Store Reporter

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

Tara Thai Westfield Montgomery Mall

Tara Thai, Apple update, Coach and a Sugo giveaway

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Tara Thai shrimp dish

 

Tara Thai opens at the mall

Tara Thai finally made its debut at Westfield Montgomery Mall this week after nearly a year of construction at the former Legal Sea Foods space, which has been redesigned to resemble a beach resort in Thailand. This is the ninth location for Tara Thai and the third new Asian restaurant to open at the mall in the past few months, following Shanghai Bao Kitchen and B/Bop/Q near the Dining Terrace. Next up on the Montgomery Mall restaurant scene: Beefsteak from celeb chef Jose Andrés. Read more about that here.

 

 

Apple store at Westfield Montgomery Mall

 

A little more time to visit the Genius Bar

The closing date for the Apple Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall has been pushed back yet again, pending the resolution of construction issues for its upcoming renovation and expansion. The store was originally supposed to close on April 30th, then May 7th, but now it appears the doors may stay open for a couple more weeks. All parties are motivated to get going on the project quickly, as construction could take six months and Apple wants to reopen before the holidays. For more on the expansion of Apple and its neighbor Sephora, click here for our April 4th special edition.

 

 

2016 Cabin John dog ad: http://shopcabinjohn.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=8944a71ff48e2ec948a748b4c&id=df4eb12359

 

 

 

Sugo Interior 600

 

Vote for your favorites — and win dinner at Sugo

For our next Store Reporter Favorites section, we want to know where our readers like to go for the best appetizers in town. From deviled eggs and roasted beets to fried calamari and tuna tartare, which restaurants do you think have the best light bites in greater Rockville and Potomac? Click here to comment on our Facebook page, or click here to email our editors directly (subject line: Best Appetizers.) Everyone who weighs in will be entered in our drawing for a $60 gift card to one of our favorites: Sugo at Park Potomac.

 

 

Founding Farmers Wine Dinner ad: http://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/let-mocos-founding-farmers-wine-dine-you/

 

 

 

Coach handbag with Snoopy logo

Is Coach cool again?

If you’ve noticed the lack of logos on Coach bags this year, it’s not your imagination: The 75-year-old company is moving away from its iconic “C” branding — which now represents just 5 percent of overall sales — to focus on quality and craftsmanship of its leather goods. Customers will “have a hard time finding a logo brand” at a Coach store these days, CEO Victor Luis said this week in an interview with thestreet.com. Coach has been renovating hundreds of its stores, including the one at Westfield Montgomery Mall, in an effort to modernize its image and make room for more footwear, outerwear and an increasingly popular collection of men’s products. Also on the horizon: More cross-marketing efforts like this year’s Coach x Peanuts collection, and an upcoming $150 strap for the Apple Watch.

 

 

2016 Ad - Bagel City grad party

 

 

 

Westfield Montgomery Mall exterior

 

Good news for riders and drivers

Last week marked the opening of a new Metrobus and Ride On Transit Center at Westfield Montgomery Mall, replacing the aging bus depot with safer and more comfortable accommodations for those who use public transportation. This is also good news for those who get to the mall by car: The new bus setup will allow room for 55 new parking spaces on the mall’s north side. That project is expected to get under way next week.

 

 

2016 Activity Rocket ad: https://www.activityrocket.com

 

 

 

DC Dills pickles

Farmers markets make their debut

May is the month when the farmers markets get started, and this year there are plenty to choose from around the Rockville area. On Saturday mornings at 6001 Executive Boulevard, the Pike Central Farm Market features regional vendors including All Things Olive, DC Dills, Lobster Maine-ia and Undone Chocolate. Also on Saturdays starting May 14th, the Rockville Farmers Market at Route 28 and Monroe Street has goodies from Brookeville Beer Farm, Ev & Maddy’s, Praline Bakery and Zeke’s Coffee among others. And on Wednesdays from 11 to 2, Dawson’s at Rockville Town Square hosts its own outdoor market showcasing local businesses like Canela Bakery and Holly Crepes.

