Five new businesses to know about in Westminster

Westminster is having a moment. Multiple new businesses are at various stages of opening in Westminster, from a coffee drive-thru already operating on Englar Road to a wine bar coming to Main Street this fall.

Coincidentally, this activity comes just as the City Council is moving to simplify site plan rules that have long made it costly and slow for downtown businesses to open or change use. Council President Tony Chiavacci called the council’s progress on this issue, through Ordinance 2026-01, "a much bigger deal than people probably realize” during an April 13 City of Westminster Mayor and Common Council meeting. Council Member Daniel E. Hoff added, "We want to be a business-friendly city. We want to thrive in downtown, and I think this new ordinance helps us achieve that."

On May 21, the Westminster Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of Ordinance 2026-01 to the Mayor and Common Council. The ordinance creates an exemption for properties in the downtown parking area from needing a full site plan when changing use, ending what staff called a "catch-22" that had been stalling businesses trying to open or convert downtown storefronts.

But even without those business-friendly changes in effect, new activity can be spotted around Westminster. Here are five new businesses that have recently opened or that are coming soon to the city.

Husky Hut Coffee Co. opened on Englar Road earlier this month and has already found a following. The drive-thru operates out of a converted bus in the lot beside Bowman's Feed & Pet at 107 Englar Road, run by husband-and-wife team Andrew and Robin Cooper.

The menu leans into adventure and the outdoors — drinks like the Grizzly Latte and Gold Rush Latte reflect the Coopers' background as avid travelers who have visited 30 national parks and whose toddler has already been to Iceland, Greece, and Italy.

Robin Cooper said the goal is straightforward: "Our primary goal is to be a tiny bright spot in people's day. We want people to leave feeling 'seen' and appreciated."

The community responded. By the end of their second week, the business had sold nearly 1,000 drinks. "There has been an outpouring of community support and positive response," she said. "People seem really excited to have a different drive-up option than the big chains."

On Sunday, June 1, veteran area chef Jeff Keeney launches Savoré, a five-course pop-up dining experience at the Westminster Riding Club. Tickets are $55 per person, and the event is BYOB. He wants to set expectations upfront: "If you're looking for Outback or Longhorn, I'm not the person for you."

Keeney has deep roots in the regional restaurant scene. He spent seven months working without pay as a dishwasher at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida, before earning his way into the kitchen, and has since owned five restaurants — including Doobies in Canton and Crazy Lil's in Federal Hill.

Most recently, he ran The Chef Jeff Experience in Hampstead, where he built a following for boundary-pushing cooking. "We did a lot of stuff there that I never thought we'd do," he said. "Beef heart was a popular thing; snakehead was a popular thing. We kept pushing it." His instinct for what would sell was usually right: "I would say, 'I'm going to run this because I want to try it myself' — and then it would sell out."

Shop Rebels, a lifestyle boutique that has operated online since 2018, is opening its first standalone storefront at 37 E. Main Street this summer, directly across the street from the Westminster Branch of the Carroll County Public Library.

Owner Perla Lay is targeting a July 2026 opening. "Opening on Main Street is a huge milestone for us and feels like a natural extension of what we've been building online since 2018," she said. As an online business, Shop Rebels has since grown to roughly 29,000 TikTok followers, with Lay building her audience through live sales and storytelling.

Lay moved to Westminster from Montgomery County last August after buying a home with her husband, and began noticing the for-rent sign on the Main Street space earlier this year.

The store will carry clothing, books, home décor, accessories, and handmade gifts, with an aesthetic Lay describes as whimsical, gothic, cozy, and alternative. One of the brand's signature offerings is its "Blind Date with a Book" series, in which customers receive a wrapped book selected by genre, paired with a styled item that matches the genre.

A new wine bar is coming to 73 W. Main Street this fall. The Double Barrel Tasting Room, which will sit adjacent to RockSalt Grille in a two-unit commercial building, is being opened by co-owners Ashley and James Ratino and will be the first establishment in Carroll County to feature an automated wine-pouring system.

The bar will have 24 taps offering pours in half-ounce, 2.5-ounce, and 5-ounce sizes — designed so guests can sample widely without committing to a full glass. Ashley Ratino said the concept is built around making wine feel accessible, not intimidating. "We will have a constant rotation of wines that support small, family-owned, and unique wines with a small selection of local wineries as well," she said. "We want each experience to be different, and we want wine to be approachable."

The menu will also include beer, mocktails, iced coffee, and charcuterie. Bottles will be available for retail purchase. The Ratinos plan to host bi-monthly wine classes and will offer the space for private event rentals once it opens. The second unit in the building will be a photography studio, according to the building's owner.

Wingstop, the national wing chain, has been in the works for Westminster since 140 Village Shopping Center on Jermor Lane announced in December that the brand would be joining the center alongside Crunch Fitness and Brewery Fire.

The announcement racked up reactions and shares on social media. Crunch has since opened, Brewery Fire appears to be progressing, and construction on the Wingstop space is now visibly underway.

A Westminster location would be Wingstop's first in Carroll County. The chain has locations in Gambrills, Glen Burnie, Germantown, and other parts of Maryland. No opening date has been announced.

Do you know about a new business coming to Westminster? Send in your stories.

Photo: (clockwise starting from the left): future home of The Double Barrel Tasting Room on Main Street, Westminster Riding Club - the home of pop-up Savoré, the future home of Wing Stop in the 140 Village Shopping Center, the future home of Shop Rebel on Main Street, and Husky Hut Coffee Co.’s converted bus opeating at the site of their future brick and mortar location.