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VOL.22, NO.1
F O R
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O V E R
5 0 JANUARY 2025
More than 125,000 readers throughout Greater Baltimore
Decades of restaurant success
B-1
Is a niche retirement community for you? By Eileen Daspin Baby Boomers have been shaping consumer goods and services since they were in onesies. Now, history’s most influential generation is fueling the growth of the next logical sector: the niche retirement community. Niche retirement communities are exactly what they sound like. They’re residential developments — urban, suburban and even seafaring — designed to appeal to narrowly cast affinity groups, from Jimmy Buffett fans to yoga practitioners. And they come in almost every type of senior accommodation — from active to independent, assisted living through continuing care. Niche projects account for a small percentage of the nation’s 50,000 or so senior communities and facilities. But they are “the segment to watch,” said Andrew Carle, an adjunct lecturer on aging and health issues at Georgetown University and a consultant to the field. For example, there are five to six dozen university-based retirement communities (UBRCs) for retirees who want to return to the student and academic life. There are some two dozen properties focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender seniors. There are retirement communities for retired postal workers, equestrians, environmentalists, RV enthusiasts and fans of singer Jimmy Buffett. Even Disney is getting in on the action. It’s about to launch Storyliving, a planned community in California “for the next chapter of your life” that includes a 55+ neighborhood. Boomers, who are hitting 65 at the rate of 10,000 people a day, are buying in. “A developer could open a Grateful Dead community and fill it quickly,” Carle said. “I can virtually guarantee it.”
INSIDE
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MINTO COMMUNITIES
Prior to getting into the restaurant business, Will Reich said he and a business partner, William “Little Willie” Adams, collaborated and purchased the Mondawmin shopping center in Baltimore, now called the Mondawmin Mall. “Owning the shopping center was a major stepping stone for me as a real estate developer,” Reich said. Eventually he purchased Jilly’s in 1984 and The Pike’s seafood diner in 2006. In 1992, he opened another Jilly’s in Ellicott City. At one point, the family owned four diners: two in Pikesville and two in Ellicott City.
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At Latitude Margaritaville in Daytona Beach, Florida, like-minded older adults live in a retirement community inspired by Jimmy Buffett’s laid-back style. Niche retirement communities are becoming more popular throughout the country.
‘Keep it interesting’ Sheer numbers dictate there simply could never be a one-size-fits-all answer to Boomers’ retirement years. Boomers account for one-fifth of the country’s population. That’s 73 million people looking for places that reflect their personal preferences. For developers, that equals a lot of niches that are both sizable and scalable. “The old model was very leisure-centered,” said Lindsey Beagley, director of Lifelong University Engagement at Arizona State University, which has a retirement complex on campus. But, she said,
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“People can’t golf for 30 years.” Niche retirement communities, of course, are not for every Boomer or Gen Xer, and most people still prefer to age at home. “The idea of living in a retirement city doesn’t appeal to me,” said Nancy Farkas, a 60-something derivatives lawyer in New York City who is weighing her retirement options. “I don’t want to be in a place that’s only old people.” Instead, she’s choosing to live aboard the MV Narrative, a luxury residential yacht scheduled to launch in 2027, then sail from port to port on a year-round
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basis. “I just want to mix things up and keep it interesting,” Farkas said.
Classes to stay sharp When Arnold Victor, a retired pediatrician, began looking into continuing care in 2021, he saw The Mirabella at ASU, a 20story luxury apartment complex and UBRC on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe. Instantly Victor knew he’d found his new home. “It was, ‘Oh, yeah, this is the place,’” he remembers thinking. See NICHE, page B-2
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Wilbur Reich and his wife, Jill, founded two beloved Baltimore County restaurants, Jilly’s Ale House and the Pike’s Diner and Crab House, decades ago. Their son Scott Reich and his wife, Kathie, run Jilly’s today.
They’ve since downsized to operate the remaining two Pikesville businesses, both of which are located on Reisterstown Road. The two restaurants consistently attract large numbers of customers on a daily basis. Jilly’s specializes in breakfast and American fare throughout the day, while The Pike’s is mainly known for steamed crabs, crab cakes and other seafood dishes. Both eateries offer alcoholic beverages and live music on weekends. Reich says his restaurants’ decades of success stems from the idea behind the TV show “Cheers,” in which the staff treated customers like family. “I wanted places where everyone feels comfortable amongst one another. And that’s the vibe that’s offered when you visit The Pike’s or Jilly’s,” he said. He said the family also values having a
clientele of diverse ages, cultures and ethnic backgrounds.
Recovering after a fire Four years ago, Jilly’s was the site of arson. No one was injured in the fire, but the building was destroyed. Authorities eventually arrested a homeless man for intentionally setting the fire. Current owners Scott Reich, Will’s son, and Kathie Reich, his daughter-in-law, were determined to rebuild. “After more than 40 years in business, we felt inclined and motivated to restore and rebuild the restaurant,” Scott Reich said. “We were encouraged by many of our customers to reopen and bring the business back to life. We’re considered a community staple, and to not reopen would See RESTAURANT, page 12
BY TERESA CASTRACANE PHOTOGRAPHY
A stepping stone
BALTIMORE BEACON — JANUARY 2025
PHOTO COURTESY OF REICH FAMILY
By Timothy Cox Wilbur Reich and his wife, Jill Reich, are local celebrities in the northwest Baltimore neighborhoods of Pikesville, Park Heights and Pimlico. The couple, now in their 80s, is widely known for their longtime ownership of two popular Pikesville restaurants: The Pike’s Diner and Crab House and Jilly’s Ale House, which is now owned by their son and his wife. The Reichs are also known for their open hearts, charitable donations and willingness to help others who are less fortunate. Now 86 and facing health challenges, Wilbur “Will” Reich still manages to go into work at The Pike’s a couple of times each week. He maintains an office at the rear of the restaurant. In a recent interview with the Beacon, Reich (pronounced Rich) reflected on his early days before he and his wife became restaurant owners. Having grown up the eldest of four in the Park Heights-Pimlico area, Reich was 19 and fresh from a two-year stint in the Navy when he married his 18-year-old bride. She was still in high school. Eager to start a family, Reich recalls working several jobs to make ends meet. Stocking grocery store shelves, selling cars and working as a movie theater usher, he helped care for his growing family. The couple welcomed four children: Scott, now 64; Wendy, 63; Tracy, 61; and the youngest son, Brian, 52. Will and Jill celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on May 31, 2024.
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