Store Reporter

Retail & Restaurant news for Rockville & Potomac. We know it all. And we like to share.

Asian Food

New eateries for Pike & Rose, Westfield Montgomery and Travilah Square — plus a fabulous holiday boutique show

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New restaurants & more for Pike & Rose

This fall will be a busy one for Pike & Rose, with the Mexican restaurant Nada arriving this month and the much-hyped Julii not far behind. Nada, which calls itself a “taco and cocktail joint,” is set to open Nov. 19th across the street from Pinstripes. We’ll keep you posted on the opening date for Julii, a new venture from the founders of Cava that should be here before the holidays. Meanwhile: Seasons Oil & Vinegar Taproom, one of the first tenants to open at Pike & Rose, will be exiting after four years. Taking its place will be Olive & Loom, a gift shop specializing in Turkish towels and olive oil bath products. Opening is set for next spring.

Wintergreen Plaza
Moda Optic Mykita trunk show
Viva and Urban Plates

Mall restaurant update: From the steakhouse to 7-11

This week we checked in on the dining scene at Westfield Montgomery mall, where Urban Plates and Poke Papa are now under construction in the former Naples space. But what’s up with Viva Japanese Steakhouse, which was supposed to have opened months ago across from the ArcLight Cinema? A peek through the windows reveals that little progress has been made since last summer, and the restaurant’s owner has not returned our messages. The mall says Viva will open around Christmas, but we have our doubts. Moving along to the other side of the Dining Terrace: A 7-11 (of all things) will be opening next to Chick-fil-A, and the gourmet popsicle shop we told you about last month is changing its name from Pop Culture to Frozen Stuff on a Stick. That one should be open in a few weeks.

Realtor Lisa Nasar of Long & Foster
Explore Kensington

Flower Child blooms at Travilah Square

Flower Child has opened its doors at the Travilah Square shopping center on Darnestown Road, offering a health-conscious menu in a fast-casual setting just across from the new Trader Joe’s. Created by the founder of True Food Kitchen, the restaurant caters to special diets from vegetarian and vegan to paleo, sugar-free, dairy-free and gluten-free. Flower Child will open a second MoCo location next spring at the Wildwood Shops. For a look at the menu, click here.

Washington Hebrew Congregation Holiday Boutique

Join us for shopping, fun & a chance to win our raffle

The holiday season kicks off in Potomac this week with the annual Holiday Boutique & Silent Auction sponsored by the Women of Washington Hebrew Congregation. The show is just two days this year — Sunday, Nov. 11 and Monday, Nov. 12 — at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center at Falls Road and Tuckerman Lane. We’ll be there both days at the Store Reporter table near the entrance. Stop by, say hello and enter to win one of our fabulous raffle prizes from show vendors. Participants this year include The Boho Eye, Elana Designs, Faye Mendelsohn Cosmetics, R Boutique, Stella M’lia, Susan Koehn Designs, Sweet Charma and Valerie Nahmani Designs. There’s no charge to enter our raffle, just drop your name in our jar at the show.

Swimming pool at the mall? Plus Anthropologie and a new Asian food hall

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Here’s your retail & restaurant scoop for the week of Oct. 25, 2018.

The Macy's Home Store is expected to close at Westfield Montgomery mall

Swimming pool at the mall?

Big changes are ahead for Westfield Montgomery mall once the holidays are over. The deal with Life Time Athletic, which we told you about two weeks ago, is all but official — and we hear it’s going to be quite an upscale gym, with a formal restaurant and possibly a rooftop pool. The new Life Time is to be built on the Sears side of the mall after the ailing department store closes early next year. Meanwhile, we’re hearing that the Macy’s Home Store is also going to close this winter and the regular Macy’s store will have to absorb all that furniture, bedding and kitchenware. But it sounds like the squeeze will be temporary: Insiders tell us that Macy’s is planning to build a huge new store on the other side of the mall. None of this has been announced yet, and no one is talking on the record —  but you heard it here first.

Realtor Lisa Nasar of Long & Foster
1-800-GOT-JUNK
Pike Kitchen

New Asian food hall for Rockville Pike

Pike Kitchen, Rockville’s second all-Asian food hall, opened its doors this week at the Edmonston Crossing shopping center on Rockville Pike. Inside you’ll find nearly a dozen locally owned eateries serving poke bowls, ramen, scallion pancakes, fried seaweed rolls, popcorn chicken and other Asian delicacies — along with beer, bubble tea and homemade ice cream. The appetite for these Asian food halls seems to be growing: The Spot has been bustling since it opened last July near Rockville Town Square, and Pike & Rose is building one of its own called The Block.

Fall fun at Wintergreen Plaza: http://www.wintergreenplaza.com
Anthropologie store in downtown Bethesda

Anthropologie arrives

We usually don’t cover downtown Bethesda, but this week we couldn’t resist a visit to the new Anthropologie store, which just opened at the former home of Barnes & Noble. Fans of the brand will be thrilled to find all their favorites under one roof, from the boho-chic fashions, Terrain gardening shop and BHLDN wedding boutique to kitchenware, gifts and artfully arranged furniture vignettes. If you spend a couple of hours here — which is easy to do, with three floors to explore — there’s also a cafe on the premises. Lots more photos on our Facebook page; click here to see them.

