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🍦Cracker Barrel Coming Soon

🍦Cracker Barrel Coming Soon

Zachary’s small business grant, PRS Guitars exhibit, Movie night at Reynolds Tavern...

Naptown Scoop
June 27, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Annapolis. How many times have you heard, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity” this week? Always a classic.

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Zachary’s small business grant
PRS Guitars exhibit
Movie night at Reynolds Tavern

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, Duffy Perkins

Annapolis Mall’s Got a Brand New Playground

Let your littles explore a kid-powered city filled with imagination, play, and creativity! Be With Me Playseum officially opens today in Macy’s Center Court—come celebrate the grand opening starting at 10 AM!

Each family gets $12 in Playseum Dollars to spend at Creation Stations!

Then keep the fun going all weekend long (June 27–29) with giveaways, hands-on play, and a special Sunday event featuring free books, sweet treats, and inspiring guests.

🎁 Opening perks include a birthday party giveaway, early bird admission deals, and a 3-month membership offer.

Perfect for rainy days, birthday parties, and spontaneous adventures.

Grand opening is here. Come play!

THE DIGEST

The biggest stories we covered this week

📻 WRNR is back on the Annapolis airwaves on 93.5 FM and 810 AM. We missed this.

⚓ Approximately 1,200 intrepid young men and women reported to the Naval Academy for Plebe Summer yesterday. The men don’t have any hair now and they’re all tired and sore already.

🪖 Elsewhere at the Naval Academy, Capt. Gilbert E. Clark took over as commandant. It’s the Naval Academy’s version of a dean of students.

🎸 The Dirty Heads are (is? Who really knows) headlining the Annapolis Songwriters Festival which runs September 11–14.

Most clicked stories of the week 🏆

Monday: Carr’s Beach project inches forward
Tuesday: Hidden Gem: Club 164
Wednesday: Carpaccio/Cavalli Annapolis 🍝
Thursday: Capo Deli opens on Main Street 🥪

Historic Annapolis opens PRS Guitars exhibit 🎸

It’s time to riff on history a little bit: 40 years ago, Paul Reed Smith started making guitars by hand right here in Annapolis and launched Paul Reed Smith Guitars, mostly known as PRS Guitars. Yes, one of the leading manufacturers of acoustic and electric guitars in the US began in a garret on West Street. While the current HQ is across the bridge in Stevensville, Paul still lives right here in Annapolis. He’s also in a great band called Eightlock which is playing at Rams Head on July 16.

Historic Annapolis is paying tribute to 40 years of PRS Guitars with a new exhibit at its museum (99 Main Street, Annapolis) that provides an in-depth look at how Paul got started, how his business grew, and what guitar manufacturing actually entails. Stop by Thursday–Monday 10 AM – 4 PM.

🔎 Did you know: Smith has personally made guitars for big stars like Carlos Santana and Peter Frampton. They’re also a favorite of John Mayer.

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LOCAL BUSINESS

Foodie Friday: Comfort Desserts 🍪🍩

Anyone who knows me (Lauren), knows the hilarity of my foodie advice. I once put BBQ sauce on sushi . . . BUT I know desserts, and these two Annapolis sweet spots deliver. Literally. So, go ahead and indulge. Need a gift or a way to cheer someone up? Think of them.

The Cozy Cookie: The veteran-owned bakery offers military, police, fire, and EMS discounts. They bake dye-free treats like almond biscotti, raspberry cheesecake cookies, brookies (brownie + cookie), and more. I had a recent delicious delivery of M&M cookies and brownies packed with Oreos. I’m eyeing the apple snickerdoodle cookies this fall. Yum!

Sandy Pony Donuts: Want delivery and a storefront? Sandy Pony Donuts is next to Chevys at 2444 Solomons Island Rd, Suite D1. The hardest part is picking just one, so order a dozen. My family loves the Charlie Brown, Blueberry Pie, Salted Caramel (with pretzel bits), Pony Party (for our sprinkle lovers). Their menu photos may cause drooling. You’ve been warned.

Ground cracked for Cracker Barrel 🪏

Groundbreaking (uh, groundcracking?) has occurred and construction is underway on a new Cracker Barrel location near the Annapolis Mall. The freestanding restaurant is moving into the space where the old Fuddruckers used to be (RIP those milkshakes), next to Uncle Julio’s. An opening date for Cracker Barrel has not yet been announced but will likely be this winter. Just in time for all-day breakfast on a cold day. ($)

Important question: Which would you rather have? Cracker Barrel’s legendary shop or Fuddruckers’ legendary milkshakes. . .

