Store Reporter

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

Kids & Teen Stores

Lego Store, the future of Macy’s and a closing date for Pizza CS

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Hello Lego

A Lego Store is on the way to Westfield Montgomery mall, opening next fall just in time for the holiday shopping season. This will be the first dedicated toy store at the mall since Marbles went out of business in 2017. Where will it be? On the lower level, replacing Patrizia Luca which will relocate. If you missed last week’s issue about the mall’s changing restaurant scene (bye bye Bobby’s Burger Palace), click here to catch up.

Sugo
Sky Squad

The future of Macy's and more at the mall

The parade of bad retail news continued this week when Macy’s announced plans to shutter 125 stores over the next three years. What does this mean for the future of Macy’s at Westfield Montgomery mall? Probably nothing. The company says it intends to close its “least productive” locations at “lower tier” malls — a description that really doesn’t apply here. If anything, we will likely see a consolidation of Macy’s and Macy’s Home into a single renovated store when the mall finally moves forward with its redevelopment plan. Meanwhile, the past few weeks have brought some changes on the mall’s salon scene: Uasis Day Spa has closed its doors, Infinite Beauty has shuttered one of its two locations, and newcomer Luxury Beauty & Nails is now open across from Chick-fil-A. Also new is a photography shop, Pinnacle Pictures, on the lower level next to Haagen Dazs.

Wintergreen Plaza

Closing date for Pizza CS

You only have a few more months to enjoy the Neapolitan pies at Rockville’s Pizza CS. Owners Jonathan Allen and Ankur Rajpara tell us their final day in business will be Sunday, June 14th. As we reported back in November, Allen and Rajpara have decided not to relocate after the Twinbrook Metro Center is demolished to make way for Wegmans. Their other restaurant, New York-style CSNY, will remain open on Rockville Pike. See our Nov. 14th edition for more on Pizza CS. See our Sept. 11 edition  for more on Wegmans. And see our Jan. 30th edition for news about Frank Pepe, another Neapolitan pizzeria that’s heading to Westfield Montgomery mall.

Mimi Arnold
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Latest on Lord & Taylor, New Haven pizza, French pastries and a holiday boutique

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The Lord & Taylor lowdown

Lord & Taylor, under new ownership this fall, is closing its stores at Tysons Corner and Dulles Town Center just months after exiting Gaithersburg’s Lakeforest Mall. So what about the North Bethesda store, which stands alone at the site of the former White Flint Mall? Not to worry. A company spokesman assures us that the White Flint store will remain open, along with the one in Chevy Chase. If you happen to stop by, don’t miss the newly expanded second-floor clearance section with a smattering of designer bargains directly from Manhattan. Next year, we’re told, all Lord & Taylor stores will begin integrating merchandise from new owner Le Tote. More on the acquisition in our Aug. 29th edition.

Shin Orthodontics
Moda Optic
Lisa Nasar

New Haven pizza on the way

New Englanders were cheering this week when WTOP reported that Connecticut pizzeria Frank Pepe is heading to Westfield Montgomery mall. This will be the first Maryland location for the family-owned business, which was founded almost a century ago in New Haven. On the menu: Neapolitan-style pizzas with thin crusts and charred edges, including a signature pie featuring littleneck clams, garlic and olive oil. The mall won’t say when or where Frank Pepe will be opening. (We’re betting on the former Crave space, which has been empty since last April.) Hopefully this new arrival will help fill the void left by the upcoming closure of Rockville’s Pizza CS. More on that in our Nov. 14th edition. (Editor’s update: We now know that Frank Pepe will be replacing Bobby’s Burger Palace. Details in our Jan. 30th edition.)

Chocolate Moonshine
Washington Hebrew Congregation Holiday Boutique & Silent Auction

Shopping, fun and a free Store Reporter raffle

Head to Potomac this weekend for the annual Holiday Boutique & Silent Auction sponsored by the Women of Washington Hebrew Congregation. The show will be held Sunday and Monday inside the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center, at the corner of Falls Road and Tuckerman Lane. Stop by the Store Reporter table, say hello and enter to win one of our fabulous raffle prizes from show vendors: gift cards for clothes from Lavaloka and Trio Jr., design services from Elana Designs, home accessories from Crystal Luxe Lighting Plus, fun kitchen tools from Q.D. Foodie, photos from Photos by Freddie and jewelry from Austyn Parker and Sweet Charma. There’s no charge to enter our raffle; just visit the show and drop your name in the Store Reporter jar.

Wintergreen Plaza

French bakery debuts this weekend

Saturday (Dec. 7th) is opening day for French bakery Patisserie Manuel, the newest addition to the Dining Terrace at Westfield Montgomery mall.  Owner Claudia Olea, a Chilean-born chef with classical French training, will be serving croissants, soups, sandwiches and crepes as well as cookies, pastries, macarons, specialty cakes, Illy coffee and a bit of Chilean cuisine. Look for it in the former Wicked Waffle space next to McDonald’s.

Wink Eyecare Boutique

The Block is open

Asian food hall The Block opened its doors Thanksgiving weekend at Pike & Rose. Some of the eateries aren’t up and running yet, but the options so far include a poke bar, Korean barbecue, bubble tea, ice cream and snocream desserts. Also: Peruvian-style chicken. For more photos, check out Store Reporter on Facebook and Instagram.