Explore Kensington
Shin Orthodontics
Bath & Body Works at Westfield Montgomery mall

Clean new look for Bath & Body Works

Bath & Body Works has freshened up its look at Westfield Montgomery mall, reopening after a major renovation with a new focus on the White Barn candle line. Also back for the winter is the Sheepskin Gifts store, which will be operating out of the former Brookstone space until spring.

Washington Hebrew Congregation Holiday Boutique
Congregation B'nai Tzedek Israel Art Show & Sale
Dawson's Market

Dawson's reaches the end

Dawson’s Market at Rockville Town Square will close its doors this weekend after the failure of a last-minute GoFundMe campaign that had attempted to raise $100,000. Dawson’s is one of three major tenants to exit Rockville Town Square this fall; click here for more in our Oct. 11th edition.

Sushi at Pike & Rose, construction at Cabin John, a closing on Rockville Pike and the fight to save Dawson’s

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Here’s your retail & restaurant scoop for the week of Oct. 18th, 2018.

Kusshi Sushi & Sake

What's next for Pike & Rose

The first of the new fall restaurant lineup arrives next week at Pike & Rose. Say hello to Kusshi Sushi & Sake, a new venture from the owners of Hanaro Sushi in Bethesda, opening in the former Carluccio’s space next to Owen’s Ordinary. Next up for the neighborhood: the Mexican restaurant Nada, the Indian restaurant Commonwealth, and the new Julii restaurant from the founders of Cava. In other Pike & Rose news, blowout salon Drybar has inked a deal to open next spring alongside the upcoming Sweetgreen, BurgerFi and Sunday Morning Bakehouse.

1-800-GOT-JUNK
Wink Eyecare Boutique
Construction at Cabin John Village

Cabin John facelift begins

Here’s a look at the start of construction at Cabin John Village, which began this week and will continue through next spring. A new roofline, wider walkways, better lighting and improved parking are all on the way. And although it may not look like it, all businesses will remain open through the whole thing. For more details on this project, click here for our Oct. 11 edition.

Realty Jacqueline Band-Olinger of Greystone Realty
Al Ha'esh Israel Grill
Sofa from Thomasville Furniture

Thomasville furniture store moving out

The Thomasville furniture store, a longtime tenant at Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike, will close its doors this fall after the bankruptcy of its parent company, Heritage Home Group. Two dozen Thomasville stores are closing across the country as bidders vie for what’s left of the century-old furniture brand and and its sister lines, Drexel, Henredon and Broyhill. Also exiting Congressional this fall is the longtime gift shop Silver Moon, formerly known as Tiara. Click here for more in our Sept. 20th edition.

Explore Kensington
Potomac Village Farmers Market
Dawson's Market

Can Dawson's be saved?

Dawson’s Market at Rockville Town Square launched a GoFundMe campaign this week in hopes of raising $100,000 to stay in business. Earlier this month, the six-year-old grocer said it couldn’t make enough money in Rockville and announced plans to close on Oct. 27th. In a post on the market’s GoFundMe page, owner Bart Yablonsky says he is “working on an arrangement that will keep Dawson’s alive.”

Washington Hebrew Congregation Holiday Boutique
Capital Area Food Bank
Sears at Westfield Montgomery mall

Chapter 11 for Sears

To no one’s surprise, Sears filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week and announced it will close another 142 stores this year. That will leave the once-iconic retailer with fewer than 500 stores as it tries one more time to reorganize. The bankruptcy won’t have much impact in our area, as the Sears store at Westfield Montgomery mall already was expected to close next March. What’s going to take its place? Likely a brand new Life Time gym. Click here for more in our Oct. 11th issue.

Hello Flower Child, goodbye Mellow Mushroom, new sushi from Raku chef

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Here’s your retail & restaurant scoop for the week of Sept. 27th, 2018.

Flower Child at Travilah Square

Flower Child’s almost ready to bloom

Buzzy new restaurant about to make its Montgomery County debut: Flower Child, opening Nov. 7th at Travilah Square Shopping Center and next spring at the Wildwood Shops. The Phoenix-based chain, from the founders of True Food Kitchen, has a similar focus on healthy, flavorful dishes that accommodate various special diets. (Vietnamese Crunch Salad or Thai Cashew Quinoa Bowl, anyone?) Decor is casual and hippie-chic (click here for photos on our Facebook page). The restaurant should pair well with the new Trader Joe’s at Travilah Square — but complaints about the small parking lot are only going to get worse.

Wintergreen Plaza
1-800-GOT-JUNK

Mellow Mushroom exits Rockville Town Square

Funky pizzeria Mellow Mushroom has closed its doors after just two years at Rockville Town Square, where it replaced original tenant Oro Pomodoro across from the ice rink/performance stage. Co-owner Danny Trehan had complained over the years that parking fees were deterring foot traffic at Rockville Town Square. Trehan, who also operates franchised Mellow Mushroom restaurants in Herndon and Adams Morgan, says those two locations will remain open. “The (Rockville) restaurant was not doing so good,” he says, “and I wanted to get on with life.”

