Starvin Marvin’s Pizzeria & Grille has announced that it will close after 38 years in business, bringing a close to a well-known local brand with deep roots in Gaithersburg and Frederick. The owners shared the news in an emotional social media message titled “The End of Our Era,” saying they are ready to step away from the pizza business after nearly four decades.
The original Starvin Marvin’s opened in Gaithersburg in 1982. The Foundas family purchased it in 1987 and quickly expanded, opening a Wheaton location in 1990. That restaurant operated for a few years before closing, but the Gaithersburg shop remained a neighborhood favorite for decades. In 2009, the family opened a second location in Frederick, which later became their sole restaurant when the Gaithersburg store was sold in 2012 to two longtime employees who wanted to take ownership of the place where they built their careers.
In their announcement, the owners reflected on the generations of families who dined with them and the many regulars who became like family. They shared memories of team meals inside the restaurant, school and corporate catering events, and the pizza eating contests held during Frederick’s Fourth of July celebrations. Many of the familiar faces behind the counter were relatives, including their children and cousins, as well as friends who grew up alongside them…