Thurmont Business Appreciation Day

The Frederick County Office of Economic Development hosted a Thurmont Business Appreciation Day for a small group of selected businesses on Wednesday, February 17th. This day was dedicated to express consideration and recognition of how four local small businesses faced and thrived the pandemic head on.


The first business was Thurmont Kountry Kitchen where the owners Bob and Sherry Meyers have been in operation since 1984. They have a staff of fifteen employees and they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. One of the things that Bob Meyers expressed that has kept the restaurant going is a “lot of community support”. They are currently offering dine-in and take out. The #1 seller on the menu is their Broasted Chicken which has been featured on Fox 5, Washington D.C. This particular item was recently voted #1 in the State of Maryland. Ohers popular menu items featured are the Pressure Fried Chicken with Potato Wedges and sides such as Coleslaw, Crab Pasta Salad and Macaroni Salad. The dessert menu include such items as their Red Velvet Cake, Peanut Butter Pie, Fudge and Potato Candy.

The seating capacity before COVID-19 was 54 and the square footage is 2,000 square feet which includes a meeting room in the back for special events and parties. Bob Meyers expressed there are two reasons for success, “Take care of your people and give back to the community.” At the beginning of the pandemic Thurmont Kountry Kitchen donated from a small children’s menu 125-170 meals a day to children at the northern end of the County. They also are heavily involved with the St. Jude Foundation. February 17th all proceeds generated were be donated to The St. Jude Foundation. This has been a consistent donation that has been carried on for many years.

Thurmont Kountry Kitchen is located at 17 Water Street, Walkersville, MD and you may contact them at 301-271-4071.


The second in our list of companies was The Busy Bee Maid Service, which was established in Frederick County in 2001 and where current owner Kimberly Workman took over in 2011. The company has eleven employees and is located at 121 East Main Street, out of a 1800 square foot facility. They offer both residential and commercial cleaning. The hours of operation is 5:30am-3: 30 pm Monday-Friday. They currently serve all of Frederick County, Washington County and Leesburg Va. They only use EPA approved products and extend all requirements needed for CPVID-19 protocols. The teams are divided into groups of three, where they meet daily to get their assignments. Owner Kimberly Workman said she has noticed a gradual increase in service compared to the high drop-off last summer. The company has added bulk pickup to their services and are operating with seven company vehicles.

 The website is www.thebusybeemaids.com.

You may contact them at office@busybeemaids.com and 301-271-1170.


The third company recognized is Gateway Printing located at 603 East Main Street, where manager Eddie Ridenour has been there since its inception December 1981. The company operates out of a 4,500 square foot facility and has five employees.

Gateway Printing is a full service printing company specializing in providing printing and related communication services to individuals and companies throughout the tristate area. The company provides a range of graphical services, including one to four conventional color printing, digital printing, graphic design, full bindery and direct mail services.

When asked what was the key to his success Eddie replied “Help everyone out. Be a friend.”

The website for Gateway Printing is www.gateprint.com.  You may contact Gateway Printing at eddie@gateprint.com or 301-271-4685.


Finally there is The Center of Life Pilates & Holistic Health Center located at 105 Park Lane. The owner Marcia Hagemann started the company in 2004 and operates out of a 2800 square foot facility. The facility has two employees and also houses a hypnosis and massage therapy center. Current operation includes four days a week teaching her students using Zoom technology. Marcia says that she had to pivot her teaching maneuver by being more creative and using home devices such as chairs and stairwells.  She has a client list of about sixty students with outreach being as far as Switzerland and Scotland. One of the advantages she has discovered is that she has been able to reach a nation-wide and a world-wide audience.

Pilates is a method used to enhance and flex your body and spine. It is a based resistance procedure that creates length and strength in your spine. Marcia stated she will be glad to go back to have live sessions once the pandemic is over but states she will not stop using Zoom.

The website is www.centeroflife.us.

Contact:  mhagemann@centeroflife.us or 301-748-2284.