In the heart of historic Hillsboro, tucked in a valley in the Short Hill Mountain, sits Market in The Gap. Andy Ghuzlan, a Loudoun County business owner for over 35 years, took the risk of opening a restaurant in a small historical town. The pizzeria never had a grand opening. Instead, it just silently started selling pizzas, thriving off the close knit community of a small town. Despite his two other booming businesses, Bacchus Cafe in Leesburg and Andy’s Pizza in Lovettsville, Ghuzlan invested his time, money, and energy into the creation of the Market in The Gap pizzeria.
Because of the many years Hillsboro Mayor Roger Vance has known him, he suggested that Ghuzlan open a restaurant in Hillsboro. Having a restaurant “caters to the local community, because people in town can walk, and attract people from the entire area, and that’s been very important,” Vance added. He believes the community of Hillsboro has been bettered by the establishment of Market in The Gap, as it welcomes more tourists and attraction to the small town.
Founded in 1802, Hillsboro is the home to a number of historic structures. The town does a Historic Homes Tour once a year around the holiday season to show off the century-old buildings and infrastructure. Ghuzlan bought his historic property in 2017 with an original proposal for a Mediterranean restaurant in the large home on the property. After a change of plans, Ghuzlan and his team shifted focus to the small detached garage. A little while later, the restaurant opened.
While the small and cozy feel of the restaurant adds to its charm, Ghuzlan and the town have looked into the opportunity for expansion. The location of the old garage is surrounded by a fair amount of space for the business to expand, but the obstacles of time and ability stand in its way. “We are planning on adding another building to this one, just my age is making it slower than I would have hoped for,” Ghuzlan explained.
Despite the difficulties that come with expansion, Market in The Gap has persevered and made accommodations to be able to run with such a minimal amount of space available. Limited space also means limited employees, with an average of three workers a day. Senior and casual customer Jacob Lenhart commented, “I always just get a pizza with pepperoni and mushrooms every time. It’s really good.” Aside from a strong menu, Lenhart also enjoys the “homemade feel” in seeing your pizzas fired in a brick oven in front of you.
Market in The Gap is the only true restaurant of Hillsboro, providing the town residents with access to quick and delicious meals. Vance shared what the pizzeria has brought to his town. “It’s terrific, you can just walk down and grab a pizza and bring it home or sit down there and have a nice meal,” he expressed. “Andy’s a great guy, very knowledgeable… He’s done a beautiful job.”
Ghuzlan has created a flourishing and enjoyable restaurant for the town of Hillsboro and its neighbors. By providing such a business, Ghuzlan has involved himself in the community and earned a place within the town, despite his residence being in Lovettsville. The mayor describes Ghuzlan as “very generous in supporting the town.” With hopeful plans of expansion in the future, the town of Hillsboro can expect great things from the pizzeria.