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New liquor store, where to watch the Super Bowl, the only visitor's guide locals need...
Naptown Scoop
February 07, 2025
TOGETHER WITH
Good morning, Annapolis. To all the anti-Chiefs fans out there, we Eagles fans welcome you with open arms.
In today’s Naptown Scoop:
New liquor store
Where to watch the Super Bowl
The only visitor’s guide locals need
Let’s get to it.
— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, Duffy Perkins, & Ryan Sneddon
SPONSORED BY ANNAPOLIS MALL
Valentine’s Fun for the Whole Family! 💘
Join Annapolis Mall, Discoveries, and Annapolis Moms for a heartwarming Valentine’s Day event filled with crafts, treats, and sweet surprises!
📖 4 PM – Kick things off with storytime at Discoveries: The Library at the Mall
🎨 4:30–6:30 PM – Decorate a treat bag, enjoy crafts & music, and stroll the mall for Cupid-approved goodies from participating retailers!
Registration is required for kids only (adults do not need tickets). Want to spread even more love? Bring a donation for the Discoveries Community Pantry and help local families in need.
💕 Don’t miss this FREE family-friendly event. 👉 Click here to reserve your spot!
THE DIGEST
The biggest stories we covered this week
We get it. There’s lots of info in Naptown Scoop these days. Upwards of 75 stories per week. So every Friday, we like to revisit and summarize the biggest ones.
🇲🇽 Agave, a popular restaurant hailing from the Delaware beaches, closed up shop abruptly in West Annapolis. According to their social media post, none of the Delaware locations are closing. In fact, they have expansion plans. In a survey where over 1,000 of y’all answered, the top choices to replace it were non-Mexican ethnic food like Indian, Mediterranean, etc. and a food hall with lots of different vendors.
🌉 Governor Moore revealed the design of Baltimore’s new Key Bridge. While not exactly in Annapolis, we covered the collapse so we’re covering the rebuild. Construction should be done by 2028.
🚓 Anne Arundel County PD unveiled a brand new real-time surveillance center. There are even options for residents and businesses to register their security cameras.
Most clicked stories of the week 🏆
Monday: (Good) Ideas wanted for Carrs Beach
Tuesday: Agave in West Annapolis closed 🌮 🍹
Wednesday: Hey Macklemore Scoop, can we go thrift shopping?
Thursday: Caliente Grill’s Experience Peru
Will the real City Dock Park please stand up?
It seems that Scoop readers, much like Scoop writers, are fans of keeping it simple. In our re-run survey for what the new City Dock park should be named, City Dock Park took 60% of the 650 votes. Second place with just 16% of the votes was the current name, Susan Campbell Park.
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LOCAL BUSINESS
Foodie Friday: The best places to watch a big game in Annapolis
Personally, I watch the Super Bowl at home. Something about the homemade snacks and comfy couch does it for me. But if you like watching out of the house, here’s where recommend based mostly on how many TVs there are.
🏈 Miller’s Ale House at Annapolis Mall. Over 60 TVs so no matter what side of the table you’re on, you’ll never crane your neck for a good view. Bonus: they’ve got great food, huge portions (good for sharing), and reasonable prices.
🏒 JB’s in Severna Park. Over 40 TVs so you never miss an explosive Saquon Barkley touchdown. Also a gigantic menu so everyone’s going to be satisfied. Even the notoriously hard-to-please vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free eaters. Not a dig. We love, y’all.
⚾ Acme Bar & Grill. Gotta have a downtown option. Acme doesn’t have an eye-popping number of TVs, just 10, but hear me out. It’s not that big, so everyone gets a great view. Again, no neck craning. Go ahead and order the Acmepolitan. It’s a burger topped with crab dip. Yum.
🏈🏌️♂️ X-Golf. By far the most fun place to watch. Watch the game and work on your game? Sign me up. They’ve got gameday specials, too.
⚽ West End Sports Bar & Grill. I honestly don’t know how many TVs they have but it’s a lot, the staff is friendly, and it’s a great place to watch a game. Plus they have the dirtbike local legend Travis Pastrana double backflip 360ed so that’s awesome.
