Italian Food

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

January 4, 2018 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

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 Village already 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 Chef Jenn 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.

Downsizing for Appalachian Spring

Six months after the closing of its original location in Georgetown, Appalachian Spring is 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 Station will close this month. The Rockville store at Congressional Plaza will remain in business under new ownership, as longtime manager Blair Marra takes the reins.

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.

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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 our Nov. 2 and Nov. 30 issues at www.storereporter.com.

Did you miss these issues?

Latest peek at Sisters Thai, first look at Fogo de Chão, last chance for The Big Greek giveaway

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

New opening at Pike & Rose, Five Below is on the go, Rockville restaurant closes and the real price of delivery apps

Fogo de Chão at Pike & Rose, more construction at Cabin John, goodbye Payless and trouble for Party City

Lululemon goes for the guys — plus Robeks, Teamania & pop-up shopping in Rockville

What’s ahead for Wildwood, test kitchen at Zoës, new food at Congressional, ready for takeoff at the mall

Pure Barre in Potomac, pet stores in Rockville, straighter teeth at CVS and a comeback for Taylor Gourmet

Sneak peek of Sisters at Cabin John — plus Java Nation on Rockville Pike and Eyebobs at the mall

Japanese steakhouse flames out, Cinnabon wafts in — plus new Java on Rockville Pike and a Big Greek giveaway

L.L.Bean, holiday shopping and a move for Amici Miei

November 9, 2017 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

L.L.Bean hikes to the Pike

This is grand opening week for L.L.Bean at Pike & Rose, where the “Bootmobile” is parked outside and events will be happening Friday through Sunday (Nov. 10-12). Sitting just across the street from the six-month-old REI store, L.L.Bean completes the center’s transformation into a mecca for the outdoorsy shopping crowd. Company exec Greg Elder tells us the retailer had been searching for a new Maryland location since its Columbia store closed in 2012. “Rockville Pike was on the short list of places we wanted to be, and Pike & Rose was just the kind of project we were looking for,” he says. The new store will offer free clinics as well as staff-led outings for hiking, fishing, fly casting, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. For a schedule of opening events, click here.

Win these gifts at the holiday boutique

The holidays are kicking off early this year with the Washington Hebrew Congregation Sisterhood Holiday Boutique & Silent Auction, Sunday Nov. 12 through Tuesday Nov. 14 at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center in Potomac. We also have a fabulous Store Reporter raffle featuring gifts and gift cards from show vendors. Here are some of the goodies you can win:

Lost & Forged certificate for $25 in gifts and accessories made from reclaimed silver (lostandforged.com)
The Cookie Jar DC sample pack of four mini-jars of edible cookie dough (thecookiejardc.com)
PixieLane Kids gift certificate for $30 worth of kids’ clothes (click for more on Facebook)
Bows Etc. gift certificate for $25 in hair accessories (bowsetc.com)
Perfect Presents by Pamela gift certificate for a $75 child’s fleece blanket (click for more on Facebook)

There are two ways to put your name in our hat: 1) Visit the boutique show and stop by the Store Reporter table, or 2) Click here to enter via our Facebook page.

Amici Miei on the move

Amici Miei is saying arrivederci to Potomac. After 13 years at Potomac Woods Plaza off Seven Locks and Montrose, the Italian restaurant is relocating to smaller quarters at 6 North Washington Street in Rockville. Rising rent was the main reason for the move, says co-owner Roberto Deias, who also hopes to capture more lunchtime traffic from the busy neighborhood around the courthouse. The Rockville location, formerly home to Peruvian eatery Sazon Inka, will have a new bar and pizza ovens when it opens early this winter. The Potomac restaurant will close just after Thanksgiving.

New bakery for the mall

Shilla Bakery, a Virginia-based chain featuring Korean cakes and pastries, is new at Westfield Montgomery Mall next to Chick-fil-A. This is the same spot that was previously home to Chocolate Moonshine and Chloe’s Deli. Next up on the bakery front: Sweetly Anchored Patisserie, scheduled for a winter opening at Cabin John Mall. More in our Oct. 5 edition.

Cava, Pieology & more heading to Montrose Crossing — plus closings at Cabin John and Pike & Rose

June 22, 2017 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Four new restaurants for Rockville

A new group of fast-casual restaurants is heading to Montrose Crossing, filling the now-empty space where Timpano was recently torn down. On the way so far: Five Guys, CAVA Grill, Pieology and a Philly-based stir-fry concept called Honeygrow (click here for more). All are expected to open this winter.

