City of Bowie trying to attract Trader Joe's?

According to the Bowie Star, State Senator Doug Peters plans to file a bill with the Maryland General Assembly to allow a grocery store in Bowie to sell alcohol. The bill was initiated by Bowie City Manager David Deutsch and the City Council as a way of attracting a specialty grocery store like Trader Joe's to Bowie.

The spaces left vacant by Giant Food in Bowie Plaza and Pointer Ridge Plaza are both appropriate locations for a specialty grocery store.

Alcohol is prohibited for sale in Maryland grocery stores as a general rule, but exceptions exists, including exceptions for several stores in Prince George's County.

Trader Joe's said that opening a store in Bowie is not in their two year plan.  Trader Joe's does not currently have a store in Prince George's County.

The Bowie Star article is not yet posted on-line, so you'll have to grab the paper from your driveway to read the article (Bowie pursues liquor license for specialty grocery story, Bowie Star, Thursday, November 24, 2011).

House Explosion in Pointer Ridge, January, 1974

A house at 902 Placid Court in Bowie's Pointer Ridge section exploded around noon on Sunday, January 20, 1974. The house was destroyed, but all eight occupants miraculously survived. According to the Washington Post, three nearby homes suffered serious damage, and nearly 30 homes suffered some damage. According to the Baltimore Sun, the blast was heard twelve miles away.

The cause of the blast was traced to a leaking propane tank. A resident in the home was running an auto body shop from the house's garage. According to the Baltimore Sun, the garage contained propane tanks, acetylene gas, gasoline and welding equipment.

The home was being rented at the time of the explosion.

Police recovered what they believed to be drugs from the scene, including 15 pounds of marijuana, hashish, LSD and amphetamines.

Click on one of the pictures to view a zoomed-in slide show.

The rubble left after the house at 902 Placid Court in Bowie's Pointer Ridge section exploded.

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court. Note the helicopter in the background. Some victims from the explosion were airlifted to local hospitals.

902 Placid Court

According to the Washington Post, three other houses were seriously damaged from the blast, and about 30 houses suffered some damage. No one was home at this colonial next door to the explosion.

904 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

Officials check for natural gas leaks before cause of the blast was determined.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

• Previous:  Snowstorm in Bowie, January or Feburary, 1974
• Next:  Citrus Sale in Bowie, 1973 or 1974
• Complete Listing

Artisan Sweet Shop to Open in Bowie Plaza

Cookies, gourmet cupcakes, tarts and more will be available when The Cake Courtesan opens in Bowie Plaza in January. Owner and former Bowie resident Sharon White will open her shop in the location formerly occupied by the Home Plate Restaurant (next to Subway).

The Cake Courtesan is currently an Annapolis based custom cake boutique that makes wedding cakes and other celebration cakes. White also owns Nostalgia Cupcakes, a gourmet cupcake retail outlet on Main Street in Annapolis. The Bowie location will offer a combination of cakes, cupcakes and other sweets. The cupcakes will be sold under the Nostalgia Cupcakes name, and White plans to close the Nostalgia Cupcakes Annapolis location.

Here's how Sharon White describes the new new store in her own words.

The Cake Courtesan will be opening in January and will be a full service artisan sweet shop. We will be offering cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, tarts, cake truffles, etc and will be available as a retail store with walk in hours. We will offer customized fondant design occasion and 3-D cakes by special order only. We will also offer cupcakes via Nostalgia Cupcakes, which will be closing out of Annapolis this winter.

Our focus is to bring high end designer styles and exotic cake flavors to Bowie and Prince George's County. All of our products are made from scratch and we use high quality ingredients. Our motto is No Shortenings, No Mixes, No Imitations, No Shortcuts. Ever.

I chose Bowie because I used to be a Bowie resident and have always loved It. I owned a home in Highbridge Park and always wanted to come back. I think the Bowie demographic deserves cupcakes and designer cakes! So, I'm excited to be opening, and I hope that Bowie is excited to have me!

The Cake Courtesan's new location in Bowie Plaza next to Subway

The Cake Courtesan's new location in Bowie Plaza next to Subway

Links

• The Cake Courtesan photo gallery
• Nostalgia Cupcakes photo gallery
  

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Snowstorm in Bowie, January or February, 1974

Hear are pictures in the aftermath of a small snowstorm in Bowie in January or February, 1974. Click each picture to see a larger image.

About 7 1/2 inches of snow.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

• Previous: Belair National Bank at Bowie Plaza, Fall, 1973
• Next:  House Explosion in Pointer Ridge, January, 1974
• Complete Listing

Magnitude 5.8 Earthquake Shakes Bowie

Buildings shook, pictures fell off walls, and items fell off shelves in Bowie today as a 5.8 magnitude earthquake shook the city. The quake was centered about 100 miles away in Mineral, Virginia. There are no reports of any major damage in the city at this time, although Prince George's County Police have reported multiple incidents of structural damage to buildings, including one in Oxon Hill, one in National Harbor and a Target store in Forestville.

The City of Bowie sent employees home early, and closed city buildings.