🦬 Buffalo Wild Wings. Come on, Scoop. . . a chain? Yes. You can’t write a sports bar list without the king. It’d be like listing the best pizza toppings without including cheese. Just because it’s basic, doesn’t mean it doesn’t belong. Oh, and they also have the most TVs of anyone on this list with 65.
🏇 Dark Horse. 27 TVs and a super local feel. Not many out-of-towners happen to find their way to Dark Horse. This is where the locals watch.
🍀 Galway Bay. Just kidding. This is one of the only bars in Annapolis without a TV so if you want to escape Super Bowl crowds this Sunday, head on over to Galway Bay for some delectable Shepherd’s Pie.
Oh, and of course, GO BIRDS 🦅
Raise a glass to Spirit Shop of Annapolis 🍸🍷🍺
Need to restock your bar cart? Join the spirited five-day grand opening bash of the new Spirit Shop of Annapolis! Sip and savor liquor and wine tastings, plus score neat giveaways Tuesday (2/11)–Friday (2/14) from 4–7 PM and Saturday (2/15) from 2–6 PM. Bonus: stock your home bar with the best in beer, wine, and spirits. The Spirit Shop is open now at 2641 Riva Rd in Annapolis. Shaken or stirred, they’ve got something to lift your spirits!
How do you decide which liquor store to shop at? |
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.
A MESSAGE FROM ST. ANNE’S SCHOOL
National Reading Scores Are Down Again…But Not at Schools Implementing the Science of Reading
According to The Nation’s Report Card published last week, U.S. students had record-low reading comprehension scores last year, making an already concerning trend even more worrisome. It’s not all doom and gloom, however…at least not for schools that have implemented—and fully trained their teachers in—the Science of Reading (SoR). In fact, schools teaching a SoR-informed reading curriculum saw a rise in reading comprehension scores, including St. Anne’s School here in Annapolis. St. Anne’s adopted SoR-based instruction over 5 years ago and continues to see the incredible impact it’s making on young readers, including higher test scores. St. Anne’s School recently launched an episode of their podcast series, The Satellite, showcasing the Science of Reading in action. In the episode, educators trained in SoR instruction discuss what it is, how it’s been implemented, and review audio clips showcasing how it’s realized in the classroom daily. Tune in on either Spotify or Apple Podcasts to hear how this cognitive, research-backed approach to emergent reading is changing the game for local students.
WHAT’S HAPPENIN’
A full weekend ahead 🗓
When you think of February, what comes to mind? Valentine’s Day? Black History Month? The Super Bowl? Abraham Lincoln’s birthday? This weekend has events centered on each (except poor Lincoln), so you can observe the best parts of the shortest month all in one weekend.
💘 Friday night is the Sweetheart Dance at the Pip Moyer Recreation Center starting at 7 PM. This Valentine’s Day celebration is for children ages 3–12 with a parent or guardian, and it will include dinner, dancing, and other special treats. Get tickets.
📖 Then you can observe Black History Month on Saturday 11 AM–3 PM at the Museum of Historic Annapolis. There will be an interactive performance from a living historian, crafts, books, exhibits, and much more for all ages.
🍲 And before the big game on Sunday, you can get lunch at the SOUPer Bowl, a donation-only lunch at Heritage Baptist Church from 11:30 AM–1:30 PM. All funds benefit the Light House Homeless Prevention Center.
2025 Tours: Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse
Photo by David Sites
Ahoy there! The Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse is celebrating 150 trips around the sun, and 2025 tour dates are live! Climb aboard for a rare chance to explore a Chesapeake Bay icon’s interior. It’s the last screwpile lighthouse still standing in its original location and it’s been used since 1875 as a navigational beacon and since 2010 as a social media beacon. Rising sea levels threaten its future, and tours help fund preservation efforts to keep the historical structure afloat for generations to come. Don’t miss the boat — reserve your spot!
📍Tours depart from the Annapolis Maritime Museum in Eastport.
P.S. What’s an Annapolitan gotta do to get a lighthouse emoji?! 💡🏠
Introducing the 2025 Annapolis Visitor’s Guide ⛵️
If you’re reading this, there’s a 95% chance you’re in or near Annapolis. So you might be thinking, “Why do I need a visitor’s guide?” Well, my friend, this little book has details on so many great things around town. It’s handy for way more than just tourists. For example, do you know all of the music festivals we have? Or how to navigate downtown on public transportation. It could be useful.