 

 

 

New businesses in Potomac Village, new direction for Coach, Tara Thai nears opening

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Fiber Arts Studio interior

 

Potomac Village shopping center goes family-friendly

Potomac Promenade, the Giant-anchored shopping center in Potomac Village, is finally bringing some new tenants to its long-dormant mini-mall. This week saw the openings of Kicks Karate and FiberArt Studio, joining the recently opened Kumon learning center as the mini-mall transforms into a family-friendly place where parents can drop off their kids while they pick up the groceries. “This used to be the mall that nobody goes to, but that’s changing now,” says fiber artist Anja Caldwell, who relocated her studio from Glen Echo Park. Caldwell will be teaching “everything grandma used to know,” from knitting and crocheting to sewing and felting. “This will be a happy place where we make hats, dolls, pillows, hair clips and jewelry,” she says. “I don’t allow glue or glitter. Everyone who leaves here will at least be able to sew on a button.” 

 

 

Old Coach store at Westfield Montgomery Mall

 

New direction for Coach

The Coach store at Westfield Montgomery Mall will reopen next month with a new look that reflects the company’s push to move beyond handbags into the world of “lifestyle brands.” Coach, which has struggled to regain its former caché with people who love purses, is renovating some 150 stores to showcase its expanding range of clothing and accessories for men and women. The new store will likely devote more space to footwear, reflecting the company’s recent acquisition of shoe manufacturer Stuart Weitzman. And you can expect fewer discounts, as Coach critics have complained for years that excessive markdowns were cheapening the brand.

 

 

 

ArcLight snacks

 

Who won our ArcLight tickets?

Congratulations to Store Reporter reader Rashmi Kalla of Potomac, who won last week’s giveaway for tickets to the ArcLight Cinema at Westfield Montgomery Mall. We’ll be handing out more ArcLight tickets in the weeks to come. Want to enter our next drawing? Just forward an issue of Store Reporter to your friends, then click here to tell us their names. For every one of your friends who subscribes, we’ll enter you AND them to win the next pair of ArcLight tickets. If you’d rather enter via our Facebook page, click here to find out how. Update: We’ve named the winners for this contest, but stay tuned to Store Reporter for more great giveaways.

 

 

Tara Thai logoNew Tara Thai to open next month

Tara Thai is putting the final touches on its new Bethesda restaurant, scheduled to open late next month in the former Legal Sea Foods space at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The 85-seat eatery, styled to resemble a Thai beach resort, will replace another Tara Thai that closed last spring in downtown Bethesda. This will be the 10th location for the popular chain, with five restaurants in Maryland and five in Virginia.

 

 

Seafood market opens at Potomac Woods, Korean BBQ at the mall

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O'Donnell's Market seafood case

 

Seafood market opens at Potomac Woods Plaza

After six months of renovations to the former Little Gym space at Potomac Woods Plaza, O’Donnell’s Market opened its doors this week with a promising selection of fresh fish, seafood and baked goods. The store was just beginning to stock up when we stopped by on Wednesday, but owner Bill Edelblut says he’ll soon be adding a salad bar, grab-and-go items and a full-service bakery. O’Donnell’s isn’t cheap: Much of the seafood is priced around $25 a pound, and crab cakes are $10 apiece. But we were impressed with the super-fresh flounder, one of the more economical choices at $13.50 per pound. Edelblut has a long history in the seafood industry; his family owned the venerable O’Donnell’s Sea Grill restaurant chain, which closed its last remaining location at The Kentlands two years ago.