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Holiday shopping kickoff, Black Friday deals and the end of A.C. Moore

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Let the shopping begin

Just about the time you’re finishing that last piece of pumpkin pie, lots of stores are opening their doors for the earliest Black Friday shoppers. This year, national retailers like Macy’s, Target and Best Buy will be opening at 5 p.m. Thursday and staying open until midnight or later. Westfield Montgomery mall will be back in business at 6 p.m, although some stores (including Nordstrom) do not participate in the Thanksgiving evening shopfest. For those who prefer a stress-free shopping experience, be sure to visit our locally owned retailers for some terrific holiday deals. Scroll down for more.

2019 Hanna's Connection Holiday Shopping
Occasions
Toy Castle

No more A.C. Moore

Sad news for artists and crafters this holiday season: A.C. Moore is going out of business. The New Jersey-based chain, which has been around for 30 years, will be shuttering 105 stores and selling another 40 to Michaels. It’s unclear when the stores will close or what will happen on Rockville Pike, where both retailers have a presence but A.C. Moore has the larger space.

Wink Eyecare Boutique
2019 Scout & Molly's Black Friday

Shooting range at the mall

Surprising new addition to Westfield Montgomery mall: Aim Point, a shooting range game that just opened around the corner from the Dining Terrace. Customers pay $10 for a chance to shoot military-style Airsoft rifles and win prizes for hitting the targets. Is this really a good idea? Our readers are weighing in. Join the conversation on the Store Reporter Facebook page.

Washington Hebrew Congregation Holiday Boutique & Silent Auction

New at Rockville Town Square

Something new to try this weekend at Rockville Town Square: Kyota Matcha, serving green tea and desserts in the onetime Mellow Mushroom space at 33 Maryland Avenue. Two other restaurants — a Japanese BBQ spot and a Taiwanese sweet shop — also will be opening inside the former pizzeria. Meanwhile, a huge new Asian food hall is about to make its debut at Pike & Rose. More on that in our Nov. 21st edition.

Moda Optic
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Two sneak peeks: Asian food hall at Pike & Rose and Playa Bowls at Cabin John Village

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Check out The Block

Asian food hall The Block is set to make its long-awaited debut next week at Pike & Rose. We got a sneak peek of the expansive space, which will include everything from fried street food and Taiwanese snocream to a noodle bar, a poké bar and a coffee bar — not to mention a huge cocktail bar in the center of it all. The Block, which has a sister location in Annandale, is the third Asian food hall to open in Rockville in the past 18 months. (Click here for more on Pike Kitchen, which opened in October 2018, and here for more on The Spot, which opened the previous June.) For more photos of The Block, check out Store Reporter on Facebook and Instagram.

Wintergreen Plaza
Moda Optic

First look at Playa Bowls

Saturday (Nov. 23rd) is opening day for Playa Bowls at Cabin John Village. The shelves are lined with pineapples, the walls are filled with beachy murals and the blenders are ready to serve up all those bowls, juices and smoothies. You’ll find Playa Bowls in the former Robeks space, right next door to Goldberg’s Bagels. For more photos — and a close-up of the reeeeally big menu — check out Store Reporter on Facebook and Instagram.

Mimi Arnold
Potomac Physical Therapy

Oh no, Five Below

Discount retailer Five Below made national news this week with the revelation that it can no longer live up to its name. The teen-oriented company is adding sections called “Ten Below” and “Just Wow” — filled mostly with tech products — with prices above five bucks. The reason: increased tariffs on Chinese goods. Rockville’s Five Below store, one of 900 nationwide, relocated last summer from Federal Plaza to the Congressional North shopping center next to Aldi. Will local customers push back on the new pricing? We’ll see how this plays out.

Shin Orthodontics

Playa Bowls, Java Nation, Hank Dietle’s, Fire Wok & Forever 21

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Playa Bowls rolls into Cabin John

After you’ve had your fill of Halloween candy, it’s time to start counting the days until a new sweet treat arrives: Playa Bowls is set to open in mid-November at Cabin John Village. This Jersey Shore favorite is known for its bowls, juices and smoothies featuring custom blends of apples, acai berries, bananas, dragonfruit, chia seeds, coconut, kale, peanut butter, oatmeal, granola and honey. At the Cabin John location, you’ll also find nitro coffee and New Orleans-style cold brew with chicory.

Lisa Nasar
Strathmore Museum Shop Holiday Market

Coffee and a comeback

Coffee lovers, take note: The much-anticipated Java Nation is targeting a Nov. 20th opening in the former Addie’s/Helen’s space on Rockville Pike. This will be the second location for the popular Kensington shop, known for its tasty brews and European-style menu. Meanwhile, right next door, a new group is trying to revive the burned-down Hank Dietle’s Tavern and turn it into a local music venue. Stay tuned.

Normandie Farm

Wok's cooking in Potomac VIllage

Fire Wok, the Chinese restaurant that’s been under construction since last spring in the former Fortune Garden space, just opened its doors next to SunTrust in Potomac Village. The menu features typical Americanized Chinese favorites: beef with broccoli, basil chicken, shrimp with lobster sauce and the like. For a peek inside, check out Store Reporter on Facebook and Instagram.

Toy Castle
Bender JCC of Greater Washington

What's the future of Forever 21?

Forever 21 is looking pretty shabby at Westfield Montgomery mall these days, with racks of clothes in disarray and much of the inventory marked down to $3. The struggling retailer is in Chapter 11 and has announced plans to close 200 stores, but employees insist that this one is going to stay open. We’ll see.

