Store Reporter

Retail & Restaurant news for Rockville, Potomac & North Bethesda. We know it all. And we like to share.

Shops at Wildwood

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

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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 tacos

 

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.

 

 

Solidcore logo blue

 

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.

 

 

On Cloud 9 Butter sweatshirts, background removed

 

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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Kaufman Jewelers

 

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.

 

American ApparelBankruptcy 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.

 

 

 

 

 

Fish Taco, As Kindred Spirits, Alex and Ani, White Flint and a Wildwood Kitchen Giveaway

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Fish Taco fish tacos

 

Fish Taco on the way to Wildwood

Fish Taco, the homey Mexican restaurant from the owners of Bethesda’s Food Wine & Co., is heading our way with a new location in the Shops at Wildwood. Like its sister restaurant on MacArthur Boulevard, the new Fish Taco will offer a gourmet twist on the usual Mexican fare of tacos, quesadillas, burritos and chopped salads. Doors are set to open this fall next to Chop’t, in the space that once housed the home furnishings store Pierre Doux.

 

 

As Kindred Spirits airplane clock

 

As Kindred Spirits opens — with 15% OFF

As Kindred Spirits, the popular gift shop at Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike, will open a new location August 1 at Westfield Montgomery Mall — taking over the former Aveda space on the upper level near Godiva. “We started many years ago with a kiosk at that mall, so things have really come full circle for us,” says owner Wendy Rukmini Walker, who also has a store at Reagan National Airport. As Kindred Spirits specializes in home decor, jewelry and art-to-wear “from unique artists that could never be represented in a department store,” Walker says. “We use our profits to help with fair trade, women’s initiatives and other projects around the world.” Want to check it out for yourself? Store Reporter readers get 15% OFF from August 1-9. 

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Alex and Ani bangle bracelets

 

Alex and Ani heading to the mall

Heading to Westfield Montgomery Mall this fall: Alex and Ani, the white-hot jewelry chain known for its stackable bangle charm bracelets and its mission to “spread positive energy.” Made in the U.S. from recycled materials, with prices starting at $28, the eco-conscious line also includes fan jewelry for sports teams, the armed forces, various universities and the Disney parks. Alex & Ani will replace the mall’s Things Remembered store, which departed earlier this month.

 

 

Wildwood Kitchen grilled vegetable marinara

 

Win a $75 dinner at Wildwood Kitchen

This month we’re giving away dinner for two at Wildwood Kitchen, in the Shops at Wildwood off Democracy Boulevard and Old Georgetown Road. Top picks from the menu include Amish Chicken with scallion potato cake and glazed carrots; Heirloom Tomato Salad with basil pasta and burrata; and the summer special shown here: Grilled Vegetable Marinara over pappardelle pasta. Update: Store Reporter reader Sharri Freedman won our $75 gift card for Wildwood Kitchen.

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White Flint Mall with bulldozer

 

The wrecking ball arrives at White Flint

The wrecking ball finally arrived at White Flint Mall this month as demolition began on the parking garage behind the long-empty property. Plans call for White Flint to be reimagined as an open-air complex of retail, restaurants, apartments and offices. Most of the mall’s tenants have been gone for a year or more, with only Lord & Taylor still in business. Details of the new White Flint are still under wraps… but count on Store Reporter to do some digging this fall.

 

 

NYAJ Bethesda

 

First look at Not Your Average Joe’s

Last week we got a chance to check out Not Your Average Joe’s, newly open in the former Hamburger Hamlet space at Georgetown Square Shopping Center. The dishes we sampled were most definitely above average — especially the Chicken Piccata, Ahi Tuna Wontons, Mango Shrimp Summer Rolls and Gluten-Free Carrot Cake. (Not to mention the fresh-baked focaccia bread that’s delicious enough to ruin your appetite.) Next up for the Boston-based chain: Reston and Silver Spring. “The D.C. market is similar to our own area in food preferences,” says executive chef Jeff Tenner. “We think the corridor from Boston down to D.C. is going to be our sweet spot.”

