Hello Lands’ End, so long Saks, Bethesda Bagels arrives, closings at Pike & Rose

Oct. 17th is opening day for Lands’ End at Congressional Plaza, one of the first stand-alone stores for the Wisconsin-based company. In addition to the usual assortment of clothing, you’ll also find a selection of cozy home goods: flannel sheets, quilted comforters, sleeping bags, cashmere throws and the like. Next week also marks the end for the neighboring Saks Off 5th store; doors close for the last time on Oct. 20th.

The Jewish New Year is off to a good start at Wildwood, where Bethesda Bagels finally makes its debut this weekend. This is the fifth location for the family-owned chain and the first to serve the Rockville/Potomac area. Also new at Wildwood: Joe & the Juice, which opened last week with juices, smoothies, coffees and more. Catch up on that in our Oct. 3rd edition.

Two of the original tenants to open at Pike & Rose are closing this month after a five-year run. Del Frisco’s Grille, which is shuttering multiple locations after the sale of its parent company, will serve its last steaks on Oct. 20th. The closing, first reported by The Moco Show, comes just months after the arrival of Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão right across the street. The second departure is more surprising: Francesca’s, which survived the early days when few people shopped at Pike & Rose, is exiting now after a company-wide downsizing. The women’s boutique chain has three other nearby stores at Rio, Bethesda Row and Westfield Montgomery mall. “There simply wasn’t enough foot traffic at this location,” an employee tells us.

The Shade Store has opened its doors at Cabin John Village, offering a wide assortment of window coverings in the storefront next to Carpet & Vacuum Expo. Next up for Cabin John: Playa Bowls, tentatively opening in late October. Stay tuned to Store Reporter for the official date.

Bertram’s Inkwell, a gathering place for lovers of the handwritten word, has moved to a new location on Rockville Pike. You’ll find the specialty pen store at the Metro Pike Shopping Center, home of Palm Beach Tan and the Champion boxing gym. Owner Bert Oser, a longtime tenant at the White Flint Mall who spent the past few years inside an office building, says he’s happy to be returning to a retail setting. “I do a lot of sales online, and I thought my business would end up entirely on the internet,” Oser says. “But as it turns out, 80 percent of our sales are from people coming through the door.”