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June 6, 2019 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Big summer ahead for Rio, new restaurants for Rockville, new yoga for Park Potomac and a Lord & Taylor update

Rio's new backyard

This week we checked out the snazzy new boardwork at Rio in Gaithersburg, where a striking outdoor concert stage is nearly complete and a summer’s worth of performances are on the way. Rio is undergoing a $30 million facelift with dramatic changes to its appearance and tenant mix. Shown here: the view from what will soon be a second-floor lounge outside the AMC movie theater and the upcoming Dave & Buster’s (aiming to open July 1st). What’s next for Rio? A huge Silver Diner with indoor/outdoor seating and full bar (tentatively opening in August); an “experiential” Xfinity store (opening date TBD); and a state-of-the-art IMAX cinema that’s almost finished inside the movie theater. Plans for a Baked Bear ice cream shop have fallen through, but local creamery Moorenko’s is coming with a summertime pop-up. For behind-the-scenes photos from our visit this week, check out Store Reporter on Facebook and Instagram.

Wintergreen Plaza
Realtor Lisa Nasar of Long & Foster

Latest on Lord & Taylor

Lord & Taylor finally announced plans to close its store at Gaithersburg’s ailing Lakeforest Mall — no surprise, as other tenants have been exiting in droves while the mall’s owners look for a buyer.  Meanwhile, the retailer’s White Flint store remains in business more than four years after the adjoining mall was demolished. On a recent visit, we found the White Flint Lord & Taylor in surprisingly good shape with up-to-date merchandise and plenty of still-loyal shoppers. After years of litigation with White Flint’s owners, it’s unclear how much longer this department store will be around. But for now, there’s plenty of summer merchandise on the shelves.

Wink Eyecare Boutique

New restaurants for Rockville Town Square

Good news on the dining front for Rockville Town Square: Four new Asian restaurants are on the way. Friendship BBQ, featuring skewered meats and seafood dishes, will open this summer across from Sushi Damo. And the former Mellow Mushroom space, empty since last fall, will be divided into three new eateries: Gyuzo Japanese BBQ, offering sake and tabletop grilling; Kyoto Matcha, serving green tea, cakes and other desserts; and Taro Cents Family, specializing in Taiwanese taro balls. Rockville Town Square and the surrounding area are already home to a number of Asian restaurants, from the upscale Peter Chang, Sushi Damo and Thai Pavilion to fast-casual Pearl Lady and busy food hall The Spot. Meanwhile, Little Dipper Hot Pot House and the adjoining Lab Cafe recently closed on Gibbs Street.

Shin Orthodontics

Yoga at Park Potomac

A new yoga studio is heading to Park Potomac. Local yogi Debi Schenk is taking over the long-empty Barre Belle space a few doors down from Kaufmann Jewelers. Plans call for an early September opening, with a price point around $17 per class. Schenk’s studio won’t be the only new fitness option in Potomac this fall; Pure Barre is moving to Potomac Village. More on that in our May 2nd edition.

International School of Music
mailto:publisher@storereporter.com

Did you miss these issues?

Two openings at Cabin John, construction near Life Time, designer shoe store closes
New golf store, new booze store, new fitness options for Potomac & Rockville
Rockville movie theater reaches “The End,” Party City goes bankrupt
Macy’s closing sale, new Potomac pet shop and a sushi sneak peek
Amazon grocery stalls, Bed Bath & Beyond at a breaking point, home-baked desserts & new teen store at the mall
Year-end wrap-up: The biggest openings & closings in Rockville, Potomac & North Bethesda
Last-minute shopping for kids & “kidults,” new teen store on the way
New sushi & Chinese BBQ, new place to chill at Wintergreen Plaza
New Potomac salon, Pike & Rose restaurant & Squishables

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Filed Under: Asian Food, Bakeries, Bubble Tea & Desserts, BBQ, Bowling & Gaming, Clothing and Accessories, Downtown Rockville, Fitness & Beauty, Movie Theaters, Park Potomac, Potomac Village, Rio Washingtonian Center, Rockville Pike, Rockville Town Square, Seafood, Steakhouses