Realtor Lisa Nasar of Long & Foster
Grilled Oyster

Painting & sipping at Rockville Town Square

Hammer & Stain, a do-it-yourself sign-painting studio, is heading to Rockville Town Square this fall. Owner Robyn Rutland plans to offer group workshops, parties and drop-in gatherings where people can turn unfinished wood into wall decor, personalized signs, holiday gifts and more. Also: She’ll be serving wine and beer so you can sip while you paint. “We’ll walk you through the whole thing,” says Rutland, who will provide stencils and plenty of tools to assist the non-artistic. “Even someone like me, who is not really crafty, will walk out of there with a finished piece that’s creative and unique,” she says. Doors will open in the next few weeks on Gibbs Street across from First Watch, at the former home of Pigtails & Crewcuts.

Shin Orthodontics

New sushi from Raku chef

Here’s a fresh sushi spot that might be worth a drive to Gaithersburg: Kenaki Sushi Counter, a new venture from former Raku sous chef Ken Ballogdajan, just opened its doors at Kentlands Market Square. “We’re only doing lunch for right now, but we’re hoping to add dinner in the next few weeks,” says Aki Ballogdajan, who co-owns the restaurant with her brother. Signature rolls include the Black Magic (black rice, spicy tuna, tempura flakes and crispy leeks) and the White Tiger (seared scallops, salmon, eel and Granny Smith apples). Hours will vary for the next few weeks, click here for more.

Capital Area Food Bank

Mall makeovers, Chick-fil-A, bye bye Buredo and trouble for Taylor Gourmet

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Here’s your retail & restaurant scoop for the week of Sept. 13th, 2018.

Mall makeovers

There’s a lot of reshuffling at Westfield Montgomery mall this month as longtime tenants renovate their spaces in a rush to reopen before the holidays. Here’s an update on what’s happening:

  • Bath & Body Works is reconfiguring its store to provide a new showcase for the White Barn candle line. Renovations will be complete around the end of October; in the meantime, Bath & Body Works has set up a temporary storefront in the former Sharper Image space.
  • The Champs sporting goods store also is operating out of temporary quarters in the Macy’s Home wing. Renovations should be done in late October/early November.
  • Old Navy is renovating the space next door and is scheduled to move there just before Halloween. The new store will be noticeably smaller than Old Navy’s current location.
  • Francesca’s has closed for a mini-facelift and is expected to reopen Sept. 22nd.
  • Pandora has completed a major expansion and returned to its original location near the center of the mall.

We also have two closings to report. The glass-enclosed Peloton bike kiosk is gone after the company opened a full-sized store in downtown Bethesda. And the Zero Degrees Thai ice cream kiosk, which never appeared to have any customers, is out after just three months.

Shin Orthodontics
Buredo

Bye bye Buredo

No more sushi burritos at the Wildwood shopping center: Buredo has closed its doors after just a year in business. It’s the second closing in the past few weeks for three-year-old Buredo, which has four locations in D.C. but never seemed to pick up momentum with the Wildwood crowd. Perhaps it’s just as well that another sushi burrito chain, Maki Shop, called off plans to open at Georgetown Square just across the street. So does this mean sushi burritos are over? Maybe. But poke bowls are still going strong. More on that in an upcoming issue.

Le Pain Quotidien
Izes
Chick-fil-A

Opening day for Rockville’s Chick-fil-A

Sept. 27th is opening day for Chick-fil-A at Research Row, the new development rising off I-270 at West Montgomery Avenue in Rockville. The complex also is home to a new One Life Fitness gym, and it just landed another major tenant: Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant. See our Aug. 30th edition for details.

Potomac Village Farmers Market
Grilled Oyster
Taylor Gourmet at Pike & Rose

Trouble for Taylor Gourmet

You know the new Taylor Gourmet restaurant that just opened at Pike & Rose? It may not be around much longer. The sandwich chain tells the Washington Business Journal that it’s trying to renegotiate or terminate some of its leases, as its customers are increasingly choosing takeout and delivery over dining in. The Pike & Rose location, which opened this past May, is among those that may get the ax. (Editor’s update: All Taylor Gourmet locations closed in late September.)

Eyeland/Luxoptics
Congregation B'nai Tzedek
mailto:publisher@storereporter.com

Ramen & burgers for Pike & Rose, new Chick-fil-A for Rockville

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Ramen's almost ready

Aug. 7th is opening day for Jinya Ramen Bar at Pike & Rose, the first of several new restaurants expected to debut there in the next few months. The menu features hand-made noodles in five kinds of slow-simmered broth, customized with your choice of 25 toppings. Other offerings include salmon poke mini-tacos, Brussels sprouts tempura, quinoa salad, rice bowls and mochi ice cream. The drink menu ranges from sake, cocktails and Japanese beers to non-alcoholic seasonal and tea-based beverages. This is the third D.C.-area location for California-based Jinya. For some sneak-peek photos on our Facebook page, click here.

