07-02-2025
New owners of longtime downtown Frederick restaurant seek to carry on tradition
Carlo Serio and Dave Schmidt understand the legacy they are seeking to carry on with their new venture.
In the first week of January, the pair took over ownership of Wag's, the subterranean restaurant and bar that has been a staple on Frederick's South Market Street since 1981.
The friends and longtime Frederick residents bought the restaurant from longtime owner John Wagner.
They saw it as a chance to preserve a part of the downtown's history.
'I mean, it's Wag's right?' Serio said.
A veteran of about 20 years in the restaurant industry, he'll head the day-to-day operations.
At a table in the restaurant's low-slung dining room Thursday, he and Schmidt talked about their evolving plans.
Schmidt, whose family runs the company Frederick Air, said they've put a lot of thought into how to bring some new ideas, but keep the essence of what the place has been for its generations of patrons.
For instance, they plan to add some vegetarian options to the menu, and to open on Sundays, which the restaurant traditionally had not done.
But they're keeping all of the staff, some of whom have worked there for decades, as well as the burgers, chili, and fries they're known for.
They made the transition to the new ownership while the restaurant was closed on New Year's Day, but otherwise stayed open, so their workers wouldn't miss a paycheck, Schmidt said.
They also talked with Wagner and the workers to see what they thought worked and what could change.
Wagner could not be reached for comment Thursday.
They've also been taking ideas another constituency: longtime patrons who fill the restaurant's bar and tables.
'Certainly, all the regulars have opinions,' said Schmidt, who is planning to run for a Frederick City Council seat this year.
They're still trying to match some of the faces with names of the customers they've met since they bought the place, Serio said.
But he said it's clear that the COVID pandemic took a sense of community from many people, and he sees places like Wag's as a solution to that.
The purchase comes at a transitional moment for the city's downtown restaurant scene, with the closures of Market Street's Firestones and La Paz restaurants in 2024, following the death and retirement, respectively, of those establishments' owners.
Schmidt said he thinks that's why it was even more important to preserve a place like Wag's, which fits with places like Bushwaller's, Old Towne Tavern, and Brewer's Alley as fixtures of the downtown neighborhood.
'It is a very, I'll use the word, 'awesome' responsibility,' Schmidt said.
He emphasized that they're trying to keep as much of the menu and operations as familiar as possible for the community that has grown up around Wag's over the years.
'It's been here 43 years,' Schmidt said. 'It works.'
