I purposely do not include stores such as the Discovery Channel Store, The Nature Company, or Ritz Camera, since they are not primarily astronomy stores, but rather "science" shops and camera stores that happen to sell telescopes along with other their other paraphenalia. They do sell brand name telescopes, but astronomy is not their primary business.

I only know of two astronomy-only storefronts in the Baltimore-Washington area. If anyone knows of others please send me details: location, Web Page, EMail, results of a visit, etc..

• Company Seven, Astro-Optics Division Home Page.
  SnailMail: Box 2587, Montpelier, Maryland 20709, U.S.A
  Telephone: 301-953-2000
  Store Location: 14300 Cherry Lane Ct, Laurel, MD 20707
  Contact: Martin Cohen.

  I've been to this store a few times, and all they have are telescopes, telescope accessories, and astronomy-related items: no Egyptian mummy cases, nature videos, New Age Music, etc.. Their Home Page has their business philosophy as well as product lines, directions, and some other good general references and information. No longer on their web site is how they came up with the name: the founders were all in the same fire department company.

• Hands On Optics
  26437 Ridge Road (Rt. 27) Next to McDonalds
  Damascus, MD 20872
  301-482-0000 Info
  301-482-2210 Fax
  

  I've never been to this store, but I've heard and read nothing but good things about them from others. One of these days when I have some free time ...

While not a storefront operation, the following is a local business.

• Virgo Astronomics, 608 Falconbridge Drive, Joppa, MD 21085.
  Telephone: 410-679-7055 FAX: 410-679-2376
  Contact: Lucy Albert
  Products: Binocular Astronomy Systems and Accessories