Outback Steakhouse will celebrate the grand opening of its newest location in downtown Silver Spring with a charitable ribbon-cutting ceremony benefiting the Chesapeake Bay Area Charities of Maryland.
The 6,000-square-foot restaurant at Ellsworth Place will host a soft opening for guests on Tuesday, April 9th, followed by the grand opening event the next day.
At the grand opening, visitors will receive free Outback merchandise and participate in giveaways, including the chance to win free Outback Steakhouse meals for an entire year. As part of the company’s ongoing community partnership program, a portion of the opening day’s sales proceeds, up to $5,000, will be donated to the Johns Hopkins Oncology Department of Chesapeake Bay Area Charities of Maryland.
The Bel Air-based nonprofit was founded by the local owners of Outback Steakhouse and is dedicated to providing innovative cancer research and care for patients and their families.
The restaurant’s interior features artwork throughout, including a mural by artist Lindsey Jenneman that celebrates the local community’s connection to cherry blossoms and Maryland pride. The mural depicts an Australian Koala surrounded by cherry blossom flowers, with the Maryland flag reflected in its sunglasses.
According to the Maryland Daily Record, the restaurant will have space for approximately 187 guests and add 100 jobs to the Silver Spring and Montgomery County economies.
Outback Steakhouse is a global brand that has strong local ties through its founder, Chris T. Sullivan. Sullivan attended Montgomery Blair High School in the 1960s and opened the first Outback Steakhouse in Tampa, Florida in 1988 with co-founders Bob Basham, Tim Gannon, and Trudy Cooper. Sullivan managed the chain’s expansion to over 900 restaurants worldwide and developed other restaurant concepts through parent company OSI Restaurant Partners (now Bloomin’ Brands), including Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Cheeseburger in Paradise, and Bonefish Grill.
Outback joins a raft of several recently opened and upcoming businesses in downtown Silver Spring, including Taco Bell Cantina, Gold’s Gym, Java Nation, Chido’s Tex-Mex Grill, Prime Coffee & Bakery, and Roaming Rooster, as well as the Commas and Solaire Social food halls and the Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center.
Photo: © Chansak Joe A. – stock.adobe.com / Mural Photo Courtesy of Bloomin’ Brands