Seems like a very useful space to have for a conference. Parking can be an issue though if the…read moreevent is large as the parking lot did not have enough spaces and we had to circle around a bit.

Receptionist - one who attempts to provide service to customers seeking out information. Typically…read morehas a friendly and helpful disposition. This is my understanding, broadly, of a receptionist or administrative assistant's duties and responsibilities if they frequently interface with the public, (though I know they have infinitely more tasks to accomplish than just greeting guests). This has never been my experience at Oakland Mills Interfaith Center - The Meeting House. I have interacted with the young lady sitting at the desk no less than 6 times, maybe as many as 10 in the past 4 years or so and her disposition 99.98% of the time has been really nasty. I do my best to be sympathetic, understanding or give people the benefit of the doubt, if I meet them for the first time and they seem grumpy, but if I speak with you upwards of 6 times over 4 years, different seasons, rain or shine and you are always pissed, perhaps you've sought out a career in the wrong lane. The attitude some businesses have toward customer service, perhaps, has evolved over the years, but I would still think there is modicum of courtesy that is expected of staff when they meet people who potentially may be interested in doing business with their establishment. I don't know what the protocol is when you see the receptionist, but, typically, I don't like to just interrupt them and tell them what I want, or why I'm there because they're usually typing something that I'm assuming they need a reasonable degree of focus on, and I don't want to break their concentration. I could tell this receptionist was pissed, per her usual, so I just started talking as soon as I got to the desk. The space I was interested in was not available for the date I wanted which was no problem. I asked if I could look at one of the other rooms I could see from her desk. (I wasn't sure if it was being used). She said "Yes". When I walked over, I saw a room to the left of that room, which I couldn't see when I asked to see the first room, so I invited myself to look at that room to (there was no one in it). When I turned back around the corner, the receptionist shot me a look that could cut through a thousand tons of Philadelphia street on the coldest of December nights. She was in the middle of eating her lunch, and stopped, mid-chew, to try and stare me down as if I was trying to usurp her authority. I ignored the vibe and just asked if the 2 rooms were available to which she immediately retorted "I said no"....First of all, she didn't. Second of all, she needs to park all that attitude at the curb before she enters her place of business. I understand being a receptionist may not always be the greatest position because you have to deal with whatever walks through your door, but if you can't be friendly, at least be professional. I understand that the objective of this house of worship is, by no means, solely to make money, but I would think, even a billionaire wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth if it took little to no effort to get it. Anywho, there is another lovely place where, if you're looking to hold a smaller event, that could probably accommodate your needs. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Church is also located in Howard County. As I recall, they do rent by the hour and I don't think it's more than $70/h. Seeing as I'm looking for a new venue to hold my event, I thought others may be to. I tried to include pictures of this venue below.

I had such an amazing time here last night for Movie Night. They showed a special presentation of…read moreThe Wiz in honor of Juneteenth. This hall is conveniently located within walking distance from the historic Savage Mills. I love that this hall is used for great events that your family, friends and even pets can enjoy. All ages, ethnicities and cultures gather here for a great time for festivals, food trucks, movie nights and even Christmas Tree lightings. Bring the family and enjoy!

It was my first time inside. It's very nice inside. I went to Juneteenth Event. The event was nice.read more

We had an absolutely horrific time today at the funeral of our father. We planned and did the…read moreservice completely ourselves so on the outward appearance everything went well. But we paid extra for them to Livestream it and that was completely botched for our out of town family. Right before the service began we were told that the final paperwork they insisted we do that morning wasn't correct and we couldn't proceed and we were confused, until our pastor explained to them how they were wrong. It was very traumatizing! And this all had been planned and paid for a year before! They are unprofessional and disorganized!!! This was their Laurel location. This is just a tiny part of the many problems we experienced. Next time we would go with a bigger funeral home like Hines Rinaldi in White Oak.

The professionals at Donaldson were amazing. I contacted them when my mother was in hospice, they…read morehandled everything and made it really easy for me when my mother passed. They explained everything in detail. Since it is family owned and operated you know they deeply care about the service they provide.. Highly recommend.

I want to thank Hari P Close Funeral Service, P.A. for helping us through this process and…read moreaccepting our personalized request to play the blues during his service. A'lan and the staff did an AMAZING job from start to finish! My grandfather was well taken care of. A'lan listened to us and followed all of our wishes. He groomed my grandfather so well, moisturized his skin, and put a smile on his face. He handled formatting the obituary for us and doubled checked with us prior to printing the final product. They offered many service options at an AFFORDABLE price. I would highly recommend this funeral home for anyone who is looking for a small service at the funeral home or for anyone who already has a venue for the service but is in need of a funeral home to handle everything else. Thanks to the Close family and employees for helping us during this difficult time.

I entrusted a love one's final arrangements in their care this week. They were professional,…read morecourteous, and made themselves available for endless questions throughout the entire process. I'm extremely grateful for being referred here. The funeral home itself is small and almost vintage, but with COVID-19 precautions in place that wasn't an issue. They offer livestream of services, which was wonderful as it allowed distant relatives and friends to observe the ceremony. I would definitely recommend them for their high level of customer service and to support local black businesses.

