Pike & Rose

Sur La Table, H&M, Red Door Spa, hot pots and bagel balls

September 8, 2016 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

New tenants for Pike & Rose

Pike & Rose is building an impressive list of tenants for its second phase, now under construction at Rockville Pike and Old Georgetown Road. In addition to REI and a Pinstripes bocce and bowling center, here’s who else is heading to Pike & Rose:

Sur La Table: This high-end kitchen store will fill the void left by Williams-Sonoma’s departure from the doomed White Flint Mall.
H&M: The fast-fashion retailer, which also lost its home when White Flint was demolished last year, is making a welcome comeback to North Bethesda.
Red Door Salon & Spa: This is the second Bethesda location for Red Door, which also can be found at Wildwood Shopping Center.
Sephora: It’s also the second Bethesda location for the beauty retailer, which just expanded its presence at Westfield Montgomery Mall.
Taylor Gourmet: The D.C.-area hoagie chain is known for its made-from-scratch ingredients, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.

A “town square” vibe for the Apple Store?

While everyone is busy obsessing over the iPhone 7, we’d also like to mention that the new Apple Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall is going to be even bigger than we thought. In addition to taking over the spaces that previously belonged to BCBG and Teavana, the expansion is now expected to include a portion of the former Sephora store as well. Apple hasn’t revealed what it’s going to do with all that square footage, but Fortune reports that the company’s new stores are going for a “town square” vibe with visually inviting Genius bars, expanded seating areas, free Wi-Fi and even live music. To read more in Fortune’s interview with Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts, click here.

Chinese hot pot heading to Rockville

Taking over the Noodles & Company space at Rockville Town Square: Little Dipper Hot Pot, a locally owned restaurant that’s scheduled to open early next year. Little Dipper serves Chinese-style soup with noodles and vegetables, accompanied by a plate of raw beef, pork, lamb or seafood that’s cooked right at your table via a flame beneath your bowl. This will be the second restaurant for owner Kevin Lui, who opened the first Little Dipper last winter in Falls Church. “Rockville has the right demographics and a market that needs this type of cuisine,” Lui says. For more on Little Dipper, click here.

Teen beat: PacSun, Aéropostale and Allure

Teen retailer PacSun emerged from bankruptcy this week after closing only 20 of its 590 stores and reducing its rents at others. The PacSun store at Westfield Montgomery Mall has remained open throughout the process — as has the mall’s Aéropostale store, which has been in bankruptcy since May. But the mall did lose one teen retailer over the summer: Allure, which carried special-occasion dresses, closed its doors in August.

Starbucks rolls out Bantam Bagels

This week Starbucks added a new grab-and-go food option: bite-sized bagel balls in three cream cheese-stuffed flavors, priced at $2.95 for two. Bantam Bagels are made in New York by husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Elyse and Nick Oleksak, who came to national attention after a 2015 appearance on Shark Tank and a $275,000 investment from shark Lori Grenier. Click here for more on the Bantam story.

What went down while you were out of town

With Labor Day behind us and the kids back in school, Store Reporter will be landing in your inbox every Thursday once again. If you missed our summer issues, and you’d like to catch up on what opened and closed while you were away, you can find it all at our website: www.storereporter.com.

Sephora, Trader Joe’s, Nike, Payless and the end of Great Beginnings

August 25, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Sephora’s makeover is nearly complete

Sept. 1 marks the debut of the new Sephora store at Westfield Montgomery Mall — the first of three longtime tenants in the Macy’s wing that are racing to open bigger and better stores before the holidays. Teavana, which closed last spring to make room for a major expansion of the Apple Store, will return this fall in a new location just across the hall. Apple was originally expected to reopen around November, but the project started late and construction delays could make it difficult to meet that timeline. Meanwhile, Swiss coffee maker Nespresso will soon announce plans for a retail store and tasting cafe right next to Teavana. Click here for more on that in our Aug. 18 edition.

Sad ending for Great Beginnings

Great Beginnings, the baby and children’s furniture chain that served Montgomery County for nearly three decades, has come to a not-so-great ending. After the original Gaithersburg location closed its doors last summer, owner Jim Streight told Store Reporter that he planned to reopen in North Bethesda. But this summer brought the abrupt closing of a second Great Beginnings store in Chantilly, which was said to have sustained damage from a burst water pipe. Customers were notified via email that the business could not “financially recover” from the incident and wouldn’t be reopening. Those with outstanding orders were advised to seek refunds from their credit card companies.

Payless in, Hardwood Artisans out in Rockville

Payless Shoe Source opens a new Rockville store this Friday (Aug. 26th) at Federal Plaza on the Pike. The space became available this summer with the departure of Hardwood Artisans, which had been a fixture at that shopping center for nearly 20 years. The furniture company is shifting its attention to downtown Bethesda, where it opened a new store last winter. Click here for more in our May 26th edition.

New Trader Joe’s for Travilah

Stay tuned this fall for the latest on plans for a proposed Trader Joe’s store at Travilah Square Shopping Center. The grocer is hoping to open on Darnestown Road early next year, replacing a Burger King restaurant and small office building at that property. We’ll keep you posted as this proposal moves forward.

Nike store opens, beer garden for Pike & Rose

The Nike Factory Store opened its doors last week at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, where it’s well-positioned to pick up customers from the recently departed Sports Authority. Nike replaces the City Sports store that closed last fall when its parent company went out of business. Next up for the Pike & Rose: Owen’s Ordinary, a beer garden and restaurant from the developers of Vermilion, Iron Gate and Birch & Barley. More on that in an upcoming issue.

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Congressional Plaza, URBNmarket, As Kindred Spirits, Nike Store and a Target debut

July 14, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

New look, new tenants for Congressional Plaza

Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike is getting a summer mini-makeover. The bustling center is renovating its towers, upgrading landscaping and signage, and expanding the outdoor courtyard between Chopt and Starbucks. The extra seating will provide more space for socializing and also help to accommodate overflow from the center’s growing list of fast-casual restaurants, including the upcoming Modern Market (click here for more on that in our June 9th issue). Also heading to Congressional this fall is Saks Off 5th, the discount branch of Saks Fifth Avenue that’s building out the former Tiara space between Performance Bike and Oxygen Salon. For more on Saks Off Fifth, click here for our Nov. 5th issue.