A Taste of New Orleans on Rockville Pike

Mardi Gras fans and Tulane grads, listen up: A Cajun-style restaurant is heading to Rockville Pike. Live Crawfish & Seafood is set to open this fall at Ritchie Center off Wootton Parkway, home to La Limeña, IHOP and a bounty of international restaurants. This will be a big place: 3,000 square feet with seating for more than 80 people, says owner Thuan Nguyen. Menu will be similar to that of New Orleans Cajun Seafood, a sister restaurant in Falls Church. (Click here to check it out.)

Gift shop to exit Cabin John

Leila Fine Gifts & Jewels, one of the last locally owned gift shops in the Rockville/Potomac area, is closing its doors after five years at Cabin John Shopping Center. “The retail environment is challenging everywhere these days,” says owner Deb Shalom, who is still moving forward with the new jewelry subscription business that we wrote about last month. “Even the most established stores are having a hard time. For someone like me with far fewer resources, it’s tough to make things work.” This has been the worst year in recent memory for local gift shops: As Kindred Spirits closed its last remaining location in March, Ten Thousand Villages exited Rockville and Bethesda soon afterwards, and Appalachian Spring will shutter its Georgetown store this weekend.

Carluccio’s exits Pike & Rose

Carluccio’s Italian Market, the British-owned restaurant that opened just last year at Pike & Rose, has called off plans for a U.S. expansion. The American restaurant business was more competitive than expected, a spokesman told the Washington Business Journal. Carluccio’s, which also shuttered its Virginia location in Alexandria, is the third tenant to close its doors at three-year-old Pike & Rose. The short-lived City Sports departed after its parent company filed Chapter 11, and the children’s boutique Yogaso closed last January.

New at the mall: beanbags and Peloton bikes

Lovesac has opened its doors at Westfield Montgomery Mall, selling beanbag-style furniture on the second level near Nordstrom. This is the second beanbag store at the mall, joining two-year-old Yogibo. Also new this week: A try-it-yourself kiosk for Peloton, the high-end line of spin bikes with video screens that connect to live instructors. You’ll find Peloton on the mall’s lower level near Guess.

Amazon in the news

Amazon deals have been all over the news this past week. First the e-tailer agreed to buy Whole Foods for $13.7 billion. Then it announced Prime Wardrobe, a subscription service for no-hassle, easy-return shipments of clothes, shoes and accessories. And now Bloomberg reports that Amazon will soon start selling Nike goods directly from its site, thwarting counterfeiters and bypassing sporting goods retailers like Dick’s, Finish Line and Foot Locker. What will Amazon gobble up next? Stay tuned.

Two restaurants exit Rockville Pike, Peruvian chicken at Westlake, Sears & Bonobos changing hands

May 4, 2017 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Two restaurants exit Rockville Pike

This week marks the closing of two Italian restaurants off Rockville Pike: Fine-dining fixture Brio Tuscan Grille, which lasted five years, and fast-casual pizza joint Pie 360, which didn’t even make it to five months. Brio, one of the original tenants at North Bethesda Market, was a popular spot for large parties but had trouble filling so many tables on a day-to-day basis. Pie 360, a short-lived experiment from the Coal Fire pizza chain, had been one of the first restaurants to open at the new Galvan complex off Twinbrook Parkway. Pie 360 also closed its seven-month-old location on D.C.’s K Street.

New restaurant for Westlake Crossing

Peruvian chicken chain Don Pollo is heading to Westlake Crossing, the shopping center just outside Westfield Montgomery Mall. Plans call for a fall opening next to Corner Bakery, in the former Roti space that’s been vacant for more than a year. In addition to its juicy chicken, Don Pollo serves traditional Peruvian dishes like lomo saltado, ceviche and aguadito soup. Click here to check out the menu.

Sears store changing hands

Chicago-based Sears, which is unloading real estate across the country, has sold its Westfield Montgomery Mall store for $73.5 million. The buyer? Westfield Corp., the mall’s owner. If you think this means the Sears store is finally going to close, think again. The Washington Business Journal says a leaseback deal will ensure that business goes on as usual, at least for the short term. For the long term, Westfield isn’t revealing its plans — but we’re betting the Sears space could eventually become the site of a modern home goods retailer like West Elm or Crate & Barrel.

