JT Interiors holiday open house

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nespresso, Teavana, Congressional Plaza and a pizza giveaway