Firestone’s Culinary Tavern and Sidecare Bar Sold to New Ownership Group Which Plans Opening of Fire & Oak in November
MacKenzie Retail brokers sale of building and restaurant assets for $2.6 million
The buildings housing Firestone’s Culinary Tavern and Sidecar Bar, which served admiring customers in downtown Frederick from 1999 until its closing in 2024, are about to begin the next chapter in its hospitality lives. Nine months after being placed for sale by the Wasley Family, following the passing of restaurateur and founder Kimball “Kim” Firestone, a new owner has emerged in N. Market Venture LLC. The investment group operates multiple restaurants in Frederick and brings a rich background in operating and managing established dining destinations. The group plans to reopen a similar restaurant concept under the name ‘Fire & Oak’ within the separate three- and four-story buildings containing just over 12,000 square feet of space at 105-107 N. Market Street. Henry Deford, Tim Harrington, and Corey Caputo of MacKenzie Retail handled the disposition activities for the $2.6 million sale.
The new ownership group pledges to “emulate and honor the customer experience offered by Firestone’s Culinary Tavern with a distinctive concept which maintains the charm of the downtown Frederick area. With a targeted opening date of mid-November, Fire & Oak will feature Modern American Cuisine with a bar element.
“We achieved the best possible outcome with this sale on many levels,” explained MacKenzie Retail’s Henry Deford. “Our number one priority, which mirrored the wishes of the Wasley Family, was to secure an ownership with extreme familiarity of the former use, as well as the desire to secure the legacy of Firestone’s Culinary Tavern and its founders. N. Market Venture LLC is an experienced restauranteur comprised of area residents, and business owners, that will be a tremendous ambassador for Frederick. Maintaining local ownership represents tremendous news for the Frederick-area restaurant scene, and we also envision Fire & Oak becoming a regional draw.”
According to MacKenzie Retail, one two-story building at 113-115 N. Market Street containing approximately 2,600 remains for sale, with suitable uses including a restaurant concept or dry retail. The site formerly housed Market on Market, a boutique food market and wine shop. 113-115 N. Market Street contains all assets associated with the operation of the restaurant and retail component including kitchen equipment, furniture, and related fixtures.
“We have fielded considerable activity on this building but there still remains the opportunity for potential suitors to express their interest,” said MacKenzie Retail’s Tim Harrington. “A significant selling point is the popularity of, energy in, and momentum of Downtown Frederick, with its many diverse restaurants and shops attracting customers from areas nearby, as well as Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and pockets of Northern Virginia.”
Kim Firestone, a former executive of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, chose Frederick to pursue his culinary passions following a stint working for the United States government in Washington, D.C. Formerly known as Donnelly’s, Firestone transformed the restaurant into a popular gathering place featuring creative breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrées and a full-service bar. In 2015, Firestone’s Sidecar Bar evolved into an upscale cocktail and whiskey bar, incorporating ingredients and a menu inspired by the main restaurant. The successor group, the Wasley Family, operated Firestone’s Culinary Tavern for many years alongside Firestone until his passing in 2024.
MacKenzie Retail is one of the real estate brokerage arms of The MacKenzie Companies, which operates five full-service divisions addressing all real estate asset classes including MacKenzie Management Company, MacKenzie Contracting Company, MacKenzie Capital, and MacKenzie Investment Group. The company provides customized real estate solutions for institutional owners, investors, private companies, and individuals. For additional information, visit www.mackenziecommercial.com