Prince George's County Schools canceled Tuesday evening activities , and canceled Wednesday classes. Thirty-two public schools in the county remained closed on Thursday, including Bowie's Yorktown Elementary School.

A 3.6 magnitude quake centered in Gaithersburg, MD shook the city a little over a year ago on July 16, 2010.

Click here for the USGS information on the quake, and click here for a USGS list of recent earthquakes.

UPDATE

The following aftershocks have occurred:

• Magnitude 2.4: Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 11:27:47 AM
• Magnitude 2.3: Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 02:37:31 AM
• Magnitude 4.5: Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 01:07:50 AM
• Magnitude 2.5: Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 12:06:47 AM
• Magnitude 3.4: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 12:45:26 AM
• Magnitude 4.2: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 08:04:36 PM
• Magnitude 2.2: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 03:20:26 PM
• Magnitude 2.8: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 02:46:50 PM

Click on image for larger image

Share your Bowie Memories!

The City of Bowie is encouraging current and former Bowie residents to come and share their Bowie memories in an informal setting on Wednesday, August 24th from 10am to noon at the Bowie Senior Center, 14900 Health Center Drive in Bowie. Refreshments will be served.

Bowie's Historic Property Manager, Pam Williams, will be on hand to facilitate the discussion. The city has created a historical timeline of events, and participants are encouraged to fill in any gaps. A sign-up sheet will also be available for people interested in being interviewed for an oral history of Bowie.

Click here for more information.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

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Railroad Inn's Brother Conway Passes

Arthur "Brother" Conway, owner of the shuttered Railroad Inn, passed away on Thursday, August 18th, 2011. Click here to see the death notice, calling hours and funeral details in the Washington Post. Click here to view or sign the guest book on the Robert E. Evans Funeral Home site.






Below is a collection of memories of Brother Conway and the Railroad Inn from the Bowie Blade-News.

• After 56 years, Old Bowie's Railroad Inn closes, Bowie Blade-News, July 6, 2006. You'll notice in this article that Brother Conway isn't quoted. I've heard that he generally disliked talking to the media.

• Take a dip into Railroad Inn famous pizza, bleu cheese, Bowie Blade-News, January 25, 2007.

• Readers' views, Bowie Blade-News, July 13, 2006.
  

Brother Conway

This is not a letter about politics, high gas prices or increases in electricity. This is about the passage of time and many memories of the robust gray-haired guy with a twinkle in his eye - Brother Conway - the owner of Railroad Inn.

When visiting Railroad Inn, children were always welcome, you were greeted with a big smile and escorted to a table in this family eating place. A recent Blade-News obit for Thelma Ameling, a longtime Bowie resident, highlighted her enjoyment of weekly dinners with friends at Railroad Inn.

Twenty years ago when our daughter got married, pizza was on the menu for her bridal luncheon. When our kids and their families return to town, Railroad Inn pizza was always on the list of do's. One pair of grandkids was convinced that Santa ate there and took a long route to the exit to avoid him. We have been regulars along with others for years. After dinner we sat back and my husband enjoyed a beer while Brother and I had coffee and solved worldly problems.

Railroad Inn along with our favorite "maitre-dooo" will be missed.

You can always visit the Brother's Railroad Inn at Independence, Kan.

LYLE & PAT VERBEEK
Glenn Dale



Bear's last call

On June 30, after 56 years of continuous service to the community, the Railroad Inn gave last call and closed its doors.

The family-owned restaurant has served generation after generation of Bowieites its famous pizza. It has been the meeting place for birthdays and weddings and funerals for almost as long as I've been alive and that is no small feat.

My name is Bear and I've tended bar there since 1977. Some of you might know me. I have been standing behind that bar since I was 28 years old; turned 30 behind it, then 40, 50 and seven more years to boot. I grew up there and it has been a part of my life for more than half of it. I've laughed and cried and flirted and socialized with people. Mostly, though, I opened beers for them and poured drinks and sold pints of liquor. If I told all the stories I knew, I'd have to leave town.

Don't worry, however, the secrets are safe with me. That is what a good bartender does. I just want to take this opportunity to thank each and every person I ever waited on or worked with in that old joint. Drive safely and be well. It's been a real pleasure having known each and every one of you. This chapter is closed and life in the "Smoke Laden Room" is gone but not the memories and good feelings I have about the good people of Bowie. I'll be around and we will see each other again, I hope. In the meantime, here's to ya.

BARRY HARRIS
Bowie

• Aunt Agatha on Politics, Bowie Blade-News July 13, 2006
  

Oh dear, the end of an era: The Railroad Inn has shut its doors in Old Bowie. Now that's a loss!

Auntie remembers the fare at Brother Conway's establishment with fondness. It was basic, reasonably priced food served with a smile (well, not by Brother, who was as cheerful as a winter blizzard) by the personable waitresses.

Not too many newcomers to Bowie will know about the eatery since Brother never advertised, refused all requests for interviews and had no signs pointing the way to the inn hidden behind a bank and adjacent to the railroad tracks.

But we old-timers will miss it. Auntie wishes Brother the best of luck in his leisure days.