Wintergreen Plaza
BurgerFi

Burgers this winter at Pike & Rose

Also joining the dining scene at Pike & Rose is BurgerFi, a Florida-based chain known for its tasty food and eye-catching branded buns. In the tradition of fast-casual competitors Shake Shack and Five Guys, BurgerFi features a simple, calorie-busting menu: beef and veggie burgers, hot dogs and chicken sandwiches, fries and onion rings, shakes and custards, beer and wine. It’s scheduled to open at Pike & Rose this winter next to Bluemercury.

Pike Kitchen

Chick-fil-A on the way

Every week we get questions about the new Chick-fil-A sign that appeared this summer off I-270 in Rockville. The fast-food favorite will be part of the upcoming Research Row office park, which also includes a OneLife Fitness gym. So when is this new Chick-Fil-A going to open? The company tells us it’s shooting for September

FIFA World Cup Tournament
Power Hour Editing

Asian food hall opens in Rockville, Cabin John restaurants coming soon

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The Spot

The Spot is hot

Opening this weekend in downtown Rockville: The Spot, an Asian food hall on the ground floor of the Metropolitan apartment building on North Washington Street. Inside you’ll find everything from bubble tea and poke bowls to Taiwanese fried chicken, handmade noodles and dumplings. And for dessert: Taiwanese snocream (a shaved ice/ice cream combo) served in Hong Kong-style egg waffle cones. The Spot will be open until midnight or later most evenings, with additional food booths and a bar arriving soon. Up next is Pike Kitchen, another Asian food hall opening later this year on Edmonston Drive (click here for more). And after that comes The Block, a similar project opening in 2019 at Pike & Rose (click here for more).

1-800-GOT-JUNK
Shin Orthodontics
Cabin John restaurants

Cabin John restaurant update

Over at Cabin John Village, restaurant construction is moving quickly and we’re told that Cava (far left in this photo) might be open as early as next month. Le Pain Quotidien (second from left) will likely be the next restaurant to arrive, followed by Shake Shack (all the way on the right). The slowpoke here is Sisters Thai (the black building), a locally owned restaurant from Virginia that’s well behind its neighbors in the construction process. All four restaurants are supposed to be open by fall, but it looks like Sisters will need more time.

Norman's Farm Market
Girl Power 3
Pike & Rose

Weekend “staycation” at Pike & Rose

With the recent opening of the Canopy hotel by Hilton, Pike & Rose is looking to market itself as a summer “staycation” destination for locals. We stayed there last weekend and found plenty to keep us busy — starting with the Canopy’s free nightly tastings of local wines, spirits and craft brews, and ending with the hotel’s super-fresh breakfast buffet. The shopping options have really filled out, with everything from the outdoorsy (REI, L.L.Bean, Nike) to the culinary (Sur La Table and Seasons) to the fashion scene (from H&M to Lucky Brand to the Scout & Molly’s boutique). Catch dinner at one of the many Pike & Rose restaurants, schedule a massage at The Red Door, bowl a game at Pinstripes, take in a show at iPic or AMP…  then get in line for ice cream sandwiches at The Baked Bear or grab a cocktail at summer pop-up The Beach, and your weekend is complete. To see what else is happening at Pike & Rose, click here.

Power Hour Editing
Amazon Books

The summer of Amazon

It feels like Amazon is everywhere in Montgomery County this summer, with discounts for Amazon Prime members now in effect at all Whole Foods stores (10% off sale items plus rotating weekly specials) and the newly opened Amazonbooks already drawing crowds on Bethesda Row. Prime members get better deals at the bookstore too — and everyone can drop off their Amazon returns there, as long as their packages are boxed and labeled at home.

Big plans for Westfield Montgomery Mall, Chico’s checks out of Potomac Village — plus Mexican at Travilah & Korean BBQ on the Pike

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Westfield Montgomery Heritage Court plan

Major makeover for Montgomery Mall

This week we finally got a peek at the master plan for redeveloping Westfield Montgomery Mall into a living, working, shopping and dining community a la Pike & Rose. Most of the mall will remain intact — with the exception of Sears, which finally will close its doors next March — but plans calls for extensive additions including office space, apartments, a hotel, pedestrian walkways, and outdoor promenades lined with upscale stores and restaurants. Also on the way: a large fitness center with a dedicated parking lot. (No names have been revealed yet, but we’re hearing it’s Equinox.) The entire expansion plan will take about four years, beginning in spring 2019 after Sears is torn down. Additional renderings and a site plan can be found on our Facebook page; click here to check them out.

1-800-GOT-JUNK
Potomac Village Farmers Market
Chico's in Potomac Village

Chico’s checks out of the Village

Say goodbye to Chico’s in Potomac Village, which is closing its doors after a two-decade run next to Hunter’s Bar and Grill. The exit is part of a national downsizing for the women’s retailer, whose next-closest location is at Rockville’s Congressional Plaza. The Potomac Village store will be open until Monday (June 25th), but there’s not much left on the racks.

