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West Elm on the way to Pike & Rose — plus poke, Vietnamese desserts and a mall steakhouse update

February 14, 2019 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

West Elm on the way

Furniture/home decor store West Elm is joining the lineup at Pike & Rose, taking almost 12,000 square feet next to Pinstripes with plans for a fall debut. West Elm, a sister store to Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma, has a clean-lined, modern aesthetic that’s likely to be a hit with all the millennials and empty nesters setting up new homes in North Bethesda. Can’t wait to check it out? Click here.

Poki DC arrives

Good news for everyone who misses Buredo at Wildwood: After more than a year of construction at the Georgetown Square shopping center, Poki DC is opening this weekend next to Not Your Average Joe’s. What’s on the menu? Hawaiian-style bowls of seasoned raw fish over grains and veggies (click here for a peek). Also: This location will be serving Gong Cha bubble tea.

New eats on the Pike

Two new restaurants will open this spring at the Towne Plaza shopping center on Rockville Pike, best known as the former home of Five Guys and Chef Geoff’s. Nature Kitchen is set to arrive next month, followed in April by Bambu Desserts & Drinks. Bambu, based in California, serves Vietnamese-inspired fare from sweet coffees, bean-based chè drinks and fruit smoothies to crêpes and bánh mì sandwiches.

2019 Magnolia Bluebird Party Smarty mitzvah workshiop updated

Is Viva still alive?

It’s been almost a year since Westfield Montgomery mall announced plans for a Japanese steakhouse across from the ArcLight movie theater. Since then, the project has fallen so far behind that the “Opening Summer 2018” signs became something of a joke. This month, someone finally adjusted expectations by papering over the “18” with a “19.” Will Viva really open by summer? The mall says yes. Stay tuned.

Did you miss these issues?

Urban Plates, Cinnabon, Jersey Mike’s, Amazon Lockers & more

What’s next for Cabin John, more closings at the mall, new UPS store for Potomac

Sears checks out, Five Below is on the go, Justice closes… and what’s up with Wicked Waffle?

Joe & the Juice for Wildwood, Robeks for Rockville, new gym is in and Gymboree is out

Slurpees, beer and wine to the mall, Sears’ final weeks, another closing at Rockville Town Square

Bethesda Bagels, Lands’ End, post-holiday closings, first look at Amazon’s newest store

New chapter for Rockville Barnes & Noble, new pizza on the Pike, new gym for Cabin John

Dawson’s returns, bye bye bike stores, vintage market for Potomac and a music school for Cabin John

Lululemon, beer and a new veggie restaurant — plus the return of Dawson’s Market

Indian food & sushi for Pike & Rose — plus bubble tea and more mall closings

March 8, 2018 By Store Reporter 3 Comments

More new restaurants for Pike & Rose

Pike & Rose is adding two more restaurants to its lineup, filling the empty spots left by the recently departed La Madeleine and Carluccio’s. Moving into the former La Madeleine space on Old Georgetown Road: Commonwealth Indian, serving beer, wine and cocktails along with a selection of Indian dishes. The Carluccio’s space next to Owen’s Ordinary will be home to Kusshi Sushi and Sake Bar, a new venture from the owners of Bethesda’s Hanaro Sushi. What else is scheduled to open at Pike & Rose this year? A ramen bar called Jinya (click here for more); a Mexican restaurant called Nada (click here for more); and Julii, a new concept from the founders of CAVA (click here for more).

Kung Fu Tea and Tutti Frutti at Pike & Rose

Kung Fu Tea kicks butt

The Tutti Frutti yogurt shop at Pike & Rose is now a Tutti Frutti/Kung Fu Tea combo. That makes three Montgomery County locations for the fast-expanding bubble tea chain, which also can be found in downtown Rockville and Westfield Montgomery Mall. A competitor, Boba Station, closed its doors at the mall last week. But another New York bubble tea chain is coming to test the waters: Gong Cha will open in Rockville this year as part of an all-Asian food court called The Spot. For more on The Spot, click here. For info on other bubble tea stores in our area, click here.

M. Gemi shoe bus at Westfield Montgomery Mall

Latest exits at the mall

More changes in store at Westfield Montgomery Mall, where some of the last remaining independent retailers will be among those exiting before summer. Shafa Blends, which opened three years ago under the name Rumi Tea and Spice, has relocated to Gaithersburg. Boba Station also is out (see story above), and other longtime tenants like Solstice and Pen Boutique are getting ready to leave. Hoamgar, an Asian chain that was testing the U.S. market, will close its doors this spring. Some of those empty spaces will likely be filled with attention-getting pop-up shops — like this minivan filled with Italian shoes.

Vince & Dominic’s no more

See that empty space to the right of the Bubbles hair salon? That’s where the Vince & Dominic’s pizzeria used to be. Home Depot, which owns that shopping center, has torn down some of the empty storefronts to make room for more parking.

Did you miss these issues?

Urban Plates, Cinnabon, Jersey Mike’s, Amazon Lockers & more

What’s next for Cabin John, more closings at the mall, new UPS store for Potomac

Sears checks out, Five Below is on the go, Justice closes… and what’s up with Wicked Waffle?

Joe & the Juice for Wildwood, Robeks for Rockville, new gym is in and Gymboree is out

Slurpees, beer and wine to the mall, Sears’ final weeks, another closing at Rockville Town Square

Bethesda Bagels, Lands’ End, post-holiday closings, first look at Amazon’s newest store

New chapter for Rockville Barnes & Noble, new pizza on the Pike, new gym for Cabin John

Dawson’s returns, bye bye bike stores, vintage market for Potomac and a music school for Cabin John

Lululemon, beer and a new veggie restaurant — plus the return of Dawson’s Market

Thai restaurant for Cabin John, Greek food for Rockville, Gringos & Mariachis arrives

December 7, 2017 By Store Reporter 2 Comments

Another new restaurant for Cabin John

Sisters Thai, a hipster eatery from Fairfax, is the latest addition to the new restaurant lineup at Cabin John. The buzz on this place is quite good — not only for its food, fruit drinks and desserts, but also for its cozy “living room” atmosphere with mismatched furniture and overstuffed bookshelves. (Click here for a preview). Construction is already under way in the parking lot at Tuckerman Lane and Seven Locks Road, where Sisters will join Shake Shack, CAVAand Le Pain Quotidienfor a late 2018 debut. Cabin John, which was sold last year to the Edens development group, also is planning a name change after 50 years. Say goodbye to Cabin John Shopping Center & Mall; it’s now Cabin John Village.

Gringos & Mariachis arrives

This week brought the long-awaited debut of Gringos & Mariachis at Park Potomac. The Mexican restaurant had been under construction seemingly forever (but really about two years) across from MoCo’s Founding Farmers and next to the new Addie’s. This is a sister to the three-year-old Gringos & Mariachis in Bethesda, serving casual food and cocktails amidst striking murals inspired by Mexican street art. Owners Roberto and Riccardo Pietrobono are also behind the popular restaurants Alatri Bros.and Olazzo. More photos on our Facebook page; click here to see them.

Welcome the holidays at Wildwood

Stop by the Wildwood Shops this Saturday (Dec. 9th) for a holiday open house featuring live music, giveaways, strolling entertainment and plenty of gift inspiration. Register to win a $100 gift card to Buredo or Balducci’s, and snag a free copper insulated travel bottle with any $150 purchase. (Redeem your receipts at Belina Boutique, Coco Blanca, Buredo, Irresistibles, Red Orchard, Secrete Fine Jewelry or Yves Delorme.) Shopping hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Wildwood Shopping Center, 10241 Old Georgetown Road. Click here for details.

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Rediscover your favorites at JT Interiors

JT Interiors closed its doors last summer, but the Potomac Village gift shop is alive and well on the Internet. All those charming holiday gifts that the store was known for – from embroidered table runners and painted guest towels to festive candles and party accessories — are available all season at www.jtinteriorspotomac.com. Snow globes like the one shown here are $30 and up, silk scarves are available in 10 colors for $40, and lighted glass vases with winter scenes are $12 to $30. Click here to visit the JT website, or email your inquiries to hello@jtinteriorspotomac.com.

New Greek restaurant for Rockville

Gyroland, a casual spinoff of the longtime Greek restaurant Mykonos, opened its doors this week in the former Maria’s Bakeryspace in the Shops at Congressional Village, 1701 Rockville Pike. The menu features gyros, wraps, souvlaki and other Greek specialties, along with salads and the honey donuts known as loukoumades. For a peek at the menu, click here.

Did you miss these issues?

Urban Plates, Cinnabon, Jersey Mike’s, Amazon Lockers & more

What’s next for Cabin John, more closings at the mall, new UPS store for Potomac

Sears checks out, Five Below is on the go, Justice closes… and what’s up with Wicked Waffle?

Joe & the Juice for Wildwood, Robeks for Rockville, new gym is in and Gymboree is out

Slurpees, beer and wine to the mall, Sears’ final weeks, another closing at Rockville Town Square

Bethesda Bagels, Lands’ End, post-holiday closings, first look at Amazon’s newest store

New chapter for Rockville Barnes & Noble, new pizza on the Pike, new gym for Cabin John

Dawson’s returns, bye bye bike stores, vintage market for Potomac and a music school for Cabin John

Lululemon, beer and a new veggie restaurant — plus the return of Dawson’s Market

New venture from the Cava team, new closings and our favorite restaurants for 2017

November 30, 2017 By Store Reporter 2 Comments

Cava team cooks up something new for Pike & Rose

Have you been wondering what’s up with that glass-encased building across from the new L.L.Bean store on Rockville Pike? Now we know: It’s the future home of Julii, a new French Mediterranean restaurant from the founders of Cava. This will be a standalone concept created specifically for Pike & Rose, serving an all-day menu that moves from croissants and coffee in the morning to shakshouka, roast chicken and cocktails in the evening. Co-owner Ted Xenohristos tells us he hopes to open the doors by late spring or early summer.

Game over for Toy Kingdom

Toy Kingdom, one of the last original tenants at Rockville Town Square, will close its doors at the end of this month after more than a decade on Maryland Avenue. Toy stores large and small have been struggling to compete with online commerce these past few years; high-end Marbles closed all its stores last winter (including the one at Westfield Montgomery Mall), while Toys R Us filed Chapter 11 this past fall. In our area, Toy Castle in Potomac and Child’s Play in Rockville are now the only two toy stores left standing.

Trouble for Helen’s

Helen’s, which opened last year in the former Addie’sspace on Rockville Pike, is struggling to stay in business. Owner Helen Wasserman, a longtime D.C. caterer, says it’s been difficult to turn a profit in an aging building that has needed so many repairs. “We’re hoping to stay open if we can work things out with the landlord,” she says. The building’s former tenants, restaurateurs Jeff and Barbara Black, had similar issues that led them to close the original Addie’s in 2013. They recently debuted a new version at Park Potomac — and it’s one of our Store Reporter Favoritesfor 2017. Scroll down to find out who else made the list.

Another restaurant closes at the mall

Westfield Montgomery Mall lost another eatery last week with the closing of Shanghai Bao Kitchen, a two-year-old concept from the owners of Bob’s Shanghai 66. The restaurant had made several attempts to revamp its menu in the past few months, adding sushi burritos, poke bowls and other trendy items, but it suffered from its out-of-the-way location plus competition from the neighboring B/Bop/Q.

Our favorite new restaurants of 2017

This has been a tough year for retailers, but a relatively good one for the local dining scene. From Rockville Pike to Potomac to Westfield Montgomery Mall, some terrific new places have opened over the past 12 months. Here’s a look at some of our favorites.

Addie’s at Park Potomac: This reincarnation of the beloved Rockville restaurant was one of the most anticipated openings of the year — and many longtime fans say it was worth the wait. Seafood towers are the centerpiece of the high-end menu. Click here for details.
Buredo at the Wildwood Shops: This is the first Maryland location for the D.C.-based chain, an early pioneer of the sushi burrito craze. We’re partial to the Beatrix, stuffed with yellowfin tuna and salmon sashimi. Click here for details.
CSNY Pizza on Rockville Pike: From the owners of the much-loved Pizza CS, this is about as close as you can get to authentic New York-style pizza in Rockville. Click here for details.
Don Pollo at Westlake Crossing: Come for the juicy roasted chicken, stay for the tasty Peruvian dishes. We particularly like the ceviche, yuca and plantains. Click here for more.
Filicori Zecchini at Park Potomac: Finally, a neighborhood coffee shop that Potomac can call its own. With sleek European furniture, a stunning copper bar and authentic Italian coffee, it’s worlds away from Starbucks. Click here for more.
Honeyfish Poke at Congressional Plaza: Hawaiian-style poke bowls are all the rage, and this place does it right: generous portions, fresh toppings and flavorful sauces. Click here for details.
Fresh Baguette on Hungerford Drive: The second location for this popular French bakery is designed to service wholesale clients (think country clubs and ritzy hotels) but is happy to serve you a super-fresh sandwich, a loaf of bread or a single perfect pastry. Click here for more.
Gusto Farm to Street at Westfield Montgomery Mall: The pizzas and salads are all very good, but it’s the chewy, gluten-free cauliflower crust that really sets this place apart. Click here for more.
Lucky Strike at Westfield Montgomery Mall: The food is surprisingly good at this snazzy bowling alley, where you can sit front-and-center at the sports bar or huddle in a cozy corner for a quiet board game. Click here for more.
Mission BBQ at Wintergreen Plaza: This uber-patriotic restaurant has something of a cult following, both for its top-notch barbecue and its dedication to supporting those in uniform. The brisket is a standout. Click here for more.
Moby Dick in Potomac Village: A welcome addition to this restaurant-starved neighborhood, offering a reliable Middle Eastern menu that’s well-suited for takeout. Click here for more.
Pinstripes at Pike & Rose: Bocce and bowling aren’t the only reasons to visit: The dishes here are among the tastiest we’ve had this year in North Bethesda. Don’t miss the boneless short rib and the crispy calamari. Click here for more.

Did you miss these issues?

Urban Plates, Cinnabon, Jersey Mike’s, Amazon Lockers & more

What’s next for Cabin John, more closings at the mall, new UPS store for Potomac

Sears checks out, Five Below is on the go, Justice closes… and what’s up with Wicked Waffle?

Joe & the Juice for Wildwood, Robeks for Rockville, new gym is in and Gymboree is out

Slurpees, beer and wine to the mall, Sears’ final weeks, another closing at Rockville Town Square

Bethesda Bagels, Lands’ End, post-holiday closings, first look at Amazon’s newest store

New chapter for Rockville Barnes & Noble, new pizza on the Pike, new gym for Cabin John

Dawson’s returns, bye bye bike stores, vintage market for Potomac and a music school for Cabin John

Lululemon, beer and a new veggie restaurant — plus the return of Dawson’s Market

Halal Guys in, Rocklands and Emily Grace out — plus Nordstrom’s latest denim debacle

April 27, 2017 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Halal this fall

Opening this fall at Wintergreen Plaza on Rockville Pike: The Halal Guys, a brick-and-mortar version of the New York City food cart business with the crazy-long lines. What’s on the menu? Beef and chicken gyros served with pita or basmati rice, plus sides of hummus, baba ganouj, falafel and fries. “Our secret is our white sauce — not the typical tzatziki with cucumber — which puts everything together really well,” says Maryland franchisee Rabi Ullah. He’s also opening a location in College Park, with plans for further expansion statewide (click here for the menu). The Halal Guys replaces Rocklands Barbecue and Grilling Company, which has exited Wintergreen Plaza now that Mission BBQ is open.

Goodbye Emily Grace

Emily Grace, one of the original tenants at Park Potomac, closed its doors this week after seven years in business. The boutique specialized in high-end fashions from lines like Vince, Michael Lauren, Joie and AG Jeans. Park Potomac, which will be buzzing this summer with the debut of three new restaurants, is already talking to replacement tenants.

Offenbachers returns to Rockville

Offenbachers, the D.C.-area retail chain that closed its doors last winter, is making a comeback of sorts in Rockville. Home Escapes, a 30-year-old retailer from Virginia, has purchased the Offenbachers name and opened a showroom just around the corner from its former home on Nicholson Lane. The store carries a similar assortment of hot tubs, spas, outdoor furniture, fire pits and pool tables, but the original Offenbachers team is not involved with this venture. Click here to check out the inventory.

Who won our tickets for Rent stars at Strathmore?

Congratulations to Store Reporter readers Dara Baylinson and Gail Hyman, who each won a pair of tickets to see original Rent stars Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp at Strathmore in North Bethesda. Strathmore’s spring/summer schedule also includes appearances by Tony Bennett, Audra McDonald, Gladys Knight and the creators of the Serial podcast. Click here to check it out.

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For information about a discount at Regency Estates Swim Club, email publisher@storereporter.com

Fashion fails: muddy jeans and washable cashmere

Just a few weeks after we told you about that regrettable “mom jeans with windows” incident (click for details) comes news of yet another Nordstrom denim debacle. This time the retailer has been universally shamed for its $425 “heavily distressed” Barracuda jeans. Apparently, “heavily distressed” in Nordstrom-talk means “covered in fake mud.” In other fashion fails this week, washable cashmere company Kit and Ace announced the closing of all its U.S. stores including the one in downtown Bethesda. Kit and Ace was the brainchild of ousted Lululemon founder Chip Wilson, who once helped kick off the athleisure clothing trend. This time around, Wilson apparently overestimated the public’s appetite for $398 turtlenecks.

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.

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New pizza in Rockville, a closing at Pike & Rose, and which stores didn’t survive the holidays

January 5, 2017 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

New pizza on the Pike

Pizza CS, the Rockville restaurant known for its authentic Neapolitan-style pies, is venturing into new territory for its upcoming second location at Edmonston Crossing on the Pike. “The menu will focus on 18-inch New York-style pizzas with a thin crust,” says co-owner Ankur Rajpara. “We’ll also do subs, wings, and a pan-baked pizza called Sicilian. And we may do the ‘grandma-style’ pizza, which is a thin-crust Sicilian that’s native to Brooklyn and Long Island.” The new restaurant will offer takeout and delivery only, in contrast with its sit-down older sister at the Twinbrook Metro Center. Both restaurants will have fresh competition from Pie 360, a make-your-own pizza place that just opened on the ground floor of the Galvan at Twinbrook complex.

Three stores out at Westfield Montgomery Mall

This week we say goodbye to three stores at Westfield Montgomery Mall that didn’t survive the holidays. First to exit was The Limited, which is closing stores across the country as it prepares to file for bankruptcy. Also out is Smart Toys, a longtime tenant that doubled as Halloween Adventure every fall. And R. Riveter, a Shark Tank-backed business featuring handbags sewn by military spouses, has closed its doors after a short run in the former Eileen Fisher space. Even though the concept didn’t appear to catch on with shoppers at Westfield Montgomery, R. Riveter tells us it’s looking to open other pop-up stores in the D.C. area.

Macy’s, Sears and Aéropostale will stay at the mall

This week Macy’s and Sears released their lists of stores that will be closing nationwide. As you might have guessed, the Macy’s and Macy’s Home stores at Westfield Montgomery Mall will not be among the casualties. Neither will the mall’s Sears store, despite its increasingly incongruent presence as Westfield Montgomery moves in a more upscale direction. Also staying put is the teen store Aéropostale, which survived a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and is finally taking down those “Store Closing” signs that were plastered on its windows for months.

Kids’ boutique exits Pike & Rose

Yogaso, a children’s store that was among the first tenants to open at Pike & Rose, will close its doors next week to focus on Internet sales. “We thought it would be great to have a brick-and-mortar store so people could see, feel and touch our products,” says owner Alem Beshir, who carries clothing, toys and accessories from around the world. But with web traffic outpacing foot traffic in her second year of business, Beshir decided to focus on her website with occasional local pop-up shows. Yogaso fans can continue to shop the line at www.yogaso.com.

Goodbye Timpano, Sports Authority successor, American Tap Room taps out

December 15, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Timpano closes, Sports Authority space is filled

The new year will bring some big changes to the Montrose Crossing shopping center on Rockville Pike. Timpano Italian Chophouse, a fixture in the area for more than two decades, is exiting to make room for some new fast-casual eateries. Timpano will close on New Year’s Eve, with demolition to follow shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, the former Sports Authority space didn’t stay empty for long: Value City Furniture, an Ohio-based chain with a growing presence in Maryland, is now under construction with plans to open early next year. For a look at the company’s merchandise, click here.

American Tap Room taps out

American Tap Room closed its doors over the weekend at Rockville Town Square, joining a growing list of restaurant casualties that now includes Oro Pomodoro, Cosi, Pho & Rolls, Carbon Peruvian Chicken and 82 Steak Out in just the past two years. Execs at American Tap Room say the Rockville location was owned by a franchisee, and its closing won’t affect their other restaurants. Federal Realty, which owns Rockville Town Square, says it already has a new tenant in place but can’t share the name yet. Stay tuned to Store Reporter for more.

German bath and body store opens at the mall

Kneipp, the newest addition at Westfield Montgomery Mall, opens its doors tomorrow (12/16) on the second level near Godiva. This is one of eight new retail stores for the German company (pronounced K-nay-p), which makes plant-based, preservative-free products for bath, body and skin care. “Until now, these products have only been available in the U.S. at little spas and apothecaries,” says regional manager Valerie Curcione. “But the customers who have found this brand are incredibly loyal to it.” For more on Kneipp and its founder, a 19th century pioneer of natural medicines, click here.

Pandora jewelry at Silver Moon

The Pandora jewelry line is a perennial favorite, and Silver Moon at Congressional Plaza is a great place to shop the whole collection. The Poinsettia charm on the left, adorned with red pavé cubic zirconia, is available in limited quantities this season and priced at $75. Also popular is Pandora’s new Vintage Allure line, featuring sterling silver and pavé cubic zirconia in a striking geometric design. Silver Moon carries a Vintage Allure necklace-and-earring set for $150 and a matching bracelet in a decorative case for $195. See these pieces in person at Silver Moon Jewelry & Accessories, 1659 Rockville Pike. For details, call 301-468-1122 or click here.

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A charmed gift at As Kindred Spirits

As Kindred Spirits, now open next to Nordstrom in the lower level of Westfield Montgomery Mall, is a great source for gifts that are both special and unexpected. Take this new line of gold Lulu DK charm necklaces, priced from $68 and up, with hidden messages of love, peace, faith and sisterhood. The hidden part? The charms are etched with decorative markings that reveal their messages only when spun. (Note that Westfield Montgomery Mall is now the only place to find As Kindred Spirits, which has closed its other locations at Congressional Plaza and Reagan Airport.) As Kindred Spirits, Westfield Montgomery Mall, on the lower level next to Nordstrom. For details, call 301-365-1008 or click here.

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New restaurant on Rockville Pike, Starbucks goes Venti in Potomac Village — plus our raffle winners

December 8, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Two new restaurants for Congressional Plaza

The dining scene at Congressional Plaza is looking way up for 2017. Modern Market, the scratch-made chain from Colorado that’s been earning raves in downtown Bethesda, opened its doors this week next to Chopt. And the center just landed Honeyfish Poke, a West Coast chain featuring Hawaiian-style bowls of raw fish with fresh toppings and Asian sauces. Honeyfish Poke is set for a spring opening a few doors down from Starbucks, near Congressional’s new outdoor seating area. To check out the menu, click here.

Starbucks goes Venti in Potomac Village

Starbucks in Potomac Village is finally nearing the end of a major expansion that has annoyed its customers for months. The tiny store, which never had enough space to meet the demands of its latte-loving neighborhood, will kick off 2017 with more coffee machines, more baristas and lot more seating. The extra room is coming from a frame shop that closed next door; employees say the work should be done before Christmas.

Who won our biggest raffle ever?

Congratulations to the winners of our latest raffle, featuring fabulous gifts from vendors at the Washington Hebrew Congregation Sisterhood Holiday Boutique & Silent Auction. Here’s a list of who won what:

Rori Malech won a PJ Salvage sweater from Barbie B (shopbarbieb.com)
Michèle Morgan won a pair of workout leggings from LavaLoka (lavaloka.com)
Amy Stolker won a zirconia necklace from Artfully Designed Jewelry (click for more).
Betsy Fader Goldstein won a choker necklace from Gemini Jewelry (click for more).
Leela Berman won a photo canvas from Photos by Freddi (photosbyfreddi.com).
Michael Reiser won a bottle of vintage vinegar from All things Olive (allthingsolive.com).
Meredith Wernick won a $25 gift certificate from Bows Etc. (bowsetc.com)
Karla Rosenfeld Azachi won a pair of girls’ leggings from Shop Marti (shopmarti.com).
Greg Overcamp won a $50 certificate for kids’ clothing from Blue Elephant (shoptheblueelephant.com).