This weekend: Gifts and fab finds at Park Potomac

URBNmarket, a pop-up showcase for vintage and handmade goods, returns to Park Potomac this Friday and Saturday (July 15th and 16th) for its second show of the summer. URBNmarket’s founders, Julie Greenstein and Debbie Sonnenreich, are hoping to make Park Potomac their permanent home after trying out a couple of different locations in downtown Bethesda. This weekend’s show will feature 40 D.C.-area merchants offering furniture, clothing, home accessories, jewelry and unique finds like these hand-sewn bags from Boîte. Show hours are 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; click here for more info.

Changes in store for As Kindred Spirits

As Kindred Spirits exited Westfield Montgomery Mall last week after less than a year in business near the Godiva store. But fans of the eclectic gift shop can take heart: Owner Wendy Rukmini Walker says she’ll return to the mall this fall with a much larger store — most likely in the Nordstrom wing, where her customers tend to congregate. “That space we had was really too small for us and was always intended to be temporary,” says Walker, who also operates a large store at Congressional Plaza and a small one at Reagan National Airport. “The new store will have more of everything,” she says. “More gifts, more clothes, more unique jewelry, more of who we are.”

Nike Store to open next month

The Nike Store has set an August 18th opening date for its new location at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, where it’s taking over the former City Sports store that closed last fall. That should soften the blow for Sports Authority fans who are mourning the retailer’s final days at Montrose Crossing. Also on the way to Pike & Rose is a new REI store, scheduled to open next year, which will replace the company’s current location on Rockville Pike. For more on that, click here for our Oct. 22 edition.

Circo and Cherokee out, Cat & Jack in

This month Target launches a new kids’ clothing line, Cat & Jack, as it says goodbye to the Circo and Cherokee lines that have defined its children’s department for years. Those snoozy brands “hadn’t evolved much from the look of the Olsen twins on Full House,” reports Bloomberg.com, and they didn’t align with the company’s current goal of reviving the “chic” part of its cheap-chic image. The Cat & Jack brand aims for sophisticated designs, unusual color combinations, gender-neutral T-shirts and slogans that stress collaboration instead of competition. For more on how Target is targeting kids (and their parents), you can find the Bloomberg article here.

Nike Factory Store, Chuy’s Tex-Mex & Modern Market to Rockville — plus our best appetizer winners

June 9, 2016 By Store Reporter 2 Comments

Nike store’s next for Pike & Rose

Good news for those who are sad to say goodbye to Sports Authority: A Nike Factory Store will soon be moving into Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, taking over the former City Sports space that’s been empty since last fall. The store will carry workout gear and accessories for all ages, some of which can jazzed up with monograms and other custom touches. Nike will be the second sporting goods retailer doing business at Pike & Rose, where REI also is building out a store that’s scheduled to open next year. Click here for more in our Oct. 22 edition.

Chuy’s Tex-Mex heading to Rockville

Making its Maryland debut on Rockville Pike this fall: Chuy’s, a Tex-Mex chain from Austin that’s taking over the recently closed Ruby Tuesday space at Federal Plaza. Chuy’s, which has a half-dozen locations in Virginia, is known for its made-from-scratch menu and quirky decor featuring colored hubcaps, hanging wooden fish and Elvis memorabilia. Craving burritos already? Click here to check out the menu.

Hold the sugar, bring on the butter

Modern Market, a health-oriented and eco-conscious restaurant chain from Boulder, Colo., is heading to Congressional Plaza with plans for a fall opening next to Chopt. The menu will feature salads, sandwiches, brick oven pizzas and breakfast items, all made from scratch with real butter, whole milk cheeses and raw nuts. “We think added sugar is the devil and (good) fats are our friends,” says the Modern Market website.” We’re a place where paleo, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free friends can all enjoy a great meal, together.” Another Modern Market is also on the way to Bethesda Row. For a look at the menu, click here.

Who has the best appetizers in town?

We asked Store Reporter readers to vote for their favorite appetizers in the Rockville/Potomac area. The result? Three hands-down favorites and three runners-up.

CAVA MEZZE AT TRAVILLE VILLAGE CENTER. This is the restaurant that started the whole Cava empire back in 2006 — and many say it’s still their favorite for great small plates. Our readers’ top picks are the Brussels sprouts with Greek yogurt and olive bread crumbs; the roasted beets with balsamic pomegranate and goat cheese; and of course the famous flaming Saganaki cheese.
SUGO AT PARK POTOMAC. Here’s another win for the Cava team, which opened sister restaurant Sugo in 2012. Brussels sprouts and roasted beet salad are popular here too, but in this case the sprouts are cooked with crispy pancetta and the beets are paired with arugula, pistachios and gorgonzola. Other reader favorites: the chicken meatballs and the grilled charred octopus.
MOCO’S FOUNDING FARMERS AT PARK POTOMAC. At the Rockville branch of the D.C.-based chain, right down the sidewalk from fellow winner Sugo, our readers are particularly fond of the farm breads with various toppings — especially the brie, onion jam and crisp apple combo. Other reader picks include the garlic black pepper wings, fried green tomatoes, bacon lollis and bacon-wrapped dates.

Three other restaurants also earned high marks in our best-appetizer poll. THE GRILLED OYSTER CO. AT CABIN JOHN SHOPPING CENTER draws praise not only for its oysters but also its mussels, fried calamari and Maryland crab dip. CLYDE’S TOWER OAKS LODGE earns kudos for its hummus plate, grilled lamb chops and Coca Cola-marinated beef yakitori. And at MATCHBOX on Rockville Pike, our readers favor the mussels, mini burgers and tuna tartare.

Congrats to our Sugo dinner winner

Congratulations to Store Reporter reader David Winer of Potomac, who won our drawing for a $60 Sugo gift card. Thanks to all who entered the drawing by voting for their favorite appetizers — and stay tuned to Store Reporter for more giveaways coming up.

Bowling at the mall, new restaurants in Rockville, Sports Authority and Once Upon a Chef

February 25, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

The mall gets Lucky

Here’s some news that might bowl you over: Lucky Strike, the California-based chain of upscale bowling alleys, is taking over the old movie theater space at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Plans call for a late summer/early fall opening for Lucky Strike, which will offer gourmet food, bar service, and party space for adults, kids and teens. Lucky Strike should be a fine companion to the popular ArcLight Cinema, as Westfield Montgomery Mall continues to find more reasons to draw people in on the weekends. This will be the second D.C.-area location for Lucky Strike, which also has a presence near the Verizon Center in Chinatown.

