım boyunca kolay bir ders olmadı, ama liseye kadar hiç bir zaman kötü de olmadı. Lise birinci sınıf matematikten nefret sebebim oldu. Düzeltelim, lise bir değil matematik öğretmenim. İsim vermeyeyim, o öğretmeni bir daha sınıfta görmemek adına, matematikle bir daha hiç karşılaşmayacağım yabancı dil bölümüne devam ettim.

Ettim de fena mı oldu? Yok, mevzu o değil. Hiç ders çalışma gereği duymadan liseyi başarılı bir şekilde bitirdim. Aynı şekilde, çok çalışmaya gerek kalmadan üniversiteyi. Kolaydı çünkü. Beni zorlayan bir mevzu yoktu ortada. Yazık oldu diyorum, kapasitemin dörtte birini bile kullanma gereği duymadim.

Şimdi bu ülkede meslek sahiplerine bakıyorum. Geçmişe geri dönesim geliyor. Ancak şimdi görebiliyorum olmak istediğim kişileri. Hepsi matematikle ilgili. Mühendisliğin her türlü dalı ilgimi çekiyor.

Buradaki bir lise öğrencisine sordum matematikten kopma sebebim olan formülasyonu. Hani şu f(x)=(.....) diye başlayıp devam eden konu. Türkçe'si fonksiyonlar. Çocuk anlattı, anladım. Bir yanlışlık olmalı, bu kadar basit miydi bu? Tekrar sordum, yok o kadar basit. "F" İngilizce "function" kelimesini temsil ediyor. Türkçe'ye fonksiyon diye çevrilmiş. Fonksiyon ne demek bilmiyoruz tabi. Bilsek anlayacağız. Oradaki "f" harfinin rakama görev veya işlev yüklediğini anlasak, soru soru bile değil, o kadar yani.

Neyse, baştaki soruya gelelim. "Neden gelmiyorsun Türkiye'ye? Ne var Amerika'da?" Ciddi söylüyorum, yok bir şey. Çalıştığının karşılığını veriyorlar, o kadar. Buranın koşullarına göre iyi de değil, ama Türkiye ile karşılaştırınca iyi geliyor. Yoksa buranın fakirlerindenim.

Madem istediğimizi olamadik, olacağımızda istediğimiz gibi iyi olalım bari.

Şimdi Türkiye'ye gelsem ne olurum diye sorunca da hemen alıveriyorum cevabımı. Öğretmen oldun mesela, asgari ücretle bir başla bakalım derler. O olmadi çevirmen oldun diyelim. Gecen gündüzün olmaz. Nedense sevemedim Türkiye'nin çalışma koşullarını, işverenlerini, devlet dahil. Ben de burayı memleket edindim kendime. Doğduğum yer değil, doyduğum yerde yaşıyorum. Bizde olduğu gibi, burada da yobaz var, ama olsun. Onu da idare edeceğiz artık.

Gelelim başlığa. Onun hikayesini anlayan anladı. Şimdi yazı uzun olursa, sıkılır okumazsınız . Ziyan olmasın. Bir sonraki yazıya artık. .