Pandora for Mother’s Day at Silver Moon

If there’s a mom in your life who loves Pandora jewelry, Silver Moon at Congressional Plaza is the place to check out this year’s Mother’s Day collection. Shown here: The “Tree of Hearts” bangle bracelet, engraved with the words “You are so loved” ($125), and the “Tribute to Mom” gift set with snake chain bracelet in a pink zippered case ($195). Or keep it simple with the “I Love My Mom” charm, in sterling silver with cubic zirconia stones for just $60. Silver Moon Jewelry & Accessories, 1659 Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza; (301) 468-1122 or visit www.silvermoonstyle.com.

Another shoe store heading to the mall

Vinci, a Pennsylvania-based retailer specializing in handmade leather shoes, is moving into the former Sheepskin Gifts space at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Vinci carries styles for both men and women, with prices mostly in the $150 to $200 range. Vinci is the second new shoe store heading to the mall this year; see our April 6th edition for details on the upcoming Kicks USA.

Walmart buying Bonobos?

Bonobos, the upscale men’s clothing retailer known for its well-fitting pants, is expected to be acquired by Walmart in the next few months. This pairing is not as odd as it may seem: Walmart has been diversifying its holdings with the purchase of several trendy e-commerce sites — including Shoebuy, Moosejaw and ModCloth — that give it access to fashion-conscious customers who likely wouldn’t be caught dead buying clothes at Walmart.com. Bonobos is a web-based business with a handful of physical stores, including the one at Westfield Montgomery Mall, where customers can try clothes in person but still make their purchases online. It’s unclear whether this acquisition would ultimately lead to Bonobos clothes being sold on Walmart’s website.

New restaurant coming, Noodles & Company going at the mall — plus, bye bye Bebe and Bethesda’s Barnes & Noble

April 6, 2017 By Store Reporter 3 Comments

New restaurant heading to Westfield Montgomery

A popular Bethesda restaurant known for its thin-crust pizzas and salads is finalizing plans for a new location at Westfield Montgomery Mall. We can’t reveal the name just yet, but we can tell you that the menu focuses on healthy eating with fresh vegetables, antibiotic-free meats, cauliflower pizza crusts and gluten-free options. Unlike the recently departed Blaze Pizza and Naples Ristorante, this is a locally owned chain that already has a following in our area.

Noodles & Company, Yum Crepes close

Meanwhile, Noodles & Company exited Westfield Montgomery Mall this week along with the short-lived Yum Crepes. Noodles & Company recently announced plans to trim 55 locations; this week’s closings also included the one on Elm Street in downtown Bethesda. The Rockville restaurant at Congressional Plaza remains open, as does the one in Gaithersburg.

Shoe news

Kicks USA, a Philadelphia-based chain specializing in trendy sneakers, will make its Maryland debut this year with a new store at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The retailer will take over two storefronts near Macy’s Home that were previously occupied by Core, which closed this winter, and Voorthuis Opticians, which has relocated to the Nordstrom wing. Kicks sells shoes for men, women and kids, but its marketing is aimed squarely at teen boys who collect and trade the latest editions from Nike, Adidas, Vans and other popular lines. The company publishes a “release date” schedule for each new design, making savvy use of social media and fanboy videos like this one for the latest pair of Air Jordans.

Spring brings more store closings

Two more waves of store closings were announced this week as the Payless shoe chain filed Chapter 11 and women’s retailer Bebe made plans to move its business online. Say goodbye to the Payless store on Rockville Pike, which had been open for just seven months, and the Bebe store at Westfield Montgomery Mall, which will close by the end of May. Payless is reorganizing and will continue to operate some of its stores, including the one at Westfield Montgomery. Bebe had no other locations in Maryland.

Barnes & Noble closes the book on Bethesda

Barnes & Noble has announced plans to close its three-story location in downtown Bethesda, an institution for more than two decades at the corner of Woodmont and Bethesda Avenues. The departure, scheduled for the end of this year, will leave the struggling bookseller with just two stores in Montgomery County: one at Montrose Crossing on Rockville Pike, and the other at Rio Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg.

New deal brewing for Panera

The Panera restaurant chain was purchased this week by JAB Holding Company, a German firm that also acquired Krispy Kreme and Einstein Bros. Bagels in the past few years. The goal? Brand synergies. JAB also owns a bunch of coffee companies including Peet’s, Caribou and Keurig Green Mountain. The Panera acquisition offers 2,000 new places to sell coffee.