The Game Gym

Escape from Pike & Rose

Just when you thought the escape room craze had run its course, a new one just opened at Pike & Rose. Escapology, an Orlando-based chain, offers four different hour-long adventures: two murder mysteries, a Secret Service mission and a chance to save the world from chemical warfare. You’ll find Escapology on Old Georgetown Road next to BiBiBop.

Washington Hebrew Congregation Holiday Boutique and Silent Auction
Capital Area Food Bank
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First look at Lands’ End, new boutique for Rockville Pike, skating season starts and a boxing gym punches in

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First look at Lands' End

Here’s a peek at the new Lands’ End store, now open at Congressional Plaza with the most impressive collection of plaids on Rockville Pike. The spacious, brightly lit interior looks a lot like L.L.Bean, with clothes for men, women and kids along with cozy pajamas, slippers, outerwear, tote bags and home goods. Grand opening festivities will be happening all weekend. For a closer look inside the store, check out our photos on Facebook and Instagram.

Wintergreen Plaza
Hanna's Connection

New boutique on the Pike

Also new at Congressional Plaza is Sheyla, a pop-up boutique that just moved into the empty space between Child’s Play and Chico’s. The shop specializes in dressy suits and partywear from brands like Elie Tahari, Jones New York and Worth, including a deep selection of petite sizes. Another new boutique, Chaliskan, made its debut last week at Westfield Montgomery mall — and a third is on the way to Pike & Rose. Click here for more in our Oct. 17th edition.

Shin Orthodontics

Boxing in, sushi out at White Flint Plaza

Title Boxing Club, a popular workout spot at the Travilah Square Shopping Center, is about to open its second Montgomery County location. You’ll find it at the White Flint Plaza, two doors down from The Big Greek Cafe. In between: an empty space left by the recent departure of longtime tenant Hiro Sushi. No word yet on who’s going to fill it.

Bender JCC of Greater Washington
Power Hour Editing

Get your skates on

Ice skating is back for the season at Rockville Town Square. The outdoor rink opened last weekend, priced at $13 for kids and $14 for adults including skate rental. Meanwhile, we’re still waiting for the three new Asian restaurants that are supposed to 0pen across the way in the former Mellow Mushroom space. More in that in our June 6th edition.

Capital Area Food Bank

West Elm, Sunday Morning Bakehouse, Joe & the Juice and the future of Forever 21

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Mod furniture arrives at Pike & Rose

West Elm made its debut at Pike & Rose this week, kicking off a wave of autumn openings at the North Bethesda city center. The store will please fans of Crate & Barrel and Anthropologie with its modern mix of furniture, home accessories, dishware and decor. The merchandise is displayed in a wonderland of aspirational room vignettes, with tables already set for the holidays and plush velvet couches casually draped in cozy pillows and throws. For more photos, check out Store Reporter on Facebook and Instagram.

Lisa Nasar
Pike Central Farm Market

New bakery and the return of Taylor Gourmet

Fall is in full swing at Pike & Rose, where West Elm‘s opening was one of three in the same week. Sandwich shop Taylor Gourmet, which shut down last year when the entire company folded, has reopened under new ownership. And say hello to Sunday Morning Bakehouse, a sleek new space filled with coffee, croissants, sandwiches, sourdough bread and sweets. Owner Caroline Yi, who developed an avid following at the Pike Central Farm Market these past few years, says she’s starting with breakfast and lunch but hopes to expand into the evening hours with wine and cheese. Check out our photos on Facebook and Instagram.

Shin Orthodontics
A Smarter You Tutoring Center

Juicy news for Wildwood

Here’s a peek at Joe & the Juice, newly open at Wildwood with coffee, sandwiches, yogurt and of course an array of juices. Specialties include the Pick Me Up (raspberry, banana and apple); the Prince of Green (cucumber, lemon and pineapple); the Avo Shake (avocado, banana and vanilla milk) and the Choco Shake (raw cacao, banana, chocolate almond milk and vanilla milk). What’s next for Wildwood? Bethesda Bagels. More on that in our Sept. 26th edition.

Power Hour Editing

Fast fashion flames out

Forever 21 finally filed Chapter 11 this week after months of rumors and lots of talk about the fickle teen market and the demise of fast fashion. The massive store at Westfield Montgomery mall,  which occupies two levels near the former Sears building, is among those potentially slated to close. But its fate isn’t certain, as Forever 21 says it’s trying to renegotiate leases in major markets. For now at least, the stores are all staying open and gift cards are still being accepted. Don’t wait too long to use them.

Westfield Montgomery mall update: redevelopment stalls, Sears building repurposed, new restaurants on the way

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Mall expansion on hold

It’s been more than a year since the owners of Westfield Montgomery mall revealed plans for a massive redevelopment project. The work was supposed to begin last spring, but so far nothing has happened. Why not? Because the county recently banned the construction of new housing in neighborhoods where the schools are already overcrowded — and that includes the Walter Johnson High School cluster near the mall. The year-long residential building moratorium, which began July 1, is intended to slow down the flow of new students while MCPS figures out how to manage them. The mall’s redevelopment plan calls for more than 700 new apartments and condos along with office space, a hotel, a huge new gym and an outdoor shopping and dining area. But none of it is going to happen, we’re told, until the housing component can move forward. So where does that leave us between now and the summer of 2020? Read on.