 

 

 

The Corned Beef King is back — plus new restaurants in Rockville, new shops at Wildwood and a Cava giveaway

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Corned Beef King food truck

 

The Corned Beef King rolls back into town

Remember a few months ago when the Corned Beef King food truck appeared on Falls Road near Montrose — and then disappeared the following week? Well, the King is coming back — and this time it sounds like he’s here to stay. “My goal was to get back into Potomac, and I’ll definitely be there by mid-April,” says truck owner Jon Rossler, whose family once owned the Celebrity Delly at Potomac’s Cabin John Shopping Center. Rossler signed a deal last December to operate from the parking lot of the Montgomery Square Copenhaver Swim Club, but he was quickly driven out by neighbors who complained to the county. This time, Rossler says the county has granted him express permission to be there — and he’ll keep the neighbors happy by choosing a less conspicuous parking spot with some tree coverage. “We’ll be there Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.,” he says. “We’ll have an extended menu including matzoh ball soup, chili, mac-and-cheese, hot dogs, and maybe even chicken nuggets.” For more on the Corned Beef King, click here for our Dec. 4th issue.

 

 

Rockville Town Square

 

Three new restaurants heading to Rockville

Last year was a rough one for restaurants at Rockville Town Square — but things seem to be looking up for 2015. The big news this spring is the still-unnamed restaurant from famed Chinese chef Peter Chang, opening soon in the former Taste of Saigon space on Maryland Avenue. Meanwhile, two more eateries have announced plans to open over the summer. First up is Samovar, a new venture from a father/daughter team that currently handles catering for the Tajikistan Embassy in Washington. They’ll be renovating the former Cosi space on North Washington Street, with plans for a menu of Russian food with Central Asian influences. Also on the way is Miso Cafe, a Korean/fusion restaurant from Annandale that’s opening its second location in the former Pho & Rolls space on Maryland Avenue.

 

 

Hadlee outfits

 

New boutique opens at Wildwood

Spring is bringing some changes to the Shops at Wildwood off Old Georgetown Road and Democracy Boulevard. Hadlee opened last week in the space formerly occupied by Madeline, which closed in November after 24 years in business. Hadlee owner Jackie Pletcher, who also operates the neighboring Sequel boutique, will target Madeline’s former customers by carrying some of the same designers — particularly Canadian dressmaker Joseph Ribkoff. This is the fourth venture for Pletcher, who also owns Wear It Well on Bethesda Row and Corby at Mazza Gallerie. But Hadlee will be somewhat less conservative than the other three stores, says company spokesperson Julianne Pulvirenti. “The look is going to be very colorful, with lots of prints and patterns.”

 

 

Coco Blanca interior

 

Another Wildwood boutique set to open next month

Also on the way to the Shops at Wildwood is Coco Blanca, offering a tone-on-tone mix of furniture, home accessories, jewelry and clothing. “The entire store will have the palette of a coconut, with a bit of black and a splash of turquoise,” says co-owner Susan Neithamer. She and her business partners, who have another Coco Blanca store in Old Town Alexandria, had been looking for a shopping center with similar demographics and plenty of room to park. “A lot of our customers in Old Town had been coming to us all the way from Bethesda, so we knew this was an area with our kind of shopper,” Neithamer says. Doors are expected to open next month.

 

 

Toys R Us logo

 

Toys ‘R’ Us leaving NYC?

If you’re heading to New York City for spring break with the kids next week, take note: This may be your last chance to visit the iconic Toys “R” Us store in Times Square. The struggling toy retailer says it may not renew its lease for the 15-year-old store with the giant Barbie house and 60-foot indoor ferris wheel. The lease runs out next year. Still to be determined: Whether Toys “R” Us will find a new, smaller home in the Big Apple.

 

 

 

Win a gift card to Cava Mezze Grill

Hometown favorite Cava Mezze Grill is making plans to head west after this week’s $16 million cash infusion from a Virginia-based venture capital firm. Two Los Angeles locations are set to open later this year — Cava’s first expansion outside the D.C. area, where it currently has eight eateries with three more on the way. The investment money also will be used to expand Cava’s lines of dips and spreads for grocery stores. We don’t have $16 million — but we do happen to have a $25 Cava Mezze Grill gift card for one lucky Store Reporter reader. Want to put your name into our hat? Click here to enter by email (subject line: Cava Grill) or click here to enter via our Facebook page. Update: Store Reporter reader Kelly Rudolph Pashkoff won this giveaway. Stay tuned to Store Reporter for upcoming contests.

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Bye Bye to “Be well”

If you shopped at Walgreens this week, you may have noticed the absence of that annoying “Be well!” salutation at the checkout counter. Two years after the company began forcing its employees to use those words, the campaign is finally over. Walgreens says it will now look for other ways to “build relationships” with its customers — possibly by thanking them by name after each transaction. (As in, “Enjoy that acid reflux medication, Mr. Jones.”) We can’t wait to hear the reaction to that one.