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Something dazzling from Kaufman Jewelers

If you’re looking for a gift that really dazzles, Kaufmann Jewelers at Park Potomac is the place to go for gorgeous custom jewelry. Take this stunning 18-karat gold ring with oval tanzanite and diamonds. Not quite what you’re looking for? Third-generation jeweler Corey Kaufman can design something special or find a piece that fits your budget, from diamond and gold jewelry priced in the thousands to silver and gemstone rings, bracelets and earrings for less than $100. Kaufmann Jewelers, 12500 Park Potomac Ave., #107S, 301-978-7778. For more info, click here.

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Something sparkly from JT Interiors

The holiday sparkle is in full swing at JT Interiors in Potomac Village, where you’ll find shimmering gifts around just about every corner. We love the tabletop glitter trees ($62 for a set of two), the gold and silver glitter wreath ($70) and the mercury glass lamp ($128), all shown here. The gold leaf tray makes a great hostess gift at $17, as do the candles and illuminaries priced from $10 and up. Visit JT Interiors at 9906 River Road, call 301-299-0485 or click here for details.

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Holiday parties, great gifts & our biggest raffle ever — plus Apple and Orangetheory

December 1, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Kicking off the holidays with our biggest raffle ever

This week we’re kicking off gift-giving season with a bounty of fabulous raffle items from vendors at the Washington Hebrew Congregation Sisterhood Holiday Boutique & Silent Auction, opening Sunday Dec. 4 and continuing through Tuesday Dec. 6 at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center in Potomac. Here are some of the gifts you can win:

White fuzzy PJ Salvage sweater from Barbie B (shopbarbieb.com)
Turquoise Siberian tiger leggings from LavaLoka (lavaloka.com)
Silver and zirconia necklace from Artfully Designed (click for more on Facebook).
Choker necklace with crystal beads from Gemini Jewelry (click for more on Instagram).
“Hibiscus in Orange” large photo canvas from Photos by Freddi (photosbyfreddi.com).
Bottle of vintage Robbins Family Farm organic balsamic vinegar from All Things Olive (allthingsolive.com).
Glittery girls’ headband from Bows Etc. (bowsetc.com)
Girls’ leggings from Shop Marti (shop-marti.com).
$50 gift certificate for kids’ clothing from Blue Elephant (shoptheblueelephant.com).

There are three ways to put your name in our hat: 1) Click here to enter online. 2) Click here to enter via the Store Reporter Facebook page. 3) Visit the boutique show, stop by the Store Reporter table and fill out an entry form. We’ll announce the winners next week.

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Cocktail party at Nordstrom

Tonight (Dec. 1) is the night for Westfield Montgomery‘s holiday kickoff party at Nordstrom Court. What’s on the menu? Cocktail bites from various Westfield Montgomery restaurants, whimsical entertainment… and from what we hear, some surprises that will be worth your while. The party is happening from 6 to 8 p.m.; there’s a $10 suggested donation to benefit Care for Kids at Children’s National Medical Center. Complimentary valet provided (please park by Tara Thai). Purchase tickets at the door or click here to RSVP.

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Apple’s back… and we’re a little disappointed

The newly renovated Apple store reopened just before Thanksgiving at Westfield Montgomery Mall. If you haven’t seen it yet, there’s no need to rush: Frankly, we think the new design is a bit of a snooze. It’s bigger, of course, and just as white and minimalist as you’d imagine. But it seems we missed out on the some of the cooler features that Apple has been adding to its stores in other other cities. There’s no Genius Grove with live trees. No boardroom for private meetings. No designated area for the creative sessions and live concerts that Apple has been planning at other locations. Of course we’re happy to have Apple back. But this new store just doesn’t have the “wow” we were hoping for.

Orangetheory opens next week

Orangetheory Fitness makes its debut at Park Potomac next week, just across the street from MoCo’s Founding Farmers. This is the second Montgomery County location for the Florida-based fitness chain, which offers heart rate-monitored group workouts with intervals of cardio and strength training. Grand opening party is Dec. 8th from 6 to 8 p.m — with orange crushes to drink, of course. Click here for more.

Free Alex & Ani bracelet at Congressional’s Silver Moon

Alex and Ani is a name you’ll see on plenty of teens’ wish lists this year. The stackable bangle charm bracelets, priced from just $28, are made in the U.S. from recycled materials with a portion of the proceeds going to charity. This weekend (Friday Dec. 2 through Sunday Dec. 4), Silver Moon Jewelry & Accessories is giving away a Peace & Love bangle with every $75 Alex and Ani purchase. Stop in to see the collection at Silver Moon, 1659 Rockville Pike in Congressional Plaza. For details, call 301-468-1122 or click here.

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For your foodie friends: O’Donnell’s Market gift cards

If you’re already a fan of O’Donnell’s Market — or if you haven’t checked it out yet — December is a great time to treat yourself and your friends. Through the end of this month, purchase $100 worth of O’Donnell’s gift cards and get a $20 card of your own. What to try? For first-timers, owner Bill Edelblut recommends the cocktail shrimp, organic salmon, sushi-grade tuna, grass-fed beef tenderloin and signature crab cakes. The holiday tarts and rum buns also make great hostess gifts. Click here, call 301-251-6355 or visit O’Donnell’s Market, 1073 Seven Locks Road next Walgreens at Potomac Woods Plaza.

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BBQ replaces Benjarong, Apple opens early, new mall stores — plus our Pieology winners

November 17, 2016 By Store Reporter 2 Comments

BBQ replaces Benjarong

Moving into the former Benjarong space at Rockville’s Wintergreen Plaza: Mission BBQ, the Maryland-based chain specializing in brisket, pulled pork and patriotism. The five-year-old company has ties to the military and is known for its generous donations to the USO, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation among others. Oh, and we hear the food’s good too (click here to check out the menu). Mission BBQ plans a spring opening at Wintergreen, part of a new restaurant lineup that includes The Habit Burger Grill and Jersey Mike’s Subs. Also on the way: Wingstop, opening next week.

Teavana and Apple open for the holidays

Teavana opened its new store at Westfield Montgomery Mall this week, and Apple wasn’t far behind: The company moved up its grand opening from Black Friday to Saturday, Nov. 19th. We’ll have photos in an upcoming issue.

Congrats to the winners of our Pieology gift cards

This week four Store Reporter readers won gift cards to Pieology, the new make-your-own pizza restaurant next to Nordstrom Rack in Gaithersburg. The winners of our raffle — Scott Goff, Mark Hamrick, Marilyn Grafman and Amy Wollins — will each get $50 to treat family, friends or coworkers to fresh customized salads and personalized pies. You’ll be seeing more of Pieology in 2017 as the company expands in Montgomery County. In the meantime, check out the Gaithersburg location at 15780 Shady Grove Road — or click here for a quick video tour.

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Gift shop exits Rockville, moves to the mall

The As Kindred Spirits gift shop made a quick switcheroo this week, closing its doors at Congressional Plaza and opening three days later at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Owner Wendy Rukmini Walker, who had run pop-up stores at the mall but was looking for a long-term lease, snagged a space right next to Nordstrom after GameStop relocated across from Old Navy. The move happened so quickly that there wasn’t time for renovations, but Walker says the store will close briefly for a facelift after the holidays. Walker also shuttered her store at Reagan National Airport last month — so for now, the mall is the only place to find As Kindred Spirits. To see what’s in stock, click here.

Italian fashions for mothers and daughters

Patrizia Luca Milano, a women’s clothing store carrying Italian-inspired fashions, is now open at Westfield Montgomery Mall next to Apple. This is the first Maryland venture for owner Mike Nassaj, who previously ran similar boutiques in D.C. “Our clothes are chic for work but also can transition into evening,” Nassaj says. “We specialize in mother-daughter looks, where the mom will buy it for herself but the daughter will want to wear it as well.” Aside from the fur and outerwear, most items are priced below $100. Click here for a look.

Nespresso, Teavana, Congressional Plaza and a pizza giveaway

November 10, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Nespresso, Teavana and Apple will be here for the holidays

The Macy’s wing at Westfield Montgomery Mall is nearing the end of its six-month-long renovation, with Teavana and Apple almost ready to open and the nearby Nespresso store not far behind. Teavana, which closed its original store last spring to make way for Apple’s expansion, is set to return Nov. 15th in its new space across the hall. Apple will be back ten days later, on Black Friday. And just around the corner, Nespresso is hoping to open Dec. 1.

Win $50 for pizza at Pieology

Have you checked out Pieology on Shady Grove Road? The make-your-own pizza chain, which opened this summer a few doors down from Nordstrom Rack, is planning a major expansion into Montgomery County. What’s on the menu? Forty choices of unlimited fresh toppings over three types of crusts (including gluten-free) plus customizable salads, all at a price point below $10. Click here for a quick video to see what Pieology’s all about. And click here to enter your name for a chance to win one of four $50 Pieology gift cards. That’s enough to treat your family — or your favorite coworkers — to some great personalized pies. Update: Congratulations to our four winners: Scott Goff, Mark Hamrick, Marilyn Grafman and Amy Wollins.

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Have a seat at Congressional Plaza

Congressional Plaza in Rockville is putting the final touches on its new outdoor seating area, offering comfy chairs and couches at the corner of Chopt and Starbucks. The project is part of a general spruce-up as the shopping center adds new stores and restaurants, including last month’s debut of Saks Off 5th. Next up: Modern Market, a Colorado-based restaurant chain that caters to both paleo and vegetarian diners. Click here for more in our June 9th edition.

Turkey with all the trimmings at O’Donnell’s Market

If you thought O’Donnell’s was all about seafood, think again: The gourmet market, which celebrates its first anniversary next month, is rolling out a complete Thanksgiving menu. Along with the traditional turkey and sides, you’ll find specialty items like lobster mashed potatoes, cornbread sausage stuffing, seafood bisque and mini versions of the market’s famous crab cakes — not to mention those classic O’Donnell’s rum buns. Click here to check out the menu, and be sure to place your order by Saturday, Nov. 19. For details, call 301-251-6355 or stop by O’Donnell’s, 1073 Seven Locks Road next to Walgreens at Potomac Woods Plaza.

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New coffee spot in Rockville

Now open at Rockville’s King Farm Village Center: Coffee Republic, a locally owned shop in the former Mayorga space at 801 Pleasant Drive. Besides the usual lattes, mochas and espressos, you’ll also find a selection of baked goods and specialty drinks like cortados and Nutella chais. Coffee Republic is the second venture for a group of friends who also operate the BeanGood coffee shop in Arlington. To see what’s pouring, click here.

Lord & Taylor at White Flint, goodbye Benjarong, new boutique for Potomac

November 3, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Inside Lord & Taylor: It’s not what you think

This week we made a long-overdue visit to Lord & Taylor on Rockville Pike, the sole survivor of last year’s teardown of the White Flint Mall. Half expecting a sad scene with barren shelves, peeling paint and bored salespeople, we instead found a bustling store filled with customers and fully stocked with great-looking fall merchandise. Also: zero parking hassles. Shoppers told us they still love Lord & Taylor and don’t much care about the missing mall. Which is a good thing, since there’s no telling when the rest of that property will be redeveloped. White Flint’s owners, Lerner Enterprises and the Tower Cos., are still in the process of appealing last year’s U.S. District Court verdict that they owe Lord & Taylor $31 million in damages and lost profits.

Goodbye Benjarong

This week we say goodbye to the Thai restaurant Benjarong, which closed its doors on Halloween after two decades at Wintergreen Plaza. The restaurant’s owners, who took over several years ago, left a note on the door thanking customers for their patronage. So what will become of the Benjarong space? Stay tuned to Store Reporter; we’ll have the answer in an upcoming issue.

New boutique moves into Flora’s

Flora’s Feathered Nest didn’t stay empty for long. Sonoran Rose, a boutique offering clothing, accessories and home decor, opens next Thursday (Nov. 10th) inside the quaint little farmhouse at 12211 River Road. Owner Isabel Chiotti, a retail industry veteran, says she jumped at the chance to take over the space after Flora’s closed last summer. Her specialty: international goods with a “boho-chic” vibe. “We carry espadrilles from the south of France, gorgeous cards and writing papers from England, guest towels from South Africa, candles from northern Ireland, leather bags from Argentina,” says Chiotti, a Brazilian native who will run the boutique with her daughters. “Competition is fierce. We look for different.” The Sonoran Rose website is still a work in progress; click here for a peek at what the store will carry.

Aéropostale store may not close after all

Aéropostale fans can take heart from this week’s news that the teen retailer is doing better than expected after its recent Chapter 11 filing. About 500 of Aéropostale’s 700 stores are making money, the company says, and those will likely remain open despite the “going-out-of-business” signs plastered across their windows. That’s good news for the Aéropostale store at Westfield Montgomery Mall, which is said to be one of the solid performers.

Apple store opening, goodbye Offenbachers, new outlet shops, chocolate truffles and a bad week for ShopHouse

October 27, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Apple store’s back next month

The Apple store at Westfield Montgomery Mall is set to reopen on Black Friday, revealing the results of a months-long renovation that has both annoyed and intrigued local Apple fans. What we know for sure: The new store will be about twice its previous size, encompassing the neighboring spaces that formerly belonged to BCBG, Teavana and Sephora. What we’re expecting, based on Apple’s new direction: A “town square” vibe with generous seating, free Wi-Fi and occasional concerts; a “Genius Grove” lined with live indoor trees; a giant video wall showcasing the latest and greatest; and a business boardroom for private meetings with Apple experts. To see what the new Apple stores look like in other markets, click here.

Goodbye Offenbachers

Offenbachers, the outdoor furniture and fireplace chain, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week after 44 years in the D.C. area. Going-out-of-business sales began today (Oct. 27th) at the company’s eight locations in Virginia and Maryland, including the one on Randolph Road in Rockville. Some $9 million worth of inventory will be priced to move, including Hanamint and OW Lee patio furniture, Coyote and Legacy billiards tables, Kozy Heat fireplaces, and grills from Traeger and Big Green Egg. To see what else is up for grabs at Offenbachers, click here.

The end of ShopHouse?

This week Chipotle said it will discontinue expansion of its ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen chain, which opened at Pike & Rose just last year. The D.C. area was one of three test markets for ShopHouse, but Chipotle says sales weren’t impressive enough to continue the experiment. Now the company is turning its attention to two newer concepts: Pizzeria Locale, which currently has a handful of locations in four states, and Tasty Made, a Shake Shack-style burger chain that launches this week in Ohio. As for ShopHouse, the existing locations will remain open for now while Chipotle tries to sell them off.

New sweet treats at the mall

In case you don’t have enough Halloween candy around the house this week, Westfield Montgomery Mall has a new place to satisfy your sweet tooth. Chocolate Moonshine, now open in the former Chloe’s Deli space next to Chick-fil-A, offers handmade fudge and giftable decorative truffle bars that are gluten-free and relatively low in sugar. “We get everything fresh from our factory in Pennsylvania,” says local distributor Edward Heller, a former executive with Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. “It’s all natural and organic, but it’s the attention to detail and beautiful craftsmanship that really makes our product special.” To check it out for yourself, click here.

New outlet mall opens this weekend

This weekend marks the grand opening of Clarksburg Premium Outlets, less than 30 minutes from the Rockville/Potomac area off I-270 at Exit 18. The 90-store tenant list has something for everyone, from Adidas, Ann Taylor and Armani Exchange to Theory, Tommy Hilfiger, Ugg and Under Armour. Grand opening festivities will be happening all weekend with live music, DJs, kids’ activities, giveaways and Halloween events. To view the full list of new places to shop, click here.

As Kindred Spirits departs from Reagan Airport

As Kindred Spirits, which exited Westfield Montgomery Mall last summer, is also closing its D.C. store at Reagan National Airport. The Congressional Plaza location in Rockville will remain open, says owner Wendy “Rukmini” Walker, who’s still working on plans to return to Montgomery Mall. As Kindred Spirits is one of seven gift shops that made our list of Store Reporter Favorites for 2016. To see who else got our vote, click here for our Oct. 13th edition.

Saks Off 5th, beer & coffee, holiday shopping in Potomac Village

October 20, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Opening week for Saks Off 5th

The long-awaited Saks Off 5th store opened its doors this week at Rockville’s Congressional Plaza, joining Last Call Studio by Neiman Marcus as the upscale shopping center targets label-conscious bargain hunters. Grand opening festivities are happening this Saturday (Oct. 22nd) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with music, wine, snacks and swag bags for the first 200 shoppers. On-trend footwear — especially over-the-knee boots — will be a centerpiece of the store this fall, says Off 5th spokesman Meghan Biango.

New place for beer lovers

This is a very good year for local beer lovers: Five months after the opening of World of Beer in Rockville, Owen’s Ordinary made its debut this week at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda. The restaurant/beer garden is already drawing kudos for its menu of 200 craft beers with a focus on Maryland breweries. Owen’s Ordinary is the newest venture from Neighborhood Restaurant Group, which handles the menu at AMP as well as such beer-centric D.C. restaurants as Bluejacket, Churchkey and Birch & Barley. There’s no lunch service just yet, nor is there a website or even an online menu. But you can click here to check out the Owen’s Ordinary Facebook page.

New Nespresso store is brewing

The Nespresso store at Westfield Montgomery Mall is now official. As we predicted last August, the coffee company has posted signs for its new store at the former home of Kay Jewelers, which relocated next to Swarovski. But Nespresso isn’t taking Kay’s entire space: There’s still an open corner spot right across from the under-construction Apple store. Who’s moving in? And when will all this construction be finished? Stay tuned to Store Reporter for some answers in the weeks to come.

Kick off your holiday shopping at JT Interiors

Looking for some new ideas for holiday gifts and decor? Mark your calendar for Nov. 12th and 13th, when JT Interiors hosts its fourth annual holiday open house at 9906 River Road in Potomac Village. “This will be the first look at everything we have to offer for the holiday season,” says marketing director Lauren Gregory. “We’ll have champagne and chocolate, cookies and cider, lots of things that smell great, and new ideas for what to buy and how to decorate your home for the holidays.” Our favorite from a sneak peek: The wine bottle apron that declares, “It’s always happy hour in Potomac.” (Also available for Darnestown and Bethesda). For your own sneak peek, click here to visit the JT Interiors Facebook page.

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Trader Joe’s says hello Travilah, goodbye Gaithersburg — plus sushi burritos and our favorite gift shops

October 13, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Trader Joe’s update: Hello Travilah, Goodbye Gaithersburg

After months of speculation about a new Trader Joe’s at Travilah Square Shopping Center, the California-based grocer has signed on the dotted line. A 13,000-square-foot store will open in late 2017 or early 2018 at the intersection of Travilah and Darnestown roads. This is good news for North Potomac but bad news for Gaithersburg: A Trader Joe’s spokesman tells us the company will be closing its store on Contour Road in Montgomery Village on the same day the Travilah store opens. No need to worry about the other Rockville store at Federal Plaza: That location isn’t going anywhere. (Editor’s note: For an update on this story, click here.)

Sushi burritos at Wildwood

Buredo, the two-year-old D.C. eatery known for its burrito-sized sushi rolls, is heading to Wildwood Shopping Center on Old Georgetown Road. Plans call for a spring opening in the space that previously belonged to Fraîche Cupcakery. This will be the first Maryland location for Buredo, which has earned an avid fan following for its generously sized seaweed wraps with a surprising mix of ingredients. (Sample roll: the Pai Mei with salmon sashimi, asparagus, pea shoot leaves, pickled red onion, daikon, katsuo mirin crunch and toasted sesame mayo.) Click here to check out the menu. And click here to read last week’s report on another D.C. sushi restaurant that’s opening right across the street.

Goodbye Chili’s

This week we say goodbye to Chili’s in North Bethesda, which has closed its doors after 25 years on Rockville Pike. Although the exit was blamed on plans to demolish the building, we think there’s more to that story: Chili’s has been quietly reducing its presence in the D.C. area for several years, including recent closings in Tysons Corner and Crystal City. The good news for Tex-Mex fans: Chuy’s is now open at Federal Plaza. Click here to check it out.

Our picks for great gifts

With colder weather just around the corner, it’s not too early to start thinking about holiday shopping. In the next few weeks we’ll have news about craft markets, gift boutiques and holiday open houses. In the meantime, here’s a quick guide to our favorite locally owned gift shops.

Appalachian Spring: The Congressional Plaza location is part of a four-store chain focusing on handmade products by American artists, most of which are functional as well as beautiful. Wood and glass are the primary materials here, from jewelry boxes and cutting boards to hand-blown vases and luminous dinnerware — plus a large collection of kaleidoscopes. “That’s my favorite part of the store,” says co-owner David Brooks. Details at appalachianspring.com.

As Kindred Spirits: Owner Wendy “Rukmini” Walker travels the world for handmade clothing, accessories and jewelry, as well as decorative household objects from clocks to frames to wine bottle holders. If you’re looking for Roman glass pendants, men’s silk ties or scarves from India, you’ll find them here. The Congressional Plaza location is the flagship, and Walker is in talks to open a new store at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Details at askindredspirits.com.

JT Interiors: The go-to place for gifts in Potomac Village, JT Interiors makes the most of its charming setting inside a house at 9906 River Road. From guest towels, pillows and stylish handbags to serving platters, bowls and baskets, decorative objects are displayed in a way that makes it easy to imagine them in your own home. And for those who can’t get enough of the whole look, the store also offers interior design services. Details at the JT Interiors Facebook page.

Leila Fine Gifts & Jewels: At Cabin John Shopping Center near California Tortilla, Leila is the place for unique hostess gifts, decorative kitchenware, colorful glass and crystal, and a wide variety of affordable jewelry. If you’re looking for a mitzvah gift or a lovely piece of Judaica, you’ll find plenty of choices here. Owner Deb Shalom says she’s always on the lookout for gifts that are “fun, beautiful and functional — all at a comfortable price point.” Details at leilajewels.com.

Occasions: Inside Cabin John Mall across from McDonald’s, Occasions carries gifts from Scout, Kate Spade and Lilly Pulitzer as well as paper goods, jewelry, decorative wooden signs and items for babies, teens and tweens. The store also specializes in monogrammed and personalized items, from notepads to cocktail napkins. Details at occasionsgiftstore.com.

Red Orchard: A longtime fixture at Wildwood Shopping Center, Red Orchard has moved away from its original focus on American-made furniture to specialize in artisan-produced home accessories that are “interesting, funky and functional,” says co-owner Caroline Liberty. Here you’ll find a unique and modern selection of decorative kitchenware, wall art, kids’ gifts, bath and body items, handmade jewelry and local gourmet foods. Details at redorchard.com.

Silver Moon Jewelry & Accessories: This is the new incarnation of the former Tiara Galleries & Gifts, still at Congressional Plaza but now focused primarily on jewelry and handbags. Figurines and ceramic pieces have largely disappeared to make way for Pandora and Alex and Ani, plus a variety of lesser-known jewelry lines and handbags by Vera Bradley and Spartina. Details at silvermoonstyle.com.

Tell us about your favorites

We’re working on more Store Reporter Favorites for upcoming issues, and we’d love to hear about your go-to places in the greater Rockville/Potomac area. Tell us your picks for date night, fast casual meals, fabulous desserts and party venues. And if you know of any hidden gems — either stores or restaurants that our readers should hear about — please tell us about those too. Email your favorites to editor@storereporter.com.

Park Potomac update, new sushi and souvlaki, new Life Time Athletic is ready to roll

October 6, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

The latest on Park Potomac

Coffee and margaritas will be flowing at Park Potomac this winter as two new tenants look to open in the next few months. Filicori Zecchini, an Italian coffee house known for its rich espressos and cappuccinos, is on track to launch by early December. A tasting tent at the Park Potomac Fall Festival “got amazing feedback and really got us excited to open,” says owner Laila Asmar. Gringos & Mariachis, the second location for the popular Bethesda restaurant, will arrive sometime after the holidays. For more on Park Potomac’s new lineup, click here.

Get your Greek on

The Big Greek Cafe, a family-owned restaurant known for its generous portions and home-style cooking, opens its third location this week at 5268 Nicholson Lane. “My family has always been in the restaurant business,” says co-owner Simos Marmaras, whose father Vassilios “Bill” Marmaras once ran the Golden Flame restaurant in Silver Spring. “It was always my mother’s dream to open a more casual restaurant that would use all of her recipes that we grew up with,” Marmaras says. “After she died, my brother and I decided to do it.” The Big Greek Cafe is open for lunch, dinner and takeout service; click here to check out the menu.

New sushi at Georgetown Square

Maki Shop, a D.C. sushi restaurant known for its creatively stuffed hand rolls, is heading to Bethesda’s Georgetown Square Shopping Center. Broker Rich Amsellem of Streetsense, who also handled the lease for neighbor Not Your Average Joe’s, says Maki Shop should open early next year. To see what’s on the menu, click here.

Life Time Gaithersburg is ready to roll

Oct. 20th is opening day for the new Life Time Athletic club in Gaithersburg, just off I-370 at Washingtonian Boulevard. The three-story center will have far more amenities than its smaller sister in Rockville, including a boxing studio, two basketball courts, kids’ classes, and indoor and outdoor pools with water slides. Click here for a sneak peek.