Lisa Nasar
Shin Orthodontics

What's going to happen to the Sears building?

The mall’s former Sears building, empty since last January, was supposed to be demolished by now to make way for new construction. Instead, the empty building will be rented out to a series of temporary tenants. First up: Halloween City, now open on the mall’s second floor with costumes, decor and lots of creepy inflatables.

Wink Eyecare Boutique
Taff & Levine D.D.S.
Life Time Athletic in Rockville

Is Life Time still building a new gym at the mall?

A couple of months ago, Westfield Montgomery mall was thisclose to announcing plans for a snazzy new Life Time Athletic club complete with rooftop pool. The gym would have been built near the site of the old Sears building, with a separate parking lot and easy access to the rest of the mall. Ironically, the delay of the mall’s redevelopment plans may actually have helped secure the future of Life Time’s existing club in Rockville. At first, we were hearing that the older facility would close its doors once the fancier new one opened. But now it appears that the Rockville club will remain in place as new housing is built all around it. Meanwhile, it’s going to be at least a couple more years before the mall gets a gym of its own.

Power Hour Editing
International School of Music

New in the Dining Terrace: poke and pastries

On the dining front at Westfield Montgomery mall, we have two pieces of good news. The long-awaited Poké Papa finally opens its doors this weekend, offering customizable bowls of raw fish and Hawaiian-style toppings plus specialty desserts like mango snow ice. Also, there’s a new European bakery on the way: Patisserie Manuel, relocating from Silver Spring, is moving into the old Wicked Waffle space with plans to open before Thanksgiving. Owner Claudia Olea, a Chilean-born chef with classical French training, will be serving croissants, soups, sandwiches and crepes as well as cookies, pastries, macarons, specialty cakes and Illy coffee. “I will also be doing some Chilean cuisine,” she says. “Empanadas will definitely be part of the menu.”

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Busy season ahead for Pike & Rose, Bethesda Bagels rolls into Wildwood and more

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What's about to open at Pike & Rose

Busy season ahead for Pike & Rose, with three big openings in the next three months. West Elm, offering modern furniture and home decor, will arrive the week of Sept. 30th. Sunday Morning Bakehouse, the first brick-and-mortar store for the popular farm market vendor, will debut in the next few weeks. And The Block, a new Asian food hall, will open its doors in November with a whole new assortment of quick-serve eateries and snack spots. Stay tuned to Store Reporter as these opening dates firm up.

Central Farm Market
Shin Orthodontics

Bethesda Bagels on the way

Bethesda Bagels is planning a late September opening at Wildwood, where it’s been under construction since last winter in the former Coco Blanca space near CVS. Owner Danny Fleishman says he hopes to open in time for the Jewish High Holidays, which begin on Sept. 30th this year. This will be the fifth restaurant for Bethesda Bagels, a family-owned enterprise that’s approaching its 40th year in business.

Prep 1on1
Le Pain Quotidien

Kneipp checks out

This week we say goodbye to Kneipp, the bath and body shop that closed its doors after a three-year run at Westfield Montgomery mall. Kneipp (pronounced K-nay-p) is a German company that opened eight U.S. retail stores in 2016, going head-to-head with big players like Kiehl’s, Lush and Bath & Body Works. All eight stores, including the one in Pentagon City, will be closed by the end of October. Kneipp products will continue to be sold online and in specialty shops.

National Foot & Ankle
International School of Music

Grim year for Gamestop

GameStop, a mall favorite in the early 2000s, is having a hard time these days as gamers increasingly abandon physical platforms in favor of digital downloads and subscription services. This summer, GameStop’s CEO told investors that a turnaround will require an “ongoing sense of urgency that is off the chart.” The company recently shut down ThinkGeek.com, the nerdtastic gift site that it acquired four years ago. But inside GameStop’s stores, the shelves are increasingly stocked with figurines, toys and quirky fan merchandise. Watch for much more of that this holiday season.

Power Hour Editing
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Lord & Taylor is sold, changes at Cabin John, teen scene at the mall, new restaurant for Rockville

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New owner for Lord & Taylor

A bombshell dropped on the retail world this week when Lord & Taylor, one of America’s oldest and most iconic department store chains, was sold to a little-known clothing rental service. Le Tote, a seven-year-old San Francisco company, is spending $100 million for Lord & Taylor’s website and 38 stores. The previous owner, Hudson’s Bay Company, closed Lord & Taylor’s flagship store in Manhattan this year and has been shuttering other locations including the one in Gaithersburg. Plans call for the remaining Lord & Taylor stores to stay open for at least three years – but it’s unclear how Le Tote’s clothing rental subscription model will be integrated into the business. Also unclear is the fate of the Lord & Taylor store on Rockville Pike, which has been the subject of ongoing litigation with the owners of the former White Flint Mall.

National Foot & Ankle

Teen scene at Westfield Montgomery

The back-to-school teen shopping scene looks a bit different at Westfield Montgomery mall this year. Windsor, a new addition in the Old Navy wing, is drawing high school and college girls with its moderately priced assortment of everyday outfits and formal dresses. Sneaker store KicksUSA has changed hands and changed its name to Snipes. The juniors department at Macy’s has been promoted from a hidden corner on the lower level to a prominent spot on the second floor. But the future is looking rocky for Forever 21, which once dominated the teen scene and now appears to be on the verge of Chapter 11. Forever 21 is practically an anchor at Westfield Montgomery, where it has a massive two-level storefront in what used to be the Sears wing.