Shin Orthodontics
Launch Trampoline Park
Cafe Rio taco platter

Mexican fare at Travilah Square

Cafe Rio Mexican Grill will open its third Montgomery County location next week at Travilah Square Shopping Center off Darnestown Road. In addition to the usual crowd-pleasing Mexican dishes (tacos, enchiladas, salads, etc.), the restaurant is known for its fresh-made lemonades and specialty drinks like horchata, a traditional sweet beverage made with milk, rice and cinnamon. (Click here for a peek at the menu.) Cafe Rio is the first of a new wave of tenants for the revamped Travilah Square, which soon will include the True Food Kitchen spinoff Flower Child (click here for more in our May 17th issue) — and of course Trader Joe’s (click here for the latest).

Buredo
Honey Pig BBQ

Honey Pig on the Pike

Honey Pig Korean BBQ has opened its doors at Montrose Crossing; you’ll find it in the strip mall behind Old Navy. This is the fifth D.C.-area location for Honey Pig, which offers a wide-ranging menu that includes bulgogi, dumplings, bibimbap, noodle soups and stews. Click here to check it out.

Power Hour Editing

Poke and dim sum, MOM’s Organic Market, Baked Bear heads to Rio

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Poki D.C bowl

More poke on the way

Poki D.C., the Hawaiian-inspired restaurant chain that launched last year in Penn Quarter, is expanding throughout the D.C. area with three locations in Montgomery County. Much like Honeyfish Poke at Congressional Plaza (but spelled with an “i” instead of an “e”), Poki D.C. offers custom-made bowls of raw fish, rice and salad greens with various sauces and toppings. A Gaithersburg location at Rio Washingtonian Center will open in the next week or two. After that comes a Rockville location at The Spot, an all-Asian food hall under construction in the ground floor of The Metropolitan (click here for more on that). The third location will be at Georgetown Square Shopping Center off Democracy Boulevard, in the empty space next to Not Your Average Joe’s. Gary Ngo, co-owner of Poki D.C., says he hopes to open there by fall. For a peek at the menu, click here.

Grilled Oyster
The Baked Bear

Another Baked Bear for MoCo

Last week we told you that The Baked Bear was looking to open a second location at Rio Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg. This week it’s official: The bakery/ice cream shop is taking the former 16 Handles space between Muse Paintbar and Starbucks, where it’s expected to open later this year. The Baked Bear, a California chain known for its custom-made ice cream sandwiches, has been generating incredible lines at Pike & Rose every weekend since it opened May 19th. Click herefor more in our June 1st issue.

Realtor Lisa Nasar of Long & Foster
Mom's Organic Market produce section

MOM’s on the move

MOM’S Organic Market opened its doors last weekend at the new Upper Rock center on Shady Grove Road. This is the 19th and largest location for MOM’s — and the first to include an on-site bakery as well as the Naked Lunch organic restaurant. Upper Rock, across from Home Depot and Nordstrom Rack, is already home to CAVAand Firehouse Subs.

Shin Orthodontics
Dim sum

Dim sum on the Pike

Moving into the former Paladar space at North Bethesda Market on Rockville Pike: China Garden, a dim sum restaurant from the owners of Rockville’s Pandora Seafood House & Bar. “This group ran another China Garden in Arlington for many years, and now they’re relocating it here,” says broker Shang Wang, who handled the deal for JGB Companies. Known as a popular place for weddings and other large events, China Garden originally was supposed to move into the former REI space on Rockville Pike. That deal never materialized, but the Paladar space became available when the Latin restaurant closed its doors last winter. The new China Garden is expected to open by the end of this year.

New food & new stores for Westfield Montgomery Mall, Karma opens at Park Potomac

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Dining Terrace at Westfield Montgomery Mall

New eats at the mall

Lots of new food on the way to Westfield Montgomery Mall, where several restaurants and a trendy new dessert place are set to open in the next few months. In the Dining Terrace, the Spice 6 Indian eatery is shooting for a late-June opening while newcomer EG Ramenis taking over the former Boardwalk space. Upstairs, across from the ArcLight Cinema, Viva Steakhouse & Asian Fusion should be open by early fall. Owner Calvin Yang tells us the restaurant will have a pan-Asian menu (Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese) plus several Japanese hibachi tables, an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet, and a full bar that overlooks the Dining Terrace. And another Asian food craze, Thai rolled ice cream, is on the way to the Sears wing in the spot just vacated by Menchie’s.

Central Farm Markets
Potomac Village Farmers Market
Furniture Place at Montgomery Mall

What’s new, what’s coming to the mall

What else is happening at Westfield Montgomery Mall? Furniture Place has opened in the former Victoria’s Secret/Pink space near Nordstrom. The Dormifyshowroom is now open as well (click herefor more in our May 10th edition). And Zumiez, featuring skateboards and skater-inspired fashions, will be moving into the former VIP space.

Shin Orthodontics
Bender JCC of Greater Washington
Karma Erwin Gomez

Karma opens at Park Potomac

Karma by Erwin Gomez, the newest venture from the D.C.-based celebrity makeup artist, made its debut this week at Park Potomac. Located across from Addie’s in the ground floor of The Perry, Karma offers hair, makeup and nail services, lash and brow styling and an array of skin treatments — plus the chance to schedule a session with Gomez himself. For more on Karma, click here.