Asian Cafe set to open next week

Miso Fusion Café will make its long-awaited debut at Rockville Town Square next week, offering a menu of traditional Korean and Japanese cuisine plus some creative mashups. “At our other restaurant in Annandale, it’s basically Koreatown — and they like things the traditional way,” says Miso co-owner A.J. Lee. “At this restaurant we’re going to have pork tenderloin, chicken jalapeño, a whole section of cheese roll katsus, and other dishes that would never fly in Annandale. We also have a lot of cool new ramen dishes, an all-you-can-eat section, and a full bar that will be open late.” You can find Miso Fusion Cafe in the former Pho & Rolls space at 33 Maryland Ave.

Carluccio’s debuts at Pike & Rose

Carluccio’s, the Italian restaurant and gourmet market, opened for breakfast, lunch and dinner service this week at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda. This is the second U.S. location for Carluccio’s, a U.K. company that also opened in Alexandria last summer. The restaurant is on the ground floor of the PerSei apartment building off Rockville Pike and Old Georgetown Road.

Chopt is almost here

Chopt is expected to open in the next few weeks at Congressional Plaza in Rockville, where the salad chain recently posted an enormous sign that announces its presence to drivers far across the Pike. Expect another new tenant soon, as Congressional looks to replace the Robeks store that closed late last year.

New cookbook from Potomac chef

Coming to bookstore shelves in 2018: The Once Upon a Chef Cookbook by Potomac’s own Jenn Segal. The publishing deal with Chronicle Press marks a long-held career goal for Segal, a graduate of L’Academie de Cuisine who worked at L’Auberge Chez Francois before launching Once Upon a Chef from her home. Her easy-to-follow recipes, using everyday ingredients and accompanied by step-by-step photos, have earned Segal a huge loyal online audience (100,000-plus readers for her weekly newsletter) and regular print and TV appearances. The new book will feature 30 favorites from the Once Upon a Chef website, plus 70 new recipes that Segal will be working on this year.

Bankruptcy watch for Sports Authority

Sports Authority is facing a likely bankruptcy filing in March after missing payments to its creditors over the past few months. The Colorado-based chain, with 450 stores across the country, is a leader in its category along with Dick’s, Academy Sports and Bass Pro Shops. But sporting goods retailers have been losing market share to specialty apparel stores like Lululemon, discounters like Walmart, and of course the ubiquitous Amazon.com. The bankruptcy filing will likely be accompanied by the closing of nearly 150 Sports Authority stores; no word yet on the fate of those in our area.

Roti closes, Rockville Soccer moves, Cal Tort goes extra-healthy

January 7, 2016 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Roti near the mall is the first to fall

Sometimes January brings a rash of store and restaurant closings, as leases end and businesses cut their losses after a disappointing holiday season. Macy’s, for example, is closing 40 stores across the country (although none in Montgomery County). But this year the Rockville/Potomac area made it through the holidays pretty much intact: The only closing we’ve noted so far is the Roti Mediterranean Grill just outside Westfield Montgomery Mall. Carl Segal, CEO of Chicago-based Roti, says traffic at that location began to suffer when Chipotle, Cava Grill and other fast-casual restaurants moved into the mall’s snazzy new Dining Terrace. So Roti signed a lease at Pike & Rose, where Segal says the hip young customer base is better suited to the modernized menu he’ll be rolling out this year. “We like to be next to the &pizzas and Shophouses of the world,” he says. “We all share customers and complement each other.”

Big move for Rockville Soccer

Rockville Soccer, the retail home base for MSI and a long list of local soccer clubs, has moved into larger quarters on the second floor of Wintergreen Plaza. Owner Hrant Tatarian, who runs a small chain of soccer stores in the D.C. area, says his 23-year-old business had outgrown its cramped space at the Sunshine Square Shopping Center further south on Rockville Pike. The new store, near Gold’s Gym and Adventure Theater MTC, offers 4,000 square of footwear, uniforms and soccer equipment. “We wanted to have concept shops for Nike and Adidas like you’d expect to see in a Dick’s or a Nordstrom,” Tatarian says. “We really needed the extra room.”

New year, new burrito at Cal Tort

In a month when just about everyone seems to be hitting the gym and focusing on clean eating, California Tortilla has rolled out a “Super Food Burrito” stuffed with all the right buzzwords: kale, avocado, quinoa, whole wheat and “GMO-free.” The $7.39 dish is currently slated for a limited run, but a strong early response suggests it may end up sticking around. “We wanted to come out with something especially healthy during this first quarter when so many people are starting their diets,” says Keith Goldman, chief operating officer and head chef for the Rockville-based restaurant chain. “It took us a while to figure out how to make kale taste good,” he chuckles. “But if the first few days are any indication, this burrito is going to be one of our top sellers.”

What’s next for White Flint?

At this time last year, P.F. Chang’s was serving its final customers as the once-posh White Flint Mall closed its doors for the last time. Summer brought the culmination of a longstanding lawsuit when the mall’s owners, Lerner Enterprises and Tower Cos., were ordered to pay Lord & Taylor $31 million for lost profits during the mall’s redevelopment. Now White Flint has been reduced to a pile of rubble, with only Lord & Taylor left standing (and still doing business). As we swing into 2016, count on Store Reporter to keep you up to date on all things White Flint: When the new project will break ground, what shape it will take, and who might still be interested in moving there by the time this saga comes to an end. (Hint: Wegmans is over it.)

