I saw this post on Facebook and wanted to learn more about the history of this legendary DCL business.
Dominik’s Pizza was located near the post office on Deep Creek Drive in McHenry. It was operated by local restauranteur Brenda McDonnell from 1988 until 1995. Turns out from reading the comments in the Facebook post, I had several friends who worked there over the years. It then morphed into Pizzazz Pizzeria in 1996 which was located in the lodge at Wisp Resort. When I was in high school, I spent plenty of time warming up in the lodge with a HUGE slice of pizza at Pizzazz. Brenda has owned and operated many different businesses here at Deep Creek Lake – Ace’s Run, Brenda’s Pizzeria, Trader’s Coffee House and most recently Firewater, a waterfront kitchen + bar. Brenda is a Garrett County ALL STAR and has contributed in so many ways to our community. She was interviewed by my colleague Terah Crawford back in 2022:
These comments are filled with fond memories and praise for Brenda and her pizzeria. Many people express how Brenda has touched their lives, highlighting her generosity, kindness, and strong work ethic. Several commenters recall personal experiences, such as working at Dominick’s, enjoying the food (especially pizza and pepperoni), and how Brenda always made people feel like family. There are mentions of the pizzeria being a gathering place for families, celebrations, and milestones. People also appreciate her contributions to the local community and the long-lasting impact she’s had on Garrett County. Overall, the comments reflect deep affection and respect for Brenda, her business, and the memories people have from the pizzeria.
Facebook post summary
I also found this snippet with a little more background from the Lakefront Magazine:
Courtesy Lakefront Magazine April 2022
Dominick’s & Pizzazz Pizzerias The yearly visitors to Deep Creek Lake might enjoy the whopping 26-inch Abbondanza pizza at Brenda’s Pizzeria overlooking the lake, but they may not know the vibrant history of that delicious pizza. The lineage of Brenda’s amazing Italian food started at Dominick’s Pizzeria in February 1988 on Deep Creek Drive in McHenry, near the post office. Up until 1995, locals could all be found enjoying all types of Italian food including the favorite that Brenda McDonnell sent over from her treasure trove of old recipes.
In 1996, Brenda moved to the Wisp Resort and opened Pizzazz Pizzeria. It is within the walls of Pizzazz that I personally first tried ranch dressing on pizza. Brenda claims that there is “nothing special” about her ranch that she serves to this day at her namesake restaurant on 219, however many locals know the truth. While the pizza was to die for at Pizzazz, the true seekers of authentic Italian fare gravitated towards the meatballs.
We would love to hear your stories or see any old photos you may have!
Do you have memories of Dominick’s? Old photos or stories? We’d love to hear them! Email: DeepCreekLaker@Gmail.com
Comments
comments
Published by
Jay Ferguson
Who I Am
My name is Jay Ferguson, and I am a lifelong resident of the Deep Creek Lake area. I am also co-owner of the real estate side of Taylor Made. I have been in the real estate business for 21+ years now and I LOVE what I do! I have to say, my career really took off when I co-founded the real estate side of Taylor Made in 2014. Its been an amazing experience, building a real estate company from the ground up and achieving so much so quickly! In August 2016, we purchased Long & Foster Real Estate Deep Creek, where I had started my career in 2000. In 2018, we on-boarded virtually every agent from Coldwell Banker Deep Creek Realty as they closed up shop and the real estate family grew even more! We now have over 40 sales agents and have expanded to West Virginia and Pennsylvania, as well. Taylor Made is the #1 vacation rental company at Deep Creek with over 475 vacation rental homes, and over one hundred thousand yearly visitors. Its amazing what we have accomplished using the principles of honesty, teamwork and customer service!
Personally, my wife Jessica and I enjoy traveling and especially spending time in the outdoors, hiking and exploring the many diverse areas that Garrett County is naturally blessed with. We have raised two wonderful children here, Kayleah (22) and Noah (13). In the summer, we love spending time on the water with friends & family and enjoying the lake life! We are both active in our church, our community & local school activities, and we fill our schedule with plenty of volunteer efforts. I currently serve on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity. I am proud to say that I was named Deep Creek Time’s Favorite ‘Community Champion’ in 2019. I was also named Garrett County Realtor of the Year in 2018-19, as well.
I really enjoy promoting my hometown. I am very proud of the resort area that has developed over my lifetime and look forward to growing the area even more! Deep Creek Lake has been described as ‘The Lake Tahoe of the east', and I think that speaks volumes about the potential to own property here! Deep Creek Lake isn't really a town or city by itself; it's comprised of three towns: Oakland, Swanton & McHenry, Maryland. I am very passionate about my hometown and am impressed with how many people know about it as we travel around the country. Deep Creek Lake is an amazing place to visit and even better place to live! During the pandemic in 2020, our market exploded and more and more people left their primary residence in the city to live here permanently. With distance learning in schools and tele-commuting becoming the ‘norm’, many more people were drawn to the area to ‘live where they love to play’.
Why You Want Me Working for You: In addition to being an owner, I am consistently one of the top-producing agents in the entire area and the Associate Broker of record for Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales. I have 21+ years of experience and I am a problem solver. There aren’t many situations that I have not encountered and I have a strategy for almost every scenario that you may encounter. I
have extensively trained in all areas of real estate & emerging technologies, and also have trained as an appraiser, as well as served as a full-time Broker. I have a strong knowledge of the industry, as well as many trusted local contacts & affiliations that allow me to perform at a very high level and deliver results. I have a great deal of respect for my peers in this industry and have strong working relationships that I would love to put to work for you.
Call me to discuss your situation - I know I can be of great service to you & others you care about!
Honesty. Integrity. Results.
View all posts by Jay Ferguson