 

 

B Bop Q beef bowl regular2

 

Korean BBQ at the mall

B/Bop/Q, a new Korean fusion restaurant, opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall last week in the corridor adjacent to the Dining Terrace. The concept is based on Korean bibimbap, but also similar to the Chipotle spinoff ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen. Diners move along a serving line as they start with rice or noodles, add a protein, then customize their dishes with fresh vegetables and sauces. Also on the menu: tacos, wraps, dumplings and Korean-style chicken wings. B/Bop/Q is the brainchild of Ken Choi, a food industry veteran who operates cafes for NASA, the American Red Cross, the Library of Congress and other local institutions. He hopes this will be the start of a national Korean fusion chain, with four more locations already planned for the West Coast. B/Bop/Q is the second Asian restaurant to open at Westfield Montgomery Mall in the past month, following the November debut of neighboring Shanghai Bao Kitchen. Next up, after the holidays, is Tara Thai.

 

 

New food, new looks at the mall — plus a grand opening, a contest winner and corned beef on wheels

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Yum CrepesThis fall at the mall: five new eateries to try

The lively dining scene at Westfield Montgomery Mall continues to expand this fall, with two new eateries already open and three more on the way. Jamaican Mi Crazy, a food truck-turned-restaurant, is serving up jerk chicken, curry goat and fried plantains next to Naples Ristorante in the Dining Terrace. Just around the corner, Yum Crepes offers sweet and savory options near the ArcLight Cinema escalator. Shanghai 66 Innovation Kitchen, from the owners of the Bob’s Chinese restaurants in Rockville, will open in the next few weeks next to Chloe’s Deli. November will bring B Bop Q, a Korean fusion restaurant moving into the former Laila Rowe store next to Macy’s Home. Opening around the holidays: a new branch of Tara Thai, breathing new life into the long-empty Legal Sea Foods space.

 

 

J. CrewNew moves, new looks: J. Crew, J. Jill, Journeys and more

There was a bit of reshuffling at Westfield Montgomery Mall this summer, as several retailers moved to new locations while others freshened up their storefronts. J. Crew closed down in June for a months-long renovation, reopening last month with a polished new look for the increasingly upscale Nordstrom wing. J. Jill moved into the space next to Lilly Pulitzer, where it’s better positioned to capture traffic from the nearby Macy’s store. Bose built a posh new storefront in the Sears wing, where customers now linger in the patio-style seating next to Peet’s Coffee. The Specs sunglass store and the Avalon nail salon also are sporting new looks, as will the teen store Journeys at its new home in the Old Navy wing. The empty Caché store near the mall’s center is occupied for now by Storm J, a pop-up store selling soccer apparel. There’s lots more to tell about what’s happening at the mall this season; next week we’ll have details on who’s about to move in.

 

Joseph Ribkoff dress

 

Join the party at Ibhana — with a 15% discount

If you’re a fan of Joseph Ribkoff dresses, Damee jackets and Lior tunics, you’ll want to check out the new Ibhana boutique at Potomac Woods Plaza off Montrose and Seven Locks Road. The store also carries a lovely selection of Joanel handbags and Lipault luggage, plus scarves, belts and jewelry from Canada, India, England, Italy and France. Store Reporter readers are invited to Ibhana’s grand opening party this Friday (Sept. 18) from 6-8 p.m. With the coupon below, take 15% off your purchase on Friday or any day through the end of September. Planning to attend the grand opening? RSVP by phone (301-424-0906) or by email (click here).

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Corned Beef King food truck

 

Another move for the Corned Beef King

The Corned Beef King food truck has a new home in Potomac: the parking lot of Potomac Petals and Plants, the nursery that replaced Behnke at 9545 River Road. Truck owner Jon Rossler says he gave up his previous spot at a Falls Road swim club after too many altercations with an unhappy neighbor. At the nursery, he’s serving up a varied menu with matzoh ball soup, knishes and lobster rolls. But in Potomac, he says, most customers are looking for the basics: “plain corned beef on rye with mustard” is far and away the best-sell

 

 

 

 

Sandy NesbitWho won our Urban Heights gift card?