FAO Schwarz to rise again

The FAO Schwarz brand, which was sold to Toys ‘R’ Us eight years ago, changed hands again this week when the name was purchased by a California toy manufacturer. The new owner, ThreeSixty Group, makes licensed toys for Discovery Kids, Animal Planet, Sharper Image and other retailers. Plans call for a new line of FAO Schwarz toys to debut at “select retailers” next fall, with a possible brick-and-mortar store to replace the iconic Manhattan location that closed last year. For more on ThreeSixty Group’s plans for FAO Schwarz, click here.

Latest on Lucky Strike, Potomac Day Spa closes, trendy Thai ice cream

September 29, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

No bowling at the mall this fall

Remember the bowling alley that was supposed to open this summer at Westfield Montgomery Mall? As we move into fall with construction barely under way, we thought it was time for a check-in with California-based Lucky Strike. “We’re now looking at the first quarter of 2017,” says company spokesman Brandon Thomsen. “We’re excited to come to Bethesda, but some details of the project are still evolving.” This will be the second location for the company’s new Lucky Strike Social concept, which recently launched in Albany with 18 bowling lanes, a full kitchen and bar, a concert hall/party room, and a variety of games from billiards to old-school arcades. For a preview of what’s on the way, click here.

Potomac Day Spa closes

Potomac Day Spa, operating out of a cute little house in Potomac Village for more than two decades, has quietly closed its doors. “The rent here is just crazy expensive, and we had been struggling for a long time,” says owner Angela Hay, who bought the spa four years ago and shut it down last Saturday. The business had little walk-in traffic, Hay says, and it’s been increasingly difficult to compete with larger operations like Red Door and the new Woodhouse Day Spa on Rockville Pike. “The older people liked our quaintness, but the younger people like to go to places that are trendy,” Hay says. “I just couldn’t keep pouring money into something that wasn’t going to survive.”

Rolling out a new ice cream trend

Thai rolled ice cream, a Southeast Asian street food that’s trending across the country, has arrived in downtown Rockville. Class 520 (the name is a play on the Chinese phrase for “I love you”) opens Saturday on Dawson Avenue just off North Washington Street. Each dessert is made fresh when you order, starting with a liquid ice cream base that’s poured over a cold grill until it freezes over. “Then we add the mix-ins and run it over with a spatula to shape it into curls, so you wind up with a hard texture that slowly melts,” says manager Adam Shi. Virtually unknown in the U.S. until recently, Thai-style ice cream has popped up in foodie cities from Los Angeles to New York to Philadelphia in the past 12 months. “We believe that ours is the first one in Maryland,” Shi says. “It’s a trendy food that’s familiar to the Asian population, so we think it will do very well in this area.” Want to see how it works? Click here for a video demo.

Ready for Rosh Hashanah?

If you’re hosting a crowd for the Jewish holidays this year, there’s still time to order from Potomac Grocer. On the menu for Rosh Hashanah: onion-braised brisket, pomegranate molasses-glazed salmon, lemon honey roasted chicken, sweet potato-carrot tzimmes, noodle pudding and much more. Pre-ordering is recommended, but some dishes will be available à la carte while they last. Potomac Grocer, 10107 River Road, 301-299-4200. For the catering menu, click here.

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Here’s a product that takes balls

Look out Nike and Under Armour: Lululemon is going after the men. In an interview this week with Bloomberg.com, Lululemon CEO Laurent Potdevin says he hopes to double the company’s male customer base from 20 percent to 40 percent of its sales. Potdevin has a pretty good track record in this arena, having previously helped drive more male customers to Tom’s Shoes and more females to Burton Snowboards. This fall Lululemon is showcasing a new line of men’s pants called “ABC” — as in Anti-Ball Crushing. Wondering just how they’re going to promote this product? We did too. Click here.

Bad week for Cosi

The Cosi restaurant chain, which exited downtown Rockville two years ago, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Almost half of the company’s corporate-owned locations, including the one in downtown Bethesda, closed their doors this week. Thirty-one locations owned by franchisees, including one on Wisconsin Avenue, are expected to remain open. For more on Cosi’s bankruptcy, click here.

New spa and Tex-Mex on Rockville Pike; Two restaurant closings in one week

September 22, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

New spa opens on Rockville Pike

The Woodhouse Day Spa, under construction for more than a year at North Bethesda Market on Rockville Pike, is officially open for business. This is the first Maryland location for the Texas-based chain, which offers massage, skin care and mani/pedis as well as specialty services like warm spiced mud wraps and aromatherapy sleep treatments. Not on the spa menu: Anything to do with hair. “We didn’t want any whir of hair dryers or smell of hair chemicals to take away from the experience at our spa,” says franchise owner Peter Dychkewich, a former investment banker. “We paid great attention to design details, right down to the eight-foot mahogany doors. We want this place to feel like you’re in an old European manor house.” The grand opening party is happening this Saturday (Sept. 24th); click here for details.

Almost time for Tex-Mex on the Pike

Chuy’s is set to open its doors Oct. 4 at Federal Plaza on Rockville Pike, where construction crews have been working all summer to renovate the former Ruby Tuesday space. This is the first Maryland location for the Tex-Mex chain, known for its made-from-scratch menu, fresh margaritas and kitschy decor. We’ve been hearing good buzz from readers who have tried Chuy’s in Virginia. For a preview of the menu, click here.

Goodbye MET Bethesda & Hooters

In case you missed our special edition earlier this week: MET Bethesda, the upscale restaurant across from the ArcLight Cinema at Westfield Montgomery Mall, made an unexpected exit last weekend after less than two years in business. Click here for more on the demise of MET, the fifth restaurant to close at Montgomery Mall since May. Hooters on Rockville Pike also closed its doors last weekend after losing its liquor license in the wake of a fatal drunk driving accident.

Ready for Rosh Hashanah?

If you’re hosting a crowd for the Jewish holidays this year, Potomac Grocer makes it easy. On the menu for Rosh Hashanah: onion-braised brisket, pomegranate molasses-glazed salmon, lemon honey roasted chicken, sweet potato-carrot tzimmes, noodle pudding and much more. Pre-ordering is recommended, but some dishes will be available à la carte while they last. Potomac Grocer, 10107 River Road, 301-299-4200. For the catering menu, click here.

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Softest store at the mall

Here’s a sure sign that cooler weather is on the way: Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too, a seasonal tenant at Westfield Montgomery Mall, has returned for the winter in a new space next to Brookstone. The store carries a surprising variety of gifts and clothing, from sweaters, shawls and coats to hats, gloves and boots for adults and kids. (Biggest draw for men: the sheepskin moccasins with gel soles, priced at $69.99). The store’s owners manufacture many of their own products; click here to see what else they carry.

Breaking news: MET Bethesda out at Westfield Montgomery Mall

September 19, 2016 By Store Reporter 3 Comments

MET Bethesda closes its doors

MET Bethesda, the upscale restaurant on the third floor of Westfield Montgomery Mall, closed its doors over the weekend after less than two years in business. MET had earned a loyal following for its classic American menu, quiet atmosphere and sharp-looking martini bar. But it wasn’t enough to overcome the restaurant’s lack of an exterior entrance, which made it too dependent on traffic from the ArcLight Cinema across the hall. “We were on the third floor of a two-story mall,” one employee tells us. “Our food was great, but people only came on Friday and Saturday nights when they were going to the movies.” MET Bethesda’s parent company, which owns four other restaurants in Massachusetts, could not be reached at press time. This is the fifth restaurant to close at Westfield Montgomery Mall since May, following the departures of Blaze Pizza, Lobster ME, Jamaican Mi Crazy and Chloe’s Deli. See more in our May 23 and June 2 editions.

Sports stores at Wintergreen Plaza, Moby Dick in Potomac Village, Aéropostale update

September 15, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Sports stores score at Wintergreen Plaza

Wintergreen Plaza is reinventing itself as a one-stop shopping center for sporting goods. TennisTopia is the latest addition to a lineup that already includes Total Hockey, Aardvark Swim & Sport, Capital Martial Arts, Gold’s Gym and Rockville Soccer. Darrell Haines, co-owner of TennisTopia, says he and wife Amy had been looking for a larger home on Rockville Pike after a decade at Congressional Village Shopping Center. “With the closing of Sports Authority and City Sports before that, we thought this was the right time to expand our business,” he says. “We liked the fact that Wintergreen Plaza is really becoming a mecca for sports.” It’s also becoming a mecca for post-sports meal breaks: The Habit Burger Grill and Jersey Mike’s Subs opened at Wintergreen this summer, and Wingstop is on the way.

Goodbye Aéropostale?

Just as teen retailer PacSun emerged from bankruptcy court last week, Aéropostale announced “store closing” sales at all of its 800 locations across the country. But we’re not predicting Aéropostale’s exit from Westfield Montgomery Mall just yet: Staffers say they’re still expecting large shipments of winter merchandise — enough to last at least through the holidays — and no specific closing date has been set. Aéropostale, which filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy last May, has proposed a reorganization plan that would save more than 200 of its best-performing stores. No word yet on which will be the survivors. Meanwhile, click here for a look at the bargains to be found right now.

Is Moby Dick still opening in Potomac Village?

Remember last April when we told you that Moby Dick House of Kabob was heading to Potomac Village? Nearly five months later, the Falls Road storefront that once housed Toys Unique is still sitting empty as ever. The project has been held up by permitting issues, we’re told, and the restaurant’s owners don’t want to open in the middle of winter. Bottom line: If they don’t start construction in the next few weeks, we probably won’t be ordering kabobs in the Village until next March. In the meantime, you can check out the Moby Dick menu here.

Cabin John is on the market

Cabin John Shopping Center & Mall, which has been owned by Carl M. Freeman Cos. since it was built in 1968, is up for sale. Freeman, a family-owned business with a dozen other commercial properties in its portfolio, confirmed this week’s report in the Washington Business Journal but declined to comment further. So did Eastdil Secured, the investment banking firm that’s been hired to market the property. In the meantime, it’s business as usual at Cabin John. For dates and times of this month’s concert series, see the ad below.

Sur La Table, H&M, Red Door Spa, hot pots and bagel balls

September 8, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

New tenants for Pike & Rose

Pike & Rose is building an impressive list of tenants for its second phase, now under construction at Rockville Pike and Old Georgetown Road. In addition to REI and a Pinstripes bocce and bowling center, here’s who else is heading to Pike & Rose:

Sur La Table: This high-end kitchen store will fill the void left by Williams-Sonoma’s departure from the doomed White Flint Mall.
H&M: The fast-fashion retailer, which also lost its home when White Flint was demolished last year, is making a welcome comeback to North Bethesda.
Red Door Salon & Spa: This is the second Bethesda location for Red Door, which also can be found at Wildwood Shopping Center.
Sephora: It’s also the second Bethesda location for the beauty retailer, which just expanded its presence at Westfield Montgomery Mall.
Taylor Gourmet: The D.C.-area hoagie chain is known for its made-from-scratch ingredients, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.

A “town square” vibe for the Apple Store?

While everyone is busy obsessing over the iPhone 7, we’d also like to mention that the new Apple Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall is going to be even bigger than we thought. In addition to taking over the spaces that previously belonged to BCBG and Teavana, the expansion is now expected to include a portion of the former Sephora store as well. Apple hasn’t revealed what it’s going to do with all that square footage, but Fortune reports that the company’s new stores are going for a “town square” vibe with visually inviting Genius bars, expanded seating areas, free Wi-Fi and even live music. To read more in Fortune’s interview with Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts, click here.

Chinese hot pot heading to Rockville

Taking over the Noodles & Company space at Rockville Town Square: Little Dipper Hot Pot, a locally owned restaurant that’s scheduled to open early next year. Little Dipper serves Chinese-style soup with noodles and vegetables, accompanied by a plate of raw beef, pork, lamb or seafood that’s cooked right at your table via a flame beneath your bowl. This will be the second restaurant for owner Kevin Lui, who opened the first Little Dipper last winter in Falls Church. “Rockville has the right demographics and a market that needs this type of cuisine,” Lui says. For more on Little Dipper, click here.

Teen beat: PacSun, Aéropostale and Allure

Teen retailer PacSun emerged from bankruptcy this week after closing only 20 of its 590 stores and reducing its rents at others. The PacSun store at Westfield Montgomery Mall has remained open throughout the process — as has the mall’s Aéropostale store, which has been in bankruptcy since May. But the mall did lose one teen retailer over the summer: Allure, which carried special-occasion dresses, closed its doors in August.

Starbucks rolls out Bantam Bagels

This week Starbucks added a new grab-and-go food option: bite-sized bagel balls in three cream cheese-stuffed flavors, priced at $2.95 for two. Bantam Bagels are made in New York by husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Elyse and Nick Oleksak, who came to national attention after a 2015 appearance on Shark Tank and a $275,000 investment from shark Lori Grenier. Click here for more on the Bantam story.

What went down while you were out of town

With Labor Day behind us and the kids back in school, Store Reporter will be landing in your inbox every Thursday once again. If you missed our summer issues, and you’d like to catch up on what opened and closed while you were away, you can find it all at our website: www.storereporter.com.

Sephora, Trader Joe’s, Nike, Payless and the end of Great Beginnings

August 25, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Sephora’s makeover is nearly complete

Sept. 1 marks the debut of the new Sephora store at Westfield Montgomery Mall — the first of three longtime tenants in the Macy’s wing that are racing to open bigger and better stores before the holidays. Teavana, which closed last spring to make room for a major expansion of the Apple Store, will return this fall in a new location just across the hall. Apple was originally expected to reopen around November, but the project started late and construction delays could make it difficult to meet that timeline. Meanwhile, Swiss coffee maker Nespresso will soon announce plans for a retail store and tasting cafe right next to Teavana. Click here for more on that in our Aug. 18 edition.

Sad ending for Great Beginnings

Great Beginnings, the baby and children’s furniture chain that served Montgomery County for nearly three decades, has come to a not-so-great ending. After the original Gaithersburg location closed its doors last summer, owner Jim Streight told Store Reporter that he planned to reopen in North Bethesda. But this summer brought the abrupt closing of a second Great Beginnings store in Chantilly, which was said to have sustained damage from a burst water pipe. Customers were notified via email that the business could not “financially recover” from the incident and wouldn’t be reopening. Those with outstanding orders were advised to seek refunds from their credit card companies.

Payless in, Hardwood Artisans out in Rockville

Payless Shoe Source opens a new Rockville store this Friday (Aug. 26th) at Federal Plaza on the Pike. The space became available this summer with the departure of Hardwood Artisans, which had been a fixture at that shopping center for nearly 20 years. The furniture company is shifting its attention to downtown Bethesda, where it opened a new store last winter. Click here for more in our May 26th edition.

New Trader Joe’s for Travilah

Stay tuned this fall for the latest on plans for a proposed Trader Joe’s store at Travilah Square Shopping Center. The grocer is hoping to open on Darnestown Road early next year, replacing a Burger King restaurant and small office building at that property. We’ll keep you posted as this proposal moves forward.

Nike store opens, beer garden for Pike & Rose

The Nike Factory Store opened its doors last week at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, where it’s well-positioned to pick up customers from the recently departed Sports Authority. Nike replaces the City Sports store that closed last fall when its parent company went out of business. Next up for the Pike & Rose: Owen’s Ordinary, a beer garden and restaurant from the developers of Vermilion, Iron Gate and Birch & Barley. More on that in an upcoming issue.

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Nespresso cafe, Shark Tank handbags, Macy’s closings & more

August 18, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Hello Nespresso

This week we have good news for coffee lovers: Nespresso, which sells high-end coffee machines and accessories, is about to announce plans for a retail store at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Nespresso will take over the second-level space that was vacated this week by Kay Jewelers, which has relocated next to Swarovski. This is all part of a long-term plan to upgrade the mall’s Macy’s wing, where Nespresso will be joining neighbors Apple, Teavana and Sephora in the race to open their new stores before the holidays.

Macy’s store closings: Can it happen here?

If you saw last week’s news that Macy’s plans to close 100 of its 675 stores, you may have wondered whether there’s reason to worry about the retailer’s future at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The answer: Probably not, given this area’s demographics — but a final decision won’t be made until early 2017. “We’re going to be looking at the year-end numbers before we decide which specific ones will close,” says Macy’s spokesman Elina Kazan. Last year 36 Macy’s stores closed their doors after the holidays, including one in Hagerstown. For more on what Macy’s is doing to bring back lapsed customers, click here for our July 28th report.

R. Riveter marches in

R. Riveter, a patriotic purse company backed by Shark Tank‘s Mark Cuban, opened its first D.C.-area store this month at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The North Carolina-based retailer offers high-end handbags made from canvas, leather and recycled military materials — all hand-sewn by military spouses who work remotely wherever their families are stationed. The store also carries other military-related products that have been featured on Shark Tank, including bottle openers made from hollow bullets. You can find R. Riveter in the mall’s Nordstrom wing, in the former Eileen Fisher space across from Coach.

Bye bye bargains on Coach and Michael Kors

Speaking of luxury handbags: If you enjoy trolling the mall for discounts on your favorite high-end brands, this may not be the best year to find them. Coach recently announced plans to reduce its presence at department stores, while Michael Kors says it will start opting out of coupon and discount offers at stores like Macy’s and Nordstrom. Both companies have complained that frequent price cuts are “confusing” for customers, who ultimately become less willing to pay full price for luxury goods. Stay tuned to see how this no-discount strategy plays out over the holidays.

Apple Store, Macy’s, Jennifer Convertibles and Jersey Mike’s

July 28, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Apple Store is closed for the summer

The Apple Store expansion is finally under way at Westfield Montgomery Mall — several months later than originally planned, but still in time to reopen before the holidays. The new store will be nearly twice its former size, encompassing the neighboring spaces that previously belonged to BCBG and Teavana. If you need to visit the Genius Bar between now and November, the next-closest Apple locations are in downtown Bethesda and Tysons Corner.

A Summer of changes at Macy’s

Macy’s shoppers may be noticing some changes this summer as the retailer strives to update its image. Workout wear is getting a lot more floor space as the “athleisure” clothing trend continues to drive sales. In the cosmetics department, old-fashioned glass cases are increasingly giving way to self-service kiosks à la Sephora. And clearance items from all over the store are now being shoved into one big “Last Act” section aimed at bargain hunters. “We are testing this approach to see how our customers react to it,” says Macy’s spokesman Elina Kazan. “We think it’s easier to find the discounts this way.” Also new is Macy’s On Call, a chatbot from IBM’s Watson system that can help you navigate the store or find what you’re looking for via your phone instead of a sales rep. Westfield Montgomery Mall is one of 10 locations where Macy’s On Call is being tested. To try it out for yourself, click here.

Flowers, fun and music at Cabin John

Have you noticed the flowering plants, free yoga classes, cornhole tournaments and sidewalk concerts at Cabin John Shopping Center & Mall this summer? It’s all part of a long-term effort to “surprise people, provide some entertainment, and encourage shoppers to walk around more when they’re here,” says marketing manager Hilary Shure. “You never know what you’re going to find just around the corner.” September will bring a series of parking lot concerts from local rock and oldies bands, including Lloyd Dobbler Effect, Sandra Dean Band and the Retro-Rockets. Show dates haven’t been posted yet, but you can click here to see what’s coming up for August.

Goodbye Jennifer Convertibles

Jennifer Convertibles and Jennifer Leather closed their doors on Rockville Pike this week as the New York-based retailers exits the D.C. area. “We still have locations in New York and New Jersey, but the ones in Maryland and Virginia just weren’t profitable,” a sales rep tells us.

Hello Jersey Mike’s Subs

Jersey Mike’s Subs made its Rockville debut at Wintergreen Plaza this week, just two doors down from the new Habit Burger Grill. The two restaurants have replaced Tedd’s 355 Diner, which was torn down last fall. To check out the Jersey Mike’s menu, click here.

Congressional Plaza, URBNmarket, As Kindred Spirits, Nike Store and a Target debut

July 14, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

New look, new tenants for Congressional Plaza

Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike is getting a summer mini-makeover. The bustling center is renovating its towers, upgrading landscaping and signage, and expanding the outdoor courtyard between Chopt and Starbucks. The extra seating will provide more space for socializing and also help to accommodate overflow from the center’s growing list of fast-casual restaurants, including the upcoming Modern Market (click here for more on that in our June 9th issue). Also heading to Congressional this fall is Saks Off 5th, the discount branch of Saks Fifth Avenue that’s building out the former Tiara space between Performance Bike and Oxygen Salon. For more on Saks Off Fifth, click here for our Nov. 5th issue.

This weekend: Gifts and fab finds at Park Potomac

URBNmarket, a pop-up showcase for vintage and handmade goods, returns to Park Potomac this Friday and Saturday (July 15th and 16th) for its second show of the summer. URBNmarket’s founders, Julie Greenstein and Debbie Sonnenreich, are hoping to make Park Potomac their permanent home after trying out a couple of different locations in downtown Bethesda. This weekend’s show will feature 40 D.C.-area merchants offering furniture, clothing, home accessories, jewelry and unique finds like these hand-sewn bags from Boîte. Show hours are 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; click here for more info.

Changes in store for As Kindred Spirits

As Kindred Spirits exited Westfield Montgomery Mall last week after less than a year in business near the Godiva store. But fans of the eclectic gift shop can take heart: Owner Wendy Rukmini Walker says she’ll return to the mall this fall with a much larger store — most likely in the Nordstrom wing, where her customers tend to congregate. “That space we had was really too small for us and was always intended to be temporary,” says Walker, who also operates a large store at Congressional Plaza and a small one at Reagan National Airport. “The new store will have more of everything,” she says. “More gifts, more clothes, more unique jewelry, more of who we are.”

Nike Store to open next month

The Nike Store has set an August 18th opening date for its new location at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, where it’s taking over the former City Sports store that closed last fall. That should soften the blow for Sports Authority fans who are mourning the retailer’s final days at Montrose Crossing. Also on the way to Pike & Rose is a new REI store, scheduled to open next year, which will replace the company’s current location on Rockville Pike. For more on that, click here for our Oct. 22 edition.

Circo and Cherokee out, Cat & Jack in

This month Target launches a new kids’ clothing line, Cat & Jack, as it says goodbye to the Circo and Cherokee lines that have defined its children’s department for years. Those snoozy brands “hadn’t evolved much from the look of the Olsen twins on Full House,” reports Bloomberg.com, and they didn’t align with the company’s current goal of reviving the “chic” part of its cheap-chic image. The Cat & Jack brand aims for sophisticated designs, unusual color combinations, gender-neutral T-shirts and slogans that stress collaboration instead of competition. For more on how Target is targeting kids (and their parents), you can find the Bloomberg article here.

Muse Paintbar, two new gyms, books on wheels and all-day cereal

June 30, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Party as you paint

Muse, an art studio/wine bar that caters to the creatively challenged, makes its Maryland debut next week at Rio Washingtonian Center. Like those paint-your-own pottery studios that were all the rage in the ’90s, Muse provides a welcoming place where even first-timers can pick up a brush and go home with a passable piece of art. A $35 class — typically booked online — gets you art supplies, an apron and a teacher providing step-by-step instructions for turning your blank canvas into a beach scene or a Van Gogh lookalike. Muse also offers food, wine and beer, with a casual atmosphere that encourages socializing and sipping while you paint. Click here for details.

Where to work out now

Coming this summer to Rockville Pike: Two small boutique gyms with drop-in classes and no long-term commitments. Pure Barre, which opened two years ago at King Farm, is adding a second Rockville location at the new Galvan complex on Chapman Avenue. Owner Jill DeNinno says she plans to offer cardio classes along with the standard barre format (details here). Also on the way is Lumi Fit, a new venture from a husband-and-wife team opening at the Twinbrook Metro Center near Fuddruckers. Lumi Fit offers a varied schedule ranging from Zumba and barre to yoga and weight-lifting classes (details here). For those who prefer to work out in a larger space, this fall will bring two new options: Life Time Fitness is readying its new facility in Gaithersburg, while Orangetheory Fitness is now under construction at Park Potomac. Stay tuned to Store Reporter for opening updates.

Books on wheels

Would a kids’ bookstore on wheels be a hit in Montgomery County? Rabbi Deborah Bodin Cohen, a children’s book author and Jewish educator, is hoping the answer is yes. This month Cohen launched a Kickstarter campaign for her new venture, The Story House, which she hopes to roll out to schools, book festivals, birthday parties and special events. The mobile format will keep costs down and “really allow me to cater to my target market,” says Cohen, who recently stepped down from her staff position at Congregation Har Shalom in Potomac. The Story House website is already up and running with a curated selection of titles plus novelties like “Owl Delivery” of the newest Harry Potter book, arriving at your doorstep within hours of its midnight release on July 31st. For more on The Story House, click here.

Cereal anytime in NYC

If you’re traveling to New York City this summer, be sure to check out Kellogg’s NYC, the new all-day cereal restaurant that opens this weekend in Times Square. A collaboration between the cereal company and the Milk Bar bakery, Kellogg’s NYC charges $6.50 to $9.50 for a bowl of fresh local milk accompanied by some crazy mashups. The Berry Au Lait, for example, mixes Frosted Mini Wheats with fresh raspberries and ground coffee; the Life In Color combines Froot Loops, lime zest, marshmallows and passionfruit jam; and the Chai Line tops Crispix cereal with fresh peaches and chai tea powder. For more on Kellogg’s NYC, click here.