Plus it’s got interesting information on Visit Annapolis’ priorities for 2025, like the Chesapeake Bay Passenger Ferry Feasibility Study. You can get a print copy at Visit Annapolis or access the digital version here.
1 week: Maryland Arts Day 🎨
We hear a lot about “Support the arts!” but how do businesses and organizations in artistic fields actually get the funding and support they need? One great opportunity for Marylanders is coming up next week: Maryland Arts Day, set for Feb. 13 at St. John’s College. This is a chance for networking, advocacy, and strategy with your fellow artists plus legislators, educators, volunteers, and others. Poet Laureate Lady Brion will deliver the keynote speech. Registration is open through Tuesday.
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.
CIVIL NEWS
⚖️ City Council Meeting
Monday’s City Council meeting will cover:
The meeting is at 7 PM at Mayor John T. Chambers, Jr. City Council Chambers (160 Duke Of Gloucester Street Annapolis, MD 21401). The public may attend. Click here to testify or watch online.
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WEATHER
Friday
46 🌡️ 29 | ⛅ | 1% | NW 13 mph (11 knots)
Saturday
33 🌡️ 30 | 🌨️ | 88% | 💨 E 6 mph (15 knots)
Sunday
41 🌡️ 30 | ⛅ | 7% | 💨 NW 14 mph (12 knots)
💧🌡️ Water temperature = 37ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication
LIVE MUSIC LOWDOWN
Friday
49 West | Tom Mitchell & Friends | 8–10:30 PM
Annapolis Smokehouse & Tavern | Nate Finn & All You Need | 8:30 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Dana B | 4–7 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Michael McHenry | 9–12 PM
Brian Boru | Doug Segree | 7–10 PM
The Choptank | Kieran Lally | 8 PM
Galway Bay | O'McPub Band | 7–10 PM
Killarney House | Ciaran Quinn | 7:30–10:30 PM
The Lodge | Dave Tieff | 8–11 PM
Market House | Micheal K | 7–10 PM
Middleton Tavern | Noel & Jeff | 10 PM
Old Stein | Eddie Pasa | 7–10 PM
Pirates Cove | Kurt Gibbons | 7:30–10:30 PM
Rams Head On Stage | Marty Friedman w/ Special Guests | 8 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | Aaron Hawkins | 8 PM
Reynolds Tavern | TBA | 7 PM
Romilo’s Restaurant and Bar | Kick Back Classic | 7 PM
Severna Park Taphouse | Honey Sol | 8 PM
Saturday
49 West | The Candy Rocks | 7:30–10:30 PM
Blackwall Hitch | Life After Dinosaurs | 9 PM
Brian Boru | Lauren and Rusty | 7–10 PM
The Choptank | Shelby Blondell | 8 PM
Coconut Joe’s | Weird Science | 8:30 PM
Great Frogs | Jack Rimel | 12:30–3:30 PM
Killarney House | Kevin Lee | 7:30–10:30 PM
Pirates Cove | Peter James | 7:30–10:30 PM
Rams Head On Stage | The Good Deale Bluegrass & Eastman String Band | 8 PM | Tickets
Rams Head Roadhouse | Four Pocket | 9 PM
Reynolds Tavern | TBA | 7 PM
Romilo’s Restaurant and Bar | Crownsway Band | 7 PM
Severna Park Taphouse | George Evans | 8 PM
Sunday
Great Frogs | Alexander Peters | 12:30–3:30 PM
Brian Ellis, a 1993 Naval Academy graduate, was killed in the plane crash above Ronald Reagan National Airport last week. Ellis – a former Navy football player, Marine Corps officer, and decorated helicopter pilot – was just 53 years old. This episode of the Anchors Aweigh Podcast is dedicated to his memory. During the interview segment, we preview Navy men's and women's lacrosse by talking to coaches Joe Amplo and Cindy Timchal. Listen 🎙️
Upcoming games
Women's Basketball (15-6)
2/8 vs. Lafayette | 4 PM
Men's Basketball (8-16)
2/8 @ Lafayette | 1 PM
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THANKS!
Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who makes a great shepherd’s pie.