Deadline approaching: Zachary’s $5k small business grant

Zachary’s Jewelers is no stranger to giving back. If I had a dollar for every time they supported a local nonprofit, I could buy one of the new Breitlings they just started carrying. Right now, they’re looking for a small business that uplifts the community, invests in its people, and operates with empathy, intention, and heart. And they’re going to give that small business $5k to support its mission. Sound like your business? You better hurry. The application deadline is July 1. Apply here.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

What we’re up to this weekend

Stay cool, my friends.

Outdoor concerts
Friday night sees free concerts at both Annapolis Town Center and Goshen Farm in Cape St. Clair. Whether you hit up the food trucks or bring your cooler, this is summertime fun at its finest.

Eastport a Rockin
Four stages, 40 bands, one day: this festival is a hometown favorite. Their website is down (as of press time) so check Facebook for regular updates. They’re still looking for volunteers if you can help out. That lets you enjoy the shows without a $40 wristband. 11 AM – 8 PM.

Annapolis Blues Doubleheader
The heat wave broke just in time, amiright? By this point, you’ve likely been to a game or six. But if you still haven’t, this is the place to be on a summer Saturday. The way these athletes move that ball will have you saying, “I have never run that fast in my life.” Women start kicking at 5 PM; men follow at 7. One $17 ticket gets you both games. Btw, this is the last doubleheader of the summer.

Classic movie night at Reynolds Tavern
They’re showing Jaws at dusk on Sunday. The film has a lot of history around it, including that director Steven Spielberg began having panic attacks after wrapping filming on Martha’s Vineyard. Not because he was scared of sharks, but because the production was so chaotic and he thought it would flop and ruin his career at just 26 years old. By the end, he was so stressed he didn’t show up to film the final scene. He was convinced the crew would throw him in the ocean after the final “CUT!”

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

WEATHER

Friday

76 🌡️ 72 | 🌦️ | 56% | 💨 ENE 10 mph (9 knots)

Saturday

85 🌡️ 75 | ⛈️ | 60% | 💨 SSE 9 mph (8 knots)

Sunday

86 🌡️ 76 | ⛈️ | 39% | 💨 ENE 6 mph (5 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 81ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

NAPTOWN SCOOP LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN IS POWERED BY. . .

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

NAVY SPORTS

Louridas Tapped as Captain; Robinson as Deputy Captain of the Captains ⚓️

The Naval Academy is full of traditions. And since Scoop’s writing staff includes several former team captains, we love this one. Maren Louridas and Landon Robinson have been named the Naval Academy’s 2025–26 Captain and Deputy Captain of the Captains, respectively. Every year, these positions are selected by the captains of all 36 varsity sports teams. They work hand in hand with Academy leadership to guide Navy’s student-athletes.

Louridas, a two-time women’s basketball captain, is a three-year starter and 4.0 GPA cyber operations major. Robinson, a football nose guard and co-captain, earned First-Team All-AAC honors and landed on Bruce Feldman’s “Freak’s List” for his elite strength and athleticism. What’s it take to get on the Freak List? In Robinson’s case, squatting 650 pounds, benching 435, and a 33-inch vertical leap.

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THANKS!

Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with the person who most recently wrote you a thank you card.

🍦Cracker Barrel Coming Soon

Zachary’s small business grant, PRS Guitars exhibit, Movie night at Reynolds Tavern...

TOGETHER WITH

SPONSORED BY ANNAPOLIS MALL

Annapolis Mall’s Got a Brand New Playground

THE DIGEST

The biggest stories we covered this week

Most clicked stories of the week 🏆

Historic Annapolis opens PRS Guitars exhibit 🎸

LOCAL BUSINESS

Foodie Friday: Comfort Desserts 🍪🍩

Ground cracked for Cracker Barrel 🪏

Deadline approaching: Zachary’s $5k small business grant

SPONSORED BY LIBBEY’S COASTAL KITCHEN

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

What we’re up to this weekend

WEATHER

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

NAPTOWN SCOOP LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN IS POWERED BY. . .

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

NAVY SPORTS

Louridas Tapped as Captain; Robinson as Deputy Captain of the Captains ⚓️

THANKS!