Beefsteak opens, Apple Store update, Flora’s flies the coop

June 23, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Beefsteak ready to open at the mall

Beefsteak, the new veggie-centric restaurant from celeb chef José Andrés, is set to open next week in the Dining Terrace at Westfield Montgomery Mall. A fast-casual concept from the man who brought us Jaleo, Zaytinya, Oyamel and Minibar, Beefsteak has rolled out five locations in its first 15 months as Andrés sets his sights on a national expansion. (Investors include actress/health guru Gwyneth Paltrow.) The menu isn’t entirely vegetarian — you can choose to top your meal with a poached egg or salt-cured salmon — but the focus here is on pairing veggies with grains, nuts, seeds and sauces. Click here to check out the menu for yourself.

Apple Store closing pushed back again

It’s been almost three months since we broke the news that the Apple Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall would be closing for a major expansion. But while the other predictions in our April 4th report have all come to pass (see story below), the start date for the Apple renovation has been pushed back from late April to early May to a new projection of “sometime this summer.” Apple will be taking over the adjoining storefronts once occupied by BCBG and Teavana, rolling the whole space into a massive new store that was supposed to be ready before the holidays. The longer it takes for construction to begin, the more challenging that timetable will become. Either way, Apple fans will likely find it worth the wait: Click here for a Bloomberg report on the company’s striking new store in San Francisco.

On the move: Sephora, Teavana & Kay Jewelers

While the Apple Store expansion is on hold until later this summer, construction is moving forward on three other stores in the Macy’s wing at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Sephora is moving into a larger space across the hall from its current location, which will remain open during construction. Teavana, which closed in April to make room for the Apple expansion, is building a new store of its own just down the aisle. And Kay Jewelers, as we predicted in our April 4th report, will be moving out of its corner spot to a new home next to Swarovski. All three stores should be open by early fall.

Flora’s flies the coop

Closing this summer after 12 years: Flora’s Feathered Nest, the artsy Potomac gift shop in a quaint two-story house at 12211 River Road. Flora’s fans appreciated the store for its creative displays and one-of-a-kind gifts, from herb gardens in the summer and holiday decor in the winter to giant clocks, nautical accessories and farm-themed artwork. “I loved my customers and made some great friends along this journey, but the square footage here is just too big to maintain,” says owner Marcia Copenhaver, who is contemplating whether to retire or reopen in a smaller space. “I simply need to take a break and reevaluate how much time and energy I want to devote to my passion.” In the meantime, three-year-old JT Interiors will have the Potomac Village gift-shopping market to itself.

Hello David’s Tea, Goodbye Costco Amex & Redskins Team Store

June 16, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

David’s Tea makes its debut

David’s Tea, a Canadian retailer that’s in the midst of a major U.S. expansion, has opened its first Maryland location at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Founded eight years ago by a Quebec student and his retail magnate cousin, David’s is known for its whimsical packaging, seasonal product changes and unusual flavor infusions. (This summer’s selections include Grape Freeze, Chocolate Covered Banana and Strawberry Colada.) David’s, which has more than 150 locations in Canada, went public in 2015 with plans for 80 U.S. stores by the end of this year. At Montgomery Mall, where Teavana is temporarily closed while its new location is under construction, you can find David’s in the Macy’s wing right next to Starbucks — or click here for a sneak peek online.

Costco to Amex: You’re dead to us

This weekend marks the official end of Costco‘s longtime partnership with American Express as the company begins a new relationship with Citibank Visa. The Costco Amex was known for its generous cash-back rewards program, but the Costco Visa raises the bar even higher: 4% cash back on gas purchases, 3% on restaurants and travel, 2% at Costco and 1% on everything else. American Express, which stands to lose nearly 10% of its customer base with the dissolution of the Costco deal, is now trying to lure back lapsed cardholders with a sweet $250 cash-back offer. For an informative Motley Fool report on the benefits of both cards, click here. And no matter what you decide, this Sunday (June 19th) is the last day that any kind of Amex card will be accepted at Costco.

Third Fish Taco to open next week

Just two months after the debut of Fish Taco at Wildwood Shopping Center, the burgeoning chain is set to open its third location next week at the former home of City Burger in Chevy Chase. The Fish Taco concept has been a winner for local restaurateur Francis Namin, who also created City Burger as well as the Don Pollo chicken chain and the much-missed Red Tomato Café in downtown Bethesda. Namin’s upscale Bethesda restaurant, Food Wine & Co., closed its doors a few weeks ago after its building was marked for redevelopment.

Goodbye Redskins Store, hello flag socks

If you were planning to stop by Westfield Montgomery Mall this weekend to pick up some Father’s Day gifts at the Washington Redskins Team Store, we have some bad news: The store has closed, and the next-closest location is at Tysons Corner. Perhaps Dad would be willing to settle for some flag-fashion footwear? Liberty Socks, a new kiosk in the Macy’s wing at Montgomery Mall, sells eye-catching patriotic patterns designed by a U.S. Army vet. Liberty Socks is a pop-up tenant that will close after July 4th. Click here to check out all the stars and stripes.

Bed Bath & Beyond buys One Kings Lane

This week Bed Bath & Beyond bought One Kings Lane, the online retailer whose ads you may have noticed as you browse around online. One Kings Lane, a once-hot company whose fortunes have cooled in the past two years, sells an eclectic mix of furniture and accessories via flash sales and photo vignettes that make mixing and matching look easy peasy. (Click here to see for yourself.) Bed Bath & Beyond hasn’t explained its game plan here: Will its stores start carrying furniture from One Kings Lane, or is this all part of a strategy to diversify the retailer’s online presence? Stay tuned to see how this deal plays out.

Nike Factory Store, Chuy’s Tex-Mex & Modern Market to Rockville — plus our best appetizer winners

June 9, 2016 By Store Reporter 2 Comments

Nike store’s next for Pike & Rose

Good news for those who are sad to say goodbye to Sports Authority: A Nike Factory Store will soon be moving into Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, taking over the former City Sports space that’s been empty since last fall. The store will carry workout gear and accessories for all ages, some of which can jazzed up with monograms and other custom touches. Nike will be the second sporting goods retailer doing business at Pike & Rose, where REI also is building out a store that’s scheduled to open next year. Click here for more in our Oct. 22 edition.

Chuy’s Tex-Mex heading to Rockville

Making its Maryland debut on Rockville Pike this fall: Chuy’s, a Tex-Mex chain from Austin that’s taking over the recently closed Ruby Tuesday space at Federal Plaza. Chuy’s, which has a half-dozen locations in Virginia, is known for its made-from-scratch menu and quirky decor featuring colored hubcaps, hanging wooden fish and Elvis memorabilia. Craving burritos already? Click here to check out the menu.

Hold the sugar, bring on the butter

Modern Market, a health-oriented and eco-conscious restaurant chain from Boulder, Colo., is heading to Congressional Plaza with plans for a fall opening next to Chopt. The menu will feature salads, sandwiches, brick oven pizzas and breakfast items, all made from scratch with real butter, whole milk cheeses and raw nuts. “We think added sugar is the devil and (good) fats are our friends,” says the Modern Market website.” We’re a place where paleo, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free friends can all enjoy a great meal, together.” Another Modern Market is also on the way to Bethesda Row. For a look at the menu, click here.

Who has the best appetizers in town?

We asked Store Reporter readers to vote for their favorite appetizers in the Rockville/Potomac area. The result? Three hands-down favorites and three runners-up.

CAVA MEZZE AT TRAVILLE VILLAGE CENTER. This is the restaurant that started the whole Cava empire back in 2006 — and many say it’s still their favorite for great small plates. Our readers’ top picks are the Brussels sprouts with Greek yogurt and olive bread crumbs; the roasted beets with balsamic pomegranate and goat cheese; and of course the famous flaming Saganaki cheese.
SUGO AT PARK POTOMAC. Here’s another win for the Cava team, which opened sister restaurant Sugo in 2012. Brussels sprouts and roasted beet salad are popular here too, but in this case the sprouts are cooked with crispy pancetta and the beets are paired with arugula, pistachios and gorgonzola. Other reader favorites: the chicken meatballs and the grilled charred octopus.
MOCO’S FOUNDING FARMERS AT PARK POTOMAC. At the Rockville branch of the D.C.-based chain, right down the sidewalk from fellow winner Sugo, our readers are particularly fond of the farm breads with various toppings — especially the brie, onion jam and crisp apple combo. Other reader picks include the garlic black pepper wings, fried green tomatoes, bacon lollis and bacon-wrapped dates.

Three other restaurants also earned high marks in our best-appetizer poll. THE GRILLED OYSTER CO. AT CABIN JOHN SHOPPING CENTER draws praise not only for its oysters but also its mussels, fried calamari and Maryland crab dip. CLYDE’S TOWER OAKS LODGE earns kudos for its hummus plate, grilled lamb chops and Coca Cola-marinated beef yakitori. And at MATCHBOX on Rockville Pike, our readers favor the mussels, mini burgers and tuna tartare.

Congrats to our Sugo dinner winner

Congratulations to Store Reporter reader David Winer of Potomac, who won our drawing for a $60 Sugo gift card. Thanks to all who entered the drawing by voting for their favorite appetizers — and stay tuned to Store Reporter for more giveaways coming up.

Hello to Pieology and Habit Burger — and goodbye to another mall restaurant

June 2, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Make-your-own pizza on Shady Grove Road

Pieology, a make-your-own pizza restaurant in the style of the recently departed Blaze, made its Maryland debut on Shady Grove Road this week in the former Chicken Out space near Nordstrom Rack. This is the beginning of a planned mid-Atlantic expansion for Pieology, a California-based chain that offers 40 choices of fresh toppings over three types of crusts (including gluten-free) at a price point below $10. Click here to see the menu, which also includes Chopt-style customizable salads. Pieology is actively looking for additional Maryland and D.C.-area locations, says local franchise exec Todd Stallings. He and his associates already know the market: They’re also the regional franchisees for Five Guys.

Habit Burger opens in Rockville

The Habit Burger Grill, named by Consumer Reports as one of the top fast food restaurants in the country, arrived ahead of schedule this week at Wintergreen Plaza on Rockville Pike. Like Pieology, this is a California-based chain opening its first store in Maryland. Click here to check out the Shake Shack-style menu of burgers, fries, onion rings and ice cream-based drinks. If burgers aren’t your thing, Jersey Mike’s Subs is set to open next door in early July. The two restaurants stand in the spot once occupied by Tedd’s 355 diner, which closed last fall.

Another restaurant exits the mall

Westfield Montgomery Mall lost its fourth restaurant in two weeks with the closing of Chloe’s NY Style Deli, which exited over Memorial Day weekend shortly after celebrating its first anniversary. Chloe’s had been the first independent venture for owner Caje Fernandes, a veteran of Celebrity Delly, Attman’s and Shalom Kosher whose menu had offered everything from knishes to latkes to matzoh ball soup. Fernandes says he simply couldn’t generate enough traffic with so many food choices at the mall, especially at his location away from the central Dining Terrace. Chloe’s closed just a week after the simultaneous departures of Blaze Pizza, Lobster ME and Jamaican Mi Crazy. (Click here for more in our May 23rd edition.) Mall officials say there are several new leases soon to be announced, in addition to next month’s opening of Beefsteak by celeb chef José Andrés. (Click here for more in our Feb. 18 edition.)

Vodka, blintzes and belly dancing in Rockville

Samovar, the Russian/Central Asian restaurant that’s been under construction for more than a year at Rockville Town Square, finally opened this week at 201 North Washington Street. Owner Solijon Nasimov, a longtime restaurateur in his native Tajikistan, will be working with daughter Ika Nasimova of Rockville’s European Delight market. Entrées include caviar dishes, blintzes, beef stroganoff, smoked fish and kebabs, with a drink menu that ranges from Turkish coffee to infused vodkas to Czech and Ukranian beers… and White Russians, of course. Click here to check out the menu, as well as the upcoming schedule for live music and belly dancing.

Why Blaze closed, World of Beer, Hardwood Artisans and Sport Authority

May 26, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Why Blaze closed — and what happens now

This week Blaze Pizza fans were shocked by our May 23rd report that the restaurant had closed its doors at Westfield Montgomery Mall. But take heart: A Blaze rep tells us the California-based chain is looking to open elsewhere in this area. The decision to close at the mall was made “after lease negotiations proved unsuccessful, and with respect to a combination of other factors including alterations to mall entrance signage,” says Blaze spokesman Joshua Levitt. In the end, he says, “We felt moving this location was the best strategy to the long-term health of the brand.” Stay tuned to Store Reporter for the latest on what’s cooking at Blaze. In the meantime, superfans can visit the next-closest locations in Laurel, College Park and Baltimore.

Other mall departures

Cleo’s Oil Bar, which opened just a year ago at Westfield Montgomery Mall, made a quiet exit last month after sales didn’t pour in as expected. Cleo’s had featured a winery-inspired layout where visitors could belly up to the bar for samples, then sip them from a seating area near the Godiva store. “Just didn’t fly,” sighs co-owner Linda Cameron, who continues to operate her original store in Annapolis. Cleo’s isn’t the only business to depart the mall in the last few weeks. Others include BCBG and Teavana, whose spaces will be taken by the expanding Apple Store (click here for more), and the restaurants Jamaican Mi Crazy and Lobster ME, which both closed on Monday along with Blaze Pizza (click here for more).

World of Beer opens in Rockville

Opening on Memorial Day in downtown Rockville: World of Beer, with 4,200 square feet of indoor/outdoor seating on the ground floor of the new Upton apartment building on Maryland Avenue. This will be the third Maryland location for the Florida-based company, with a fourth to follow in downtown Bethesda later this year. General manager Patrick Costello says customers can expect “a lively, fun and casual atmosphere, with 50 rotating taps, a great selection of locally made beers, an old-fashioned cask engine, and an infusion tower for making beer flavored with fruits and herbs.” The tavern-style menu is focused on burgers, wings, flatbreads and giant Bavarian pretzels. To check it out for yourself, click here.

Hardwood Artisans exits Rockville

The changes keep coming at Federal Plaza on Rockville Pike, where Ruby Tuesday closed last week and Hardwood Artisans is on the way out after nearly two decades at the same location. Demand for custom furniture has diminished in the current economy, a spokesman tells us, and business at the Rockville store had been slow for several years. Maryland customers can visit Hardwood Artisans at its recently opened location on St. Elmo Avenue in downtown Bethesda, which showcases a new line of space-saving condo furniture (click here to check it out). The Rockville store will close at the end of June. Who’s moving in? Payless.

Sports Authority’s final exit

This week Sports Authority kicked off its nationwide going-out-of-business sale, which will continue through the end of August. Returns and exchanges can be made through June 25th, store gift cards will be honored through the 28th, and extended warranties on Sports Authority products will remain in effect via a third-party company. But if you were planning to redeem the points accrued from your Sports Authority Loyalty Program, you’re out of luck: They just expired.

Breaking News: Blaze Pizza and two more restaurants out at the mall

May 23, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Three surprise closings at the mall

There were three surprise closings at Westfield Montgomery Mall this weekend as Blaze Pizza, Lobster ME and Jamaican Mi Crazy all disappeared between Friday night and Monday morning. Many had predicted the downfall of Lobster ME, where high prices and a limited menu had failed to draw crowds since the Las Vegas-based chain joined the Dining Terrace 18 months ago. Jamaican Mi Crazy, a food truck-turned-restaurant from a local entrepreneur, never even reached its first anniversary. But the big surprise here was the loss of Blaze Pizza, which earned high marks for its food — and had become something of a local favorite and hub for community fundraisers — since its 2014 opening on the mall’s lower level. We’ll have further details on these closings, and much more, in our regularly scheduled issue this Thursday (5/26).

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday & Sports Authority, Hello Mellow Mushroom

May 19, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Sports Authority exiting Rockville Pike

Sports Authority, which filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March, is now expected to close all 450 of its stores after failing to reach a deal with its creditors and lenders. That will mean another major vacancy for the Montrose Crossing shopping center on Rockville Pike, which also lost Hudson Trail Outfitters last fall when the D.C.-area chain went out of business. Also moving out of Montrose Crossing is the Chinese restaurant Tony Lin’s, whose owners told Bethesda Magazine that they’re retiring after 29 years.

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday

Ruby Tuesday made a quiet exit from Rockville Pike this week after two decades as a tenant at Federal Plaza. Reps for the restaurant chain weren’t available for comment, but owner Federal Realty says it already has a new restaurant lined up to take the space. Stay tuned to Store Reporter to find out who’s moving in.

Mellow Mushroom opens in Rockville

The bright spot in a week full of closing news was the long-awaited opening of Mellow Mushroom at Rockville Town Square, taking over the former Oro Pomodoro space at 33 Maryland Ave. Fans of the Atlanta-based pizza chain have been pouring in since Saturday, says franchisee Danny Trehan, who also operates the Mellow Mushroom in Herndon. The Rockville restaurant has a pop art theme, with indoor/outdoor seating for more than 300 and delivery service coming soon. To check out the menu, click here.

Sephora move is official

Sephora has now officially announced what we reported here last month: The glam retailer at Westfield Montgomery Mall is moving across the hall to bigger and better quarters. Promotional signage has been splashed across the second floor of the Macy’s wing, where the existing Sephora store will remain open until the new one debuts this fall. Meanwhile down the hall, the Apple Store still hasn’t confirmed a timeline for its own upcoming expansion. Two adjoining storefronts have been emptied and blocked off for construction, but Apple remains open for the time being. For more on what’s happening in the Macy’s wing — including the recent departures of BCBG and Teavana — click here.

Last chance to win dinner at Sugo

Last call to place your vote for our next Store Reporter Favorites section, where we name our readers’ and editors’ picks for the best appetizers in town. Which restaurants do you think have the best light bites in greater Rockville and Potomac? Click here to comment on our Facebook page, or click here to email our editors directly. Everyone who weighs in will be entered to win a $60 gift card for one of our favorites: Sugo at Park Potomac.

New gym and outdoor market to Potomac — plus Trader Joe’s, dance classes & donuts

May 12, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

New gym for Park Potomac

Orangetheory Fitness, a group-training gym that opened in The Kentlands two years ago, will head to Park Potomac this summer with a new location across from MoCo’s Founding Farmers. The fast-expanding chain, which offers heart rate-monitored workouts with intervals of cardio and strength training, will provide new competition for the eight-year-old Life Time Athletic club just around the corner. Orangetheory is the latest addition to Park Potomac’s growing list of upcoming tenants, which now includes a revamped Addie’s, Gringos & Mariachis, and the Italian coffee house Filicori Zecchini. Click here for more in our April 28th edition.

Outdoor craft market pops up in Potomac

Also on the way to Park Potomac this summer: URBNmarket, a pop-up showcase for vintage and locally made goods that’s making its first move outside downtown Bethesda. Modeled after similar shows in Philadelphia and Atlanta, URBNmarket features one-of-a-kind jewelry and accessories, vintage and handmade clothing, beauty and pet products, gourmet foods, and home decor like these colorful table runners from Hen House Linens. “We’re really excited about this new location,” says co-founder Julie Greenstein, who created URBNmarket in 2014 with business partner Debbie Sonnenreich. Forty-plus vendors have signed on for the Park Potomac event; they’ll set up shop on the grassy area near Harris Teeter on Friday, June 3rd and Saturday, June 4th, accompanied by live music and a beer garden. A second show is slated for mid-July. For more info, click here.

New Trader Joe’s for Travilah?

Is Trader Joe’s heading to Darnestown Road? The Washington Business Journal says plans are in place for the grocery store to open at Travilah Square Shopping Center, where it would replace an existing Burger King and a small office building. This would be the second Rockville location for Trader Joe’s — hopefully with easier parking than the always-crowded lot at Federal Plaza on the Pike. When we spoke with Trader Joe’s this week, a spokesperson said the company wasn’t ready to disclose plans for Travilah just yet. We’ll keep you posted as things develop.

Dance company heading to Rockville Town Square

Opening next month at Rockville Town Square: A second home for Dawn Crafton Dance Connection, the Gaithersburg company that’s building out four new studios on Gibbs Street next to Bar Louie. Crafton, who’s been teaching dance since 1954, says she’s been eyeing downtown Rockville since her students started performing holiday shows there several years ago. The new space “has a real small-town community feel” that will allow parents to run errands while their kids are in class — something they never could do at her other space on Airpark Avenue, Crafton says. “It’s a big move for us, but there’s so much more for people to do here and I think it’s going to be fabulous.”

Share your favorites and win dinner at Sugo

For our next Store Reporter Favorites section, we’re asking our readers to tell us who has the best appetizers in town. From deviled eggs and roasted beets to fried calamari and tuna tartare, which restaurants do you recommend for the best light bites in greater Rockville and Potomac? Click here to comment on our Facebook page, or click here to email our editors directly. Everyone who weighs in will be entered to win a $60 gift card for one of our favorites: Sugo at Park Potomac.

Krispy Kreme deal is hot off the fryer

Krispy Kreme changed hands this week in a $1.35 billion deal that could turn the donut chain into a major player in the coffee market. The company’s new owner is JAB, a European firm that also controls Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Caribou Coffee, Keurig Green Mountain and several other American coffee retailers. That means Krispy Kreme, which never was known for its coffee, will likely start serving one or all of those brands in the next 12 months. There’s also speculation that the new owners will finance a major expansion for Krispy Kreme — and that could spell trouble for Dunkin’ Donuts, which currently earns most of its profits from coffee sales.

Staples + Office Depot: The wedding’s off

Staples and Office Depot called off their merger this week after a successful protest by the Federal Trade Commission, which had warned that the deal would impair competition and lead to higher prices. Staples, the nation’s largest office supply chain, now has to pay Office Depot a $250 million “breakup fee.” Even so, analysts say it’s unclear whether Office Depot can survive over the long term.

Tara Thai, Apple update, Coach and a Sugo giveaway

May 5, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Tara Thai opens at the mall

Tara Thai finally made its debut at Westfield Montgomery Mall this week after nearly a year of construction at the former Legal Sea Foods space, which has been redesigned to resemble a beach resort in Thailand. This is the ninth location for Tara Thai and the third new Asian restaurant to open at the mall in the past few months, following Shanghai Bao Kitchen and B/Bop/Q near the Dining Terrace. Next up on the Montgomery Mall restaurant scene: Beefsteak from celeb chef Jose Andrés. Read more about that here.

A little more time to visit the Genius Bar

The closing date for the Apple Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall has been pushed back yet again, pending the resolution of construction issues for its upcoming renovation and expansion. The store was originally supposed to close on April 30th, then May 7th, but now it appears the doors may stay open for a couple more weeks. All parties are motivated to get going on the project quickly, as construction could take six months and Apple wants to reopen before the holidays. For more on the expansion of Apple and its neighbor Sephora, click here for our April 4th special edition.

Vote for your favorites — and win dinner at Sugo

For our next Store Reporter Favorites section, we want to know where our readers like to go for the best appetizers in town. From deviled eggs and roasted beets to fried calamari and tuna tartare, which restaurants do you think have the best light bites in greater Rockville and Potomac? Click here to comment on our Facebook page, or click here to email our editors directly (subject line: Best Appetizers.) Everyone who weighs in will be entered in our drawing for a $60 gift card to one of our favorites: Sugo at Park Potomac.

Is Coach cool again?

If you’ve noticed the lack of logos on Coach bags this year, it’s not your imagination: The 75-year-old company is moving away from its iconic “C” branding — which now represents just 5 percent of overall sales — to focus on quality and craftsmanship of its leather goods. Customers will “have a hard time finding a logo brand” at a Coach store these days, CEO Victor Luis said this week in an interview with thestreet.com. Coach has been renovating hundreds of its stores, including the one at Westfield Montgomery Mall, in an effort to modernize its image and make room for more footwear, outerwear and an increasingly popular collection of men’s products. Also on the horizon: More cross-marketing efforts like this year’s Coach x Peanuts collection, and an upcoming $150 strap for the Apple Watch.

Good news for riders and drivers

Last week marked the opening of a new Metrobus and Ride On Transit Center at Westfield Montgomery Mall, replacing the aging bus depot with safer and more comfortable accommodations for those who use public transportation. This is also good news for those who get to the mall by car: The new bus setup will allow room for 55 new parking spaces on the mall’s north side. That project is expected to get under way next week.

Farmers markets make their debut

May is the month when the farmers markets get started, and this year there are plenty to choose from around the Rockville area. On Saturday mornings at 6001 Executive Boulevard, the Pike Central Farm Market features regional vendors including All Things Olive, DC Dills, Lobster Maine-ia and Undone Chocolate. Also on Saturdays starting May 14th, the Rockville Farmers Market at Route 28 and Monroe Street has goodies from Brookeville Beer Farm, Ev & Maddy’s, Praline Bakery and Zeke’s Coffee among others. And on Wednesdays from 11 to 2, Dawson’s at Rockville Town Square hosts its own outdoor market showcasing local businesses like Canela Bakery and Holly Crepes.