Did you miss something?

Did you know that Moby Dick is up and running in Potomac Village and Mission BBQ has arrived on Rockville Pike? Wondering about the opening dates for North Bethesda’s new REI store and the new restaurants at Park Potomac? Spring break is a great time to visit our website, www.storereporter.com, and catch up any news you might have missed. Also, Store Reporter is finally on Twitter! Follow us: @store_reporter.com.

Moby Dick in Potomac Village, more changes at Rockville Town Square, new restaurants we love

February 9, 2017 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Moby Dick update

Moby Dick expects a mid-March opening for its new location in Potomac Village, where it’s nearing the end of construction at the Falls Road storefront that once housed Toys Unique. This will be the 21st restaurant for the fast-casual chain, which has been serving Persian food in the D.C. area for almost 30 years. To see what’s on the menu, click here.

Who’s in, who’s out at Rockville Town Square

Lots of changes this winter on Gibbs Street at Rockville Town Square, where Little Dipper Hot Pot House is set to open next week while the neighboring Ev & Maddy’s appears to have closed. Little Dipper, which is taking over the corner spot that once housed Noodles & Company, offers flavored broths with noodles, vegetables and meats that you cook right at your table. Ev & Maddy’s, which earned good reviews for its European bistro-style menu, had been open for just two years in the space next door. It’s the fourth restaurant to fail at that address since 2007, following Bobby’s Crabcakes, Tippy’s Taco House and the short-lived 82 Steak Out. Also exiting Gibbs Street is the Ten Thousand Villages gift shop; more on that in our Feb. 2 edition.

Amazon to buy Macy’s?

This week brought the news that Macy’s, which has been closing stores across the country, is entertaining acquisition offers from several potential suitors. The interested parties are said to include Amazon, which is looking to expand into physical stores, and Hudson’s Bay Company, which already owns Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor. Stay tuned.

Bye bye BCBG

BCBG Max Azria, which exited Westfield Montgomery Mall last year, plans to close 120 locations across the country in the next two months. The retailer says it will continue to operate some freestanding stores, but will focus primarily on its Internet sales, licensing deals and boutiques inside department stores. The BCBG store in Chevy Chase will be closing in the next few weeks, but staffers tell us the Georgetown and Tysons stores will remain open — at least for now. Like so many clothing retailers these days, BCBG is rumored to be on the verge of bankruptcy.

Tell us where you love to eat — and win dinner at Chuy’s

From burgers and beer to Irish and Russian cuisine, the Rockville/Potomac area has welcomed some two dozen new restaurants in the past 12 months. As Valentine’s Day approaches, we’d like to know which ones have won a place in your heart. Tell us your favorites, and we’ll enter you into our raffle to win dinner for four at Chuy’s on Rockville Pike. Here are the contenders:

Beefsteak at Westfield Montgomery Mall
Carluccio’s at Pike & Rose
Chopt at Congressional Plaza
Chuy’s at Federal Plaza
Fish Taco at the Wildwood Shops
Finnegan’s Wake Irish Pub at Rockville Town Square
Habit Burger at Wintergreen Plaza
Helen’s on Rockville Pike
Jersey Mike’s at Wintergreen Plaza
Lahinch at Cabin John Shopping Center
Mellow Mushroom at Rockville Town Square
Miso Fusion Café at Rockville Town Square
Modern Market at Congressional Plaza
Owen’s Ordinary at Pike & Rose
Pieology on Shady Grove Road
Pie 360 on Rockville Pike
Samovar at Rockville Town Square
Smashburger on Rockville Pike
Tara Thai at Westfield Montgomery Mall
The Big Greek Cafe on Nicholson Lane
Wingstop at Wintergreen Plaza
World of Beer in downtown Rockville

To enter, just click here to fill out our survey favorites (choose as many favorites as you want) or click here to comment on our Facebook page. We’ll tally up the votes and draw the winning name later this month.

Modern Market eyes Fallsgrove, new tenant for American Tap Room, goodbye Ten Thousand Villages

February 2, 2017 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Modern Market heading to Fallsgrove?

