Goodbye Lord & Taylor and Toy Castle, hello new Barnes & Noble

Lord & Taylor managed to hang on for five years in North Bethesda after the demolition of the White Flint Mall, but this week’s events will put an end to the department store’s remarkable run. The venerable chain has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced the closing of multiple locations, including the one at White Flint. Clearance markdowns have already begun, and all sales are final. The bankruptcy filing comes a year after Lord & Taylor was acquired by Le Tote, an online clothing rental company that had promised to reinvigorate the brand. But the pandemic changed everything, and Le Tote is now hoping to find a buyer for what remains of the Lord & Taylor name. So what will happen to the White Flint property now? That remains to be seen.

Another big loss to our community this week: Toy Castle at the Cabin John mini-mall is going out of business after 41 years. “The combined pressures of closing for the pandemic and redevelopment of the mall have made it impossible for us to continue,” says owner Brian Mack. “We are just too old to fight these twin forces.” Mack, who has managed the business under various names since 1979, says he and wife Claire plan to retire and enjoy their grandchildren. This week, as the store’s clearance sale got underway, the couple chatted with hundreds of people who had grown up shopping there and returned with children of their own. Many had a hard time saying goodbye, but there was one customer in particular who stood out for Mack. “A little boy paid for his item, and then wanted to give my wife a $20 bill,” he says. “When she told him he had already paid, he said he wanted her to have the money for the store to stay open. It made my wife cry.”

On a happier note, this week did bring two major store openings in our area. The Amazon 4-Star store made its debut at Westfield Montgomery mall (more on that in our July 30th issue) and Rockville’s Barnes & Noble store moved into its new home at Congressional Plaza. Despite the fact that this new store is much smaller than the old one, its updated design manages to showcase vast shelves of inventory with a spacious layout that leaves plenty of room for social distancing. Barnes & Noble is now giving managers more freedom to stock their stores based on local demand, so this location has a particularly robust selection of books for young readers, cookbooks, history books and tales of current events. You’ll also find plenty of games, Legos, journals and gifts. What you won’t find — at least right now — are chairs. For a look inside the new space, check out our photos on Facebook and Instagram.

The Matchbox restaurant on Rockville Pike may be in trouble after a Chapter 11 filing by its D.C.-based parent company. Matchbox Restaurant Group, which has 10 locations in the DMV, says it will try to renegotiate some of its leases. Matchbox is the second pizza chain to face bankruptcy this month, following last week’s Chapter 11 filing from California Pizza Kitchen.

A local guide sponsored by some of our favorite stores, restaurants and service businesses. Now more than ever, these businesses need your support.

 

FOOD, DRINKS & MEAL DEALS

 

• BROOKLYN’S DELI, homemade meats, soups & sandwiches at Potomac Woods Plaza, 1089 Seven Locks Road. Try our corned beef, hand-carved pastrami, brisket, nova, chopped liver, pancakes from scratch, cheese blintzes & more — plus artisan bagels from Bethesda Bagels. Phone: (301) 340-3354. Open daily for carry-out, catering & patio dining. Menu: brooklynsdelimd.com.

 

• GREGORIO’S TRATTORIA, Italian favorites at Cabin John Village, 7745 Tuckerman Lane. Outdoor seating & limited indoor seating now open for lunch & dinner, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. We also offer curbside pickup, pay by phone & contact-free delivery. Full menu and weekly specials, plus 1/2 off all wine, beer & cocktails. Phone: (301) 296-6168. Menu: gregoriostrattoria.com.

 

• HUNTER’S BAR AND GRILL, the “Cheers” of Potomac. 10123 River Road. Phone: (301) 299-9300. Open for lunch, dinner and gift card sales. Half-priced bottles of wine with food purchase. Delivery through DoorDash and GrubHub, choose no-contact curbside carryout, or enjoy our patio for outdoor dining plus limited seating indoors. Reservations recommended. Check Facebook for daily specials. Menu: huntersbarandgrill.com

 

• LAHINCH TAVERN AND GRILL, regional American cuisine at Cabin John Village. New menu featuring split grilled bangers, Guinness-battered fish & chips, corned beef & cabbage, shepherd’s pie, chops, steaks & sandwiches. Discounted beer and wine to go. Delivery, carry-out, curbside pickup or enjoy outdoor dining in our new socially distanced patio & have a cocktail at our new outdoor bar. Call: (240) 499-8922. Menu: lahinchtavernandgrill.com.