Moby Dick to Potomac Village, Italian coffee to Park Potomac and a bounty of bankruptcies

April 28, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Moby Dick heads to the Village

Moby Dick House of Kabob, the D.C.-area chain known for its flame-grilled meats, fresh-baked pita bread and Persian seasonings, is heading to Potomac Village. Look for a September opening at the Potomac Promenade shopping center, where the restaurant will move into the long-empty Toys Unique spot facing Falls Road. Space will be tight, so this location will likely focus on takeout business with a bit of room for inside seating. Moby Dick, founded in 1989, is now approaching 20 locations in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. To check out the menu, click here.

Italian coffee’s brewing at Park Potomac

Filicori Zecchini, an Italian coffee chain known for its rich espressos and cappuccinos, is the latest tenant to join the lineup at bustling Park Potomac. The century-old coffee company is just now making inroads in the U.S., with several locations in New York and a recent opening in Towson, MD. Filicori also sells tea, cocoa and its own line of chocolates — which you’ll get to sample with your drink order. The coffee shop is now under construction across from Sugo and MoCo’s Founding Farmers, where its neighbors will include a revamped Addie’s (click here for details in last week’s issue) and Gringos & Mariachis (click here for more in our September report). Stay tuned to Store Reporter for more Park Potomac announcements in the coming weeks.

Serenity says namaste to the Village

Leaving Potomac Village at the end of May: Serenity Fitness Boutique, the workout wear retailer that opened just a year ago on Falls Road next to the Sprinkles ice cream parlor. The hidden-away location inside Village Yoga simply didn’t provide enough walk-in traffic to support the business, says Serenity owner Nicole Lipka, who will continue to sell at local trunk shows and is looking for a new storefront in Olney. For operating hours and details on Serenity’s moving sale, call (301) 792-7820.

Gift inspiration at JT Interiors

If you’re shopping for Mother’s Day and graduation gifts, you’ll find plenty of inspiration this month at JT Interiors in Potomac Village. The store has options in every price range, from natural beeswax candles and Swarovski-embellished note cards to Nest fragrances and soft “foutas” (sarongs that double as Turkish towels or baby blankets). JT Interiors, which relocated from The Kentlands in 2013, offers design and renovation services, furniture, home accessories and gifts for all occasions. Visit JT Interiors at 9906 River Road; click here for a virtual tour sneak-peek; or check out the store’s Facebook page here. For hours and other details, call (301) 299-0485.

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Is Sports Authority all played out?

It looks like we’ve reached the end of the line for Sports Authority, which filed Chapter 11 last month but now appears to be heading toward liquidation. At a hearing this week in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, the company’s attorneys said the initial plan to close just 140 locations was no longer feasible and creditors were pressing for a sale. This news comes on the heels of last week’s bankruptcy filing for Vestis Retail Group, parent to Eastern Mountain Sports, Sport Chalet and Bob’s Stores — not to mention last year’s bankruptcies of City Sports and the locally owned Hudson Trail Outfitters. An auction for Sports Authority’s assets is scheduled for May 16th; it’s unclear whether the existing stores will remain open between now and then. So who will benefit from all these bankruptcies? Looks like Dick’s Sporting Goods is poised to snap up some prime big-box real estate.

Another teen retailer close to bankruptcy

Next up on the ever-growing list of troubled teen retailers: Aéropostale, whose shares were delisted from the New York Stock Exchange last week with bankruptcy said to be imminent. Like PacSun, which filed Chapter 11 just a few weeks ago, and American Apparel, which filed last fall, Aeropostale has a store at Westfield Montgomery Mall that will likely remain open while its finances get sorted out. Also struggling these days is the once-mighty Abercrombie & Fitch chain, which recently closed its Abercrombie Kids store at Montgomery Mall along with sister store Hollister. Last year the mall also lost Wet Seal, another teen retailer that didn’t survive the 2014 holiday season. For a look at the some places where our local kids and teens like to shop, click here for our March 10th Kids & Teens Issue.

Sears closing more stores

Last week Sears Holding Corp. announced the closing of 78 more stores — including 68 Kmart locations and 10 Sears stores. In case you were wondering: Nope, the Sears store at Westfield Montgomery Mall store is not on that list.

Addie’s comeback, Apple update, new Irish restaurants and another retail bankruptcy

April 21, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Addie’s heading to Park Potomac

Addie’s, the beloved Rockville restaurant that closed its doors three years ago, is making plans for a comeback. Owners Jeff and Barbara Black have signed a lease for 4,000 square feet at Park Potomac, where they’ll try to recreate the old Addie’s magic with indoor/outdoor seating and some of their original menu items. The Blacks, who own a half-dozen restaurants including BlackSalt, Black’s Bar & Kitchen and Black Market Bistro, have said they closed Addie’s primarily because the little yellow building was in such disrepair. That issue also caused delays for their successor, D.C. caterer Helen Wasserman, who spent two years on renovations before opening Helen’s Bar & Grill just last week. For more on Helen’s, click here for our April 7th edition.

New closing date for the Apple Store: May 7th

The Apple Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall has pushed back its closing by a week, setting May 7th as the new date for the start of its expansion in the Macy’s wing. Apple is taking over the space formerly occupied by BCBG and Teavana, with a reopening planned for this fall. The neighboring Sephora store also is expanding this summer, but in Sephora’s case the current store will remain open while the new one’s under construction across the hall. For more on these and other changes to the Macy’s wing, click here for our April 4th special edition.

Two Irish openings

It’s a month too late for St. Patrick’s Day, but two new Irish restaurants have opened their doors in the Rockville/Potomac area. Lahinch, from the owners of the Irish Inn at Glen Echo, offers a menu of Irish and American dishes in the former Benny’s space at Cabin John Shopping Center. And over at Rockville Town Square, Finnegan’s Wake Irish Pub has opened for business at the Gibbs Street space formerly occupied by Carbon Peruvian Chicken.

Another sports store files Chapter 11

In the wake of last month’s Chapter 11 filing for Sports Authority, this week we noted the bankruptcy of Delaware-based Vestis Retail Group, parent to Eastern Mountain Sports, Sport Chalet and Bob’s Stores. None of those chains had a presence in Montgomery County (although Eastern Mountain does have a store in Virginia), but this latest bankruptcy suggests that the shakeout of big-box sporting goods stores isn’t over yet. In our area we’ve also seen the demise of City Sports (which lasted just a year at Pike & Rose before the whole chain filed Chapter 11) and local retailer Hudson Trail Outfitters, which closed all of its stores last fall.

Apple Store closing confirmed — plus burgers, delis and spring discounts

April 14, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

It’s official: Apple Store will close May 7th

Our report last week about the spring shakeup at Westfield Montgomery Mall is now official: The mall has confirmed that the Apple Store will close April 30th for a major expansion that affects multiple tenants in the Macy’s wing. As we predicted, Apple will take the space formerly occupied by the recently closed BCBG and newly closed Teavana. The cosmetics store Sephora also is expanding to a larger space across the hall, but in Sephora’s case the old store will stay open until the new one’s ready. We’ve been told that Teavana plans to reopen elsewhere in the Macy’s wing… but with the debut of competitor David’s Tea just around the corner, it’s unclear whether that’s actually going to happen. For more on these changes, including the possible move of Kay Jewelers from its prime corner spot, click here for our April 4th special edition.

New burgers beefing up the Pike

Smashburger is set to open its doors next Wednesday (April 20th) at the new Galvan at Twinbrook complex, which is nearing completion on Rockville Pike. This will be the first Rockville location for the Denver-based chain, which has been beefing up its presence in Montgomery County for the past few years. Smashburger, so named because its fresh burgers get smashed before they’re seared on the grill, also offers chicken sandwiches, salads, fries, and an array of great-looking shakes and malts. But competition is on the way: The Habit Burger Grill, a California-based chain with a similar menu, is scheduled to open this fall at nearby Wintergreen Plaza. Click here for more in our Feb. 11 issue.

Deli deal at the mall

This month marks the one-year anniversary of Chloe’s NY Style Deli, an old-school gem that you may have missed in the bounty of dining choices at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Owner Caje Fernandes, who spent 20 years behind the scenes at Celebrity Delly, Attman’s and Shalom Kosher, offers a surprisingly robust menu — plus breakfast all day and a full array of catering services — from his Dining Terrace space next to Chick-fil-A. Looking for matzoh ball soup, kippered salmon, half-sour pickles and homemade knishes, rugelach, macaroons and latkes? Chloe’s has them. And from now through May 15th, you can try them all — at 20% off. Just show our coupon on your phone… and share it with a friend who appreciates a great corned beef sandwich.

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Are you up on the latest?

Did you know that the former Addie’s restaurant reopened this week as Helen’s? Heard about the new Duck Donuts on Rockville Pike? Wondering why River Falls Tavern changed its name, or whether a bowling alley is really opening at Westfield Montgomery Mall? (Hint: Yes!) If you missed these stories — or just want to see what else we’ve written about — there’s no time like now to catch up on back issues of Store Reporter. You can find them all in our guide to previous issues; just click here.

Addie’s successor, Fish Taco, River Falls Tavern and our toy basket winner

April 7, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Addie’s successor ready to open

After two looong years of construction on the building that once housed Addie’s — and more bumps in the road than the owner cares to count — doors are finally set to open next week at Helen’s Bar & Grill on Rockville Pike. Owner Helen Wasserman, a veteran D.C. caterer, says her new place will feature an ever-changing menu of favorite recipes perfected during years of feeding partygoers. For first-time visitors, Wasserman recommends the grilled lamb chops, lobster dumplings and cheese wontons with guacamole. Hours aren’t quite set yet and the restaurant is small, so call ahead if you’re planning to try it out: (240) 403-7035.

Hola Fish Taco

Here’s a peek at the new Fish Taco, which opened over spring break at Wildwood Shopping Center off Democracy Boulevard and Old Georgetown Road. “Things have been busier than we originally anticipated,” reports head chef Brant Cotter, “but that’s a great problem to have.” This is the second location for the popular Mexican chain, which made its debut on MacArthur Boulevard in 2013; a third will open this summer on Wisconsin Avenue. To see what’s on the menu at Fish Taco, click here.

Name change for the Tavern

A year after the sale of The Tavern at River Falls in Potomac Village, owner RW Restaurant Group is seeking a fresh start with a new name inspired by our local canals: Lock 72 Kitchen & Bar. Chef/owner Robert Wiedmaier followed a similar strategy in The Kentlands, where his Brasserie Beck turned into Boulevard Tavern after its first year, and in downtown Bethesda where Urban Heights recently transformed into Tommy Joe’s. But partner Frank Shull says the changes will be more subtle in this case: The original chef is still on board, and the menu will expand a bit with RW signature dishes like Lobster Risotto and Colorado Rack of Lamb. Click here to check it out.

Make a spring stop at JT Interiors

Have you ever driven through Potomac Village and wondered about the cute brown house with the JT Interiors sign? If you haven’t stopped to check out this charming store — which relocated from The Kentlands in 2013 — spring is a great time to visit. Inside you’ll find not only design and renovation services, but also furniture, home accessories, and gifts for all occasions and budgets. We spotted hand-embroidered guest towels and heart-shaped catch-alls for less than $20 each, and canvas totes and Inis fragrances for under $50. “Everything we have here is unique,” says store manager Lauren Gregory. “We buy merchandise that you won’t find in other shops.” JT Interiors, 9906 River Road, (301) 299-0485. Click here to see the latest on their Facebook page, or click here to take a nifty virtual tour.

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Who won our big basket of toys?

Congratulations to Amanda Klueger of Potomac, who won our latest drawing for this fabulous basket of toys: a Yoga Spinner game from ThinkFun; Spot It and Doodle Quest games from Blue Orange; Crazy Aaron’s Glow-in-the-Dark Thinking Putty, provided by Toy Castle; and a My Gym gift certificate for membership and classes. We have another toy giveaway coming up soon. Stay tuned to Store Reporter to make sure you don’t miss it.

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Mall changes: Apple, Sephora & the Macy’s wing

In case you missed our special issue last Monday, we’re predicting a big spring shakeup for the Macy’s wing at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Insiders tell us that the Apple store will be expanding (and may shut down during the process), while Sephora and Teavana will be relocating to larger new spaces across the hall. For more on this — along with the future of BCBG Max Azria and Kay Jewelers — click here for our April 4 edition.

Cloudy weather for PacSun

Teen retailer Pacific Sunwear, commonly known as PacSun, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week with plans to reorganize as a private company. PacSun, which has a store at Westfield Montgomery Mall, says it will operate as usual during the restructuring process and all locations will remain open. Gift cards and credits still will be honored for now, but it’s always a good idea to use them quickly in these situations. Teen retailers are having a hard time these days: American Apparel is also in Chapter 11, Abercrombie & Fitch is struggling, and Wet Seal, Delia’s and Deb Shops all have gone out of business.

Spring shakeup at the mall: Apple, Sephora & more

April 4, 2016 By Store Reporter 4 Comments

While many of us were spending spring break in the Big Apple, Westfield Montgomery Mall was busy planning a Big Apple of its own. Insiders tell us the mall’s Apple Store is about to undergo a huge expansion, setting off a major reshuffling of the Macy’s wing that involves Teavana, Sephora, BCBG and possibly Kay Jewelers. Neither Apple nor mall officials would confirm anything just yet, but we hear the spring shuffle is already a done deal — and we couldn’t wait until Thursday to tell you. Here’s a rundown of what’s ahead:

The Apple Store will take over the space currently occupied by its next-door neighbor, Teavana, as well as the storefront where BCBG just closed. If you have any Apple items that need attention, you’d better move quickly: We’re told that the store will be closed during the renovation, which could begin as soon as next week. The bigger and better Apple Store will make its debut this fall.
Teavana will close its doors as the Apple expansion begins, with plans to return in late summer with a new store just across the aisle. There’s plenty of available space in that section of the Macy’s wing, where Hollister recently closed and Abercrombie & Fitch moved downstairs. When Teavana does reopen, it will face a formidable new competitor: Canadian retailer David’s Tea is about to open just around the corner.
Sephora also is moving across the aisle to a larger space that’s expected to be ready by August. But Sephora fans can relax: Unlike its neighbors, we hear the glam makeup store will remain open at its current location until moving day arrives.
BCBG Max Azria has closed to make way for Apple’s expansion — and it appears the fashion retailer won’t be coming back.
Kay Jewelers, which occupies what will soon be a prime corner next to Sephora and Teavana, is tentatively scheduled to relocate this summer to the onetime Caché space next to Swarovski. No word yet on who might take over Kay’s corner… but we won’t be surprised if it’s a big name.

Pair these changes with last month’s news about the addition of a Lucky Strike Social bowling alley, and it looks like this will be quite a fall for our local mall.

Pizza, candy and drinks in downtown Rockville — plus Publix, Starbucks and Costco

March 24, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Goodbye ice skates, hello pizza and candy

The outdoor ice skating rink at Rockville Town Square has closed for the season, but pizza and candy will keep the kids busy in downtown Rockville this spring. Mellow Mushroom, the pizzeria taking over the former Oro Pomodoro space on Maryland Avenue, has set its grand opening for May 2nd. (Click here for more on the Rockville Mellow Mushroom, which will cater to families and large groups.) Also new at the Town Square is the candy store It’Sugar, which opened on Gibbs Street last weekend with nostalgic sweets and giant boxes of Nerds, Kit Kats and Sour Patch Kids. This is the seventh D.C.-area location for the fast-growing candy chain, which also specializes in bachelor party fare (candy undergarments, anyone?) and will be open late most evenings.

Wine and beer fest in Rockville

Also launching at Rockville Town Square this spring: the Wine & Craft Beer Dinner Pairing Series, featuring special menus from nine local restaurants and three area breweries. On the second Wednesday of every month, diners will be invited to sample pairings at American Tap Room, Bar Louie, Bon Chon Chicken, Ev & Maddy’s, Gordon Biersch, La Canela, La Tasca, Spice Xing and Sushi Damo. Beer will be supplied by the Flying Dog and Barley and Hops breweries in Frederick, along with the new 7 Locks brewery in Rockville. The next event will be held on April 13th; click here for menus and other details. And stay tuned to Store Reporter for an update on World of Beer, the long-awaited restaurant under construction at the nearby Upton apartment building. Owner Matt Earl tells us he hopes to open by late May.

Publix on the way?

Former Floridians — and those who vacation there — were abuzz this week after the Washington Business Journal broke the news that Publix is eyeing the D.C. area. Publix, a much-loved supermarket chain in its home state of Florida, has expanded its territory in recent years to include Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and the Carolinas. The company recently announced plans for its first two stores in the Richmond area and confirmed that Northern Virginia is on the horizon. Could Maryland be next? For now, Publix is noncommittal. “We are currently looking to aggressively expand in the state of Virginia,” a spokesman told Store Reporter this week. “There is still plenty of room for growth in our operating states.”

Lattes, lawsuits and leftovers

This was a bad news/good news kind of week for Starbucks, which got sued for allegedly shortchanging its latte customers even as it announced plans to donate all of its leftovers to charity. The class action lawsuit, filed by two customers in California, accuses the coffee chain of underfilling its lattes by 25 percent to save on the cost of milk. The news comes just weeks after the settlement of a similar lawsuit against Subway for coming up short on its footlong sandwiches. (See our March 3 issue for more on that.) Meanwhile, Starbucks also announced the start of its long-planned initiative to donate all unsold meals to local food banks every night. The goal, Starbucks says, is to donate five million meals in the program’s first year.

Win this basket full of toys

This month we’re giving away a fabulous basket of toys for kids from preschool through elementary school. What’s inside? A YOGA SPINNER game from Virginia-based ThinkFun, SPOT IT and DOODLE QUEST games from Blue Orange, CRAZY AARON’S GLOW-IN-THE-DARK THINKING PUTTY from Toy Castle, and a gift certificate from MY GYM. There are three ways to enter this giveaway: 1) Click here to put your name in our hat online; 2) Click here for our Facebook page and scroll down to the post about the contest; or 3) Stop by My Gym at Cabin John Mall any weekday in March to fill out an entry form. We’ll compile all your entries and draw the winner’s name in April.

We fumbled that Sports Authority story

We apologize for our error in last week’s item about the Sports Authority bankruptcy, when we referenced a nonexistent Sports Authority store at Rio Washingtonian Center. We were thinking, of course, of the rival store Dick’s Sporting Goods. So here’s the correct info: Four Maryland Sports Authority stores — including the one in Gaithersburg near Lakeforest Mall — are closing as part of the company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The Rockville store at Montrose Crossing will remain open… at least for now.

Amex out, Visa in at Costco

It’s been a year since Costco and American Express announced the end of their longtime partnership, but the two parties are taking longer than expected to finalize their divorce. The original spring end date has now been pushed back to June 20th, after which Costco will stop accepting Amex cards and start accepting Visa. If you already own a co-branded Costco/Amex card, watch your mailbox for a new card from Citibank Visa — this time with an even more generous cash-back rewards program.

Duck Donuts, David’s Tea, Marmi Shoes & Chopt — plus a Sports Authority update

March 17, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Don’t duck these donuts

In another week or so, the Krispy Kreme at Fallsgrove won’t be the only place to get a hot donut fresh off the frying machine. Duck Donuts, a familiar name for those who work in Virginia or vacation at the Outer Banks, is set to make its Maryland debut on Rockville Pike. Duck, named after the North Carolina town where it was founded, has built a loyal following for its cakey donuts with unexpected toppings like bacon, chopped peanuts and maple icing — all of which can be mixed and matched to your tastes. Also on the menu: muffins, yogurt, breakfast sandwiches and coffee. For more on Duck Donuts, click here. Opening day could be as soon as next week at the Sunshine Square Shopping Center, 1327 Rockville Pike, in the former home of the Entenmann’s Bakery Outlet. From the buzz we hear, the lines are going to be long.

David’s Tea set to open in May

Canadian retailer David’s Tea has confirmed our March 3 report that it will soon open its first Maryland store at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The move is part of a major expansion for David’s, which recently went public and hopes to open 550 stores in the U.S. and Canada. The Montgomery Mall store will carry tea-making equipment and 150 types of tea, from traditional and international infusions to seasonal selections like the Jolly Jellybean blend shown here. “We can’t wait to join this community and for Marylanders to discover our loose leaf teas and innovative products,” says spokesperson Marjorie Roux. David’s will be the third tea store at Montgomery Mall, joining Starbucks-owned Teavana and the independent shop Rumi Tea & Spice. For a look at what David’s has to offer, click here.

Shoes in, hats out, toys back at the mall

Marmi, the women’s shoe store specializing in hard-to-find sizes, opens this weekend in the Nordstrom wing at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Sales and special deals will be happening all weekend long; see the ad below for details. This week also marks the return of the mall’s Smart Toys store, which had been closed for several weeks due to structural repairs. Meanwhile, two other mall tenants have exited in the past few weeks. Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too, a seasonal store that changes locations every year, will likely be back next winter. But the Lids hat store, whose products are now carried inside Macy’s, has closed its doors for good.

Win this basket of toys
This month we’re giving a way a fabulous basket of toys for kids from preschool through elementary school. Here are some of the goodies inside: A YOGA SPINNER game for ages 5 and up; two SPOT IT games for ages 3 and up; a DOODLE QUEST game for ages 6 and up; CRAZY AARON’S GLOW-IN-THE-DARK THINKING PUTTY from Toy Castle at Cabin John Mall; and a MY GYM GIFT CERTIFICATE for classes and membership to the Bethesda or Cabin John locations. There are three ways to enter this giveaway: 1) Click here to send us an email and put your name in our hat online; 2) Click here to enter via our Facebook page, or 3) Stop by My Gym at Cabin John Mall any weekday in March to fill out an entry form. We’ll compile all your entries and draw the winner’s name in April.

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Chopt opens at Congressional Plaza

Chopt had its long-awaited opening at Congressional Plaza last week, replacing the Plow & Hearth store near Starbucks. This makes four Chopt restaurants in Maryland and more than a dozen overall in the D.C. area.

Sports Authority update

Sports Authority, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this month, has changed its plans for Maryland since our last report. The Gaithersburg store near Lakeforest Mall is now slated for closure, along with three other Sports Authority stores across the state. The Rockville store at Montrose Crossing is safe for now. Nationally, Sports Authority is laying off some 3,400 people and closing about one third of its 464 stores.

Who won our ArcLight movie tickets?

Congratulations to Store Reporter reader Emily Weiner, who won a pair of ArcLight Cinema tickets for our March giveaway. Thanks to everyone who entered by sending in suggestions for our Kids & Teens Reader Favorites issue, which came out last week. Want to see which stores and restaurants got the most votes from our readers? Click here.

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The Kids & Teens Issue: Our readers’ favorites for dining, desserts & shopping

March 10, 2016 By Store Reporter 2 Comments

Readers share their favorites — plus a fabulous toy giveaway

For this special Kids and Teens Issue, we asked readers to tell us their families’ favorite places for dining and shopping in the greater Rockville/Potomac area. We heard from so many of you about the restaurants, stores and neighborhood gathering spots that keep your families coming back week after week, year after year. Scroll down to read about the winners — and when you get to the end, be sure to enter the giveaway for our fabulous basket of toys.

Dining out with kids & teens

When our readers told us about their favorite family restaurants, they didn’t just focus on the food. Equally important were a welcoming atmosphere, affordable prices, relatively healthy menu options, and a good chance of running into friends. Here’s what else we found interesting: All the restaurants that got the most votes are not individually owned places, but small regional chains that were founded in the Maryland/D.C. area.

CAVA MEZZE GRILL: Since its 2014 debut at Westfield Montgomery Mall, the Greek-inspired menu at Cava Mezze Grill (photo above) has become a hands-down favorite for many Store Reporter readers. “It’s so healthy and fresh, with such great flavor, and there is nothing else like it,” says reader Monika Woods. “My kids pick it even for special occasions when they could go somewhere fancier.” Cava Mezze Grill, Westfield Montgomery Mall and other area locations. For more info, click here.

LEBANESE TAVERNA: Here’s a Middle Eastern menu that appeals to even the pickiest eaters, from your basic pita and hummus to falafel, grape leaves and shawarma. Some readers like the cozy location at Congressional Plaza, but many prefer the spacious one at Rockville Town Square for its outdoor seating and proximity to the ice rink and concert stage. Lebanese Taverna, two locations in Rockville and others throughout the D.C. area. For more info, click here.

SILVER DINER: The Rockville Pike location, where a typical evening starts with families and ends with milkshake-drinking teens, is the one that feels like home to many Store Reporter readers. Customers appreciate the unusually extensive kids’ menu with reasonably healthy options. “My two boys used to love getting those cardboard cars and a kids’ meal when they were little,” says reader Andrea Lewis. “Now we’ve moved on to bigger meals, and also meeting friends there on Saturday nights.” Silver Diner, 12276 Rockville Pike and other area locations. For more info, click here.

