
Books in, toys out at Congressional
Whenever this pandemic finally ends, here’s one thing we know for sure: There will still be plenty of books to buy in Rockville. Construction has been moving along at Congressional Plaza, and the new Barnes & Noble sign is finally up. In case you haven’t heard, the bookstore will be moving across the street from its longtime home at Montrose Crossing. (Timetable? No one knows right now.) Meanwhile, Congressional Plaza also lost a longtime tenant this week: Child’s Play, one of our last locally owned toy stores, has closed its doors in Rockville. Owners say the exit is permanent, and it’s unrelated to coronavirus.

More construction at Cabin John
In other construction news, bulldozers have been bustling at Cabin John Village these past few weeks. In addition to the townhouses being built behind the center, the parking lot outside the mini-mall is fenced off for upgrades to its asphalt, landscaping and lighting. Long-term plans call for additional retail buildings on this side of Cabin John. Stay tuned to Store Reporter for the latest.

Closed for now, but not for good
While many of our local restaurants remain open for takeout and delivery (scroll down for our list), some have opted to shut down temporarily instead of making the switch. Bagel City on Rockville Pike has been closed for several weeks, and the papered-over windows had customers concerned that it wouldn’t be coming back. Not to worry: Owners tell us they’ll reopen as soon as it’s safe to do so. First Watch also closed its doors at Rockville Town Square last week, but the Florida-based chain says all locations will reopen when the time is right. (Update: Bagel City eventually gave up on its plans for reopening. The restaurant’s sign came down in June. First Watch, however, did return.)
We're Open! Local food, shopping and live classes
The “We’re Open!” Guide is our weekly list of locally owned businesses ready to serve you. Support our stores and restaurants — and give yourself a much-needed break — with takeout meals, no-contact delivery, shopping, kids’ programs and more. (Want to advertise in our guide? Email us: publisher@storereporter.com.)
DINING
- Brooklyn’s Deli, homemade meats, soups & sandwiches at Potomac Woods Plaza. 1089 Seven Locks Road. Phone: 301-340-3354. Open daily for carry-out & catering. Menu: brooklynsdelimd.com. Brooklyn’s Deli would like to thank Eagle Bank for getting us through this extremely rough time.
- California Tortilla, a family fave. Potomac, Bethesda, Olney and Quince Orchard locations open daily 11 a.m.-9 p.m. for carryout, curbside pickup and delivery. Order one of our Family Fajita Fiesta or Family Taco Night meals today! californiatortilla.olo.com/home/.
- Cava Mezze, Greek comfort food. Family meals starting at $50 include kabobs, rice, salad, sandwiches & more. Champagne, batched cocktails, discounted beer, 1/2 off wine. Delivery with multiple apps, or 10% off contactless curbside pickup if you call directly: (301) 309-9090. cavamezze.com.
- Downtown Crown online services, restaurant takeout and delivery options at Sam Eig Highway and Fields Road, Gaithersburg. Whatever you’re craving, you’ll find it here. For a complete list of what’s available now, visit ShopDowntownCrown.com.
- Gregorio’s Trattoria, Italian favorites at Cabin John Village. 7745 Tuckerman Lane. Phone: 301-296-6168. Open daily for lunch & dinner. Carry-out, curbside pickup, pay by phone & contact-free delivery available. All wine and beer 1/2 off. 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, or choose no-contact curbside carryout. Check Facebook for daily specials. Menu: huntersbarandgrill.com.
- Julii, comfort food + market goods. $30 family meals, sandwiches, Chef D’s favorite dishes plus toilet paper, paper towels & flour. Champagne, batched cocktails, discounted beer, 1/2 off wine. Delivery with UberEats, or 10 percent off contactless curbside pickup if you call directly: (301) 517-9090. julii.com.
- Metro Microgreens, locally grown hydroponic microgreens. Twelve varieties available. High in nutrient density and helps boost the immune system. Stays fresh for 10 days to two weeks. Contact-free delivery. Order at metromicrogreens.com, email mark@metromicrogreens.com or call 301-706-4884.
- Moby Dick Kabobs, Persian cooking on the go. Multiple locations in Maryland and the DMV. Potomac location: 240-660-2626. Rockville location: 301-738-0005. Open for carry-out, delivery and curbside pickup. Menu: mobyskabob.com.
- Normandie Farm, pop on over for fine cooking in Potomac. 10710 Falls Road. Phone: 301-983-8838. Open for carry-out service. Full menu, popovers & jam to go: 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. Menu: potomacpizza.com.
