Summer House opens with reader giveaway

Here’s a sneak peek at Summer House Santa Monica, which opens tonight (1/22) at Pike & Rose across from the new iPic Theater. The restaurant combines a laid-back, California-inspired decor with top-notch food, creative cocktails and a take-out bakery counter specializing in cookies. (Click here to see the full menu.) At this week’s pre-opening festivities, our favorite dishes were the Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, the Beach Bum Ceviche and the Gemelli & Fennel Sausage Pasta. (And for dessert, don’t miss the S’mores cookies or the Trifecta Fudge Cake.) Want to try out the menu for yourself? We’re giving away a $50 gift card to Summer House Santa Monica. Email us here or enter on Facebook here to put your name in our hat. Update: Jonathan Beiser won our Summer House gift card. Stay tuned to Store Reporter for more great giveaways.

Changes in store for Lacy Couture

Lacy Couture Apparel will close this Saturday (Jan. 24) after four years at Potomac Woods Plaza off Montrose and Seven Locks Road. But owner Lacy Jordan isn’t going far; she’ll be back in business this spring selling jewelry, clothing and accessories out of her home near Julius West Middle School. Like the boutique at Potomac Woods, Jordan says her home-based store will specialize in putting together complete outfits with “edgy, age-appropriate going-out and casual clothes that you can’t find anywhere else.” Lacy Couture is running a clearance sale through Saturday. Click here or call 240-453-9007 for more info.

Salon story

The BUBBLES hair salon chain has closed its longtime location at Westfield Montgomery Mall, relocating most of its stylists to a larger new shop across the street at Home Depot Square. The salon should bring some much-needed foot traffic to the ailing shopping center, which was already plagued with vacancies when the popular Vince & Dominic’s Pizzeria closed last May. (See our June 12 issue here for more on that topic.)

A facelift for Dunkin’

Dunkin’ Donuts at the Cabin John Shopping Center is temporarily closed for a much-needed facelift. We hear there will be some new menu items to go with the new decor. Reopening is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 2.

What do you want at the mall?

We’ve been flooded with responses to our reader survey about what stores and restaurants you’d like to see at Westfield Montgomery Mall. In case you missed it, click here to read last week’s issue about what’s already on the way. Then email us here or comment on Facebook here to let us know what else you’re looking for. We’re tallying the votes and will be back with the results in next week’s issue.

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For a guide to previous issues, click here.