 

• METRO MICROGREENS, locally grown hydroponic microgreens. Eighteen varieties available. High in nutrient density and helps boost the immune system. Stays fresh for 10 days to two weeks. Contact-free delivery. Email mark@metromicrogreens.com or call (301) 706-4884. To order online: metromicrogreens.com.

 

• MOBY DICK KABOBS, Persian cooking on the go. Multiple locations in Maryland & the DMV. Our family platters feed 3-4 people starting at $36.99 or 5-6 people starting at $63. Check out daily specials like khoresht gheymeh (yellow split-pea soup with beef) on Wednesdays & ghormeh sabzi (herb stew) on Fridays. All locations open for carry-out, delivery, curbside pickup & limited indoor seating, plus outdoor dining at Fallsgrove. Potomac phone: (240) 660-2626. Rockville phone: (301) 738-0005. Menu: mobyskabob.com.

 

• MOSAIC CUISINE, modern French cooking in Rockville. Freshly reopened for curbside pickup at 186 Halpine Road or delivery with Grubhub. Also offering outdoor dining plus limited seating in our newly redesigned dining room. Offering your favorite waffles, beef bourguignon, two-course family meals for four starting at $58, and much more. Order online or by phone: (301) 468-0682. Menu: mosaiccuisine.com.

 

• NORMANDIE FARM, pop on over for fine cooking in the heart of Potomac, 10710 Falls Road. Outdoor patio now open, plus limited indoor seating. Full menu service, fine wines & spirits, live music Thursday-Sunday evenings, and of course our famous popovers. Also open for carry-out service. Phone: (301) 983-8838. Menu: popovers.com.

 

• POTOMAC PIZZA, a delicious favorite since 1978. Multiple locations in Maryland and the DMV. Potomac location: (301) 299-7700. Traville location: (301) 279-2234. Chevy Chase location: (301) 951-1127. Offering contact-free delivery, curbside pickup & takeout. Sister company Bagels & Grinds also offering bagels, lox & cream cheese pickup in Potomac on Saturday mornings. Menu: potomacpizza.com.

 

• QUARTERMAINE COFFEE ROASTERS, locally roasted fresh coffee. Bethesda store open 6 a.m.-3 p.m. daily with drinks, beans & pastries. Use the Quartermaine app or call (301) 718-2853. Also: $5 flat-rate shipping with $30 minimum for beans shipped to your door. Click on the person next to the shopping cart at www.quartermaine.com.

 

• SISTERS THAI POTOMAC, Asian & Thai cuisine + desserts. Pickup and patio dining at Cabin John Village, 7995 Tuckerman Lane. Specialties like chicken satay, larb gai, pad thai, drunken noodles, curry dishes & more. Phone: (301)299-4157. Free no-contact delivery with $30 to $40 minimum order. Menu: sistersthaicabinjohn.com.

 

• THE GRILLED OYSTER CO., American fare, seafood & drinks at Cabin John Village. 7943 Tuckerman Lane. Try our new $78 Clambake: double Maine lobster, spiced shrimp, steamed clams, corn, potatoes & cole slaw, complete with checked tablecloth. Call (301) 299-9888 or email valerie@grilledoysterco.com to order. Menu: thegrilledoystercompany.com.

 

• YEKTA Persian restaurant & market. 1488 Rockville Pike. Our restaurant is open during construction 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday for curbside pickup, carry-out & delivery apps; call (301) 984-0005. Market open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday with curbside pickup available. Email info@yekta.com or call (301) 984-1190. Menu: yekta.com.