Wintergreen Plaza
Realtor Mimi Arnold of Redwood Realty

New look for the Cabin John mini-mall

The mini-mall at Cabin John Village is in mid-renovation, with new flooring, new paint and new lighting on the way in the next few weeks. The main strip center is adding some tenants for fall, most recently Arch Envy (permanent makeup), The Shade Store (custom window treatments, opening soon) and Playa Bowls (more on that in our Aug. 15th issue). What’s next for Cabin John? Click here for the lowdown.

International School of Music
Power Hour Editing

Asian BBQ opens, Five Guys revamps

New restaurant opening this weekend at Rockville Town Square: Friendship BBQ, on Maryland Avenue next to Color Me Mine. The fast-casual Asian eatery offers skewered meats and seafood cooked with wood imported from the Xinjiang region of China. Just around the corner, three more Asian restaurants will be opening soon inside the former Mellow Mushroom space. Meanwhile, there won’t be any burgers at the Square for a bit: Five Guys is temporarily closed for renovation.

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

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Curry on over to Pike & Rose

Commonwealth Indian opened its doors at Pike & Rose this week, offering an upscale menu and stunning, modern decor (check out our photos on Facebook and Instagram). Traditional Indian entrees (curried chicken, butter chicken, lamb stew and vegetarian dishes) are served in family-style portions priced from $19 to $29. Also on the menu: six types of flatbreads, plus a full bar with Indian beer, wine and cocktails. Commonwealth is the third venture from chef Sunil Bastola, who also owns the Bollywood Bistro restaurants in Fairfax and Great Falls. What’s next for Pike & Rose? Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão, almost ready to open right next door. Click here for more in our May 23rd edition.

The Big Greek Cafe
Mimi Arnold

Five Below is on the go

June 14th is moving day for Five Below on Rockville Pike. The popular discount chain, which sells teen gear and trendy household goods for five bucks or less, is leaving its longtime home at Federal Plaza for a new one next to Aldi, Michaels and Petco at Congressional North. Between now and mid-June, just in case five bucks isn’t enough of a bargain, everything in the old store is marked down 50 percent.

California Tortilla

Rolling out of Rockville

Rolls ‘n Rice Japanese Bistro Cafe has closed its doors after a decade in the Shops at Congressional Village off Rockville Pike. Owners opted not to renew their lease and have no plans to reopen.

2019 Norman's We're Back May ad

The dish on delivery

Eater has an interesting report this week about online food delivery apps and the potential damage they’re doing to local restaurants. Services like Grubhub, Postmates and Uber Eats charge commissions as high as 30 percent, and some apparently also charge for handling customer questions and complaints. In the restaurant business, which already works on tight margins, these fees can take a substantial bite out of any potential profits. What to do? When you’re looking for local food delivery, Eater suggests skipping the apps and calling your favorite restaurant directly.

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

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Hello Fogo

Next big opening for Pike & Rose: Fogo de Chão Brazilian steakhouse. Plans call for a June 24th debut in the prime corner spot across from Del Frisco’s Grille, formerly home to the Nike Factory Store. This will be the fourth D.C.-area location for the posh restaurant chain, where meats are roasted over an open flame and carved right at your table. The menu also features seafood, soups, charcuterie and Brazilian cocktails — and plans are in the works for weekend brunch and nightly happy hour. For sneak-peek photos of the restaurant’s interior, check out Store Reporter on Facebook and Instagram.

Norman's Farm & Market
The Grilled Oyster Co.

Next up for Cabin John

Construction at Cabin John Village has moved from the front parking lot to the area around California Tortilla. New signs have been installed, the second floor offices have gained a balcony, and new lighting is on the way — including decorative string lights that will add some charm to the cross-through between the buildings. What’s next for Cabin John? We’ll have details in a couple of weeks.

Realtor Lisa Nasar of Long & Foster
The Game Gym

Is Party City full of hot air?

Have you heard about the global helium shortage? That’s the excuse Party City offered this month to explain its plans to shutter 45 underperforming locations. Lack of helium — and presumably, the inability to fulfill balloon orders — was initially blamed for the company’s deflated profits. Execs later walked back from that story, noting that they’ve found new helium suppliers and all is well in balloon land. But those 45 stores? They’re still going to close. No word yet on whether the Rockville location will be among them.

International School of Music

Payless walks out

After a months-long going-out-of-business sale, this weekend marks the end for the Payless shoe store at Westfield Montgomery mall. The company filed Chapter 11 for the second time last winter, but its stores have stayed open to sell through remaining inventory. At Westfield Montgomery, doors close for the last time on Saturday, May 27th.

Shin Orthodontics
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Hello Urban Plates and LebTav, goodbye to half The Gap, two more closings at Rockville Town Square

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Urban Plates arrives

The Dining Terrace at Westfield Montgomery mall looks a whole lot different this week: Urban Plates officially debuts on Monday (March 11th), but crowds started lining up on Thursday with tickets to pre-opening events. The restaurant offers a fresh-cooked cafeteria-style menu of soups, salads, and sandwiches along with more elaborate entrées, baked goods and juices. For a look at the menu, click here. For a look at the interior, check out our photos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Wink Eyecare Boutique
Realtor Lisa Nasar of Long & Foster

New look for Lebanese Taverna

LebTav, the new version of local favorite Lebanese Taverna, opened its doors this week a few doors down from its longtime home at Congressional Plaza. LebTav is smaller than its predecessor, with a pared-down menu of salads, pita sandwiches, falafel, shawarma, hummus and grab-and-go items. For more on the new format — and lots more about all the changes at Congressional Plaza — check out our Feb. 21 and  Feb. 28 editions.

