South Laurel
Local news covering Laurel Lakes, Victoria Falls, Oakcrest, Montpelier, and the Route 197 corridor
Gary’s Automotive Bids Goodbye
Customers of Gary’s Automotive were shocked to see an August 17 Facebook post from the business stating that it would close permanently on August 28. The family-owned-and-run business was founded in 1987 by Gary and Beverly Uhlman, with their son, Gary, Jr., and other family members eventually joining the staff. They originally rented space in the Laurel Commerce Center, then moved the business to a larger site on Braygreen Road.
Bev told me that Gary Sr. had stepped away from the business last year to volunteer for Vehicles for Change, a non-profit organization through which he taught returning citizens to be auto mechanics. Meanwhile, Bev was recovering from a serious auto accident and had not worked in the shop for a while, with granddaughter Emily taking over her reception desk post. So, earlier this year, the couple decided it was time to officially retire to a house they’d built in Gettysburg, PA. While Gary Jr. is not yet ready to retire, Bev said he is contemplating a career change, potentially one in which he could use his commercial driver’s license, earned while serving in the U.S. Marines. He and his wife will join them in Gettysburg.
For almost 40 years, the Uhlman family earned a reputation for honesty, fair pricing, and good customer service. This was reflected in Facebook comments that started appearing shortly after the closing was announced. Many people told stories of how Gary’s had helped them during a car-related emergency, lamented the community’s loss, and wished the family well in their next chapter.
Speaking for her family, Bev Uhlman expressed thanks and appreciation for “all the wonderful customers we’ve had over the years.” She noted that some of Gary’s original customers from his time at Exxon in the 1970s had followed him when he opened his own shop, and then their kids and grandkids also took their cars to Gary’s. “It’s been a generational business for us and for our customers,” Bev said, “and we’re grateful for everything.”
New Eateries in South Laurel
After sitting empty for a few years, the Laurel Lakes Centre building that housed Red Lobster was razed in early August, leaving behind a pile of rubble. The site won’t stay empty long, though, as a Raising Cane’s is being constructed there. Known primarily for its chicken finger meals, Raising Cain’s is a Louisiana-based company with over 1,000 sites across the country. As of early October, no opening date had been given, but more than 30 job openings for the Laurel site were already listed online, including line work at $16.50/hr. and salaried management positions starting at $61K.
Meanwhile, across the street, a potential competitor in the chicken finger business emerged suddenly, when the former Soul Boat Seafood restaurant closed and a Hello Chicken appeared in its place. Open for business since August, the restaurant, located at 13929 Baltimore Avenue, offers fried chicken and waffles, chicken sandwiches, fried rice, and yes—chicken fingers.
Beltsville Residents Sound Off on Planned Crematorium
When the Borgwardt Funeral Home in Beltsville was granted a zoning permit last year to add an on-site crematorium, residents began voicing opposition. To address their concerns, a public informational meeting was held on August 18, at which the funeral home owners, the company that manufactures and installs the equipment, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), and the general public all could present their information and opinions.
Donna Mabry, daughter of owner Donald Borgwardt and herself a licensed mortician and funeral director, assured attendees that, as fellow residents of the community, her family would “never do anything [harmful] to our community.” She explained the need to evolve to accommodate a growing demand for cremation—which is now requested 52 percent of the time and is expected to keep rising. Currently, Borgwardt must ship bodies to Alexandria, VA, for cremation, adding time and expense to the process. Based on 2025 business figures, she estimated the funeral home would perform about 150 cremations a year, amounting to three or fewer each week. When a member of the public asked if Borgwardt would allow other funeral homes to use their crematorium, Don Borgwardt said there were no plans at all to do that, “although if someone else’s [equipment] breaks down, we would help out in an emergency,” he added.
Paul Seyler of Matthews Environmental Solutions, the leading manufacturer of crematory equipment, explained how the cremation process works and the safety measures and monitoring services that oversee operations. He stressed that today’s technology has greatly reduced emissions and mitigated other safety concerns to the point that there is almost no environmental risk.
Residents raised concerns over particulate matter, potential mercury emissions, and the fact that Beltsville already has a very high Environmental Justice score of 83—representing an underserved and overburdened community, in part because of high exposure to emissions. But not everyone was against the crematorium: one resident said cremation is a responsible land-use option; another said that, based on what he learned in his long career as a public health expert on emissions, “If you’re opposed to this, you also have to be against Panera Bread and the trucks that deliver their food,” which he said release higher levels of toxic emissions than a crematorium.
The public will have more time to study and comment on the proposal, as the next step in the county approval process is to obtain an Air Quality Permit, contingent on an inspection study by the Maryland Department of the Environment.
Diane Mezzanotte is a staff writer and member of the Board of Directors for The Laurel History Boys. In addition to covering Laurel city municipal news, she also reports on all things from South Laurel.
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