- Sisters Thai Potomac, Asian & Thai cuisine + desserts. Pickup at Cabin John Village, 7995 Tuckerman Lane. Phone: 301-299-4157. Free no-contact delivery with $30 to $40 minimum order. Menu: sistersthaicabinjohn.com.
- St. Veg, 100% plant-based (vegan) cuisine at Fallsgrove Village Center. 14929 Shady Grove Rd., Unit M. Phone: 301-605-7511. Open for carry-out Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 6:30 p.m. Call in your order, pay by phone and pick up at the designated table just inside the entrance. stveg.com/menu/
- The Grilled Oyster Co., fine dining at Cabin John Village. 7943 Tuckerman Lane. Phone: 301-299-9888. Limited menu, beer and wine for carry-out & delivery. Email valerie@grilledoysterco.com to order. Menu: thegrilledoystercompany.com.
- Yekta Persian restaurant & market. 1488 Rockville Pike. Restaurant open Tuesday-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. Email info@yekta.com or call 301-984-1190. Menu: yekta.com.
BEER, WINE & COFFEE
- 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.
- Talbert’s Ice & Beverage Service, beer & wine delivery. 5234 River Road. Phone: 301-652-3000. Open for walk-ins and as always, delivering beer & wine throughout MoCo, plus ice, sodas & mixers to the DMV. talbertsice.com.
SHOPPING
- Hanna’s Connection clothing boutique. Refresh your closet. Refresh your mood. Temporarily closed at the Cabin John mini-mall, but offering virtual shopping and online orders with free delivery. Now offering designer face masks, $10 or free with purchase. 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.
- On Cloud 9, trendy boutique for babies, girls and adults. Offering virtual shopping & online orders. We deliver by mail, drop off anywhere in a 10-mile radius, or you can pick up curbside by our Potomac Woods Plaza store. 20% off everything right now. Call 301-251-1331 or email oncloud9potomac@gmail.com. Shop Facebook or Shop Instagram.
- R Boutique, soon to reopen inside Art & Chemistry by Diego at Downtown Crown. Now selling unisex cotton face masks, solids and prints, hand-washable and reusable, starting at $10. Shop Facebook. Shop Instagram. For questions, call Rayna Badwey Matz: 301-943-2000. To purchase, visit rboutique.shop.
- Scout & Molly’s Boutique, your North Bethesda fashion destination. Temporarily closed at Pike & Rose, but now online at 30% off total purchase + free shipping. Check out our Instagram for weekly giveaways to promote positive vibes. Call us: 301-348-5047. Shop: northbethesda.scoutandmollys.com.
- The Blue House, a happy home furnishings & lifestyle boutique with a little bit of everything. Windowshop us: 7770 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda. Call us: 301-656-6088. Email us: thebluehousebethesda@gmail.com. Make a Facetime shopping appointment, Shop Facebook or Shop Instagram. Fast, free delivery from Bethesda to Gaithersburg. thebluehousebethesda.com.
- The Cottage Monet, the perfect gifts for you and yours. Temporarily closed at Rockville Town Square (36 Maryland Ave.), but taking orders by Facebook, Instagram and email. Website: cottagemonet.com. Call us: 301-279-2422. Email us: thecottagemonet@gmail.com.
FOR THE KIDS
- International School of Music, now offering online music lessons. All ages and levels, multiple platforms including Skype, FaceTime and Zoom. Take the next step on your musical journey. Call (301) 365-5888 or visit our website: ismw.org.
- My Gym Live! age-appropriate fun for all the kids. Live interactive 30-minute kids’ fitness classes filled with song, dance, gymnastics, sports and more. Our gyms may be closed, but we’re bringing all the fun you expect from My Gym directly into your house. Now offering My Gym Live! birthday parties. More info here: mygym.com/potomac.
- Toy Castle home delivery service. Open for orders 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Same-day, no-fee delivery with $35 minimum order. 1,000-piece puzzles and tons of other items continually re-stocked. Shop for ideas our Facebook page, call for suggestions and to place your order: (301) 299-0680.
SERVICES
- iSoldIt, the easy way to turn your stuff into cash. We’ll help you get top dollar for your unwanted items, large and small. We manage the details so you don’t need to: No contact, no worries. Call us: 301-990-2040. Email us: info@isolditmd.com. More info: www.isolditmd.com.
- Normandy Carpet, excellence in carpet, rug & upholstery cleaning & installation. We’re essential & here to serve you. Spilled wine on your carpet? Dog peed in the house? Flooding from the rain? We follow CDC safety guidelines, and our cleaning method removes dangerous viruses & bacteria. Call 301-741-2005 or email info@normandycarpet.com. www.normandycarpet.com.
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