Rocky's pizza downtown hagerstown will have to fin another place in town. The owner after being there for forty+ years. Mike Demming has purchased the entire building, no suprise. Who knows what it will be. Its to bad that Rocky's has to go. It has been a favorite in hagerstown for long time. Does anyone know just what Deming will do with yet another of his 20+ buildings he own in downtown hagerstown? I know he has big plans, but where in the world does he get his money? Does he have a money tree? I'm being serious here, I really want to know whats going on around here.

If he's tossing Rocky's, and Rocky's isn't actually ready to close up shop, then thumbs down to Deming. There's no good reason to give Rocky's the boot and I think it fits in well downtown.

Actaully, the owner of Rocky's will move into another downtown location. So its not like it will be wiped out. Don't know what Deming's plans are but he plans to renovate the building very signifigantly. Again, where is the money coming from here?????

Still a thumbs down from me. Rocky's on the square is one of the few parts of "old skool" Hagerstown that actually works where it's at.

As for the money, Demcore either has some serious credit or some serious investor backing.

I don't mean to be rude but what the hell business is it of yours where his money comes from?

OH I`d say he has control of Htown now. So long It`s been good to know you. He`s like a kid in a candy store.

The town is his to do with what he wants. I agree Greedy. I think some things should stay in place as to keep some of the old look about the square.

I guess next he will want to change the looks of the square. It has been changed 6 times over the years. What`s another gonna hurt???

I wonder what the cost will be to Rockey's, if they had cash reserves for relocation and rehab of another nearby retail space? Also, I wonder how much warning they had to get there financing in order for a move. I hear it might not be til 2010. That is a good time frame. But 2010 will bring higher priced real estate. I know that is the intent of any redevelopment. It is a big deal for a small business & renters.

Ordinarily, I do not care who has money or where it is coming from re: developers. Since it was mentioned I will respond.
I would hope a developer buying up big chunks is not in hock up to his eyeballs, as that would not be good for any town. Then it would be quite applicable to discussion.

I do support development downtown. Hopefully, current renters that r doing well and providing a good product, will feel part of the process. Do not really think about downtown too much. As a city resident I do have a stake in any development. But in the larger scheme of things, no one would listen to me or care about my input or concerns. It is not my money. When its your cash, your in the driver's seat. Your taking the risks.....Bottom-line: We will assess the final product in a few years.

just to let everyone now Rocky's will be open till the begining of 2010, then they have to find another location downtown. (thats what the owner has planned). By 2010, downtown should have some pretty dramatic changes I bet on it. the conods, BISFA, new apartments everywhere, more nightclubs, nightlife, etc, etc. I've read Demcore's plan for the future of downtown, it looks pretty darn cool, and somehow amazing I wish they let the public see it, but they will have to wait.

It begins.

So who else that pays rent to Deming going to get forced out due to rising costs?

You're either with him...or your gone.

Years ago, the Groh family owned most of downtown. They probably did little to improve what was there. Now it's Demming, years from now it will be someone else. Once this gets all settled and all the construction dust dissapates, I only hope that Demming doesn't price the little guy out of the area.

Although Rocky's has been there for a long time, I won't be sorry to see it go, for some reason I just don't like sweat all over my Pizza. That's not one of the most hygenic restaurants in town.

Yeah, but unlike Groh, Mike's plans aren't to sit on buildings and let them deteriorate, so... big difference there.

Last I heard, the city (not sure who or which part) was trying to get Rocky's to move to where the adult bookstore is. The spot on the square is a nice location, but unless Vinny is going to fix it up and make it a little cleaner (which he isn't) then I have no problem seeing him move. I could imagine a nice little diner or something in that spot. Chances are, Mike made Vinny an offer that he couldn't refuse so I highly doubt Vinny got screwed.

Same as the Snow White Grill. Nice place for a small breakfast diner/sub shop.