Trio Jr.

Two more closings at Rockville Town Square

The exodus at Rockville Town Square continued this week when two neighboring businesses on Gibbs Street — Lab Cafe and Little Dipper Hot Pot House — closed their doors within days of each other. Lab Cafe, a bubble tea shop that opened in 2017, is the fifth business to fail at the same address since 2007. (Remember Bobby’s Crabcakes, Tippy’s Taco House, 82 Steak Out and Ev & Maddy’s?) Little Dipper also opened two years ago in the corner spot that once housed Noodles & Company. Add these two to the list of recent RTS closings that now includes Pandora Seafood House & Bar, Mellow Mushroom and LiquidBlue Denim Boutique, along with the neighboring Apollo restaurant. Dawson’s Market also closed last October, but it reopened in December under new ownership.

Realtor Jacqueline Band-Olinger of Greystone Realty

Rolling into Park Potomac

Roll by Goodyear has rolled into Park Potomac, opening a new store between Elevation Burger and The Wine Harvest. This is the space that once housed the Emily Grace boutique, most recently home to the pop-up Pooch Portrait Studio. Roll, which installs tires wherever you are, has blanketed Montgomery County with a half-dozen stores in the past few months.

Churchill Blast
Alice in Wonderland at Herbert Hoover Middle School

Big week for The Gap & Gymboree

Gap Inc. made so many announcements this week that even we found it hard to keep up. Number one, the company said it will close about half of its 500ish Gap stores over the next two years. Number two, it will spin off the thriving Old Navy brand into a separate publicly traded company. Number three, it will purchase the Janie and Jack kids’ clothing chain from bankrupt Gymboree Group. Meanwhile, Gymboree Group got some other good news when rival retailer The Children’s Place announced plans to purchase and “revitalize” what’s left of the Gymboree brand. Does that mean the Gymboree stores are no longer going out of business? The answer isn’t clear yet — and all these plans still have to go through bankruptcy court.

Diener Denim Plus Diamonds
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Behnke leaves Potomac, Chicken Out flies the coop, Pottery Barn back to Bethesda

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Behnkes logo

 

Goodbye Behnke

Behnke Nurseries, a fixture in Potomac for 16 years, will close its River Road location at the end of the July 4th weekend. Behnke vice president Stephanie Fleming, whose grandparents started the company in 1930, says the Potomac lease was up for renewal “and the cost of staying on that property simply didn’t make business sense anymore.” Fleming says she hopes Behnke’s loyal customers will consider making the half-hour trip to its flagship location in Beltsville, where they’ll find “eleven acres with plenty of parking, greenhouses under cover, and lots of seminars and events.”

 

Chicken Out ChickenChicken Out is really out

We hate to be the bearer of more bad news — especially after last week’s report on the demise of Vince & Dominic’s Pizzeria  — but it looks like the once-thriving Chicken Out chain has officially flown the coop. Once an ambitious company with multiple D.C.-area locations and plans for a national expansion, Chicken Out struggled in recent years with the direction of its menu and other issues. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2011, changing hands in 2012 to a new owner who spoke of opening more locations at a rapid pace. But things didn’t work out that way: The last remaining Chicken Out closed earlier this year, and the company’s phone numbers don’t work anymore.

 

PottPBteen Logoery Barn back to Bethesda

Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids, which exited the White Flint Mall last winter for the Mazza Gallerie in Chevy Chase, will be moving back to Bethesda in 2015. The two stores — and possibly PBteen as well — will share a brand new home on the ground floor of The Darcy, an upscale condo building under construction on Bethesda Avenue. This would be the second PBteen store in the D.C. area; the first makes its debut next week at Tysons Corner Center in Virginia. So if your daughter has her eye on on that aqua and hot pink floral bedding set from the PBteen catalog, take a tip from Store Reporter: Check it out in person before you plunk down your $250.

 

Last Letter from ThinkFunGame giveaway

Store Reporter has been reviewing Last Letter, a new word game by ThinkFun that’s perfect for your summer family vacation. What we love about this game: It’s easy to learn, each round takes just a couple of minutes, and there’s no waiting around for somebody else to take a turn. (However, all players must be old enough to spell.) Congratulations to Sharon Morris, who won Store Reporter’s raffle for a Last Letter game of her own. Follow us on Facebook to enter your name in future raffles.

 

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

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Pizza

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.

 

 

Chipotle BurritoHello 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.

 

 

talbot red doorsWelcome 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.

 

 

Living Royal Jellybean Socks

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.

 

Toys of Summer: Soccer stickers, card games and fish pops — plus a My Gym discount

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The toys of summer

Last summer marked the beginning of the Rainbow Loom craze, as children all over the country started plastering their wrists with bracelets they crocheted from tiny colored rubber bands. With school about to end once again, we asked local stores for the scoop on which toys will be capturing our kids’ attention this summer. For more on this topic, check out our Facebook postings from June 18 and July 22.