CALIFORNIA TORTILLA: The Cabin John location is a major gathering place for local families, especially the sidewalk seating where people linger and chat with friends passing by. “Kids love the food, and we inevitably run into someone we know,” says reader Karen Moore. Others like the customizable menu, the snazzy soda machines and the “make your own” options for kids’ tacos and burritos. California Tortilla, Cabin John Shopping Center and other area locations. For more info, click here.

POTOMAC PIZZA: The Falls Road location, open since 1978, has a loyal following among Store Reporter readers who grew up in and around Potomac Village. The place is always packed with kids — often still in their soccer gear — and readers say they enjoy the family atmosphere and the chance to mingle with their neighbors. Potomac Pizza, 9812 Falls Road and other area locations. For more info, click here.

ZIKI JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE: Located just outside Rio Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg, Ziki is a destination restaurant for local families celebrating birthdays and special occasions. The Benihana-style hibachi show is the big draw here, with long waits to watch the chefs turn sliced onions into choo-choo trains. “The food is good, you get to enjoy the show during dinner, and it’s louder than your typical restaurant — which is another bonus with my three boys,” says reader Peter Mallios. Ziki, 10009 Fields Road in Gaithersburg. For more info, click here.

Sweet treats with kids & teens

After a sports game, dinner or an outdoor adventure, many families like to gather over something sweet and cold. For Store Reporter readers, there are five places that really take the cake… not to mention the candy, the gelato and the ice cream.

CARMEN’S ITALIAN ICE & CAFE: This local favorite is packed every weekend after soccer, baseball, family outings and other occasions that call for a sweet ending. Crowds come for the homemade Italian ice, frozen custard and shakes that can be mashed together into all sorts of tasty combinations. “Carmen’s is the bomb diggety,” says reader Helene Dolan. “So many flavor combos, and everything is delicious.” Carmen’s Italian Ice & Cafe, 1115 Nelson Street in Rockville. For more info, click here.

SPRINKLES: There’s always a crowd at Sprinkles, a Potomac Village institution serving ice cream, birthday cakes, milkshakes and other freshly made sweets. In the evenings, it’s often one of the last businesses to close in the Village. “My kids have been going there for over 16 years,” says reader Karen Reyes Kuchins. “They will drive across town to bring home a Sprinkles homemade coffee Oreo ice cream pie.” Sprinkles, 10148 River Road in Potomac Village. For more info, click here.

LOLLI AND POPS: If you haven’t visited Lolli and Pops, which opened last fall at Westfield Montgomery Mall, you’re in for a real treat. Even adults get that “kid-in-a-candy-store” feeling from the dazzling selection of gourmet items, retro goodies, international sweets and oddball drinks (peanut-butter-and-jelly soda, anyone?) And the gummy bear selection is not to be missed. Lolli and Pops, Westfield Montgomery Mall and other D.C.-area locations. For more info, click here.

COLD STONE CREAMERY: This recent entry has won the hearts of shoppers at Westfield Montgomery Mall, where its prime spot in the Dining Terrace makes it the perfect place for after-dinner treats and quick shopping breaks. The custom mix-ins, from candy bars to graham cracker pie crust, are a big part of the appeal. “My son tells me their ice cream is much creamier than other places,” says reader Suzanne Borden. Cold Stone Creamery, Westfield Montgomery Mall and other area locations. For more info, click here.

BASKIN-ROBBINS: Sure it’s a chain, but the Baskin-Robbins at Cabin John Shopping Center is undoubtedly a neighborhood institution. If your kids go to school anywhere in the Potomac area, it’s unlikely they’ll leave Baskin-Robbins without spotting a friend or two. And much like the neighboring California Tortilla, the outside seating is a prime spot for socializing with other families. Baskin-Robbins, Cabin John Shopping Center and other area locations. For more info, click here.

Shopping with kids & teens

Whether they’re buying clothes for fast-growing teens or trying to find just the right birthday present, our readers clearly gravitate toward small, locally owned businesses with staffers who really know their products.

TOY CASTLE: A staple at Cabin John Mall since 1979, Toy Castle always has the latest and greatest — plus enough old favorites to put a smile on parents’ faces. Readers like the store for its vast selection, its laid-back staff, and the simple joy of walking out with a wrapped gift that’s ready to go. “Great customer service, cool toys, and stuff you just don’t find online or at a big-box store,” says reader Jeanne Adams. Toy Castle, Cabin John Mall, 11325 Seven Locks Road. For more info, click here.

BARSTONS CHILD’S PLAY: This toy store at bustling Congressional Plaza is a gathering place for the stroller set, offering a comfortable atmosphere for socializing after a trip to neighboring Bye Bye Baby. Parents of older kids say they also appreciate the staff’s infinite patience and guidance. “They don’t make you feel rushed,” says reader Sharon Morris. “You can tell that they really like their jobs and playing with toys. And they’re always willing to show you how things work.” Barstons Child’s Play, Congressional Plaza, 1661 Rockville Pike. For more info, click here.

ON CLOUD 9: This small boutique at the border of Potomac and Rockville is the go-to place for little fashionistas, keeping its customers in style from babyhood through the teen years — and sometimes dressing their moms too. “They have unique things that you wouldn’t find anywhere else — clothing, accessories and special things to take to sleepaway camp,” says reader Julie Mintz. “It’s also a great place to buy small gifts for special occasions, and they come in a box with a pretty blue ribbon.” On Cloud 9, Potomac Woods Plaza, 1085 Seven Locks Road. For more info, click here.

MY BEST FRIEND’S CLOSET: This Rockville shop is a favorite for on-trend girls and their budget-conscious moms. Prices tend to be reasonable — and some of the merchandise is gently used, having been recently recycled from other local kids and teens. “For my daughter, it’s easier and more attractive to shop than a large department store,” says reader Meredith Yentis. Reader Monika Woods says the store “never fails to come up with something great for my girls — every bar/bat mitzvah, homecoming and special occasion.” My Best Friend’s Closet, 9735 Traville Gateway Drive in Rockville. For more info, click here.

SHOE TRAIN: People travel from all over the D.C. area to visit Shoe Train, an institution at Cabin John Mall with a reputation for expertise in orthopedic and hard-to-fit issues. Readers say they don’t mind the long waits, as they know the service will be personalized when it’s their child’s turn for a fitting. And the store keeps records on all its customers, so it’s easy to track your kids’ growth and favorite styles. Shoe Train at Cabin John Mall, 11325 Seven Locks Road. For more info, click here.

Enter to win this basket of toys

This week we’re giving away a fabulous basket of toys for kids from preschool through elementary school. Here are some of the goodies inside:

YOGA SPINNER, a fun new game that teaches yoga poses to kids 5 and up, provided by the Alexandria-based toy company ThinkFun.

SPOT IT games perfect for ages 3 and up, plus a DOODLE QUEST drawing game for ages 6 and up, both provided by Blue Orange Games.

CRAZY AARON’S GLOW-IN-THE-DARK THINKING PUTTY for ages 3 and up, provided by Toy Castle at Cabin John Mall.

MY GYM GIFT CERTIFICATE for classes and membership, good for either the Bethesda or Cabin John locations (and transferable to a friend).

There are three ways to enter this giveaway: 1) Click here to put your name in our hat online; 2) Click here to enter via our Facebook page, or 3) Stop by My Gym at Cabin John Mall any weekday in March to fill out an entry form. We’ll compile all your entries and draw the winning name in April.

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Irish update, Teavana competitor, Mosaic Café, Subway and Sports Authority

March 3, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

New Irish restaurants will likely miss St. Patrick’s Day

If you were hoping to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at one of our new local Irish restaurants, you may be out of luck. Lahinch, which was scheduled to open this month in the former Benny’s space at Cabin John Shopping Center, has run into the usual construction delays. “Unfortunately, it looks like we won’t be open for St. Patrick’s Day,” says owner Barry Nolan, who also operates the Irish Inn at Glen Echo. “We’ll know more in a week.” (For more on Nolan and his plans for Lahinch, click here for our Oct. 29 issue.) Also missing out on St. Patrick’s Day crowds is Finnegan’s Wake Irish Pub, a new venture from local entrepreneurs that originally was supposed to open last fall at Rockville Town Square. No word yet on the timetable for that one.

Restaurant returning to French roots

Mosaic Cuisine & Café, the Rockville Pike restaurant that closed for renovations after the holidays, is scheduled to reopen by Easter with a new name, modernized decor, a bar showcasing French wines and a renewed focus on classic French cuisine. “What’s old is new again,” says owner Thierry Jugnet, who opened Mosaic in 2003 and also operates the Wicked Waffle chain. The newly named Mosaic Bistro will showcase dishes like beef bourguignon, rack of veal, chicken paprika and traditional French soups. “It’s difficult nowadays to find a truly French restaurant,” Jugnet says. “And I don’t just mean in Rockville — I defy you to find a great beef bourguignon in Washington, D.C. Nobody does these things anymore. I am French. And I am betting on going back to my roots.” For a look at Mosaic’s menu (which is still being tweaked before the reopening), click here.

David’s Tea heading to the mall?

David’s Tea, a Montreal-based company with a large fan following, appears poised to make its Maryland debut at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Details haven’t been announced yet and the mall couldn’t confirm, but David’s has posted job listings for employees at that location. David’s, which made its initial public offering last year, has announced long-term plans for 550 stores in the U.S. and Canada. At the mall, it would compete directly with the Starbucks-owned Teavana store and the independent shop Rumi Tea & Spice, both of which similarly sell fresh tea and tea-making equipment. We’ll let you know when David’s is a done deal. Meanwhile, click here for a preview of what the company has to offer.

Size matters

Things haven’t been going so well for Subway lately. First there was the whole Jared mess. Then came this week’s news that the fast-food chain has settled a class action lawsuit charging that its “footlong” sandwiches didn’t always measure up. As part of the settlement, Subway has promised that its franchisees will now use a tool to accurately measure their bread loaves. If you bought a Subway sandwich over the years and were hoping to benefit from this settlement, we’re sorry to report that your only reward will be a properly sized footlong with your next order. No money is being awarded to the class, and the Associated Press reports that the 10 plaintiffs received only $500 each. Their lawyers, on the other hand, got more than half a mil.

Win March movie tickets for the ArcLight

This month we have one more set of ArcLight Cinema tickets to give away — and you have one more chance to vote for your favorite kids’ businesses in the Rockville/Potomac area. To enter, just click here to send us a note about your favorite places for dining, shopping, birthday parties and just hanging with your kids. Or enter via our Facebook page by clicking here. Everyone who sends us suggestions will be entered into our latest ArcLight drawing.

Chapter 11 for Sports Authority

Sports Authority filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week, a move that had been expected after the retailer fell behind on payments toward its debts of more than $1 billion. Sports Authority is expected to stay in business through this process, but the company says it will lay off some 3,400 people and close 140 of its 464 stores across the country. An updated closing list shows that the Rockville store on Rockville Pike and the Gaithersburg store at Rio/Washingtonian Center are expected to remain open. But several other Maryland stores, including a second Gaithersburg location near Lakeforest Mall, will be shutting down. If you’re holding a Sports Authority gift card or store credit, now would be a good time to use it: There’s no telling how long those credits will be honored.

Bowling at the mall, new restaurants in Rockville, Sports Authority and Once Upon a Chef

February 25, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

The mall gets Lucky

Here’s some news that might bowl you over: Lucky Strike, the California-based chain of upscale bowling alleys, is taking over the old movie theater space at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Plans call for a late summer/early fall opening for Lucky Strike, which will offer gourmet food, bar service, and party space for adults, kids and teens. Lucky Strike should be a fine companion to the popular ArcLight Cinema, as Westfield Montgomery Mall continues to find more reasons to draw people in on the weekends. This will be the second D.C.-area location for Lucky Strike, which also has a presence near the Verizon Center in Chinatown. To hear what else is coming to the mall — including a new vegetable-focused restaurant from celeb chef Jose Andrés — catch up on our recent issues at the Store Reporter website, www.storereporter.com.

Asian Cafe set to open next week

Miso Fusion Café will make its long-awaited debut at Rockville Town Square next week, offering a menu of traditional Korean and Japanese cuisine plus some creative mashups. “At our other restaurant in Annandale, it’s basically Koreatown — and they like things the traditional way,” says Miso co-owner A.J. Lee. “At this restaurant we’re going to have pork tenderloin, chicken jalapeño, a whole section of cheese roll katsus, and other dishes that would never fly in Annandale. We also have a lot of cool new ramen dishes, an all-you-can-eat section, and a full bar that will be open late.” You can find Miso Fusion Cafe in the former Pho & Rolls space at 33 Maryland Ave. To check out the menu, click here.

Carluccio’s debuts at Pike & Rose

Carluccio’s, the Italian restaurant and gourmet market, opened for breakfast, lunch and dinner service this week at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda. This is the second U.S. location for Carluccio’s, a U.K. company that also opened in Alexandria last summer. The restaurant is on the ground floor of the PerSei apartment building off Rockville Pike and Old Georgetown Road. Click here to see what’s on the menu.

Chopt is almost here

Chopt is expected to open in the next few weeks at Congressional Plaza in Rockville, where the salad chain recently posted an enormous sign that announces its presence to drivers far across the Pike. Expect another new tenant soon, as Congressional looks to replace the Robeks store that closed late last year.

New cookbook from Potomac chef

Coming to bookstore shelves in 2018: The Once Upon a Chef Cookbook by Potomac’s own Jenn Segal. The publishing deal with Chronicle Press marks a long-held career goal for Segal, a graduate of L’Academie de Cuisine who worked at L’Auberge Chez Francois before launching Once Upon a Chef from her home. Her easy-to-follow recipes, using everyday ingredients and accompanied by step-by-step photos, have earned Segal a huge loyal online audience (100,000-plus readers for her weekly newsletter) and regular print and TV appearances. The new book will feature 30 favorites from the Once Upon a Chef website, plus 70 new recipes that Segal will be working on this year. If you haven’t checked out Once Upon a Chef — a favorite at Store Reporter headquarters — click here to see what you’ve been missing.

Bankruptcy watch for Sports Authority

Sports Authority is facing a likely bankruptcy filing in March after missing payments to its creditors over the past few months. The Colorado-based chain, with 450 stores across the country, is a leader in its category along with Dick’s, Academy Sports and Bass Pro Shops. But sporting goods retailers have been losing market share to specialty apparel stores like Lululemon, discounters like Walmart, and of course the ubiquitous Amazon.com. The bankruptcy filing will likely be accompanied by the closing of nearly 150 Sports Authority stores; no word yet on the fate of those in our area.

José Andrés brings veggies to the mall, Potomac Village Deli on the comeback trail, new store for sleepaway campers

February 18, 2016 By Store Reporter 2 Comments

José Andrés brings veggies to the mall

Coming this summer to Westfield Montgomery Mall: a new vegetable-centered restaurant from local celeb chef José Andrés. Beefsteak, a year-old concept with two locations already open and two more on the way to D.C. and Philadelphia, is the newest venture from the man who brought us Jaleo, Zaytinya, Oyamel and Minibar. The menu isn’t entirely vegetarian — you can top your meal with a poached egg or salt-cured salmon — but the focus here is on pairing veggies with grains, nuts, seeds and sauces. Pricing is moderate: Most dishes are less than $10, and the signature Beetsteak sandwich shown here sells for $5.99 with a side of chips. At the mall, Beefsteak will move into the Dining Terrace space that was recently vacated by Qdoba. (See our Feb. 11 issue for more on that.)

Potomac Village Deli on the comeback trail

Potomac Village Deli, which left the Village a decade ago to focus on its catering business, is making a comeback this spring — in The Kentlands. The new deli will take over the Gaithersburg location of its sister business, Potomac Pizza, where the owners say they’ll be serving pent-up demand for a kosher-style deli with matzoh ball soup, fresh-sliced meat sandwiches, lox and baked goods. Bagels will be provided by another sister company, Bagels ‘n Grinds, and the restaurant will continue to offer pizza and calzones in the evenings. Potomac Village Deli was an institution on Falls Road from the late ’70s until it closed in 2006, after which many customers continued to support the catering business. Owners say the pizzeria/deli switcheroo will not affect their other three Potomac Pizza restaurants in Potomac Village, Traville and Chevy Chase.

Camp store on the way to King Farm

The winter weather is far from over, but sleepaway camp is already on the radar for many local parents. Enter Bee Bee Designs, a New Jersey-based camp outfitter that will open a pop-up shop at King Farm Village Center early next month. Bee Bee sells all the camp essentials and plenty of just-for-fun stuff, from packing trunks and personalized pillows to monogrammed stationery and custom camp lip gloss. Most of the business happens online (click here for the website), but the company operated a similar pop-up store in Bethesda last year to serve its sizable customer base in Montgomery County. Many people appreciate the chance to shop in person, says co-owner Brian Bailey — especially the parents of first-time campers. “A lot of our staff is made up of camp moms who just went through this themselves,” Bailey says. “For parents who aren’t quite sure what their kids will need, we offer one-on-one shopping appointments where they can get all of their questions answered.”

Congrats to our ArcLight winners — and keep sending us your family favorites!

Congratulations to Store Reporter readers Marilyn Feldman and Jennifer Primerano, who each won ArcLight Cinema movie tickets in our February drawing. And thanks to all who entered by contributing suggestions to our upcoming Store Reporter Kids Issue. We are still taking nominations, and we’d love to hear your thoughts about the best kid-friendly businesses in the greater Rockville/Potomac area: restaurants, toy stores, children’s clothing stores, after-school classes… all the local places that you and your kids enjoy. To post your comments on our Facebook page, click here. To email your suggestions to us directly, click here.

Sorry, Jersey Mike’s

More than a few sharp-eyed readers caught our mistake in last week’s article about The Habit Burger Grill and Jersey Mike’s Subs. The two fast-casual chains are still scheduled to open at Wintergreen Plaza this fall, but we were wrong when we said that both were new to Maryland. It turns out that Jersey Mike’s already has several restaurants here, including one in The Kentlands. If you’d like to read the updated version of that story — plus some other news for burger fans from our Feb. 11 issue — you’ll find it by clicking here.

Habit Burger in, City Burger out, subs on the way and goodbye Qdoba

February 11, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Burgers & subs on the way to Rockville Pike

Two popular fast food restaurants are on the way to Rockville Pike, opening this fall outside Wintergreen Plaza in the space once occupied by Ted’s 355 Diner. The Habit Burger Grill, a fast-growing chain from California that’s making its Maryland debut, offers a Shake Shackish menu of burgers, fries, onion rings and ice cream-based drinks. Jersey Mike’s Subs, with nearly 200 locations nationwide, has a extensive selection of subs and wraps plus gluten-free and carb-free options. Both chains ranked among the top fast food restaurants in this recent survey from Consumer Reports.

Adiós Qdoba

Qdoba, a food court staple here for most of the past decade, has cashed in its tortilla chips at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The closing comes almost exactly a year after the arrival of Mexican juggernaut Chipotle, one of the most popular additions to the mall’s recently renovated Dining Terrace. Chipotle, which appears to be on the comeback trail after its recent food safety scare, will now have the mall’s black-bean-and-burrito crowd to itself. Qdoba fans can visit the chain’s Rockville restaurant on Rollins Avenue or click here for a list of other D.C-area locations.

Valentine’s tastings at The Bottle Shop

Planning a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner at home? The Bottle Shop at Potomac Woods Plaza has two tasting events to help you prepare for the big day. On Thursday (Feb. 11) from 5 to 8 p.m., the store will be sampling chocolate and raspberry beers from vendors like DuClaw and Samuel Smith. On Friday (Feb. 11) from 5=8 p.m., try five different wines from Opici and delicious locally made chocolates by Chouquette. Find something you like? During the tastings, take 10% OFF any product that’s being sampled.The Bottle Shop, 350 Fortune Terrace, 301-738-9463. For more info, click here.

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Goodbye City Burger, hello Fish Taco

Local restaurateur Francis Namin, who’s about to open his second Fish Taco restaurant at Wildwood Shopping Center, has made a surprising decision about where to open Fish Taco #3. Namin tells Store Reporter that he’ll soon close City Burger, his two-year-old eatery on Wisconsin Avenue, with plans to convert it to the Fish Taco concept. The rebranding will take about two months, Namin says, with a grand reopening scheduled for April. The Wildwood location, as we reported in last week’s issue, is expected to open in early March.

Sears says it will close more stores — but not here

This week Sears Holdings announced it would shutter another 50 unprofitable Sears and Kmart stores across the country. This follows several previous rounds of store closings for the once-mighty chain, whose equity now is said to lie primarily in the value of its real estate holdings. But Sears says the closings will not affect its Bethesda location at Westfield Montgomery Mall. “That store will remain open,” company spokesman Howard Riefs told us this week.

Tell us about your kids’ favorite places — and win ArcLight movie tickets

For our upcoming Store Reporter Kids Issue, we’re asking readers to help us choose the best kid-friendly businesses in the greater Rockville/Potomac area. We want to hear about your kids’ favorite restaurants, toy stores, clothing stores, after-school classes… all the local places that you and your kids enjoy. Send us your suggestions, and we’ll also enter you into this month’s drawing for FREE tickets to the ArcLight Cinema! To post your comments on our Facebook page, click here and scroll down to the ArcLight photo. To email them to us directly, click here. Update: We’ve already named the winners for this contest, but stay tuned to Store Reporter for more ArcLight giveaways coming up.

Fish Taco and Bethesda spa near opening — plus bubble tea, Lululemon and ArcLight tickets

February 4, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Fish Taco is almost ready

If you’ve been waiting for the opening of Fish Taco at the Wildwood Shopping Center, the time is almost here: Owner Francis Namin says he hopes to be in business by early March. This will be the second location for Fish Taco, whose first restaurant on Macarthur Boulevard has been hugely popular since it opened in 2013. Namin, who also owns Food Wine & Co. in downtown Bethesda, says a third Fish Taco will open shortly afterwards in that area. To hear his description of the Wildwood restaurant, click here for our Oct. 8 edition.

New spa in North Bethesda

Woodhouse Day Spa is planning a late February opening at North Bethesda Market on Rockville Pike, where it will target the health-conscious customer base from neighboring Whole Foods and Seasons 52. This will be the first Maryland location for Woodhouse, a Texas-based chain with a presence in 18 states. The spa menu includes facials, massage, mani/pedis and lavish skin treatments like the Wild Lavender and Seaweed Sugar Glow shown here. For more on Woodhouse, click here.

New place for bubble tea

A new bubble tea shop opened on Rockville Pike this week, in the former home of Yocake across from Wintergreen Plaza. Tea-Do, which has another location in Philadelphia, features a menu of light Japanese food as well as smoothies, specialty coffees and custom drinks with ingredients like lychee jelly, aloe, red guava, kumquat and Thai coconut. Yocake, a small family-run chain that specialized in cake and ice cream mash-ups, went out of business last summer.

Tell us about your family’s favorites — and win FREE ArcLight tickets

For our upcoming Store Reporter Kids Issue, we’re asking readers to help us choose the best kid-friendly businesses in the greater Rockville/Potomac area. We want to hear about your favorite restaurants, toy stores, children’s clothing stores, after-school classes… all the local places that you and your kids enjoy. Send us your suggestions, and we’ll also enter you into this month’s drawing for FREE tickets to the ArcLight Cinema! To post your comments on our Facebook page, click here. To email them to us directly, click here. Update: We’ve already named the winners for this contest, but stay tuned to Store Reporter for more great giveaways.

On the Lululemon beat

Haven’t read anything interesting about Lululemon in awhile? We’re on it. In The New York Times this week, company founder Chip Wilson offers his views on punctuality, the Landmark leadership program, and also that time in 2013 when he blamed women’s thighs for those transparent Lululemon yoga pants. Wilson is no longer running Lululemon. But his family has a new clothing chain, Kit and Ace, that opened a store in downtown Bethesda last November. To hear what he has to say, click here.

CVS starts Target takeover

This week CVS began its takeover of the pharmacy departments at Target stores nationwide. By the end of this summer, our local Targets will be sporting CVS signage (conveniently red, just like the Target logo) and staffed by CVS employees. If you’ve ever been stuck in that ridiculously long line at a CVS pharmacy — particularly the one at Cabin John Shopping Center — this may not necessarily be good news.

Peapod pickup on the Metro

This week Peapod by Giant started testing a grocery delivery service at three D.C.-area Metro stations: Fort Totten, Glenmont and Vienna. Shoppers can order their groceries online, then pick them up as they exit the Metro between 4 and 7 p.m. Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. The three participating stations have lockers to store the groceries and staffers available to help shoppers to their cars. If things go well with this six-month test, more stations will be added to the program.

Goodbye to Eileen Fisher, Hollister and Abercrombie’s kids store

January 28, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Three big stores close at the mall

While we shoppers were all stuck at home in the blizzard this week, several longtime tenants made a quiet exit from Westfield Montgomery Mall. Read on to learn who’s out — and stay tuned to Store Reporter to find out who’s coming in.