Bean bags at the mall, a move for REI, a wine and beer weekend and a giveaway for teens

October 22, 2015 By Store Reporter 1 Comment

Bean bags and body pillows

Yogibo, a modern bean bag store catering to kids, teens and space-challenged millennials, opens today (10/22) in the Old Navy wing at Westfield Montgomery Mall. This is the third store in Maryland for Yogibo, which was founded six years ago when a New Hampshire man designed a body pillow for his pregnant wife. Today the company’s most popular product is the Max (pictured here), a six-foot-long chair/couch/bed that comes in 16 colors and sells for $239. But there are plenty more to choose from: body pillows, back pillows, neck pillows, tablet pillows, even poolside pillows with washable covers. Jason Knights, marketing director for Yogibo, says the company also has developed many fans in the special needs community. “Because of the way our bean bags conform to the body, sitting and laying on them can provide sensory soothing for people with autism or sensory processing disorder,” he says. “We hear great feedback from parents and therapists all the time. But really, these are incredibly comfortable pieces of furniture for anyone. You can’t realize how comfortable they are until you sit on one.”

It’s official: REI is moving to Pike & Rose

This week REI formally announced what we reported here last month: Its Rockville Pike store will relocate to larger quarters at Pike & Rose in 2017. The 36,000-square-foot store will be about 40 percent larger than REI’s current space, but company spokesman Mike Ferris says no decisions have been made yet about how the extra square footage will be used. (If you have suggestions about what you’d like to see more of at REI, email us here and we’ll relay your feedback to the company.) If you missed the original REI story in our Sept. 10 issue, click here to catch up on other recent news about Rockville Pike.

Win $50 in gifts from Jodi’s Jamboree

This week we’re giving away a $50 gift certificate to Jodi’s Jamboree, a Rockville-based business specializing in teen clothing and accessories. There’s lots to choose from at Jodi’s this season, including pink Lokai bracelets ($18), plaid pajama pants ($22 and up), monogrammed robes ($60) and personalized rain jackets ($65). Also hot is a new collection of $40 silver bracelets shown here. And Jodi’s offers personalized merchandise for sports teams, school spirit wear, theme parties or mitzvah favors. (For more info, call 301-742-1468.) Want to win some goodies for your favorite girl or teen? To enter our drawing, click here to send us an email (subject line: Jodi) or click here to enter via our Facebook page.

Don’t leggo your Lego

If you’re planning to buy Legos for the kids this holiday season, it’s time to start shopping. This week the Danish company announced that it cannot keep up with demand for its products in Europe — and it’s possible that shortage could affect the U.S. by December. Lego, which recently overtook Mattel and Hasbro to become the world’s largest toymaker, saw its popularity rise even higher after the success of last year’s The Lego Movie. The surge is similar to what happened in 2013, when Disney was caught off guard by the Frozen juggernaut and couldn’t make toys fast enough to satisfy its audience.

City Sports out at Pike & Rose, Fish Taco and fitness at Wildwood, new jeweler at Park Potomac

October 8, 2015 By Store Reporter 2 Comments

City Sports throws in the towel at Pike & Rose

The year-old Pike & Rose development in North Bethesda has suffered its first casualty: City Sports, one of the first tenants to open there last November, says it will close up shop by the end of this month. The decision follows last week’s Chapter 11 filing for the Boston-based chain, which is also closing its Silver Spring store and possibly other D.C.-area locations. This is the second sporting goods retailer to go belly-up on Rockville Pike this fall; Hudson Trail Outfitters called it quits last month and is currently liquidating its store at Montrose Crossing. But it’s a whole different story for the Pike’s thriving REI store, which recently signed a lease for 36,000 square feet in Phase II of Pike & Rose. This week we heard some speculation that REI might take over the much-smaller City Sports space instead of waiting until 2017 for its new store to open. But Federal Realty, the developer of Pike & Rose, says that’s not going to happen. “We’re confident we will replace City Sports with a great retailer or restaurant that will be additive to the Pike & Rose neighborhood,” a company spokesman tells us.

Fish Taco swims toward a winter opening

If you’re one of those Fish Taco fans who can’t wait for the gourmet Mexican restaurant to open at Wildwood Shopping Center, we’re sorry to tell you that the wait will be a couple of months longer than expected. “Nobody wants to open sooner than I do, but now I think we’re looking at the middle of January,” says owner Francis Namin, who opened the original Fish Taco on MacArthur Boulevard and also owns Food Wine & Co. in Bethesda. Namin signed the Wildwood lease this summer and had hoped to open by fall, but plumbing and electrical issues got in the way. Still, he promises the new restaurant will be worth the wait: modern decor, seating for up to 80 people, a streamlined takeout counter, and a “lighter, brighter and happier” look than the one on MacArthur Boulevard.

New gym heading to Wildwood

Also on the way to Wildwood Shopping Center this winter is Solidcore, the D.C. fitness chain known for its high-intensity workouts on Pilates-based Megaformer machines. Founded two years ago in Adams Morgan, Solidcore promises a personalized, boutique atmosphere with 50-minute classes that are designed to exhaust every muscle. The Wildwood location, set to open after Thanksgiving, will have 14 machines that must be reserved and paid for online before you arrive. At peak times, those slots can fill up quickly. “Our typical clients are hard-working, hard-driving individuals who like to be challenged,” says Solidcore vice president Erika Elko. “Many are athletes and former athletes who have been very successful in their lives and careers.” At Solidcore’s price point, they’d have to be successful: The gym charges upwards of $35 for a single class, with one-year unlimited memberships going for nearly $3,500.

Still time for a gift from On Cloud 9

It’s not too late to enter our giveaway for a super-soft Butter jacket from On Cloud 9 at Potomac Woods Plaza, 1085 Seven Locks Road. The winner will get to choose from an array of cute styles like these, available in sizes 4 to 16. On Cloud 9 caters to fashionistas of any age — babies, girls, teens and women — with the latest looks from Vintage Havana, So Nikki, Malibu Sugar, Wildfox, T2 Love and many more. Update: Jill Mendelson Rodriguez won this giveaway; keep reading Store Reporter to see what we’re giving away next.

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Potomac jeweler is back with a new store

Potomac jeweler George Kaufmann, formerly with the now-closed Robert Bernard Jewelers at Potomac Woods Plaza, opened a new store at Park Potomac last week with son Corey as his partner. Kaufmann has been in the jewelry business for most of his life, learning the trade from his own father at a Kaufmann store in D.C. that dated back to the 1940s. The new Kaufmann Jewelers, 12500 Park Potomac Avenue across from Sugo and MoCo’s Founding Farmers, will offer repair service and custom work on gold, diamonds, gemstones and watches.