 

FIFA World Cup Sticker BookFIFA World Cup soccer sticker albums

These $2 books from Panini are ready to be filled with stickers featuring 18 players from 32 competing teams, plus other images from the World Cup. The $1 sticker sheets are “something kids can purchase with their own money, which is important,” says Kathy Kingsbury, manager of Toy Kingdom at Rockville Town Square. A Panini World Cup van, stocked with giveaways, sticker-trading opportunities and a giant inflatable soccer goal, will visit Toy Castle at the Cabin John Mall on June 30.

 

Spot It! Splash

Blue Orange card games

Card games are especially handy in the summer, since they’re easily transportable for families on vacation and kids at sleepaway camp. Kingsbury of Toy Kingdom likes Spot It! Splash (about $15), a new summertime version of the popular game from Blue Orange. “The cards are waterproof so you can take them to the beach, and all the images have beach themes,” she says. Steve Aarons, co-owner of Child’s Play at Congressional Plaza, likes Blue Orange‘s new game BraveRats (about $10), in which rats with special powers battle in “a sort of advanced version of Rock Paper Scissors,” he says. “Kids are going to play this over the summer, and then tell their friends about it when they get back to school.”

 

Frozen princesses

Lego Movie, Spiderman and Frozen

Anything related to these movies (or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles flick that opens in August) is expected to sell well this summer. The surprise here is the longevity of Frozen, which debuted last winter and has yet to see a thaw in popularity. “Disney really did not foresee the response to this movie” and didn’t produce enough Frozen toys to meet demand, says Toy Castle owner Brian Mack. That’s made it tough for locally owned stores to get their hands on Frozen merchandise other than coloring books, sticker albums and the like. “Anything related to that movie is selling out as soon as we get it,” Mack says.

 

Zoku Fish Pop Molds

Slushes and Fish Pops

Zoku, whose Quick Pop Maker has become a summer staple these past few years, has expanded its product lineup. The company’s Slush & Shake Makers (about $20) “have been doing incredibly well,” says Aarons of Child’s Play. “You can take anything, pour it inside, stir it, and you’ve got instant slush,” he says. If you don’t care about the instant part, Zoku’s new Fish Pop Molds (also $20) create incredibly detailed popsicles shaped like sharks, puffer fish and other undersea creatures.

 

Birthday packages at My GymMy Gym Logo

If you know a little one with a birthday coming up, My Gym has introduced a new selection of party packages that take care of every detail: themed paper goods, pinatas, food platters, goodie bags, custom ice cream cakes and more. “It’s easier this way for parents, with more one-stop shopping and the option for add-ons,” says My Gym owner Mandy Lemar.  Store Reporter readers can save $25 on 2014 My Gym parties booked before the end of June. Click here for our coupon page.

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P.F. Chang’s, Old Navy and other mall rumors

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P.F. Chang's

 

A move for P.F. Chang’s?

P.F. Chang’s, one of the last remaining tenants at the nearly-empty White Flint Mall, may not be sticking around much longer. We hear the upscale Chinese restaurant could end up joining its former neighbor, Cheesecake Factory, in making the move to Westfield Montgomery Mall. Insiders say Montgomery wants to add more restaurants to the section where Cheesecake Factory moved last year, which so far includes Bobby’s Burger Palace, Aroma Espresso Bar and the soon-to-open Blaze Pizza. A furniture store in that area recently closed, and other departures are expected as the mall carves out space for more dining options. Even Old Navy is rumored to be on the way out — either leaving the mall altogether, or relocating to smaller quarters in another wing.

 

 

American Classic Clothes

 

Tale of a classic

Another tenant who made the move from White Flint to Montgomery Mall says she couldn’t be happier with her new digs. “My sales are twice what they were at White Flint,” says American Classic Clothes owner Lenore Briskman, who’s been designing and sewing traditional children’s apparel for more than three decades. Briskman opened her original store in Potomac Village after people admired the clothes she made for her own children. “My customers range from Nancy Marriott and other multimillionaires to the waiter at the Cheesecake Factory two doors down,” says Briskman, whose husband Robert was a founding executive with Sirius Satellite Radio. Still a bundle of energy at 78, Briskman says sewing and running the store are her favorite forms of relaxation. “The mall asked me when I plan to retire,” she says. “I told them, ‘When they throw dirt in my face.'”

 

Lilly Pulitzer scarf

 

Loving Lilly

Elsewhere at Montgomery Mall, it appears the new Lilly Pulitzer store is already a hit with all those super-coordinated women who plan ahead for summer family portraits at the beach. “The little girls are coming in with their mothers to get swimsuits, then the mom will get the beach cover-up or a dress in the same pattern, the grandma will get the longer shorts, and then they’ll get ties for the men to match,” says assistant store manager Kelly Fay. “They want to put together a great family photograph to remember their vacation.” Fay says the store also has been “flying through” its inventory of any pattern with a crab motif, including Maryland-themed scarves (sold only in this region) and the pink-and-green Get Crackin’ design shown here.

 

Chipotle in the Village, fresh choices at Starbucks, playgrounds on the Pike

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Chipotle Burrito

 

Chipotle in Potomac Village: Yes or no?

In our Feb. 4 debut issue we reported that Chipotle was heading to Potomac Village, taking over the former Chicken Out space next to Starbucks. But two months have passed now, and that still-empty storefront has seen little action beyond the parade of caffeinated burrito lovers sadly pressing their noses against its window. Meanwhile, Store Reporter has lost count of how many times she’s been emailed, texted and stopped on the street by people who want to know: Is Chipotle still coming? So she checked. And the answer is still yes. But it won’t open in early spring as originally planned; probably closer to late May or the beginning of June.