Truebody Fitness

So long Seven Seas and B/Bop/Q, hello Cabin John bakery

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Seven Seas

So long Seven Seas

Seven Seas, one of Rockville’s oldest Chinese restaurants, will close its doors at the end of this month. The 31-year-old eatery, on the back side of Federal Plaza near Panera, was a takeout favorite known for its fresh seafood dishes and lobster platters. Management tells us the restaurant’s lease was up and there are no plans to relocate.

Grilled Oyster
Potomac Village Farmers Market
Sweetly Anchored

Sweet start at Cabin John

The big story in Potomac this week is the debut of Sweetly Anchored, the new bakery and coffee shop inside the Cabin John mini-mall. Doors open on Monday morning (May 7th) with scones, croissants, muffins and quiche along with coffee and espresso drinks. Every afternoon the cases will be filled with cupcakes, cookies, brownies and tarts for eat-in or takeout. Owner Lindsay Miniaci, who is known for her specialty cakes, says new baked goods will be added in the weeks to come. The bakery will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Click here for more photos on the Store Reporter Facebook page.

Realtor Lisa Nasar of Long & Foster
URBNmarket
B Bop Q at Westfield Montgomery Mall

Bye B/Bop/Q

Korean fusion eatery B/Bop/Q closed its doors last weekend after less than three years at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Owned by a Rockville-based food service company that had planned to turn B/Bop/Q into a chain,the restaurant had a loyal fan base but had trouble drawing crowds so far from the main Dining Terrace. Another nearby restaurant that opened around the same time, Shanghai Bao Kitchen, had similar issues and closed its doors last winter.

Central Farm Market
Intimissimi

Comings & goings at the mall

This week we have a few more comings and goings to report at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The newest addition is Italian lingerie store Intimissimi, now open in the Nordstrom wing. Infinite Beauty, one of the mall’s longtime tenants, has added a second location offering facials and other spa services. Meanwhile, we say goodbye to Asian clothing chain Hoamgarafter a five-year run. As we mentioned in our March 8 issue, this had been the first U.S. location for the high-end chain — but its merchandise failed to catch on.

Park Potomac Spring Festival
Store Reporter Local Services Guide

Your Wegmans questions answered — plus a new food hall for Pike & Rose and an update on the Corned Beef King

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Wegmans storefront

Wegmans in Rockville: Your questions answered

Who knew a grocery store could create so much excitement? Our Facebook page and mailbag have been overflowing with messages since last Tuesday, when we happily delivered the news that Wegmans is finally coming to Rockville. Here are some answers to the questions we’ve been hearing all week.

Opening date? We don’t know yet, but it’s going to be awhile. The deal was just signed, and Wegmans tells us it’s too soon to establish a timeline for the project. The popular grocer is to be the anchor and primary draw for an expansive pedestrian-friendly development that’s planned for the Twinbrook Metro area. There are still a lot of hoops to jump through before construction can begin.

What about parking? Plans call for an underground parking lot that will serve Wegmans customers as well as the other surrounding businesses.

What will happen to the existing tenants at the corner of Halpine Road and Rockville Pike? Eventually, most of the businesses in and around that site will either have to close or relocate.

So what does this mean for Pizza CS? Our readers have been particularly concerned about the fate of the beloved pizzeria, known for its authentic Neapolitan-style pies. “We appreciate the community support,” says co-owner Ankur Rajpara. He and partner Jonathan Allen tell us their lease is good through 2020, but they’ve been scouting potential new locations in case they’re asked to make an early exit.

Can Rockville Pike really support this many grocery stores? The Pike already is home to Giant, Safeway, Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, Food Lion, Fresh Market and Trader Joe’s, among others. Not to mention that Aldiwill soon be opening there as well. (Click here for more on that).  Will local food shoppers actually be able to keep all these stores in business? This is one question to which even we don’t know the answer.

Pike Central Farm Market Grand Opening
The Block

New food hall for Pike & Rose

In another case of how much is too much: This week Pike & Roseannounced plans for The Block, a dining hall featuring 8,500 square feet of Asian street food that’s set to debut next year. Like its sister location in Annandale, The Block will have communal seating where everyone can order exactly what they want, from Taiwanese snocream to Hawaiian-style poké bowls. This is the third all-Asian food hall planned for the Rockville/North Bethesda area, following The Spot in downtown Rockville (click here for more) and Pike Kitchenon Edmonston Drive (click herefor more). Food halls are trending all over the U.S., including themed ones like the new collection of  Mike Isabella eateries at Tysons Galleria. But three Asian food halls within a short drive of each other? That’sgoing to be interesting.

Wintergreen Plaza
Grilled Oyster
Corned Beef King food truck

Latest on the Corned Beef King

Next week marks the grand opening of a Corned Beef King restaurant that isn’t on wheels: The popular food truck has completed its buildout inside the Liberty gas station at Rockville Pike and Twinbrook Parkway. Owner Jon Rossler had been running a similar gas station restaurant in Olney for several years, but he closed it a few weeks ago when the rent got too high. He says he’s happy to have a brick-and-mortar location in Rockville, where many fans follow his food truck around and some have even been known to drive to Olney for a sandwich. Meanwhile, the former Corned Beef King truck that’s recently been seen outside Hank Dietle’s is now owned by a separate operator serving Latin food.

