Claude, the founder of several local businesses, is approaching retirement with a pragmatic outlook. He openly states his intention to retire at 70, emphasizing that his children and grandchildren are free to choose their own paths, without pressure to continue his ventures. While he genuinely wants them to pursue their passions, a hint of hope slips through when he admits it would be “great if they do” take over. However, Claude’s true legacy seems less about the physical businesses themselves—like the motel or the ice cream stand—and more about the values he instilled: hard work, community engagement, and the dignity of earning a living.
While Claude and his brother Tom are modest about their charitable acts, Cindy, Claude’s wife, revealed some of their community-focused initiatives. One instance involved a local Elkridge school band that needed support. Claude readily provided 90 gift certificates, each worth $1.50, ensuring every musician could enjoy a treat at Cindy’s Soft Serve Elkridge. When the school’s string band also requested support, Claude, expecting a smaller group, immediately agreed. He was surprised to learn the string band had 227 members, but without hesitation, he provided each of them with $2 to spend at Cindy’s Soft Serve. Furthermore, Claude donated 2,000 $1 gift certificates to the school as rewards, demonstrating a significant commitment exceeding $2,500 to the Elkridge community.
This spirit of community and family is clearly being passed down. This summer marks 14-year-old Will Quick, Cindy’s eldest son, starting his first job at the Cindy’s Soft Serve Elkridge counter. A student at Howard High, Will expresses a desire to remain in Elkridge and establish his own business—a convenience store—for the community. He emphasizes it’s his personal ambition, seemingly separate from his family’s legacy. However, this distinction appears artificial, as his identity is deeply intertwined with his family’s longstanding presence in Elkridge.
His grandfather’s decade as fire chief (1980–1990), the local children affectionately calling his father “Mr. Cindy,” and the numerous parents who received their first paychecks signed by his mother, all solidify this connection. If Will chooses to stay in Elkridge, as many hope, and realizes his dream of opening a family-run business, it will undoubtedly be a venture deeply rooted in both his family and the Elkridge community—two entities that are, in essence, inseparable.