Bankruptcy filing for American Apparel

American Apparel filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week, a move that had been expected for months as the troubled company fought with its ousted founder and saw its sales continue to slide. The retailer plans to close some of its 227 stores, but there’s no word yet on the fate of the one at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The past 12 months have been tough for teen retailers, with Wet Seal, Delia’s and Deb Shops going out of business while once-popular chains like Abercrombie & Fitch face an uphill battle to win back their fickle customer base.

Rockville Pike: who’s in, who’s out, who’s moving

September 10, 2015 By Store Reporter 4 Comments

We’re back… and we’ll get you up to speed

The kids are back in school, and Store Reporter is back on the retail and restaurant beat — with far more news than we can possibly squeeze into one issue. In the next few weeks we’ll get you up to speed on all the news of summer and early fall: who’s closed, who’s moving, and who’s on the way to greater Rockville and Potomac. This week we’ll start with a look at Rockville Pike, where many businesses said goodbye in the past few months — but plenty of new ones are on the way.

New eateries, new Ethan Allen and a rock-&-roll barbershop

The big news for Rockville Pike this winter is the impending arrival of Galvan at Twinbrook, a residential, retail and restaurant complex that will bring some new dining and shopping options to the area. Tenants announced so far include Safeway, Dunkin’ Donuts, Smashburger and Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop — plus Pie 360, a build-your-own pizza chain from the owners of Coal Fire; and Floyd’s 99 Barbershop, a rock-&-roll-themed chain that’s expanding in our area. Also on the way is a new home for the Ethan Allen Design Center, returning to its original location on the Pike after two years in a temporary site nearby.

REI takes a hike down the Pike

REI is the newest tenant to join the party at Pike & Rose, with plans for a 36,000-square-foot store that willreplace its current digs at 1701 Rockville Pike. “It’s going to be a much bigger store, so we’re going to have a lot more opportunity to spread out,” says Carli Davenport, sales manager for the popular outdoor store. “We’ve been waiting quite a while for this to happen.” But the wait’s not over yet: The new REI isn’t scheduled to open for two more years.

Last chance to win $50 at Urban Heights

There’s still time to enter our giveaway for a $50 gift card to Urban Heights, 7940 Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda. New executive chef Cliff Wharton, formerly with D.C.’s TenPenh, draws on his Filipino heritage for the Asian-influenced menu and fresh Tuna Bar. If you’re already a Store Reporter subscriber, look in your weekly email for a personalized link to enter our contest. New to Store Reporter? Click here to subscribe and enter simultaneously.

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Who’s left, who’s leaving

There were more closings than usual on Rockville Pike this summer, as a number of longtime businesses made quiet exits while the crowds were out of town. Ted’s 355 Diner and The Potomac Grill both packed up their kitchens in recent months, while the Entenmann’s Bakery Outlet relocated to Jessup. Plow & Hearth closed its store at Congressional Plaza, making way for a Chop’t salad restaurant that’s scheduled to move in next spring. Hank Dietle’s ended its brief partnership with the Curley’s Q food truck, which served barbecue from the Dietle’s kitchen from May through the end of August. And Hudson Trail Outfitters, a locally owned competitor to REI, is closing its store at Montrose Crossing along with the rest of its D.C.-area locations.

White Flint update

The owners of White Flint Mall are fighting the outcome of last month’s U.S. District Court case, in which a jury awarded Lord & Taylor $31 million for lost profits and renovation costs while the mall is torn down and redeveloped. Attorneys for the mall’s owners, Lerner Enterprises and The Tower Cos., have started the appeal process and announced that the project may not happen if they don’t win. Meanwhile, the whole mess has likely scuttled any hopes that a Wegmans supermarket would be part of the new development. Watch this space for news on where else Wegmans may be looking.

Pizza on the Pike, dorm decor at Macy’s, new store at Wildwood and new Frappuccinos — plus our River Falls Tavern winner

June 11, 2015 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Pizzeria opens Friday at Pike & Rose

The D.C.-based &pizza chain opens its newest location tomorrow (6/12) at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda — the fourth restaurant in Maryland and 13th overall for the rapidly expanding business, which got its start just three years ago on H Street in Washington. The concept is similar to Blaze at Westfield Montgomery Mall: Customers walk through a Chipotle-style assembly line and tell the staff exactly what to put on their oblong-shaped pies. “We use quality ingredients that you’re not likely to see on pizzas anywhere else — things like farm-fresh eggs, fig marsala and red pepper chili oil,” says &pizza exec Sam Blum. The Pike & Rose location will look much like the one in Gaithersburg, with communal wood tables and a black-and-white motif.

Who won dinner at the River Falls Tavern?

Congratulations to Store Reporter reader Nicole Kustner, who won last week’s uber-popular giveaway: Dinner for two at the River Falls Tavern in Potomac Village. Kustner and her guest will get to try out the new menu from famed chef Robert Wiedmaier, whose RW Restaurant Group bought the Tavern this past spring. Stay tuned for what else is coming to the Tavern: nightly drink specials and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. And keep reading Store Reporter for more great giveaways.

Dormify at Macy’s

Launching this week at Macy’s: a new line of bedding from Dormify, the dorm decor company founded by a Churchill High School grad and her mother. “This is our first time partnering with a brick-and-mortar retailer,” says Nicole Gardner, chief operating officer for the Rockville-based company. “Macy’s was looking to target the college lifestyle in a way they haven’t done before, so the timing was perfect for us.” Founded in 2011 by ad exec Karen Zuckerman and her then-college-aged daughter Amanda, Dormify offers mix-and-match bedding and accessories for students who like their rooms to make a fashion statement. The Macy’s line will include four comforter sets (priced from $79.99 if you catch them on sale) with matching sheets and pillows. Everything is reversible, so students can change up their look or coordinate with a roommate. Dormify’s new bedding will be carried by 50 Macy’s stores nationwide — but not, unfortunately, the one at Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Wildwood boutique opens today

Coco Blanca, the newest addition to the Shops at Wildwood, opens today (6/11) at 10241 Old Georgetown Road. Like its sister store in Old Town Alexandria, the boutique features a tone-on-tone mix of furniture, home accessories, jewelry and clothing. “The palette of a coconut with a bit of black and a splash of turquoise,” says co-owner Susan Neithamer. It’s the second boutique to open at Wildwood this spring; Hadlee arrived in March. Click here for more on both stores in our April 2nd edition.