The Game Gym
Store Reporter Local Services Guide

Check out our new Services Guide

This week we’re proud to debut our new Store Reporter Local Services Guide, a go-to list of recommendations for everything from home repairs to custom gifts to professional services to pet care. We’ve done our homework to vet the advertisers in this guide, asking friends and neighbors for referrals to make sure this is a list you can count on. We’ll be adding more categories in the weeks and months to come. Interested in being part of it? Click hereto send us an email. Want to check out the guide right now? Click here.

URBNmarket

ArcLight gets a new neighbor, Cabin John gets a new gym, still more bubble tea for Rockville

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Met Bethesda and ArcLight at Westfield Montgomery Mall

New neighbor for the ArcLight

Eighteen months after the closing of MET Bethesdaat Westfield Montgomery Mall, a new restaurant is taking over the space across from the popular ArcLight Cinema. Viva Steakhouse, serving a Benihana-style Japanese hibachi menu, will soon begin renovating the space with plans to open in a few months. MET Bethesda, which debuted in 2014 along with the movie theater and the expansive Dining Terrace, lasted less than two years before shutting its doors along with several of the other new restaurants. For more on what went wrong, click here.

Scout & Molly's
Realtor Lisa Nasar of Long & Foster
Pandora

New tenants blossoming at the mall

Spring is in the air, and with it comes a new crop of tenants to fill some of those empty spaces at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Besides the previously announced Intimissimi lingerie store and Spice 6 Indian restaurant, other new additions will include the skater-inspired clothing store Zumiez, an independent furniture store, and a mini-spa offering facials and mani/pedis. Also: The Pandora store will be doubling in size as it takes over a neighboring space to give shoppers more browsing room. What else is heading to the mall? An outdoor farm market that launches next month. See our April 5th edition for more.

Congregation B'nai Israel Evening with Ben Stein
My Gym Spring Open House
Biker Barre

New spin for Cabin John

If you’re planning to be a frequent visitor to the upcoming Sweetly Anchored bakery at Cabin John‘s mini-mall, here’s a chance to burn off some of those calories: Biker Barre, a boutique fitness studio from D.C., will be opening this summer just a few doors away. This will be the first Maryland location for Biker Barre, which will offer indoor cycling classes and ballet-inspired toning routines in the former Ballet Petitespace next to My Gym. For more on Biker Barre, click here. For more on the Sweetly Anchored bakery and coffee shop, click here.

Churchill Blast 29
The Music Man at Wootton
Gong Cha bubble tea

Still more bubble tea for Rockville

Another bubble tea chain is making its move into Montgomery County. Gong Cha, based in New York, has opened its first area location at The Galvanon Rockville Pike and will soon be adding another one in downtown Rockville’s new all-Asian food court. Gong Cha could prove to be a formidable competitor for Kung Fu Tea, which also has been expanding rapidly in this area.  For more on the all-Asian food court, click here. For more on Kung Fu Tea in MoCo, click here.

American Red Cross Dulles Golf Center fundraiser

Asian food courts and another Rockville restaurant closing — plus a move for Starbucks on the Pike

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Vietnamese soup bowl

Lots more Asian food on the way

Looks like 2018 will be the year of the Asian food court in Rockville. Two such projects are scheduled to open this summer: one in the downtown area and the other at Edmonston Crossingon Rockville Pike. The Edmonston project, to be called Pike Kitchen, will include Vietnamese pho and banh mi sandwiches, Korean street food and baked goods, poke bowls, ramen dishes, homemade ice cream, bubble tea and a coffee roastery. A similar project, known as The Spot, is planned for the ground floor of the new Metropolitanapartment building on North Washington Street. (Click herefor details.) “These food halls are not just going to focus on Asian customers,” says Pike Kitchen co-owner James Park. “We’re looking for new ways to get millennials and younger people to try this food. Once they taste these Asian spices, there’s no going back.”

Bethesda Central Farm Markets
Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar

Paladar’s out on the Pike

Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar has closed its doors after five years at North Bethesda Market on Rockville Pike. It’s the second major departure for the Whole Foods-anchored center, following the recent exit of Brio Tuscan Grill. (See our May 4th edition for more on that.) This year will likely bring more changes for North Bethesda Market, which was just acquired by CBRE Global Investors.

Pooch Portrait Studio
Starbucks pumpkin spice latte

Starbucks on the move at Pike & Rose?

This hasn’t been confirmed yet, but we’re hearing buzz that a move is in the works for Starbucksat Pike & Rose. The busy store, which sits on an outparcel that was built before Pike & Rose took shape, is rumored to be relocating to a central spot next to H&M. That space is only steps away from the new park where CAVA‘s founders will soon be opening their Juliirestaurant. (Haven’t heard about Julii? Click here.)

