by Brandon Cohen ’20

Many Olney residents are excited about the recent opening in the Olney Town Center of IHOP, one of the most renowned breakfast restaurants in the United States, Prior to the opening, one who lived in Olney and wished to eat at an IHOP had to travel to Rockville Pike. Olney already has a few existing breakfast restaurants such as Panera Bread, Starbucks, and Dunkin Donuts. IHOP, on the other hand, is a breakfast restaurant where one can have a leisurely relaxed sit-down meal.

Although many are happy to see IHOP open in Olney, it is another chain-business that replaced a local one – in this case, Sakura. This reestablishes the fact that Olney is changing. Most of the long-time businesses that previously existed in Olney are gradually being replaced, outnumbered, and overrunned by chain or commercial businesses. Chick-Fil-A, another chain business, moved to Olney last year in December, and has drawn many fast-food goers. Just 10 or so years ago, Olney was viewed as a community with its own unique feel, in part because of locally owned restaurants and business. Increasingly, Olney’s commercial areas look indistinguishable from those found in thousands of suburban communities across the country.