New frappes at Starbucks

This week Starbucks rolled out a new line of sugar-laden Frappuccino flavors: Cupcake, Red Velvet Cake, Cotton Candy, Cinnamon Roll, Lemon Bar and Caramel Cocoa Cluster. A grande will cost you $4.75 and roughly 90 minutes on the spin bike, with calorie counts as high as 510 per serving. Starbucks is asking customers to vote on their favorite flavor before the end of this month. We predict the Lemon Bar is going to lose: It’s the least-fattening choice (350 calories), but local baristas say it’s also the least popular.

Old Navy gets active

Old Navy is moving aggressively into the activewear market with a new line of clothing, “Built For Play,” featuring “go-dry” moisture-wicking technology. The clothes will get prime space in the front of Old Navy stores this summer, with an accompanying TV campaign showing them in action on men, women and kids. The new line is priced well below those of competitors like Nike, Under Armour and Lululemon, as well as Old Navy’s sister brand, Athleta.

Italian market heading to North Bethesda, new day spa for Rockville, Caché and RadioShack closings — plus where to find a great pasta bolognese

March 12, 2015 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

A taste of Italy at Pike & Rose

An Italian restaurant and market has joined the upcoming lineup at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda. This will be the second U.S. location for Carluccio’s, a British company that’s about to make its American debut in Old Town Alexandria. Carluccio’s restaurants open early and close late, with freshly prepared meals and a wide range of grocery items imported from Italy. The fast-growing chain has more than 100 locations in the U.K. and the Middle East. No word yet on the timing of the Pike & Rose location. But the U.K. menu features specialties like fish stew with spicy sausage, slow-cooked beef in red wine sauce, and green beans with mint and garlic.

New spa for Rockville

A new day spa is on the way to Rockville, moving into the onetime Natural Body space at Potomac Woods Plaza off Montrose and Seven Locks Road. AcuSpa will incorporate an “East-meets-West” philosophy with services ranging from massage, foot reflexology and acupuncture to cosmetic procedures, nail care and traditional Chinese remedies. Owner Danlu Wang-Ross is sprucing things up a bit before the spa’s April 24 opening, but she didn’t have to make too many big changes: The space was already equipped with showers, whirlpools, treatment rooms and other features from its previous occupant. In between the two spas, the same storefront was occupied for four years by the women’s clothing store Lacy Couture. Click here if you missed our Jan. 22nd report on where Lacy has gone.

Last chance to catch Caché

If you’re a fan of the Caché women’s clothing chain — or more accurately, if you were a fan — now is the time stop in for some last-chance bargains. Caché filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February and had planned to keep some stores in operation, but all that changed last week when a liquidation firm purchased the company’s assets. The Westfield Montgomery Mall store has started major markdowns for its going-out-of-business sale.

RadioShack signing off

Auctions begin next week for the remains of RadioShack Corp., which is trying to figure out what to do with all its leases after last month’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The Cabin John and Rockville Pike stores both closed their doors in the last few weeks, while the Westfield Montgomery Mall store is still in business. GameStop Corp. is looking to take over some of the closed locations for its Spring Mobile subsidiary, and there’s been talk that Amazon might also be interested. All stores are expected to be either closed or sold by the end of this month.

Reader Favorite: Sugo’s Pasta Bolognese

Stefanie Greenberg, a Rockville mom of three teens, is a big fan of Sugo at Park Potomac. “It has a fun atmosphere with a terrific bar, friendly staff and most importantly great food,” she says. Her favorite menu item is the Pasta Bolognese ($15). “The rich meat sauce is like a taste of heaven from Grandma’s kitchen. Tossed with perfectly cooked short pasta and then finished with a dollop of creamy ricotta — too bad I have to share with my table mates!”

New seafood market may be on the way; White Flint Mall update; Costco and Konplott

March 5, 2015 By Store Reporter 10 Comments

New seafood market may be on the way

Good news for fans of fresh seafood: We hear that a new gourmet fish market will soon be setting up shop near the border of Potomac and Rockville. The owner, who has many years of experience in the seafood industry, has his eye on a location that’s convenient to both areas — but not too close to Potomac Village, which already has two gourmet markets of its own. Stay tuned to Store Reporter for more details when the deal is done.

White Flint Mall — finally ready to come down?

The owners of White Flint Mall won a victory in federal appeals court this week when a judge ruled against Lord & Taylor’s attempt to stop the property from being redeveloped. The department store, which owns its own building and has no plans to leave, is the only tenant left at the once-luxurious mall after owner Lerner Enterprises allowed all the other leases to expire. Lerner plans to demolish the property and replace it with an open-air mix of retail, restaurants, offices and living space. Lord & Taylor took Lerner to court in an effort to force the company to repopulate White Flint Mall instead of tearing it down. But an appeals court judge said that plan wasn’t realistic. The redevelopment project still has some governmental hurdles to clear, but this week’s decision means it’s now just a matter of time before the wrecking ball arrives.

Congrats to our Stella Barra gift card winner

Congratulations to Store Reporter readers Tammi Cortez, Helaine Shabrin Groeger and Scott Reilly, who each won $25 gift cards to the new Stella Barra Pizzeria at Pike & Rose. Keep reading Store Reporter for a chance to win more great giveaways. And scroll down to our Sales & Events section to find out what restaurant is opening at Pike & Rose this weekend.

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Costco says goodbye Amex, hello Visa

Just weeks after announcing its impending breakup with American Express, Costco has moved on to a new credit card partner. Starting in April 2016, Visa will be the only credit card that Costco accepts. Also on the way out is the the Costco American Express TrueEarnings card, which will be replaced next year by a co-branded Costco Visa. Still to be determined: whether that new Visa card will offer the same level of generous cash-back rewards.

Goodbye — again — to Konplott

Speaking of goodbyes, this week we bid adieu for the second time to Konplott at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The four-year-old store had been the first U.S. location for the European retailer, which sells an eye-catching line of colorful crystal pieces by designer Miranda Konstantindou. This was the second exit in less than a year for Konplott, which vacated its store near Macy’s last spring but later resurfaced in the form of a kiosk outside Nordstrom. This time the departure appears to be permanent: Konplott’s phone number is no longer in service.