Lolly's Locks
Launch Trampoline Park

Getting the jump on Rockville

The giant bouncy-house craze continues with a new addition near Rockville Pike: Launch Trampoline Parkis now open at 4942 Boiling Brook Parkway. Here you’ll find the usual mix of birthday party packages and jumping hours for adults and kids, with plans for sessions designed for the special needs community. Jumping prices range from $16-$24 for one to two hours. Birthday parties start at $299. For additional details, click here.

Goodbye Guess and Tara Asia – plus Indian food, Cajun cuisine & Honeygrow

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Guess at Montgomery Mall

Guess who’s out at the mall

Guess has closed its doors at Westfield Montgomery Mall, part of a nationwide downsizing for the once-iconic fashion retailer. Specs New Yorkis also out, along with several holiday popup shops including Things Remembered. What’s on the way? Altar’d State, a Tennessee-based women’s clothing chain that blends fashion with a Christian mission; Intimissimi, an Italian lingerie and pajama store for men and women; and Spice 6, a “modern Indian” restaurant serving salads, wraps and pizza made with naan bread. More details and opening dates in the weeks to come.

Realtor Lisa Nasar of Long & Foster
Honeygrow

Honeygrow’s here

Jan. 18 is opening day for the new Honeygrow restaurant at Montrose Crossingon Rockville Pike. It’s the first of four eateries opening at the former Timpanosite — a lineup that soon will include CAVA, Pieologyand Five Guys. “D.C. is our biggest growth market for 2018,” says Honeygrow founder Justin Rosenberg, who created the chain after switching to a mostly plant-based diet. The menu focuses on salads and stir-fries made from freshly cooked noodles, veggies and sauces, with a signature “honeybar” dessert featuring yogurt, fresh fruit and toppings. Rosenberg says he’s looking elsewhere in Montgomery County for Honeygrow and its smaller sister chain, Minigrow. To see what’s on the menu,click here.

Wintergreen Plaza
Pad Thai

Two Rockville restaurants close

Tara Asia, the longtime Thai restaurant on Montgomery Avenue near the Regal Rockville movie theater, closed its doors without explanation after the holidays. Also closed is Quench, the restaurant and bar that had a five-year run on Traville Gateway Drive.

Live Crawfish & Seafood

New Orleans on the Pike

Newest addition to the multicultural restaurant mix at Rockville’s Ritchie Center: Live Crawfish & Seafood, specializing in Louisiana-style Cajun cuisine from po’boys and gumbo to jambalaya and beignets. A grand opening party is planned for Feb. 24th, but the restaurant already is open for lunch and dinner at 765 Rockville Pike. To check out the menu,click here.

Post-holiday closings, farming at Pike & Rose and the return of Amici Miei

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Cabin John mini-mall

Who didn’t survive the holidays?

With the holidays behind us, we’re heading into the month when long-struggling stores and restaurants often close their doors. The newly renamed Cabin John Villagealready has seen two exits: Momo Taro Sushi Express and the dry cleaner Fashion Flair. Downtown Bethesda is sadly counting down the days for the closing of Barnes & Noble, soon to be replaced by a massive Anthropologie department store. One unexpected departure was that of L’Academie de Cuisine, the respected local cooking school whose alumni include Rose’s Luxury chef Aaron Silverman, TV personality Carla Hall, and Potomac’s own Once Upon a ChefJenn Segal. We’re expecting more closings in the next few weeks. If you’re still holding on to any holiday gift certificates, be sure to spend them ASAP.

Bethesda Central Farm Markets
Appalachian Spring

Downsizing for Appalachian Spring

Six months after the closing of its original location in Georgetown, Appalachian Springis shuttering two more stores as its owners make plans to retire. “Shopping is not the recreational vehicle that it used to be,” says David Brooks, who started the gift store chain 50 years ago with his wife Polly. Today’s customers have less time to browse, Brooks says, and the Virginia store in particular took a hit when Reston Town Center started charging for parking. That store and the one at D.C.’s Union Stationwill close this month. The Rockville store at Congressional Plaza will remain in business under new ownership, as longtime manager Blair Marra takes the reins.

Wintergreen Plaza
Amici Miei in Potomac and Rockville

Amici Miei is back

Amici Miei, the Italian restaurant that exited Potomac Woods Plaza last November, reopens this week at its new home in downtown Rockville. The new space is smaller and renovations are still under way, says owner Roberto Deias, “but it’s nice and cozy, and the customers really love it.” The menu includes plenty of longtime favorites, along with some new Sardinian dishes. You’ll find Amici Miei at 6 North Washington Street, in the former home of Peruvian restaurant Sazon Inka.

Jenny Camps Personal Training ad: http://www.jocpersonaltraining.com
Up Top Acres

Rooftop garden for Pike & Rose

Coming this spring to Pike & Rose: A rooftop vegetable garden offering farm-share memberships for the North Bethesda area. Up Top Acres, which already operates a half-dozen rooftop farms around D.C., will be growing greens, herbs, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers and more atop one of the new Pike & Rose buildings. For more on what’s ahead for Pike & Rose — including an ice cream shop/bakery and a new concept from the founders of CAVA— read ourNov. 2and Nov. 30 issues atwww.storereporter.com.