Eileen Fisher exits

If you spent the past few days shoveling snow instead of pulling out your credit card, you missed your last chance to shop at the mall’s Eileen Fisher store. Doors closed Wednesday night (Jan. 27) after the retailer failed to reach new leasing terms with landlord Westfield Corp., staffers said. You can still shop Eileen Fisher at the mall’s Nordstrom store, or visit the company’s next-closest locations in Chevy Chase or Tysons Corner. For a look at Eileen Fisher’s current line, click here.

Adios to abercrombie kids

Abercrombie & Fitch closed its abercrombie kids store at the mall this week, leaving only the regular Abercrombie store — which doesn’t carry kids’ merchandise. If you’re a fan of Abercrombie’s kids line, you’ll have to head over to Tysons Corner. Abercrombie & Fitch, once a high-flyer in the retail world, has been on a long, slow slide these past few years. For a interesting take on went wrong, click here.

Hollister heads out

Also out at the mall this week is Hollister, another division of Abercrombie & Fitch that has struggled along with its parent company. Hollister, which sat right next to the Abercrombie store, was a magnet for teen shoppers just a couple of years ago. But their younger siblings, who prefer trendy, inexpensive fashions over pricey shirts with store logos, have moved on to stores like Zara, American Eagle and Forever 21.

Still time for our FREE Sculpt Studio offer

You still have a few days to take advantage of our special offer from Sculpt Studio, celebrating its second anniversary in downtown Bethesda. Your first class, on the gym’s Pilates-based Megaformer machines, is free through Sunday (Jan. 31). And just for Store Reporter readers: Sign up for a package of classes and get a free 30-minute private session with Sculpt owner Mary Farber (Use promo code STOREJAN). 4500 Auburn Avenue in the Woodmont Triangle, with easy parking nearby. Call (240) 600-0730 or click here.

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Also closing at the mall

Two other businesses also have departed in the post-holiday shuffle at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The Fire & Ice gift shop, closing this weekend, will be replaced by a Marmi shoe store. Also out is the short-lived hair salon that replaced Bubbles on the mall’s lower level. Bubbles relocated last year to the Home Depot-anchored shopping center across the street.

New businesses in Potomac Village, new direction for Coach, Tara Thai nears opening

January 21, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Potomac Village shopping center goes family-friendly

Potomac Promenade, the Giant-anchored shopping center in Potomac Village, is finally bringing some new tenants to its long-dormant mini-mall. This week saw the openings of Kicks Karate and FiberArt Studio, joining the recently opened Kumon learning center as the mini-mall transforms into a family-friendly place where parents can drop off their kids while they pick up the groceries. “This used to be the mall that nobody goes to, but that’s changing now,” says fiber artist Anja Caldwell, who relocated her studio from Glen Echo Park. Caldwell will be teaching “everything grandma used to know,” from knitting and crocheting to sewing and felting. “This will be a happy place where we make hats, dolls, pillows, hair clips and jewelry,” she says. “I don’t allow glue or glitter. Everyone who leaves here will at least be able to sew on a button.” For more on Caldwell and her crafty plans for the Village, click here.

New direction for Coach

The Coach store at Westfield Montgomery Mall will reopen next month with a new look that reflects the company’s push to move beyond handbags into the world of “lifestyle brands.” Coach, which has struggled to regain its former caché with people who love purses, is renovating some 150 stores to showcase its expanding range of clothing and accessories for men and women. The new store will likely devote more space to footwear, reflecting the company’s recent acquisition of shoe manufacturer Stuart Weitzman. And you can expect fewer discounts, as Coach critics have complained for years that excessive markdowns were cheapening the brand.

Who won our ArcLight tickets?

Congratulations to Store Reporter reader Rashmi Kalla of Potomac, who won last week’s giveaway for tickets to the ArcLight Cinema at Westfield Montgomery Mall. We’ll be handing out more ArcLight tickets in the weeks to come. Want to enter our next drawing? Just forward an issue of Store Reporter to your friends, then click here to tell us their names. For every one of your friends who subscribes, we’ll enter you AND them to win the next pair of ArcLight tickets. If you’d rather enter via our Facebook page, click here to find out how. Update: We’ve named the winners for this contest, but stay tuned to Store Reporter for more great giveaways.

New Tara Thai to open next month

Tara Thai is putting the final touches on its new Bethesda restaurant, scheduled to open late next month in the former Legal Sea Foods space at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The 85-seat eatery, styled to resemble a Thai beach resort, will replace another Tara Thai that closed last spring in downtown Bethesda. This will be the 10th location for the popular chain, with five restaurants in Maryland and five in Virginia.

Try a free class at Sculpt Studio

Are your New Year’s fitness resolutions starting to falter? Sculpt Studio, celebrating its second anniversary in downtown Bethesda, is offering one free class for all new clients through Jan. 31. And just for Store Reporter readers: Sign up for a package of classes and get a free 30-minute private session with Sculpt owner Mary Farber. (Use promo code STOREJAN.) Sculpt is a friendly, brightly lit studio featuring Pilates-based Megaformer machines that work your core and every major muscle group. 4500 Auburn Avenue in the Woodmont Triangle, with easy parking nearby. To book a class, call 240-600-0730 or click here.

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Grab some coffee and cuddle up with your iPad

Snowstorms are a great time to catch up with the last few issues of Store Reporter. Did you see our recent stories about the drugstore shake-up in Potomac Village, the empty Giant on Wootton Parkway and the future of Benny’s at Cabin John? Did you know that Roti closed on Westlake Boulevard and the White Flint Mall has officially been reduced to rubble? While you’re waiting out the blizzard — assuming you’ve still got power — grab some coffee and scroll through our website.

Potomac Village drugstore shake-up, Wootton Parkway grocery update, Marmi to the mall

January 14, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Potomac Village drugstore shake-up

The acquisition of Rite Aid by larger rival Walgreens will soon have a direct impact on Potomac Village, where the two stores stand across from each other on either side of River Road. One of those stores will almost certainly be gone by this time next year — but the question is, which one? Across the country, Walgreens is expected to shed as many as 3,000 stores over the next 18 months. In Potomac Village, we hear that execs are weighing the merits of the drive-through lane at Walgreens vs. the recent renovation at Rite Aid. Either way, about 25 people will likely lose their jobs.

No Asian market for Wootton’s empty Giant

Here’s one question we get asked all the time: Is an Asian market really coming to the Rockshire Village Center across from Wootton High School? This rumor has been going around since the Giant store exited three years ago, leaving a few small tenants and lots of empty space at the ’70s-era shopping center. But so far, neither an Asian market nor anyone else has shown much interest in opening there. Bob Harris, an attorney for the property’s owners, says Giant still has one year left on its long-term lease — and after that, it’s likely the property will be torn down to make way for more housing. “This is a poorly located center that’s too small and has no visibility,” Harris says. “The community has asked us to go get another grocery store. But at this point, it doesn’t appear that’s going to be feasible.”

Win tickets to the Arclight Cinema

Want to win some FREE tickets to the ArcLight Cinema at Westfield Montgomery Mall? All you have to do is share the scoop about Store Reporter! Forward this (or any) issue to friends who might not know about us, then click here to tell us their names. If your friends subscribe, both you and they will be entered into our ArcLight drawing. The more friends you tell, the more chances you have to win!

Want to enter our ArcLight drawing via Facebook? Click here to find out how. Update: We’ve named the winners for this contest, but stay tuned to Store Reporter for more great giveaways.

Fire & Ice out, Marmi to the mall

Moving out of Westfield Montgomery Mall after more than a decade: Fire & Ice, the gift shop on the second level near California Pizza Kitchen. The Baltimore-based chain says its lease is up at the end of January, and there are no plans for another location in this area. All remaining inventory of art glass, fossils, jewelry and handcrafts is now on clearance at 30 to 70 percent off. Moving into the space this spring: Marmi, the women’s shoe store that some may remember from Tysons Corner. Marmi specializes in hard-to-find sizes from Vaneli, Sesto Meucci and Eric Javits. For a sneak peek of what the store will carry, click here.

Lululemon’s “naked sensation”

For our many readers who love Lululemon, the Chicago Tribune had an interesting piece this week on the future of the fitness retailer — including its Ivivva teen stores and its new line of “naked sensation” pants (shown here). If you can’t get enough of Lululemon, you can find the Tribune story here.

New gym opens at Wildwood

D.C.-based Solidcore just opened its first Maryland location at the Wildwood Shopping Center on Old Georgetown Road. This makes eight locations for the two-year-old chain, which features intense 50-minute workouts on Pilates-based Megaformer machines. Another Solidcore is set to open on Wisconsin Avenue this spring. To read more about Solidcore, click here for our Oct. 8 edition.

Would you wear this scarf to temple?

The H&M store at White Flint Mall is long gone, but we couldn’t help noticing this week’s brouhaha over the beige fringed scarf with black stripes that was pulled off store shelves in Israel. The move came after critics charged that the scarf bore an uncomfortable resemblance to a tallit, the prayer shawl worn at synagogue by many observant Jews. H&M apologized over the controversy, stating that its only intention was to embrace this season’s fondness for stripes. The scarf is one of several tone-deaf fashion moves for H&M in recent years, following a tallit-inspired poncho and a tank top that layered the image of a skull on top of a Star of David.

Roti closes, Rockville Soccer moves, Cal Tort goes extra-healthy

January 7, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Roti near the mall is the first to fall

Sometimes January brings a rash of store and restaurant closings, as leases end and businesses cut their losses after a disappointing holiday season. Macy’s, for example, is closing 40 stores across the country (although none in Montgomery County). But this year the Rockville/Potomac area made it through the holidays pretty much intact: The only closing we’ve noted so far is the Roti Mediterranean Grill just outside Westfield Montgomery Mall. Carl Segal, CEO of Chicago-based Roti, says traffic at that location began to suffer when Chipotle, Cava Grill and other fast-casual restaurants moved into the mall’s snazzy new Dining Terrace. So Roti signed a lease at Pike & Rose, where Segal says the hip young customer base is better suited to the modernized menu he’ll be rolling out this year. “We like to be next to the &pizzas and Shophouses of the world,” he says. “We all share customers and complement each other.”

Big move for Rockville Soccer

Rockville Soccer, the retail home base for MSI and a long list of local soccer clubs, has moved into larger quarters on the second floor of Wintergreen Plaza. Owner Hrant Tatarian, who runs a small chain of soccer stores in the D.C. area, says his 23-year-old business had outgrown its cramped space at the Sunshine Square Shopping Center further south on Rockville Pike. The new store, near Gold’s Gym and Adventure Theater MTC, offers 4,000 square of footwear, uniforms and soccer equipment. “We wanted to have concept shops for Nike and Adidas like you’d expect to see in a Dick’s or a Nordstrom,” Tatarian says. “We really needed the extra room.”

New year, new burrito at Cal Tort

In a month when just about everyone seems to be hitting the gym and focusing on clean eating, California Tortilla has rolled out a “Super Food Burrito” stuffed with all the right buzzwords: kale, avocado, quinoa, whole wheat and “GMO-free.” The $7.39 dish is currently slated for a limited run, but a strong early response suggests it may end up sticking around. “We wanted to come out with something especially healthy during this first quarter when so many people are starting their diets,” says Keith Goldman, chief operating officer and head chef for the Rockville-based restaurant chain. “It took us a while to figure out how to make kale taste good,” he chuckles. “But if the first few days are any indication, this burrito is going to be one of our top sellers.”

What’s next for White Flint?

At this time last year, P.F. Chang’s was serving its final customers as the once-posh White Flint Mall closed its doors for the last time. Summer brought the culmination of a longstanding lawsuit when the mall’s owners, Lerner Enterprises and Tower Cos., were ordered to pay Lord & Taylor $31 million for lost profits during the mall’s redevelopment. Now White Flint has been reduced to a pile of rubble, with only Lord & Taylor left standing (and still doing business). As we swing into 2016, count on Store Reporter to keep you up to date on all things White Flint: When the new project will break ground, what shape it will take, and who might still be interested in moving there by the time this saga comes to an end. (Hint: Wegmans is over it.)

Catch up on all the scoop

Do you know that the Irish Inn is taking over Benny’s at Cabin John? Heard about the new bakery in Rockville and the seafood market at Potomac Woods Plaza? Wondering why Chef Geoff decided to close his restaurant on the Pike? For these and other Store Reporter scoops you may have missed during the busy holiday season, scroll through our website for a catch-up session.

Benny’s update, new local bakery, Cava, coupons and a free workout

December 16, 2015 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Irish restaurant hopes to open by St. Patrick’s Day

Lahinch, the new restaurant moving into the Benny’s Bar & Grill space at Cabin John Shopping Center, will not be opening next month as originally planned. Owners Barry Nolan and Chris Hughes say they’re still finalizing their lease, with tentative plans to take over the space on New Year’s Day and open around the end of February. Lahinch, named after a famous golf course in Ireland, will offer a mix of locally sourced American-style dishes and traditional Irish entrées like lamb stew, fish-‘n-chips and corned beef with cabbage. Hughes knows his way around an Irish menu: He opened the Irish Inn at Glen Echo 12 years ago, and before that he ran the Four Provinces pubs in D.C. and Falls Church.

Rockville bakery is fresh out of the oven

Just a few weeks after its opening in downtown Rockville, Lavande Patisserie on North Washington Street is already earning kudos from our readers. The tiny bakery is aiming to be “that neighborhood place where you can always pop in for hand-crafted baked goods and the best coffee you’ve ever had,” says co-owner Andrew Liang, who left an IT career to start the business with mom Julie Yi. Lavande specializes in custom cakes, seasonal breads, sandwiches and desserts; coffees are nitro-brewed and can be infused with the bakery’s signature lavender flavor. Most ingredients are either locally sourced or imported from Europe, like the croissants made from French flour and Valrhona chocolate batons. You can find Lavande at 275 North Washington Street, a few blocks north of Rockville Town Square, in a newly opened shopping center whose other tenants include Kung Fu Tea and Quickway Hibachi. Click here to check out the bakery’s Facebook page.

Free Megaformer classes at Sculpt Studio

If you’re thinking about changing up your workout for the new year, Sculpt Studio in downtown Bethesda is offering one free class for new clients between now and Dec. 31. Sculpt is a brightly lit, friendly studio owned by Bethesda local Mary Farber, a longtime Pilates teacher whom some may remember from Life Time Athletic in Rockville. Her studio follows the Lagree Fitness Method, a 50-minute core workout using Pilates-based Megaformer machines that involve every major muscle group. Sculpt Studio is located in the Bethesda Triangle at 4900 Auburn Ave., with easy parking nearby. To book a class, call (240) 600-0730 or click here.

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Cava opens in Olney

Cava Mezze, the restaurant chain that got its start on Traville Gateway Drive almost a decade ago, opens its fifth location today (12/17) in Olney at 3122 Olney Sandy Spring Road. The new place features a 20-seat bar with a focus on D.C.-area breweries and quirky cocktails like the Rabbit Hole, made with fresh juiced carrots, apple, ginger and bourbon. The restaurant also will highlight some exclusive menu items from chef/owner Dimitri Moshovitis, including a pork souvlaki entrée with orange herb gremolata. Cava Mezze is the big sister to the quick-serve and fast-expanding Cava Grill chain, as well as Sugo at Park Potomac and Brusco in Baltimore. For more on Cava Mezze, click here.

Last chance to redeem our holiday coupons

This is the last week to take advantage of the deals and discounts in our holiday gift issue. Inside you’ll find special pricing on local restaurants like River Falls Tavern and Wildwood Kitchen; local stores like The Bottle Shop, On Cloud 9, Leila Jewels and Ibhana Boutique; jewelry from Valerie Nahmani Designs; teen decor from Dormify; original artwork and more. The discounts are good through Dec. 24. Click here to check them out.

New Safeway opens on the Pike

The Galvan at Twinbrook project took a step forward last week with the opening of its first tenant, a 62,000-square-foot Safeway store along Rockville Pike near the Twinbrook Metro station. Other businesses scheduled to open soon include Smashburger, Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, Dunkin’ Donuts, a Pie 360 pizza restaurant and Floyd’s 99 Barbershop. And the Ethan Allen Design Center, which once stood at that spot, will be moving back after two years at a temporary location elsewhere on the Pike.

Seafood market opens at Potomac Woods, Korean BBQ at the mall, two holiday parties this weekend

December 9, 2015 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Seafood market opens at Potomac Woods Plaza

After six months of renovations to the former Little Gym space at Potomac Woods Plaza, O’Donnell’s Market opened its doors this week with a promising selection of fresh fish, seafood and baked goods. The store was just beginning to stock up when we stopped by on Wednesday, but owner Bill Edelblut says he’ll soon be adding a salad bar, grab-and-go items and a full-service bakery. O’Donnell’s isn’t cheap: Much of the seafood is priced around $25 a pound, and crab cakes are $10 apiece. But we were impressed with the super-fresh flounder, one of the more economical choices at $13.50 per pound. Edelblut has a long history in the seafood industry; his family owned the venerable O’Donnell’s Sea Grill restaurant chain, which closed its last remaining location at The Kentlands two years ago.

Korean BBQ at the mall

B/Bop/Q, a new Korean fusion restaurant, opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall last week in the corridor adjacent to the Dining Terrace. The concept is based on Korean bibimbap, but also similar to the Chipotle spinoff ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen. Diners move along a serving line as they start with rice or noodles, add a protein, then customize their dishes with fresh vegetables and sauces. Also on the menu: tacos, wraps, dumplings and Korean-style chicken wings. B/Bop/Q is the brainchild of Ken Choi, a food industry veteran who operates cafes for NASA, the American Red Cross, the Library of Congress and other local institutions. He hopes this will be the start of a national Korean fusion chain, with four more locations already planned for the West Coast. B/Bop/Q is the second Asian restaurant to open at Westfield Montgomery Mall in the past month, following the November debut of neighboring Shanghai Bao Kitchen. Next up, after the holidays, is Tara Thai.

Great ideas, deals and discounts in our holiday gift issue

Have you had a chance to read our fabulous holiday gift issue? Inside you’ll find great ideas and deals for local stores like On Cloud 9, Leila Jewels and Ibhana Boutique; special pricing on gift cards for River Falls Tavern and Wildwood Kitchen; discounts for teen decor from Dormify and jewelry from Valerie Nahmani Designs; original artwork, personalized kids’ books and much more. The deals are good through Dec. 24. Click here to check them out.

Tasting party this Saturday at The Bottle Shop

It’s going to be a busy weekend at Potomac Woods Plaza: In addition to the opening of O’Donnell’s Market (see story above), The Bottle Shop has a year-end tasting event this Saturday (Dec. 12) from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. with door prizes plus wine and beer reps pouring premium selections for the holidays. There will be wine from The Country Vintner, Opici and Constantine among others, along with beer from DuClaw, Flying Dog and Jailbreak Brewing. There’s no obligation to make a purchase — but if you do, everything will be 15% off. You can find The Bottle Shop at 250 Fortune Terrace, Suite 102, near Seven Locks Barber. For more information, call (301) 738-WINE (9463) or click here.

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Core launches pop-up gallery at the mall

Core, the progressive streetwear store that opened last winter at Westfield Montgomery Mall, will launch a holiday pop-up gallery this weekend with works by artist Shaun Outen. The Virginia native and part-time model is known for his painted denim and leather, some of which has been carried at the Manhattan boutique of famed “Sex and the City” designer Patricia Field. Outen is creating an art installation for Core, and he’ll be on hand this Saturday (Dec. 12) for an opening party from 2:00-8:00 p.m. You can find Core on the mall’s second floor, in the Macy’s Home Store wing next to UA Salon. For details, call the store at 301-365-1265.

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Out-of-the-box holiday gift guide — with special deals and discounts

December 3, 2015 By Store Reporter 2 Comments

Holiday gifts, deals and discounts

Welcome to our special advertorial holiday gift issue, where you’ll find our picks for some of the best gifts from local businesses, working artists and other stuff we love. We also have great deals and discounts to make the most of your holiday budget. Feel free to forward to friends and family who can use the discounts… or the hints.

Giant coloring gifts at Leila

Coloring books for adults and families are a big trend this year — and it doesn’t get any bigger than these giant coloring posters from Pirasta, $40 including a box of markers at Leila Fine Gifts & Jewels. Leila also sells Posh coloring books by Sterling Publishers ($13) with markers or colored pencils for a few dollars more. “Coloring is better than therapy,” says store owner Deb Shalom. “Just light a fire, put on some good music, get some hot chocolate or a glass of wine, and enjoy! The books are great on a winter weekend afternoon, or spread one of the posters out on the floor and let everyone go at it after a holiday dinner.” Not into coloring? Leila has plenty of other gifts for everyone on your list — including jewelry, Judaica and beautiful housewares. Leila Fine Gifts & Jewels, next to Dunkin’ Donuts at Cabin John Shopping Center, 7737 Tuckerman Lane, Potomac. Call (301) 299-5675 or click here for more.

A premium restaurant gift card

Everyone loves to receive dinner at a fabulous restaurant. Here’s one gift card that offers nearly a dozen places to choose from. RW Restaurant Group, headed by chef Robert Wiedmaier, sells flexible gift cards that work for almost all of the company’s restaurants: Marcel’s and Brasserie Beck in D.C.; River Falls Tavern in Potomac Village; Boulevard Tavern in The Kentlands; Wildwood Kitchen, Urban Heights and Villain & Saint in Bethesda; and three locations for Mussel Bar & Grill. Pick up a certificate at a restaurant near you — or click here to order online — and let your recipient do the choosing.

Gorgeous silk scarves from Ibhana Boutique

For a woman looking to dress up a work wardrobe or add some flair to a simple black top, you can’t go wrong with these paisley silk scarves from Ibhana Boutique. Made in India and measuring a generous 66 inches in length, they’re available in a rainbow of colors: red, turquoise, purple, pink, beige and grey. The scarves normally sell for $35, but Store Reporter readers pay just $25 while supplies last. Ibhana, which opened last August, specializes in wrinkle-free, washable and travel-friendly clothing and accessories from designers like Damee, Fridaze, Joanel, Joseph Ribkoff, Lior and Lipault. Ibhana Boutique, Potomac Woods Plaza, 1079 Seven Locks Road. For more information, call (301) 424-0906 or click here.

Express your emojis at On Cloud 9

Emoji pillows are a must-have for many girls and teens this season — and the ones at On Cloud 9 are soft enough for sleeping as well as room decor. (Hint: They also do double duty as both a holiday gift and pillow for visiting friends and cousins.) The store has a variety of emoji pillows, including holiday themes and light-up styles, with prices starting at $20. Shop On Cloud 9 for these and other stylish gifts for babies, girls, teens and women. On Cloud 9, Potomac Woods Plaza, 1085 Seven Locks Road. For more information, call (301) 251-1331 or click here.

Holiday deals at The Bottle Shop

The Bottle Shop at Potomac Woods Plaza can help you find the right libation for every occasion. The store carries wine, craft beer, olive oil and chocolates, with an expert staff that can guide you toward premium selections or great deals like this $17 bottle of Carignan. On Saturday, Dec. 12 from 2-5 p.m., The Bottle Shop will host a special year-end tasting event with door prizes plus wine and beer reps pouring premium selections for the holidays. There’s no obligation to make a purchase — but if you do, everything will be 15% off. The Bottle Shop at Potomac Woods Plaza, 250 Fortune Terrace, Suite 102 in Rockville. For more information, call (301) 738-WINE (9463).

Three personal training sessions for $99

After weeks of holiday parties — and the extra pounds that come with them — couldn’t we all use a little help getting back on track? Fitness Together offers an introductory package of three personal training sessions for just $99. Clients receive metabolic testing, nutrition and weight loss coaching, heart rate zone training and more in the company’s private studios. “We see a lot of people who spend an hour and a half at the gym and they don’t get results,” says co-owner Rick Coe, who runs Fitness Together with wife Robin. “When you have a coach and accountability mechanisms, you’re going to change that dynamic.” Fitness Together, 6708 Wisconsin Avenue above Staples in Bethesda, or 12189 Darnestown Road in Gaithersburg’s Shops of Potomac Valley. For more information, call (301) 219-0094 or click here.

Fabulous teen decor at Dormify

The teen retailer Dormify has offices in New York, but its roots are in Potomac: It was founded in 2011 when Churchill mom Karen Zuckerman was struck by the lack of stylish options for decorating her daughter’s dorm room. Four years later, Zuckerman and daughter Amanda have turned Dormify into a nationally known website for trendy decor that appeals to teens of all ages. We tested a few of this seasons’s selections and picked some that would work for almost any girl: the cuddly Essentials Throw Blanket and Faux Mongolian Pillow ($49 and $36); the initial-shaped marquee lights ($30); and various accessories with our new favorite slogan: “Namast’ay in bed.” Another popular item this year is the inflatable travel HoodiePillow seen on Shark Tank. Dormify’s holiday sale is going on now, with some items as much as 70 percent off. To shop the site, click here.

