New Mexican restaurant Cinco De Mayo is moving into the Cross Stone Commons plaza, which includes Dunkin’ Donuts, in the near future. The largely anticipated opening date of Cinco De Mayo is unclear, even though a sign on the building says “opening soon.”
The Frederick News-Post interviewed Victor White, chief operating officer of Hogan Construction, the project management and leasing firm for the project. “The [the strip with Dunkin], which is slightly less than 12,000 square feet, will also house Italian and Mexican restaurants and a nail salon. Those businesses will probably open in the summer,” said White.
With yet another restaurant heading into the Valley, Middletown citizens have more choices when they decide to eat out. However, with the number of restaurants in Middletown such as Dunkin’ increasing, the businesses that have been here for sometime such as Main Cup or Starbucks might be impacted.
The Main Cup owner Bob Brenegan said, “Initially, I believe I will have a drop in business, however at the end of the day all businesses tend to help each other.”
Starbucks employee and MHS junior Joey Weiland said, “Cross Stone Commons will affect other Middletown businesses by creating competition, which will in turn raise the quality of products in order to be competitive with one another.”
The time for another restaurant is now, during the school year, because many students living in the area could go to the plaza for an after-school snack. Students who drive have an advantage, because they can go wherever, whenever they want. Students who live in Glenbrook have a greater advantage, because they are within walking distance of the plaza.
“I may walk to Cinco De Mayo after school,” said former James Gang employee and MHS sophomore Zach Clapper, “depending on how good the food turns out to be.”
Glenbrook resident and MHS sophomore Patrick Beckman said, “It makes it easier to eat out with new restaurants in the area because I wouldn’t drive all the way to Frederick for good food when the restaurant is near your house.”
Now that Middletown is open to adding new restaurants, it shows the community has so much room to grow. At this rate, the are could be growing to city size in the next few years.
Some students had suggestions about how it could grow.
“I would add a Red Robin because their burgers are good,” said Beckman, “and I don’t think a restaurant like that in Middletown would get too crowded.”
Others believe we should remove our chain businesses, such as the ones we are currently building to promote local sales.
“I would remove Domino’s because it overshadows local food businesses such as James Gang and Main Cup,” said Clapper.