Congratulations to Store Reporter reader Sandy Nolan Nesbit, who won our gift card to Urban Heights on Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda. She’ll get to sample the fresh Tuna Bar and the Asian-influenced menu from new executive chef Cliff Wharton. We have more great giveaways in the works; keep reading Store Reporter for your chance to win.

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Not Your Average Joe’s, Mellow Mushroom and Tara Thai on the way; Gap trims down and Gazette says goodbye

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Not Your Average Joe's Rosemary Skewered Scallops

 

Not Your Average Joe’s to open next month

Not Your Average Joe’s, now under construction in the old Hamburger Hamlet space at Georgetown Square Shopping Center, will open in mid-July with a moderately priced menu of salads, steaks and seafood. “The decor will be a little more upscale than the one in Gaithersburg, since our look as a company is changing every few years,” says Joe Harris, general manager of the new restaurant off Democracy and Old Georgetown Road. Harris’ top picks from the menu: Cobb Salad ($14), Ahi Tuna Salad ($18), Grilled New York Strip Steak ($32), and the Rosemary Skewered Scallops shown here ($25). Not to mention the fresh-baked focaccia bread that you’ll find at every table. “Sometimes people get upset because that bread is so good that they don’t have room for other things,” Harris chuckled.

 

 

Mellow Mushroom logo

 

Mellow Mushroom heads to Rockville

Mellow Mushroom, the Atlanta-based pizza chain that manages to blend ’70s hippie culture with a kid-friendly atmosphere, will open its first Maryland location this winter at Rockville Town Square. The restaurant is taking over the former Oro Pomodoro space across from the concert stage and ice rink, as well as the adjacent storefront that once belonged to Potomac River Running. The menu will include calzones, hoagies, salads, craft beer and plenty of options for gluten-free and vegetarian diners. And unlike the upscale Oro Pomodoro, the setting will be “funky and very casual — a place where you can bring your family or your whole soccer team,” says Danny Trehan, part of the D.C.-area franchise group that also owns Mellow Mushroom restaurants in Northern Virginia and Adams Morgan. The new pizzeria is one of several new restaurants heading to Rockville Town Square this year; click here for more in our June 4th edition.

 

 

Gazette final edition

 

The Gazette is gone — but count on Store Reporter for local news coverage

Like so many of of our readers, we were saddened to learn that The Gazette newspapers would be printing their last issues this week. Here at Store Reporter, we believe in the importance of local news coverage — even if it arrives in the form of a weekly email instead of a plastic-wrapped bundle at the foot of your driveway. We hope you’ll continue to count on Store Reporter for the latest news on retail and restaurants in greater Rockville and Potomac. This summer we’ll be taking some time off, with a scaled-back schedule of one issue per month until we resume our weekly updates in September. We’ll also be posting to our Facebook page whenever something newsworthy happens. If you haven’t already liked us on Facebook, click here to make sure you don’t miss a beat.

 

 

Tara Thai skewers

 

Tara Thai to the mall in December

It looks like Tara Thai will open around Christmas at Westfield Montgomery Mall, where the company has finalized plans to take over a portion of the long-empty Legal Sea Foods space. Rich Amsellem of Streetsense, who brokered the deal for Tara Thai, says the atmosphere will be a little more relaxed than the chain’s other locations, with “Thailand beach resort” decor and indoor/outdoor seating for 85 people. The mall is negotiating with another tenant to take the other half of the Legal space.

 

 

Gap logoGap trims down

This week Gap announced that it will close 175 underperforming U.S. locations, leaving some 500 regular Gap stores and 300 Gap Outlets across the country. No word yet on whether the closings will affect our area, where Gap and GapKids have a major presence at Westfield Montgomery Mall as well as a brand new location at Pike & Rose. Gap is one of several clothing retailers — including Aeropostale and Abercrombie & Fitch — that are closing stores even as they try to regain front-runner status with the fickle clothes-buying public. Several other chains, including Wet Seal and Caché, have gone out of business in recent months.