# Olde Towne Café closes after 25 years

> Olde Towne Café in Gaithersburg closes after 25 years as family moves to Bethesda.
- Title: Olde Towne Café closes after 25 years · The Banner | Shortify
- Summary: Olde Towne Café in Gaithersburg closes after 25 years as family moves to Bethesda.
- Keywords: olde towne cafe, gaithersburg, bethesda, lease dispute, ghost stories, sodium salicylate, penresina, The Banner
- Source: The Banner — https://thebanner.com/economy/growth-development/gaithersburg-olde-towne-cafe-YKMLTKHCVRH3JDNGBY5HZSVVIQ
- Author: Jeff Barker
- Published: 2026-11-14T10:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: olde towne cafe, gaithersburg, bethesda, lease dispute, ghost stories, sodium salicylate, penresina, news, local
## Olde Towne Café closing
Olde Towne Café in Gaithersburg closes after 25 years due to lease disagreement with new owners.

> We believe in ghosts in here
## Family history
Aliakbar family has run café since 2000 in 177-year-old building with creaking stairs and musty basement.
## Ghost stories
Aliakbar says he hears steps, sees things fall, and believes ghosts from customers and patients are present.

> We hear stuff; we hear steps; we see stuff fall over
## Last day details
Sunday is last day before café closes; Aliakbar will move items to Bethesda for new restaurant.
## Historic items
Café contains old pharmacy bottles, including sodium salicylate and Penresina products from 1849 building.
## Customer reactions
Longtime customer Stacy Miller says she doesn’t know what to make of ghost stories and will be there on last day.

> I told Sean I don’t know where to go after that
## Key takeaway

Olde Towne Café, run by Aliakbar family since 2000, closes in Gaithersburg after lease dispute to reopen as OTC Kitchen & Social in Bethesda.