The man who ran a College Park, Maryland, institution for decades has passed away.
John Brown, owner of the famous R.J. Bentley’s, has died at 77.
He was a beloved figure in the community. His death has been lamented across social media.
I was one of his original employees & for 45 yrs we remained good friends. He danced at my wedding-it wasn’t pretty-but he was there for us…like he was for so many. Gonna miss you John Brown. So sad today, but grateful U were part of my life. @RJ__Bentleys @UofMaryland pic.twitter.com/ZbsfD3L7I6
— Jimmy Roberts (@JimmyRobertsNBC) November 10, 2024
Johnny Holliday, the voice of the Maryland Terrapins, told WTOP’s Diane Roberts that Brown was “not only an institution, but one of the nicest, nicest guys that I think I’ve ever met.”
“He loved the University of Maryland. He was always one of their biggest, staunchest supporters. And you go in Bentleys, like I did many, many times before a game, after a game for lunch, whatever, you could just sit there and marvel at the amount of jerseys, the amount of photographs from players, former players, that love John,” Holliday said.
Holliday told WTOP, above all, Brown was a man of the people.
“No matter who you were, when you walked in that place, if he was there, he would make sure to welcome you and make you feel at home, like this was your home away from home,” Holliday said. “He had that effect on everybody — young and old, athletes, politicians, anybody. John Brown was College Park.”
Brown was also a major figure in Maryland athletics. He was once chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority in 1999, including when M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore was built.
The famed R.J. Bentley’s was founded in 1978 by graduates from Maryland. The spot was originally a gas station. It has since become a landmark.
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