Reader Favorite: French baguettes at Breadsmith

Our Reader Favorite section is the perfect place to tell us about that dish you dream about, that dessert you crave, or that go-to gift from your favorite little shop. Click here to share your favorite — and read on for a recommendation from one of your neighbors. Sheila Weiss of Potomac can’t get enough of the crusty French loaves at Breadsmith in the Cabin John Shopping Center (not to mention the store’s delicious fresh-out-of-the-oven aroma). “They stock authentic French baguettes ($2.50), soft and chewy inside with a wonderful crust,” says Weiss, who works as chief science officer for DrugLogic in Reston. “I always skip the soggy supermarket version and head over to Breadsmith for the real thing.”

Wiedmaier buys The Tavern at River Falls; Restaurant giveaways; Caché, Core and the ultimate deli sandwich

February 26, 2015 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

Wiedmaier buys The Tavern at River Falls

The prediction we made in last week’s issue has come true: Chef Robert Wiedmaier, the man behind Brasserie Beck, Mussel Bar & Grille and Wildwood Kitchen, is expanding his territory to Potomac Village. Wiedmaier’s RW Restaurant Group has agreed to buy The Tavern at River Falls, which lost its manager last year when Jeff Grolig exited the business and closed his neighboring River Falls Market. (Click here for more on that story.) In recent months the restaurant has been run by Grolig’s father, a retired firefighter who admits he was in over his head. “I’m 72 years old, I know nothing about the restaurant business, and I’m at a stage in my life where I can’t be losing money,” Grolig says. “Selling this restaurant is going to leave a hole in our hearts, but it’s probably for the best.” Staff changes have already begun: A manager from Wiedmaier’s company started work this week, and there will likely be some updates to the menu. But for now there are no plans to change the restaurant’s name.

Win a gift card to the new Stella Barra Pizzeria

This week we’re giving away three $25 gift cards to Stella Barra Pizzeria, a new addition to the Pike & Rose development in North Bethesda. The dinner-only restaurant offers artisan pies (shaved mushroom with gruyère, anyone?) and an extensive beer and wine list. The winners will be chosen at random, but you must be a Store Reporter subscriber to participate. Click here to enter by email (subject line: Stella Barra) or click here to enter via Facebook. Update: Store Reporter readers Tammi Cortez, Helaine Shabrin Groeger and Scott Reilly won this giveaway. Stay tuned to Store Reporter for your chance to win the next one.

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Where to get that Kardashian look

Core, a clothing store targeting Millennials who take their fashion cues from the Kardashians, has opened in the former Burton space near the Dining Terrace at Westfield Montgomery Mall. “We specialize in emerging streetwear brands from Los Angeles, England and Australia,” says co-owner Kevin James, who studied fashion at The Art Institute of Washington. “Our customers are people who look at the Kanye Wests, the Kim Kardashians and the Rihannas and want to look like them.” James and his business partner have another Core store in Wheaton, and they hope to open a third in Los Angeles.

Caché will stay — for now

Caché, the women’s clothing chain known for its dresses, has been closing stores across the country after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month. But Caché employees at Westfield Montgomery Mall say that location will remain open through prom season and beyond. “We are definitely not going to be one of the stores that’s closing,” one manager told us emphatically. Caché joins a growing list of clothing retailers that have filed for bankruptcy in recent months. Among them was the teen store Wet Seal, which closed its Montgomery Mall store over the holidays.

Congrats to the winner of our Asia Nine giveaway

Congratulations to Store Reporter reader Julie Mustelin, who won our dinner-for-two giveaway at Asia Nine, the Penn Quarter restaurant that recently opened a second location at Gaithersburg’s Downtown Crown development. If you didn’t win but would like to see what’s cooking at Asia Nine, click here for more info.

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Reader Favorite: combo sandwich at Brooklyn’s Deli

Andy Baron, a Potomac banker, is a big fan of delis. Close to home, his favorite is Brooklyn’s Deli at Potomac Woods Plaza, 1089 Seven Locks Road. “It’s the kind of old-school place where the owner walks around and wants people to taste what he’s made,” Baron says. His standing order is the weekday-only sandwich special shown here: half corned beef/half pastrami on rye, served with mustard and a half-sour pickle. “The pastrami at Brooklyn’s is hand-cut, and the corned beef is really lean,” Baron says. “I’d put it up against any deli from here to New York.”

Vineyard Vines, Johnston & Murphy to the mall — plus restaurant returns and RadioShack

February 5, 2015 By Store Reporter

Vineyard Vines swings into town

Vineyard Vines, a favorite store for preppies from Massachusetts to Palm Beach, will make its Maryland debut this spring with a new location at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The company takes its name from Martha’s Vineyard, where it began in 1998 as a tie manufacturer before moving on to clothes and accessories for men, women and kids. The pink whale logo is now a staple at college campuses nationwide, not to mention many of our local high schools — where shirts like the one shown here have become ubiquitous. The new store will move in where Brighton Collectibles just moved out, on the first floor of the Nordstrom wing next to Tesla.

Shoes of the presidents

Also coming to the Nordstrom wing of Westfield Montgomery Mall this spring: Johnston & Murphy, the classic men’s footwear company that has made a pair of custom shoes for every president since Millard Fillmore. Clearly the historic brand is also popular with people who don’t live at the White House: Johnston & Murphy has a half-dozen stores in the D.C. area, including one at Reagan Airport. In addition to shoes, the company also makes luggage, leather goods and clothing for men and women.

New restaurants opening at Pike & Rose

Two restaurants that were displaced by construction last year are about to reopen at the new Pike & Rose development in North Bethesda. Chipotle will return on Monday (Feb. 9), followed by La Madeleine on Feb. 19. Both had been tenants of the Mid-Pike Plaza shopping center, which was torn down last winter. Stella Barra Pizzeria is also set to open at Pike & Rose next Thursday (Feb. 12th).

Silver Moon makes its debut

Silver Moon Jewelry & Accessories, the new incarnation of Tiara Galleries & Gifts, opened this week at Congressional Plaza in Rockville. The scaled-down shop will carry some items from Brighton, which just closed its store at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Other popular lines include Vera Bradley, Pandora and Endless. Click here to read more about Tiara’s transformation in our Jan. 8 edition.