Give me a break! the rocky's downtown is the worst one...a different location may give it a chance to clean up its act...and since they are renters, it happens...The beadery place moved..

Rockys is a chain shop. If he dosen`t make X amount of money each month he`s gone anway.

here here! everyone sat around and complained about hagerstown being shabby, and now someone is cleaning it up, and people are whining about that? i didnt own any of those places in the first place, so what do i care who owns them now? all i know is there are places to eat, things to do, and the buildings are starting to be rennovated into things other than hooker hotels.

sure there may be problems in the future, but there will always be problems...

demming must be responsible and hard working or he would not have the emans to do all this.

if i have a choice, i'd like hagerstown in the hands of someone that sees enough potential in it to change it for the better, not just sit on it and turn half of it into section 8.


just my opinion.

I think you will find that Deming has owned this building for some time, and if you were to investigate a little further that he has had plans that did no include Rocky's remaining there, for some time as well. It is possible that Deming is not the cause of this necessary change either. I know both Mike and Vinny nad will only state that these are business issues that they, not everyone else, need to work out.

Further, I think the comparison of Groh and Deming owning buildings downtown should be limited to just that, because beyond that similarity, in my opinion, there is little else similar about them, and especially their vision for owning property downtown. Thankfully, Groh has long since read the writing on the wall of the previous M&C, and sold most his properties, just as many other speculative buyers have done over the past 6 years.

Kid beat me to it...I was also going to chime in that Mike Deming has owned the Rocky's building for at least a few years. From what I've heard from the downtown rumor mill, Vinnie will be staying somewhere in downtown, so those of us who work or live down here will still have easy access to his pizza and his oven-grilled italian subs; plus I hear that he's planning on going a little more upscale at the next place. We shall see!

I also rent from Mike (office space) and have had very little interaction with him aside from taking a check over to him every month. But I'm just a little guy and don't rent a space with any equipment that breaks down, and I don't have to call him with maintenance issues (luckily). I know he has a lot of irons in the fire, too many in my opinion. But in his defense and in my past experience with other downtown commercial landlords he's a hell of a lot better than the alternatives...

I didn't mean to compare Groh and Deming in anyother way than property owners. Groh, in my opinion, was nothing more than a property owner, a slumlord perhaps. Whereas Deming, at least has some type of vision for the downtown. Even if it's only to clean it up for resale later at a nice profit.

just curious if the owner of Rocky's pizza is still looking for that "other" place downtown for his business. I would suggest the snow white grill building. The place is up for rental use, and yes its much cheaper than Demming's rent. Anyone know?

I doubt the Snow White Grill is big enough for a pizza place. Could you imagine those huge ovens in that small place? It would probably melt down. LOL

A few other thoughts...

I heard that the Mayor, the City EDC and various different departments - and Demming are working on a plan to make the transition for Vinnie easier.

Demming has owned the building for a few years and he probably has intentions on re-habbing it and up-scaling it. This would mean a rent increase for all who occupy that building. Nothing new, it's a business decision, nothing more, nothing less.

Talking with Mayor Bob on this subject he agrees that having Vinnie and Rocky's downtown is a goal that he feels can be achieved with as little of impact to Vinnie as possible. My understanding is that he has known Vinnie since the mid 70's and considers him as much a part of the downtown as the square itself.

Like I said, the goal is to help Vinnie relocate, not close down his business, and when things are all said and done, it will probably benefit everyone involved.

May I suggest moving Rocky's to City Hall. Put them in the council chambers at least the smell of what would come out is better than the smell of things that come out of there now. LOL More would also be accomplished that would actually benefit the citizens also.

Tony

The thing that I don't understand is why the major downtown developer guy is buying all these buildings now, isn't that kind of a risk to take when you don't know for sure what the future holds in downtown? Just wondering.

"Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." - JFK

"Greed is good." - Gordon Gekko in Wall Street

"No risk, no reward." - SMan (well, not really )