It’s not a done deal yet, but we’re hearing that Modern Market will soon announce plans for a second Rockville restaurant at the Fallsgrove Village Center off Shady Grove Road. The chain made its D.C.-area debut last summer in downtown Bethesda, followed in December by a second location at Rockville’s Congressional Plaza and just this week by a third location in Washington. Modern Market, based in health-conscious Boulder, CO, has earned an avid following for its super-fresh menu (click here), detailed nutritional information, and willingness to accommodate a variety of specialized diets. (At Fallsgrove, though, we might just be tempted to top off all that healthy eating with a hot Krispy Kreme.)

New successor for American Tap Room

Six weeks after the closing of Rockville’s American Tap Room, a new restaurant has leased the space with plans to open this summer. Pandora Seafood Restaurant and Bar is a new venture from the owners of China Garden, a longtime fixture in Rosslyn, VA, that’s known for hosting large events. China Garden recently announced plans to close at the end of July, just when this new restaurant is expected to open.

Goodbye Ten Thousand Villages

Ten Thousand Villages, which sells crafts made by artisans in developing countries, will close its Bethesda and Rockville stores this spring. The company is trimming down “in response to a changing retail environment,” says spokesman Juanita Fox, but will continue to operate stores in Baltimore and Old Town Alexandria. The 11-year-old location at Rockville Town Square is scheduled to exit March 25, followed shortly afterwards by the Bethesda store on Elm Street. If you’re a fan of Ten Thousand Villages and its global mission, you can still shop the website by clicking here.

Valentine’s Day gifts at Silver Moon

Valentine’s Day is approaching fast, and the Silver Moon gift shop at Congressional Plaza (formerly known as Tiara) is brimming with heart-shaped jewelry from Pandora. Shown here: sterling silver earring and necklace set for $125; pavé heart bracelet with love charm and silver clips for $195; and the “Love Struck” charm gift set for $65. All three come complete with lovely red gift boxes. Silver Moon Jewelry & Accessories, Congressional Plaza, 1659 Rockville Pike. Call 301-468-1122 or visit www.silvermoonstyle.com.

Naples Ristorante and others out at Westfield Montgomery Mall – plus news on Chef Geoff’s and AMP

January 26, 2017 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Naples Ristorante is out

Naples Ristorante, the high-profile Italian restaurant at Westfield Montgomery Mall, will shut down after dinner this Saturday night (Jan. 28th). This latest closing, first confirmed by Bethesda Beat, makes a half-dozen restaurants that have quickly come and gone since the mall’s 2014 renovation. Blaze Pizza, Lobster ME, Jamaican Mi Crazy and Chloe’s NY Style Deli all departed last May, followed in September by the full-service restaurant MET Bethesda. Mall spokesman Christi Swanson says she expects to announce new restaurants in the next few months. The goal, she says, is to find dining options that “better cater to our customer demand.”

Kids’ store closes, Freddy butts out

Naples Ristorante wasn’t the only casualty at Westfield Montgomery Mall this week. American Classic Clothes, the children’s store that relocated from the White Flint Mall in 2013, has closed its doors after 31 years in business. Owner Leonore Briskman, who got her start in Potomac Village selling clothes that she’d designed for her own children, says she’s unsure of her plans — but longtime customers are welcome to contact her at 301-802-2436. Also exiting the mall this week is Freddy, the Italian butt-shaping pants shop in the Nordstrom wing. Store employees tell us they’re looking for a new location, but in the meantime customers can shop the Freddy website here.

Goodbye Peet’s

Peet’s Coffee, which opened an elaborate kiosk at Westfield Montgomery in the summer of 2015, is also out after failing to steal much business away from Starbucks. Peet’s, which has only a handful of stores in Montgomery County, was hampered at the mall by its out-of-the-way location in the Sears wing. Its former kiosk is temporarily serving as a weekend pop-up shop for Rumi Tea & Spice.

Chef Geoff’s space gets a new tenant

The Chef Geoff’s space on Rockville Pike, also known for its previous incarnation as Houston’s, is a restaurant no more. A pediatric urgent care center is moving in, with some remaining square footage still available for lease. When Chef Geoff’s closed in 2015, owner Geoff Tracy told Store Reporter that the “fixed costs” of running such a large restaurant made it difficult for him to turn a profit. “The bar was epic,” he noted at the time, “but I just couldn’t get enough people to buy drinks there.”