Radio Shack update

After several weeks of clearance sales, the RadioShack store at Cabin John Shopping Center closed its doors on Monday as the company prepared for a likely bankruptcy filing. Several retailers are rumored to be interested in taking over empty RadioShack stores — including Sprint Corp. and Amazon, which is looking to open storefronts where customers can drop off and pick up their online orders. The RadioShack locations on Rockville Pike and at Westfield Montgomery Mall are still in business… for now.

Two new restaurants in downtown Rockville – plus RadioShack, a wish list and a winner

January 29, 2015 By Store Reporter

Steak Out is out, Ev & Maddy’s is in

82 Steak Out, the cozy steak-and-fries restaurant next to Noodles & Company at Rockville Town Square, closed its doors last week after less than a year in business. It’s the third eatery to fail in that space since 2007, following Bobby’s Crabcakes (another locally owned restaurant with good reviews) and Tippy’s Taco House. Perhaps the fourth time will be the charm: Ev & Maddy’s, a European-style bistro, has begun renovating the space with plans to open next month. Chef/owner Patrick Pak is a graduate of L’Academie de Cuisine, with an impressive resume that includes stints at Komi, the Blue Duck Tavern and Arlington’s Grand Cru Wine Bar & Bistro.

More Peruvian in downtown Rockville

Also new in downtown Rockville is Sazon Inka, a Peruvian restaurant in the former Pita Hut space on North Washington Street. Chef Segundo Silva, formerly with Rockville’s La Limena, is serving up charbroiled rotisserie chicken and ceviche plus specialty dishes like Aji de Gallina (shredded chicken in a spicy cream sauce) and Jalea (the fried seafood dish shown here). Ross Castillon, who’s helping his father Hugo run the restaurant, says they hope to appeal to customers of higher-end eateries like La Canela as well as quick-serve places like Crisp & Juicy. “People around here are really getting to know Peruvian cuisine,” he says. “We have a lot of competitors, and we want to make sure that we stand out.”

What’s up with RadioShack?

The future is not looking bright for RadioShack at the Cabin John Shopping Center, which is now operating as a “clearance store” carrying only heavily discounted items. All regular-priced merchandise has been shipped out to other locations, and employees say they haven’t been told whether the store will remain open. The Wall Street Journal reports that RadioShack Corp. could file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as early as next week. For now, though, it’s still business as usual at the Rockville Pike and Westfield Montgomery Mall locations — the latter of which is said to be one of the chain’s top performers.

Your wish list for the mall

Thanks to all the readers who told us about their wish lists for Westfield Montgomery Mall (see our query in the Jan. 15 issue). We received hundreds of votes, and the top choice by far was a store that sells house and kitchen items — specifically Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table, Pottery Barn, West Elm, or a return of the departed Crate & Barrel. In the clothing category, Athleta led the votes for its popular women’s workout wear. Other top requests included Bloomingdale’s, Anthropologie, H&M, Restoration Hardware, a book store and a wider selection of menswear stores. The mall won’t say which of those wishes might come true — although we’re betting that a home goods store is on the horizon. But those who asked for more menswear will be glad to hear that Bonobos is opening next month (click here for more).

Congrats to the winner of our Summer House giveaway

Congratulations to Store Reporter reader Jonathan Beiser, winner of last week’s giveaway: a $50 gift card to the new Summer House Santa Monica at Pike & Rose (click here for our picks from the menu). Stay tuned for another giveaway for the adjacent Stella Barra Pizzeria, which opens next month. Also happening at Pike & Rose next month: the return of La Madeleine and Chipotle.

A Summer House giveaway and a move for Lacy Couture — plus news on Dunkin’ Donuts and Bubbles

January 22, 2015 By Store Reporter

Summer House opens with a 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. 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.”

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 12th 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. 2nd.

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.

Who closed over the holidays; new life for Tiara; Potomac Village grocery saga continues

January 8, 2015 By Store Reporter

Going, going, gone

As we begin the new year, let’s bid adieu to some local stores and restaurants that didn’t survive the holidays. At Westfield Montgomery Mall, the Burton snowboarding shop and the Dumpling Dojo eatery both made sudden disappearances. Also gone are Naartjie Kids, whose parent company declared bankruptcy last fall, and Wet Seal, a struggling teen retailer that started dumping hundreds of its stores after Christmas. Over in Rockville, The Children’s Place at Congressional Plaza will close this month (though the Montgomery Mall location will remain). And today (1/8) is the last day of business for Robert Bernard Jewelers at Potomac Woods Plaza — but one of its partners expects to open a new store in the area. (Click here for more in our Dec. 4 edition.)

Tiara’s transformation

Tiara Galleries & Gifts, a fixture at Congressional Plaza for the past two decades, is making big changes for 2015. Next month the store will get a new name (Silver Moon Jewelry & Accessories), a new location (the former Harry & David space a few doors down), and a new focus on jewelry and handbags. “We won’t be carrying any more crystal or porcelain,” says owner Irv Losman. “Those ‘older’ categories were my dominion — but the rest of my staff is more in tune with lines like Brighton, Spartina, Vera Bradley, Endless, Pandora, and Alex and Ani. We’ve decided to do a smaller, more streamlined store that appeals to women in a different way.”

Two more restaurants at Pike & Rose

Opening in the next few weeks at Pike & Rose: Stella Barra Pizzeria, featuring artisanal pizzas, salads and sandwiches; and Summer House Santa Monica, offering California-influenced food with a beach house-style decor. Both concepts are from the Chicago-based restaurant empire Lettuce Entertain You, which also owns chains like Maggiano’s and Mon Ami Gabi.

Grocery staff shakeups in Potomac Village

With the re-opening of the Market at River Falls over the holidays, several key employees who had crossed the street to Potomac Grocer have now returned to their original jobs. Back at River Falls are chef Steven Fela and seafood specialist Michael “Junior” Turgott. Manager Max Devens says he’s staying with Potomac Grocer. He’ll be joined by newly hired chef David Rogers, a veteran of Balducci’s and the National Gallery of Art. Now that this musical chairs game seems to be over, we’re still wondering: Can Potomac Village really generate enough business to support a Giant, a Safeway and two high-end grocery stores? (For more background on the Village grocery store saga, click here.)