What's Next For Glen Burnie's Landmark Restaurant? A New Food Hub

Updated 3:06 p.m.

GLEN BURNIE, MD — The property that once housed two restaurants in Glen Burnie has sold for more than $2.1 million.

Hyatt Commercial announced in a Friday release that a buyer represented by MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate Services purchased the building at 625 Greenway Road SE.

The building most recently housed Mike's Inland at Sunset, which announced its closure in August after three years in business.

Before Mike's, the facility housed the Sunset Restaurant for six decades, ultimately closing the doors during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2020.

Before the sale, officials said the structure underwent extensive interior renovations.

"The property’s established restaurant use and recent improvements were key considerations in the transaction," George Shenas, of Hyatt Commercial, said in a statement.

"The sale marks a transition in ownership for a well-known Glen Burnie location."

The restaurant sold for $1.5 million in 2023 when it changed ownership, according to the Baltimore Business Journal.

Who's The New Owner And When's It Opening?

The restaurant is now under the ownership of former software developer Gretchen Moran, who acquired the property through her company CSQ Holdings, LLC.

MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate Services said in a release that the 13,000-square-foot space will operate as The Culinary Square, a licensed shared kitchen for food trucks, caterers, and specialty brands, among other start-up projects.

Moran said in a statement that she saw the landmark property as a means to "build something that makes real, positive difference in our community."

"After a successful business career, I saw that so much of what we eat is over-processed and shipped in from far away, and that takes a toll on people’s physical and mental well-being," Moran said in a statement. "Local food makers are the answer to that, but too many of them don’t have a place to produce, grow, and reach customers."

Moran's vision for the Glen Burnie property is to configure the space to support up to 50 operators who will work there for about 18 to 36 months before advancing their business to the next level, according to the release.

The business will include space to host a variety of events, such as cooking classes.

"Food entrepreneurs are a special group of people. They’re deeply invested in their work, emotionally and financially. Many work themselves to the bone without seeing significant financial reward, but they keep going because they love what they do. The Culinary Square is designed to make their path easier: the right place to operate, the right equipment, and a community of people who understand what they’re building."

The Culinary Square isn't expected to open until next spring.

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