 

 

Starbucks La Boulange Chocolate Croissant

In with the new at Starbucks

Speaking of Starbucks: If you stopped at one this week, you may have noticed that all the baked goods have suddenly been replaced by a new menu from La Boulange, a gourmet bakery that was acquired by Starbucks in 2012. In other parts of the country where the new menu was rolled out earlier, customer complaints led to the return of a few old favorites like pumpkin bread and lemon loaf cake. And it appears the reception in this market has been decidedly mixed as well: A half-dozen local baristas told us that only the chocolate croissants are getting universally great reviews. So: What do you think of the new Starbucks menu? Tell us your thoughts on Store Reporter’s Facebook page.

 

 

Creative Playthings Swingset, Congressional Plaza

 

Sliding into Rockville Pike

Creative Playthings, the Virginia-based manufacturer of backyard playgrounds, has moved its swings and slides to a new home at Rockville’s Congressional Plaza. The shopping center location marks a new strategy for the company, which previously operated out of a Gaithersburg warehouse space. But the departure of Harry & David opened up a prime spot at Congressional, which caters to families with tenants like The Children’s Place, Child’s Play and Cartoon Cuts. “We certainly are getting a lot of traffic at this location,” says Creative Playthings store manager Dale Rawlings. “All the kids are coming through and pointing us out to their parents.”

 

Blazing fast pizza, Burton’s Olympic buzz, goodbye China Jade

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Blaze Pizza Assembly Line

 

Pizza in a flash at the mall

Blaze Pizza, a hot new concept from the founders of Wetzel’s Pretzels, will make its Maryland debut this summer at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The California-based chain, which has attracted such high-profile investors as Maria Shriver, is known for its Chipotle-style assembly line: Customers watch as their ball of dough is flattened into a crust, topped by their choice of 40 fresh ingredients, then flash-fired for two minutes in a super-hot oven. The Montgomery Mall location, which will open near Old Navy, is just the beginning for Blaze in this market. Virginia and D.C. locations are in the works.

 

 

Burton_patchwork_jacket

 

Olympic buzz for Burton

Excitement about the winter Olympics has been great for business at Burton, the Vermont-based snowboarding company. At its Westfield Montgomery Mall store, which opened last August with a broad selection of boards, boots and winter clothes, “jacket sales have been up crazy amounts” since the Olympics began, says assistant manager Cory Brown. But there’s one item in high demand that the store just can’t provide: the patchwork jackets worn by the U.S. snowboarding team. “Only the athletes can wear them right now,” Brown says. Not for long, though. A civilian version is coming later this year.

 

 

China Jade Bistro, Cabin John Shops

 

No more mu shu

It looks like we’ve seen the last of China Jade Bistro at the Cabin John Shopping Center. Doors have been closed for more than a week at the neighborhood eatery, which replaced the similarly named Jade Billows just a few years ago.

 

 

Mr. Potato HeadToy story

Also closing in the next few weeks, after two decades as a Potomac Village fixture, is the charming toy shop Toys Unique. “I’ve never carried computer games, Xbox or things like that — just good basic toys that don’t get outdated,” says owner Jarunee Chantraparnik, who is retiring. The mix of shops in Potomac Village has changed a lot in 20 years, she says, and her customers’ buying habits have changed too. “Now the younger parents seem to be doing everything through the Internet.”

 

New grocer in Potomac Village, Legal Sea Foods closes, steaks in downtown Rockville

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Potomac Grocer

 

New grocer in the Village

Potomac Grocer, an upscale market specializing in local, natural and organic foods, is finally making its long-awaited debut in Potomac Village. “We’re kind of like a Whole Foods or Balducci’s, but much smaller,” says owner Tom Spencer, noting that he’s put a lot of time into hiring the right staff. That includes two chefs — one dedicated to pastries, and the other focused on preparing meals to go. Potomac Grocer is on River Road next to Walgreens, in the space that spent decades serving horseback riders as The Surrey.

 

 

Legal Sea Foods logo

 

Legal no longer

Speaking of seafood: Boston-based Legal Sea Foods has closed its restaurant at Westfield Montgomery Mall. No comment from the company, which also shuttered locations in Florida and New York. As we told you last week, the mall plans to open several new restaurants and a movie theater later this year. But it’s still deciding what to do with Legal’s leftover space.

 

82 Steak Out, Rockville Town Square

 

Steaking a claim on Rockville

There’s a new place to eat in Rockville Town Square: 82 Steak Out has opened on Gibbs Street next to Noodles & Company. The concept is based on the French tradition of steak-and-fry eateries, says co-owner Anna Don, “but with an American twist” of a slightly broader menu — including sides like creamed spinach, cauliflower and sautéed mushrooms. Not to mention Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, which you definitely won’t find in Paris.

 

 

Pottery Barn Kids logo

 

Kids’ Stores R Gone

Toys R Us and Pottery Barn Kids both exited Rockville Pike in recent weeks as their former homes — Mid-Pike Plaza and White Flint Mall — draw closer to dates with the wrecking ball. PB Kids bounced back right away, opening a new location at Mazza Gallerie in D.C. But Toys R Us, which has struggled for market share in recent years, says it has no plans to reopen in this area. The next-closest store is in Gaithersburg.

 

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