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Recent Issues

  • Two openings at Cabin John, construction near Life Time, designer shoe store closes
  • New golf store, new booze store, new fitness options for Potomac & Rockville
  • Rockville movie theater reaches “The End,” Party City goes bankrupt
  • Macy’s closing sale, new Potomac pet shop and a sushi sneak peek
  • Amazon grocery stalls, Bed Bath & Beyond at a breaking point, home-baked desserts & new teen store at the mall
  • Year-end wrap-up: The biggest openings & closings in Rockville, Potomac & North Bethesda
  • Last-minute shopping for kids & “kidults,” new teen store on the way
  • New sushi & Chinese BBQ, new place to chill at Wintergreen Plaza
  • New Potomac salon, Pike & Rose restaurant & Squishables
  • Cabin John sushi, new owners for Amalfi, Popeyes goes dark
  • Holiday deals, unhappy returns and kosher bowls at Cabin John
  • New Indian & Italian food for Rockville Pike, holiday pop-up bar at the mall
  • Dick’s on the Pike, Red Orchard expands, Slapfish is fried
  • Middle Eastern & Greek food, collectible sneakers, latest on Pike & Rose
  • Hello Thai food, goodbye Vera Bradley, new jewels for the mall
  • Hello Toys R Us, goodbye Sport & Health — plus a store that will knock your socks off
  • New plan for Rockville shopping center, Chopt on the way to Cabin John
  • Latest on Wegmans, Rockville shopping center auctioned — plus Psycho Bunny & more at the mall
  • Rockville rundown: Town Square is sold, Dick’s on the way, bye bye Bambū
  • New businesses for Potomac Woods Plaza, tastings are back at Trader Joe’s, Miller’s exits Rockville
  • Falafel, FAO Schwarz, Pier 1 and Tuesday Morning
  • Nordstrom Rack, Cabin John Village, designer watches & more
  • New hope for Bed Bath & Beyond — plus halal platters & southern soul food
  • New drinks for Rockville Pike, new scoops for Cabin John & the first sign of Halloween
  • New sushi scene in Potomac Village, last call for Rockville sports bar
  • New pizzeria & ice cream for Cabin John, young Asian designers hit the mall
  • New Gregorio’s, falafel & soul food, Rockville deli closes
  • PGA Tour Superstore, new Rockville boutiques, boozy milkshakes & boardwalk food at the mall
  • Baskin Robbins, Village Yoga & Toys R Us on the comeback trail
  • Chicken and waffles, DQ/Orange Julius update and the summer of bargains
  • Italian food & Warby Parker for Pike & Rose; sushi’s in & ice cream’s out at the mall
  • Psycho Bunny, Orange Julius, closings at Wildwood & Potomac Village
  • Three openings at Pike & Rose, Normandie Farm says goodbye
  • Mussel House to Cabin John Village, HomeSense lands in Rockville, sneak peek of Amazon Fresh
  • Mall movie theater update, two new sushi spots, hello Pama Thai & goodbye Snowbots
  • Wegmans update, new development on Rockville Pike, HomeSense sets a date
  • Summer ice cream scoop: New creamery for Cabin John and a Baskin Robbins update
  • French bakery opens, farmers market on the way to Cabin John Village — plus J. Crew debuts on Rockville Pike
  • Last days for Lahinch — plus new restaurants & new boutiques at the mall
  • New owners for Normandie Farm, pet store for Park Potomac, goodbye to two Rockville restaurants

Who's the Store Reporter?

Cheryl Kane Heimlich has been a staff writer, columnist, editor and contributor to a dozen publications including the South Florida Business Journal, Bethesda Magazine, Miami Today, Miami Metro, Vista Magazine, St. Louis Magazine, the Boca Raton Observer, Washington Jewish Week and Variety. She has won numerous awards for her magazine profiles, parenting columns and business news coverage.

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