 

SHOP LOCAL

 

• AUSTYN PARKER, fun jewelry for kids & cute clothes for moms. For kids: Make-your-own jewelry kits & online parties where everyone works on a project together. For moms: We’ve got your favorite brands like LNA, Monrow, Perfect White Tee, Generation Love, Chrldr & Comune. Shop Facebook or Shop Instagram. For gift ideas, party planning & what’s in stock, call us: (301) 706-8122 or email us: randi@austynparker.com.

 

• BOWS ETC. has the face masks that you & your loved ones need plus hair fashions for girls & women. Don’t let social distancing stop you from showing your personality! Our triple-layered masks are 100% cotton, reversible & washable. Shipping or porch pickup available. Loads of colorful patterns & themes: florals, sports, swirls, mah jongg, unicorns, college designs & solids for students returning to school. Visit us: Facebook and Instagram. Call (301) 442-6707. Website: bowsetc.com.

 

• GYM & TONIC, luxury athleisure apparel. Whether you’re working out or working from home, we have the casual comfortable looks you want right now — plus lots of different style of masks, from tie-dye to camo! Now open for in-person shopping Monday-Saturday 12-4 p.m., and we’re always sanitizing for the safest possible experience. Prefer to shop from home? DM us for virtual visits & delivery in the DMV. Shop @lovegymandtonic on Instagram. Email us: wendyamy18@gmail.com. Call us: (301) 340-8800.

 

• HANNA’S CONNECTION clothing boutique, now open at the Cabin John mini-mall. Fully stocked with new styles to fit your lifestyle, free designer face masks with your purchase. Call for a safe, sanitized one-on-one shopping appointment. We still offer virtual shopping and online orders with free limited delivery. Curbside pickup & shipping on orders over $50. Call us: (301) 704-0264. Shop Facebook or Shop Instagram.

 

• JOYFUL BATH CO., natural handmade bath and body care products for spa & wellness at home. 5534 Wilkins Ct., North Bethesda. Soaps, shower steamers, bath bombs, hemp ultra therapy, soy candles, Turkish towels & gift sets plus our own citric acid surface cleaner. Open 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Call (301) 986-5320 or order online for shipping or curbside pickup: joyfulbathco.com.

 

• KAREN’S ROCKS AND RAGS, new & gently used women’s boutique with on-trend, affordable clothing & accessories. 212 Main Street, Gaithersburg. Now accepting luxury designer bags on consignment for a 50/50 split. Check out our $10 face masks, $10 racks & 20% off racks. Open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Shop Facebook. Shop Instagram. Phone: (240) 631-2565. eBay store: ebay.com/str/karensrocksandrags.

 

• R BOUTIQUE, a sophisticated & modern clothing store, now open inside Art & Chemistry by Diego at Downtown Crown. Fully stocked with clothing, jewelry & accessories. Tons of casual wear, tie-dye sets, shorts, tank tops, sandals & sneakers. Boutique hours are Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Or call Rayna at (301) 943-2000 for a private shopping appointment. Shop Facebook. Shop Instagram. To purchase masks, visit rboutique.shop.

 

• SANS SKINCARE, luxurious, locally crafted spa-quality products. Beautiful skin starts with healthy skin. Our moisturizers, serums, cleansers, masks, balms, scrubs & more are 100% natural, plant-based formulations that contain no water, no preservatives & no harmful chemicals. Because sometimes what you leave out of a product is just as important as what you put into it. Visit us on Instagram, Twitter. and Facebook. Website: sansskincare.com.

 

• SCOUT & MOLLY’S BOUTIQUE, your North Bethesda fashion destination at Pike & Rose. We have tons of new summer arrivals. Click here for new face mask colors & styles. Shop Instagram. Shop Facebook. We will continue to offer curbside pickup, so feel free to shop online or call us at (301) 348-5047 to help with your shopping needs! Website: northbethesda.scoutandmollys.com.

 

• THE BLUE HOUSE, a happy home furnishings & lifestyle boutique with a little bit of everything. 7770 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda. Call us: (301) 656-6088. Email us: thebluehousebethesda@gmail.com. Make a Facetime shopping appointment, ShopFacebook or Shop Instagram. Fast, free delivery from Bethesda to Gaithersburg, and we ship nationwide. Website: thebluehousebethesda.com.

 

CELEBRATIONS