Something sparkly from Valerie Nahmani Designs

Druzy jewelry is on the wish list for many women this year, and Bethesda-based Valerie Nahmani Designs has some gorgeous examples to choose from. The designer, a Potomac native, says her typical customer is a busy mom who wants pieces that are equally at home on the beach or at a cocktail party. Necklaces, rings and bracelets range from $95 to the mid-$300s, featuring semi-precious stones in 24-karat gold-plated settings. See the pieces in person at the Landon Greens Sale this weekend (Dec. 3-5) or at Bloomingdale’s in Chevy Chase every weekend starting Dec. 11. Through Dec. 24, Store Reporter readers get 15% OFF any order from Valerie Nahmani Designs. To start shopping, click here.\

Your favorite city in a frame

Is there someone on your gift list who adores New York or San Francisco? Perhaps a Northwestern grad who love Chicago, or a Tulanian with a soft spot for New Orleans? Vermont-based artist Michael Mullan lends his fun, quirky, mid-century sensibility to colorful illustrations of these cities and more, including Seattle, Los Angeles, London and Paris. Mullan also has prints that celebrate beer, cocktails, camping, the Beatles, vintage jazz and other favorite subjects. Most can be purchased in the form of greeting cards, art prints or cheery canvases that will add a pop of color to any wall. Through Dec. 24, Store Reporter readers can get 25% off anything from Mullan’s site (www.groovy-gravy.com) with the promo code GOODGRAVY. To shop now, click here.

An original sketch for your little Mousekin

Maggie Smith, a popular children’s book author and illustrator, has an especially delightful holiday book called Christmas with the Mousekins. If you order directly from Smith’s Etsy shop, she’ll include a personalized inscription (“A Merry Mousekin Christmas to the Perry Family!”) plus some hand-drawn mice and snowflakes for decoration. The book is perfect for snuggling on a winter night with poems and stories about picking out the perfect tree, baking cookies for friends and neighbors, welcoming Nana Mousekin and more. And it’s filled with interactive touches that encourage readers to follow the Mousekins’ lead: recipes for baking gingerbread mice, instructions for cutting out paper snowflakes, and other projects that grow increasingly complex as the kids get older. $25 including shipping and personalization; for details, click here.

A month to play at My Gym

A month of classes at My Gym makes a great gift for parents of little ones or a thoughtful gift from a grandparent. There are Tiny Tykes classes for babies and Waddlers for toddlers, all the way up to Cardio Kids for the “older crowd” of 7-to-10-year-olds. Through Dec. 24, Store Reporter readers can get a month-long My Gym special for $99 including four classes, unlimited free play sessions, lifetime membership and a “swag bag.” Classes must begin by March 31st at My Gym Potomac (Cabin John Mall at 11325 Seven Locks Road) or My Gym Bethesda (5110 Ridgefield Road). For My Gym Potomac, call (301) 983-5300 or click here. For My Gym Bethesda, call (301) 652-2820 or click here.

The Container Store — when you need a gift quick

If you’re really in a jam for last-minute gifts, The Container Store on Rockville Pike is always good for stocking stuffers that work for just about anyone. We tested some selections from this year’s batch, and it just so happens that two of our favorites have to do with beverages. The Portable Wine Glass ($11.99) features an incredibly clever design that stores the stem in the bowl for easy travel, then assembles instantly via built-in magnets. And the S’well Water Bottle ($34.99) is prettier than most, with a leak-proof top and a promise to keep your liquid hot for 12 hours or cold for 24. (The wine glass goes in the dishwasher but the water bottle, alas, does not.) Shop these and other stocking stuffers at The Container Store in Congressional Plaza, 1601 Rockville Pike, or shop online by clicking here.

Three November giveaway winners

November 26, 2015 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Congrats to our November winners

Congratulations to three Store Reporter readers who had a little something extra to be thankful for in November: They won our giveaways from Asia Nine, Equilibrium Activewear and the Washington Hebrew Congregation Holiday Boutique.

A chance to dine at Asia Nine

Asia Nine in Gaithersburg, a sister to the Penn Quarter favorite, is celebrating its first year at Downtown Crown just off I-270. Store Reporter reader Evan Hammerman of Rockville (shown above left with wife Robin) is the winner of our $50 gift card to enjoy the restaurant’s expansive menu of sushi, seafood, Thai and Japanese cuisine. If you entered our Asia Nine giveaway, watch your email for a thank-you offer to try the restaurant for yourself. To find out about Asia Nine’s holiday parties and catering services, call Charlotte Miske at 571-331-4192. For more on the menu and other info, click here.

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A snazzy new look from Equilibrium Activewear

This eye-catching outfit from Equilibrium Activewear is part of a new fitness line made from Supplex Lycra fabrics, offering the feel of cotton and the benefits of advanced fiber technology. Equilibrium is a Miami-based company whose clothes are now available in our area from local rep CORETASTIC. The winner of this outfit is Susan Murphy
Hughes of Potomac (center photo at the top of this column). If you’d like to check out the rest of the line — which ranges from cute looks for workouts to edgier pieces for a night on the town — you can shop CORETASTIC’s site by clicking here.

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A Scout bag full of goodies

This year’s Washington Hebrew Congregation Holiday Boutique and Silent Auction was a huge success, with three days of shopping at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center on Falls Road. We put together a gift bag with goodies from five of the show’s vendors: this Scout weekender bag from Jodi’s Jamboree, a $50 gift certificate from KEEP Collective, a top from Equilibrium Activewear, Italian silver earrings from Artfully Designed, and chocolate and tahini spreads from Soom Foods. Store Reporter reader Suzanne Mazer of Potomac (right photo at the top of this column) is the winner of this bag and everything in it.

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Goodbye Noodles & Company, hello dumplings & veggies — plus a comeback for Great Beginnings

November 19, 2015 By Store Reporter 8 Comments

Noodles & Company exits downtown Rockville

Noodles & Company has shuttered its restaurant on Gibbs Street in downtown Rockville, where business was slow and the company says it wanted to focus on its more successful Rockville location at bustling Congressional Plaza. This brings the number of closings at Rockville Town Square to more than a dozen in the past two years, with merchants continuing to complain about slow foot traffic and customers still grumbling about the parking fees. Restaurateur Danny Trehan, who will open a Mellow Mushroom pizzeria in the former Oro Pomodoro space next spring, says he plans to validate parking and wishes more of his neighbors would do the same. “So it’ll take an extra five dollars from my pocket,” Trehan says. “If it brings more people into my restaurant, who cares?” Three other restaurants — Miso Café, Samovar and Finnegan’s Wake Irish Pub — had been scheduled to open at Rockville Town Square in the past few months, but now are expected to arrive sometime this winter.

Dumplings and veggies at the mall

Shanghai Bao Kitchen opened for business last week just outside the main Dining Terrace at Westfield Montgomery Mall. This is a new venture from three young brothers whose family owns the Rockville restaurant Bob’s Shanghai 66. Dumplings and steamed buns are the focus here, as you’d expect — but we were surprised by the Cava-like assembly line of fresh Asian vegetables, as well as the willingness of servers to recommend which sauces would best complement them. With Chloe’s Deli next door and Korean B/Bop/Q slated to open just across the hall, this new section of the Dining Terrace is turning into an unexpectedly interesting showcase for ethnic foods from local entrepreneurs.

A comeback for Great Beginnings

Great Beginnings, the children’s furniture store that closed its Gaithersburg location last summer, is looking to reopen in North Bethesda late next year. Owner Jim Streight says he’s signed a lease for 15,000 square feet in a new strip shopping center that will soon begin construction just north of the former White Flint Mall. The store will focus on baby gear, nursery furniture and high-end toys, with a smaller area devoted to rooms for older kids and teens. Streight says the Gaithersburg store was a huge success for much of its 25-year history, but shifting demographics and the landlord’s redevelopment plans left him no choice but to find a new location. “This whole area is changing,” he says. “We do still have some customers coming from Gaithersburg, but now they’re coming more from Rockville, Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Kensington.” Until the new store is built, Great Beginnings customers can visit the company’s Chantilly location or shop online at www.greatbeginnings.com.

Holiday shopping at Mayfield Market

‘Tis the season for holiday gift shows in greater Rockville and Potomac. This weekend brings the Holy Child Mayfield Market, Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 21 and 22) at the Connelly School the Holy Child, 9029 Bradley Boulevard in Potomac. Shop more than 60 vendors offering artisan-made jewelry, home decor items, clothing and accessories for men and women, all sorts of gifts and an exquisite Christmas shop. There will be food trucks on hand and a bakery with breakfast items, desserts and freshly made Thanksgiving pies. For more info, visit www.holychild.org.

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Corned Beef King finds a home on the Pike

The Corned Beef King food truck, always on the lookout for long-term parking spots, has found a new home on Rockville Pike outside the century-old Hank Dietle’s Tavern. This is Truck #2 for the Corned Beef King, whose owner plans to keep Truck #1 at its usual spot in the parking lot of Potomac Petals and Plants on River Road. The Hank Dietle’s/Corned Beef King partnership follows a short-lived attempt by another food truck, Curley’s Q, to operate from the kitchen of the historic dive bar. That arrangement got off to a promising start last May, but fell apart by August when the two parties couldn’t come to terms. The Corned Beef King also has had trouble finding the right home: A previous attempt to park outside a Falls Road swim club went awry after neighbors complained to the county.

Giveaway winners coming up next week

Just in time for Thanksgiving, we’re going to give three Store Reporter readers a little something extra to be thankful for. Stay tuned next week to find out who will win our three current giveaways: a $50 gift card to Asia Nine, a workout outfit from Equilibrium Activewear, and a bag of goodies from the Washington Hebrew Congregation Holiday Boutique and Silent Auction.

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Chef Geoff’s closes, Alex and Ani opens, Saks Off 5th heading to the Pike — plus an activewear giveaway

November 5, 2015 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Chef Geoff’s closes on Rockville Pike

Chef Geoff’s closed its doors this past weekend after three difficult years in the former home of Houston’s on Rockville Pike. “That spot just turned out not to be good for me,” says owner/celeb chef Geoff Tracy. “I’ve been doing this work for 15 years, and every once in awhile you lose one. If I’d been smart about this financially, I would have bailed on it 18 months ago.” Chef Geoff’s was a hit when it first opened, Tracy says, but sales soon declined and the overhead was too high. Over the weekend, a broken water heater was the last straw. “We tried all kinds of things — switching around the menus, offering discounts, lowering prices,” he says. “But it was a big, expensive place, and I just couldn’t generate enough sales to make it work.” Tracy, who splits his time between D.C. and New York with news anchor wife Norah O’Donnell, says he’s been working to find jobs for his 40-plus Rockville employees. “When you’re responsible for people’s rent, getting their kids through school, it’s pretty stressful. I wanted to make sure that I could keep a lot of those people working. And now I actually feel a sense of relief, just knowing that I’ve made my decision and I have to move forward.”

Saks Off 5th coming to Congressional

Off 5th, the discount sister chain to posh Saks Fifth Avenue, will open a 40,000-square-foot store next fall at Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike. This is big news for fans of the New York-based company, who’ve been trekking to Leesburg, Arundel Mills and Potomac Mills for their Fifth Avenue treasure hunts. Off 5th is something like a Nordstrom Rack for Saks, carrying leftover goods from its sister store mixed with designer items and merchandise created specifically for its own stores. At Congressional, Off 5th will take the storefront formerly occupied by Tiara Galleries as well as a portion of the office space that currently houses landlord Federal Realty. Off 5th should be a good fit for Congressional’s increasingly luxury-oriented tenant mix, which includes Last Call Studio by Neiman Marcus, White House/Black Market, The Container Store and gourmet grocer The Fresh Market. A beer and wine store recently joined the mix, and Chop’t is set to move in this spring.

Win this $150 outfit from Equilibrium Activewear

This week we’re offering a giveaway from Equilibrium Activewear, a Miami-based brand that’s newly available in our area. Equilibrium’s colorful styles are made with Supplex Lycra fabrics, which combine the feel of cotton with the benefits of advanced fiber technology — meaning they dry quickly, resist odors and wrinkles, provide a slimming and flattering fit, and won’t shrink or fade over time. Choose from cute styles for the gym or the tennis court, or edgier pieces that work for a night on the town. Click here for more on Equilibrium and its local rep, CORETASTIC. Check out the goods in person Nov. 15-17 at the Washington Hebrew Congregation Holiday Boutique. And be sure to enter our drawing for this Equilibrium top and bottom (a $150 value). Click here to enter by email (subject line: Equilibrium) or click here to enter via our Facebook page. Update: Susan Murphy Hughes of Potomac won this giveaway; keep reading Store Reporter for your next chance to win.

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Alex and Ani opens at the mall

Alex and Ani, the jewelry chain known for its stackable bangle charm bracelets, opens tomorrow (11/6) at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Made from recycled materials and priced from $28, Alex and Ani bracelets feature charms for everything from sports teams and universities to animals, zodiac signs and Disney parks. The eco-conscious company also donates a significant portion of its profits to charity — an important hook for its core customer base of teens and millennials. Alex and Ani can be found in the mall’s lower level near Macy’s, next to the recently opened sweet shop Lolli and Pops.

Holiday shopping at Washington Hebrew

Get a jump on your holiday shopping Nov. 15-17 at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center, 11810 Falls Road, when Washington Hebrew Congregation holds its 29th Annual Holiday Boutique and Silent Auction. More than 50 vendors will be on hand with jewelry, clothing, gourmet foods, Judaica and much more. Take a shopping break at the in-house cafe, and browse the silent auction to bid on one-of-a-kind items: sports and theater tickets, beauty and fashion products, restaurant gift certificates, airfare for two to Israel, a dream vacation week, even a chance to go behind the scenes at “Meet the Press.” Proceeds will benefit a number of charities, including Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and Suited for Change. Click here for more.

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Benny’s out at Cabin John, Irish Inn takes over — plus O’Donnell’s Market, a Jodi’s winner and a nifty Halloween app

October 29, 2015 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Irish Inn owners buy Benny’s at Cabin John

Benny’s Bar & Grill closed its doors last weekend after two years in business at Cabin John Shopping Center. But the space won’t be empty for long: The owners of Glen Echo’s Irish Inn are taking over with a new restaurant called Lahinch. “I heard that Benny’s was for sale, and I figured that if I didn’t buy it somebody else would,” says Lahinch co-owner Chris Hughes, a native Irishman who once ran Ireland’s Four Provinces pubs in D.C. and Falls Church. “Benny’s was ideally set up with two rooms, two bars and a stage for us to have live music,” Hughes says. Lahinch, which takes its name from a famous golf course in Ireland, will offer a more casual atmosphere than the Irish Inn with traditional dishes like lamb stew, fish-and-chips and corned beef with cabbage. But the menu will be broader than you might expect. “We’ll specialize in American cuisine using fresh local meats, seafood and produce,” says general manager Barry Nolan. “We’re not your typical Irish pub.” After a few renovations to the Benny’s space, Lahinch is expected to open in mid-January.

O’Donnell’s Market eyes November opening at Potomac Woods

Construction is humming along at the new O’Donnell’s Market, where owner Bill Edelblut hopes to open before Thanksgiving at Potomac Woods Plaza off Montrose and Seven Locks Road. The market will offer fresh meats, fish and seafood plus a salad bar, grab-and-go items, and a bakery stocked with bread, pies and the famous O’Donnell’s rum buns. Edelblut, whose family ran the O’Donnell’s Sea Grill restaurant chain for almost 100 years, says he thought about taking it easy after selling his last restaurant in The Kentlands two years ago. “But it turned out that 18 months of retirement was enough,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to do a market where people can buy something to take home rather than going out to dinner. We’ll have some products that are pre-cooked, and some that are raw and come with heating instructions. And people will be able to just call up and say, ‘Hey, Bill — cook me a lobster and two crab cakes, and I’ll be there in 20 minutes to pick it up.'”

Who won the gift card for Jodi’s Jamboree?

Congratulations to Store Reporter reader Abby Signer Gleicher, who won our $50 gift card for Jodi’s Jamboree. Abby’s daughter will have her pick of jewelry, pajama pants, monogrammed robes, personalized rain jackets, sweatshirts and much more from the teen-oriented Rockville business. If you have a teen of your own to shop for — or you’re looking for personalized merchandise for your sports team, school or upcoming mitzvah — click here to shop the Jodi’s Jamboree Facebook page or call owner Jodi Pasternak at 301-742-1468. You also can find a booth full of Jodi’s merchandise at the upcoming Washington Hebrew Congregation Holiday Boutique, Nov. 15-17 at the Bindeman Center on Falls Road.

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Walgreens buys Rite Aid

This week Walgreens announced plans to buy Rite Aid in $17.2 billion transaction that’s expected to close next year. The deal could have a direct impact on Potomac Village, where Walgreens and Rite Aid have stores right across the street from each other — and one would be likely to close. Walgreens currently has more stores than any other U.S. drug chain, but rival CVS — which recently announced plans to take over Target’s in-store pharmacies — does a bigger business in dollar volume. The Rite-Aid acquisition would potentially give Walgreens greater purchasing power to cut deals with its suppliers and possibly offer better prices to its customers.

Can Target trick you into buying more candy?

If you’re taking the kids out for Halloween this Saturday, Target has a new trick for your cell phone. Treatster, which launched this week, is a crowd-sourced mobile app that allows its users to rate the best Halloween houses in their neighborhoods. The app uses a pumpkin image that constantly changes sizes as it’s up-voted or down-voted by trick-or-treaters on the move. Here in the Rockville/Potomac area, we all know plenty of little trick-or-treaters who already have their own cell phones. But we wonder if this app is really a just clever way of getting the parents to buy more candy — at Target of course — to make sure they get the best pumpkin rating on the block. If you’re game to play along with Treatster, click here for more inf

Bean bags at the mall, a move for REI, a wine and beer weekend and a giveaway for teens

October 22, 2015 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Bean bags and body pillows

Yogibo, a modern bean bag store catering to kids, teens and space-challenged millennials, opens today (10/22) in the Old Navy wing at Westfield Montgomery Mall. This is the third store in Maryland for Yogibo, which was founded six years ago when a New Hampshire man designed a body pillow for his pregnant wife. Today the company’s most popular product is the Max (pictured here), a six-foot-long chair/couch/bed that comes in 16 colors and sells for $239. But there are plenty more to choose from: body pillows, back pillows, neck pillows, tablet pillows, even poolside pillows with washable covers. Jason Knights, marketing director for Yogibo, says the company also has developed many fans in the special needs community. “Because of the way our bean bags conform to the body, sitting and laying on them can provide sensory soothing for people with autism or sensory processing disorder,” he says. “We hear great feedback from parents and therapists all the time. But really, these are incredibly comfortable pieces of furniture for anyone. You can’t realize how comfortable they are until you sit on one.”

It’s official: REI is moving to Pike & Rose

This week REI formally announced what we reported here last month: Its Rockville Pike store will relocate to larger quarters at Pike & Rose in 2017. The 36,000-square-foot store will be about 40 percent larger than REI’s current space, but company spokesman Mike Ferris says no decisions have been made yet about how the extra square footage will be used. (If you have suggestions about what you’d like to see more of at REI, email us here and we’ll relay your feedback to the company.) If you missed the original REI story in our Sept. 10 issue, click here to catch up on other recent news about Rockville Pike.

Win $50 in gifts from Jodi’s Jamboree

This week we’re giving away a $50 gift certificate to Jodi’s Jamboree, a Rockville-based business specializing in teen clothing and accessories. There’s lots to choose from at Jodi’s this season, including pink Lokai bracelets ($18), plaid pajama pants ($22 and up), monogrammed robes ($60) and personalized rain jackets ($65). Also hot is a new collection of $40 silver bracelets shown here. And Jodi’s offers personalized merchandise for sports teams, school spirit wear, theme parties or mitzvah favors. (For more info, call 301-742-1468.) Want to win some goodies for your favorite girl or teen? To enter our drawing, click here to send us an email (subject line: Jodi) or click here to enter via our Facebook page.

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A weekend of wine and beer

The fall shopping and dining season is officially under way this weekend with two big events in our area. On Saturday afternoon (10/24) , Westfield Montgomery Mall is hosting Westfield Uncorked — a festival of fine wines and small bites at various locations around the mall, followed by an after-party and fall fashion show at Nordstrom. Tickets are $15 and $25, benefiting Bethesda’s Imagination Stage; click here for details. Then on Sunday (10/25) from noon to 4 p.m., Pike & Rose is hosting Piketoberfest, a beer garden pop-up with live music, fall activities and giveaways from local stores and restaurants. Admission is free; click here for details.

Don’t leggo your Lego

If you’re planning to buy Legos for the kids this holiday season, it’s time to start shopping. This week the Danish company announced that it cannot keep up with demand for its products in Europe — and it’s possible that shortage could affect the U.S. by December. Lego, which recently overtook Mattel and Hasbro to become the world’s largest toymaker, saw its popularity rise even higher after the success of last year’s The Lego Movie. The surge is similar to what happened in 2013, when Disney was caught off guard by the Frozen juggernaut and couldn’t make toys fast enough to satisfy its audience.

Over-the-top sweet shop, hot Halloween costumes, online price wars, a grand opening

October 15, 2015 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Over-the-top sweet shop opening at the mall

The Lolli and Pops candy store at Westfield Montgomery Mall is scheduled to open by Halloween. But trust us: You’re not going to want to share these sweets with random trick-or-treaters. Lolli and Pops is a San Francisco-based chain with an eclectic selection of gourmet, retro and international candies, all wrapped up in a ’50s decor that would look right at home on Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A. If you’re looking for Choward’s Violet Mints from New York, Jonboy Caramels from Seattle, Butlers Irish Whiskey Fudge from Dublin, Leone candies from Italy or Mr. Stanley’s Toffee from England, this is the place to find them. The store also specializes in oddball drinks like Moxie Original Elixir, Brownie Caramel Root Beer and Jones Peanut Butter and Jelly Soda. And did we mention there’s a room devoted entirely to gummy bears — with plenty of free samples? This will be the third D.C.-area location for Lolli and Pops, which arrived in Annapolis and Tysons Corner last year. You’ll find it on the mall’s lower level near Macy’s, next door to the upcoming Alex and Ani store.

Halloween 2015: Star Wars, Minions and the Inflatables

If you’re planning to take the kids out shopping for Halloween gear this weekend, don’t wait too long: Costumes from Star Wars, Minions and Inside Out are already flying off the shelves at local Halloween stores, as are the Avengers and other classic superheroes. Also hot this year is the new breed of inflatable costumes, which come with a battery-powered air pump to keep everything puffy through a long night of trick-or-treating. Popular inflatables include sumo wrestlers, Baymax the robot from Big Hero 6, and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters. But pretty much anything inflatable is a hit at the pop-up store X-treme Halloween on Rockville Pike, says manager Dennis Bracey. “We’ve got a T. Rex, Spongebob and Patrick the Starfish, and we can’t even keep them in stock.” For the girls, characters from the Monster High franchise and Disney Channel’s Descendants are popular choices this year. But Princess Elsa from Frozen is still holding onto her crown: Just like last year, she remains the top pick for girls who want to be royal.

Here’s our Butter jacket winner from On Cloud 9

Congratulations to Store Reporter reader Jill Mendelson Rodriguez, whose 7-year-old daughter won a super-soft Butter jacket from On Cloud 9 at Potomac Woods Plaza. For all you contestants who didn’t win the jacket

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Fashion fails: muddy jeans and washable cashmere

Modern Market heading to Fallsgrove?

New successor for American Tap Room

Goodbye Ten Thousand Villages

Valentine’s Day gifts at Silver Moon

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More post-holiday closings at the mall

New pizza on the Pike

Three stores out at Westfield Montgomery Mall

Macy’s, Sears and Aéropostale will stay at the mall

Kids’ boutique exits Pike & Rose

Timpano closes, Sports Authority space is filled

American Tap Room taps out

German bath and body store opens at the mall

Pandora jewelry at Silver Moon

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A charmed gift at As Kindred Spirits

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Two new restaurants for Congressional Plaza

Starbucks goes Venti in Potomac Village

Who won our biggest raffle ever?

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Something dazzling from Kaufman Jewelers

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Something sparkly from JT Interiors

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Kicking off the holidays with our biggest raffle ever

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Cocktail party at Nordstrom

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Apple’s back… and we’re a little disappointed

Orangetheory opens next week

Free Alex & Ani bracelet at Congressional’s Silver Moon

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For your foodie friends: O’Donnell’s Market gift cards

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BBQ replaces Benjarong

Teavana and Apple open for the holidays

Congrats to the winners of our Pieology gift cards

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Gift shop exits Rockville, moves to the mall

Italian fashions for mothers and daughters

Nespresso, Teavana and Apple will be here for the holidays

Win $50 for pizza at Pieology

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Have a seat at Congressional Plaza

Turkey with all the trimmings at O’Donnell’s Market

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New coffee spot in Rockville

Inside Lord & Taylor: It’s not what you think

Goodbye Benjarong