New caterer for AMP at Pike & Rose

AMP, the nightclub/concert hall inside Pike & Rose, has brought in Bethesda caterer Ridgewells to take over its food and drink menu. That’s a switch from the club’s original caterer, Neighborhood Restaurant Group, which also operates the nearby Owen’s Ordinary beer garden. The Strathmore performing arts center, which handles programming at AMP, says it made the change in response to customer feedback. The new menu is heavy on appetizers like Korean spiced BLT sliders, cheesesteak spring rolls and boardwalk fries, as well as “carafe cocktails” meant for sharing. Click here to take a look.

Goodbye Vince & Dominic’s, hello Chipotle; B Scene’s teen scene

June 12, 2014 By Store Reporter

Goodbye Vince & Dominic’s

Many Store Reporter readers were saddened by the May 30 closing of Vince & Dominic’s Pizzeria, site of countless sports team parties and family outings for more than three decades. Home Depot, which owns the shopping center across from Westfield Montgomery Mall, took some heat when the restaurant’s owners publicly blamed the company for not renewing their lease. But Home Depot spent a year trying to work with the owners after they fell behind in their rent, says company spokesman Stephen Holmes. The departure of Vince & Dominic’s leaves the property with several vacant storefronts. Holmes says no decisions have been made about what to do with all the empty space.

Hello Chipotle

We were the first to tell you that Chipotle was coming to Potomac Village. (See our Feb. 6 and April 3 editions.) Now we’re here to tell you when you can get in line for your first burrito. Mark your calendars for June 23.

Welcome back Talbots and Konplott

Talbots, the classic women’s clothing chain that joined the mass exodus from White Flint Mall several months ago, opened its big red doors last week on the lower level of Westfield Montgomery Mall. And Konplott, the European jewelry store that vacated its space near Macy’s last month, has returned in the form of a kiosk outside Nordstrom.

Teen Scene at B Scene

B Scene, the trendy clothing boutique at Cabin John Shopping Center & Mall, is expanding its product line to appeal to kids and teens. “We have a lot of customers who have been with us since the time they had babies, and now those babies are 10, 12, 14 years old — so it’s fun for them to come in with mom and get something for themselves,” says Ilana Kashdin, who runs the store with her own mom, Robin Greger. The change is also a natural result of the store’s relocation two years ago from an outside storefront to an inside space near Shoe Train, Toy Castle, My Gym and other child-focused businesses. “There are a lot more kids now walking by and looking through our windows,” Kashdin says. So she makes sure they’ll spot something they like: boys’ lacrosse shorts from Flow Society, for example, and girls’ clothes from companies like Malibu Sugar, Dori Creations and Les Tout Petites. Not to mention the kitschy socks of the season from Living Royal ($8 a pair), featuring photo-realistic images like the jellybeans shown here.

Big changes at the mall, Chipotle opening in Potomac Village, no Walmart for Rockville

February 6, 2014 By Store Reporter

Big changes ahead for Montgomery Mall

Westfield Montgomery Mall will add at least four new restaurants to its dining mix this year, starting with the New York-based pizzeria chain Naples 45. On the heels of recent additions Cheesecake Factory and Bobby’s Burger Palace, the new eateries are all part of the mall’s plan to become a dining and entertainment destination. Topping it all off will be the East Coast’s first ArcLight Cinema, a multi-screen state-of-the-art theater offering reserved seating, gourmet food and alcoholic beverages. Part of the mall’s new look is already in place: Chic new seating arrangements sprinkled throughout, complete with electrical outlets and WiFi. “It’s supposed to feel like the lobby of a boutique hotel,” says marketing director Christa Allen. Guys will be especially happy about the ultra-posh seats in the Nordstrom wing, with a prime view of the Tesla store.

Potomac Village: Chipotle on the way

Speaking of new dining options, Potomac Village will soon have one of its own when Chipotle opens in the former Chicken Out space next to Starbucks. Renovation is under way; opening will be this spring.

No Walmart for Rockville

You may remember all the hoopla back in 2011, when Walmart announced plans for a new location at Rockville Pike and Twinbrook Parkway. Neighbors were up in arms about replacing a smallish shopping center with 80,000 square feet of big-box superstore. Well, that deal is dead. The original shopping center, which includes the beloved Bagel City, isn’t going anywhere. And its owners have found new tenants to fill the former Office Depot space: Ethan Allen and Pier One, both relocating from elsewhere on the Pike.

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