This location is located on Liberty Rd and is bigger than the other location I visited about 2…read moremonths ago. When I arrived for the viewing, I was immediately greeted by the staff and asked who was I to see. I was told to wait. So I sat in the lobby. The seats were very low, but comfortable. I was advised that ai go in the room. The room was a decent size and had seating all around the room. Now I will say upholstery seats should be cleaned if there are stains. One of the couches had a stain that should have been cleaned up before having a family gathering. For that I had to deduct a star. No one wants to sit on a unknown stain. The chapel was very nice for the service.

I have been to several funerals at Wylie and would highly recommend. The staff treats you like…read morefamily, while being professional, kind and compassionate. From the moment I called when my Mother transitioned, to her final resting place, the staff were there. They constantly asked was there anything they could do, how can we help, even just standing by anticipating any needs. The caring was a comfort that I can't put into words. They are highly recommended.

WHAT A JOKE !! My mother passed away on the 15th, and was scheduled for cremation on the 17th…read more.. I was told four times that payment needed to to be in full by the time of her cremation otherwise she would be transported to the state facility, of course I got upset and emotional on the phone with the last phone call and voiced my opinion and emotions, 1 hour later I was called from the director and told that she would have to be removed because I verbally abused her employees and that they have a zero tolerance policy for such Behavior, seriously?? They kicked my deceased mother out of the funeral home because I got emotional and upset what a joke!!!

My mother told me that she and my father had decided to be cremated. My father was was in an…read moreassisted living facility in Glen Burnie and I had looked at a few places that were incredible in price....and that is not a compliment to them, trust me. I came across Simplicity looking for cremation services in Glen Burnie, I had emailed them about pricing as I was told by Hospice of the Chesapeake that I needed to start thinking about arrangements. We had known his condition was getting worse on Saturday, but the Hospice believed he had a few more days....it ended up only being hours. I sent out four emails of established places that HAD email addresses asking for information and prices. In those four emails, the only one that has been returned was from Simplicity. Mind you at the time of sending the email, I was simply trying to get the ball rolling. I happened to open my mail after getting a call from the ALF that my father had expired and I just felt it was a sign from my dad that we should move forward. I phoned and Celia answered the phone. From the moment she did, I just felt a connection to her. She explained the process, answered the questions I had and we proceeded with having my father's physical body picked up by the facility. We made an appointment time and I gave the family the details so that we could see my father off. This is probably one of the questions I should have asked, but having never ever dealt with arrangements of this type, it simply slipped my mind, which is how is someone laid out in a direct to cremation. That said, my father was covered and he was in a room that was much like your normal looking funeral home inside. It's quiet and peaceful, but the facility itself is in a office front/business park. Having said that, the price reflects that. Having seen some of the prices with the biggies around town that have their PDF's posted online, you aren't being soaked for the entire insurance policy that is meant to help your loved one go on without the other. You aren't paying to pull up to a big, pillared building with 90 employees inside directing you to your loved one or maintaining the big cars that are outside. Most of all, if you have a parent who is in a fragile condition like my mother is at the moment, it's easier on them. She didn't feel she could handle all of the people that come with a funeral, so this eased my mind. Celia was professional and understanding of all of our issues, explained the process, we selected an urn and a piece of jewelry for my mom that she can have with a little of my father next to her heart. There is also preplanning which I will be getting into once I get the affairs of my father out of the way. With all the paperwork and calls that you have to make, this will be very helpful when the time comes for my mom. I hugged her when we all departed and I knew from her hug that she is a caring individual.....you just know when something is real and a person cares. In the end, we went to lunch and celebrated my father's life with the family and we will have a celebration at his church next week with those he cared about. Isn't this what it's suppose to be anyway? When it's all said and done, I feel like my father would have rather had *Simplicity* (fitting name) and us enjoy reminiscing about his life, not crying over a coffin because as believers, he is simply not there. Even with planning for celebrations of his life and paying for his cremation, we are nowhere close to what the big guys around town wanted for. If this is something you are thinking for your loved one, this is definitely something to investigate for yourself. As odd as I feel writing about our end, there is just something to be said for this process. I highly recommend Simplicity.

I'm a former employee, and I have to brag about how kind the staff and owners are of this business…read more I moved away, but can say that this family owned and operated business is about serving others, and I am proud to have been part of that caliber of care. The affordability of the care is so respectful of what a family is seeking when planning for the funeral or cremation service for their family member or pet.

Kind, considerate, professional. There was no pressure. Staff accommodated our wish for final…read moreviewing.

Wonderful event space!…read more Tons of room. Great lighting. I assume the decor can change but as my photo shows it was elegantly appointed for the event we attended... without being pretentious or overbearing. Parking lot is a bit small given it also serves other business in this vicinity.

I'm writing this review strictly about a member of The Great Room staff…read more I was delivering cupcakes for an event last weekend and when I arrived, I was told I need to talk to Angie (Head Event Manager) about logistics. Once I found her, simple questions like 'where do I put the cupcakes' and 'what time does the event start' were met with cold, short replies from Angie. She asked why the cupcake boxes weren't labeled and I told her my client did not request it, I was only told to make the cupcakes and deliver them. The flavors were pretty obvious but I wrote them down anyway. She then implied that I wasn't prepared, again in a condescending tone. Certainly not how I wanted to be treated after spending 6 hours making cupcakes! I was actually considering having an event here, but if I have to deal with Angie I definitely won't be booking them.