Adiós Mi Rancho, goodbye Taylor Gourmet, so long Silver Moon… and hello to Sweetgreen & a new boutique

Here’s your retail & restaurant scoop for the week of Sept. 20, 2018.

Last week it was speculation, this week it’s a done deal: North Bethesda’s Taylor Gourmet will exit Pike & Rose just four months after it opened. Doors are scheduled to close Sept. 27th, although it could happen sooner. Last week the D.C.-based sandwich chain said it wanted to reduce real estate costs by ditching some of its larger locations, but this week it became clear that the entire chain is shutting down. Meanwhile, salad chain Sweetgreen announced plans to open at Pike & Rose next year on the ground floor of the new Canopy by Hilton/930 Rose hotel/condo complex. The health-oriented chain will provide a welcome counterpoint to its upcoming neighbors, BurgerFi and Sunday Morning Bakehouse. (Details on those in our July 26th and Aug. 30th editions.)

One of our last remaining local gift shops, Silver Moon Jewelry & Accessories, is closing its doors at Congressional Plaza. Originally known as Tiara Galleries & Gifts, the 60-year-old retailer specialized in housewares and collectibles from the likes of Lladro, Swarovski and Waterford. As figurines and formal place settings fell out of fashion with younger buyers, the store rebooted in 2015 with a new name and a new focus: handbags from Vera Bradley and Spartina, jewelry from Pandora and Alex & Ani. With the recent passing of Irv Losman, son of founder Ruth Losman, Tiara/Silver Moon has run its course. The store will close on or before Nov. 30th.

Park Potomac has a new boutique: Gym & Tonic, featuring high-end workout wear and clothes that transition from the barre to the bar. The store opened last week next door to Addie’s, where it’s well-positioned to capture the crowds from Orangetheory Fitness on one side and Life Time Athletic on the other. For more on Gym & Tonic, click here.

Tex-Mex restaurant Mi Rancho has closed its red and green doors after a decade on Rockville Pike, where it sat between Party City and Yekta. Owners said they failed to reach a new lease agreement for the Rockville location, but they have no plans to close their other restaurants in Silver Spring and Germantown.