White Flint Mall

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.

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.)

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.

White Flint, Wegmans, Chopt, Chelsea Collective and an Urban Heights giveaway

August 20, 2015 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

What went down while you were out of town

While we’ve all been vacationing this summer, the retail and restaurant news hasn’t stopped. Read on for a look at what’s been happening these past few weeks. We’ve got lots more to tell you about what’s coming this fall and winter — but it will have to wait until September, when we’re back to our weekly schedule. (To keep up with any breaking news between now and Labor Day, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook.)

White Flint/Wegmans watch

In case you’ve been away and missed the latest on the White Flint Mall saga: Last week a federal jury awarded Lord & Taylor $31 million for lost profits and future renovation costs during the mall’s impending teardown and reconstruction. That verdict is likely to be appealed, which means yet another delay in plans for a new version of White Flint — and also makes it increasingly unlikely that Wegmans will continue to be a part of those plans. The beloved grocer reportedly had been close to an agreement with White Flint’s owners before this latest turn of events. A Wegmans spokesman tells us she can’t comment on “rumors or speculation” about the White Flint site. But from what we hear, Wegmans is now actively scouting other locations in greater Rockville/Potomac.

Chopt on the way to Congressional Plaza

Good news for the salad scene in Rockville: The much-loved Chopt chain will open a new location next spring at Congressional Plaza on the Pike. Chopt will take over a portion of the space left by the Plow & Hearth store, which closed in June. Sorry, all you impatient Chop’t fans: We have no idea why it’s going to take that long.

Win a $50 gift card for Urban Heights

This month we’re giving away a $50 gift card for 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 an Asian-influenced menu with dishes like Bulgogi-Style Steak Salad and Xo Honey Glazed Shrimp with Wasabi Grits. And don’t miss the Tuna Bar with your choice of Tuna Roll, Sashimi, Tartare or Ahi Poke. Even if you don’t win the gift card, Store Reporter has a little something for everyone who enters. Enter via Facebook by clicking here.

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New boutique at Potomac Woods

Ibhana, a new women’s clothing boutique, has opened at Potomac Woods Plaza in the former Robert Bernard Jewelers space off Montrose and Seven Locks Road. This is the first storefront in the Rockville area for owner Meena Tharmaratnam, who started out selling Indian shawls from her home and later operated pop-up stores in D.C. Now she carries clothing, jewelry and accessories from designers like Joseph Ribkoff, Damee, Fridaze and Lior. “My customer is typically a baby boomer woman, and I’ve learned what she wants,” Tharmaratnam says. “She doesn’t want sleeveless. She wants things that are sophisticated, washable, wrinkle-free, travel-friendly and not fearfully expensive.”

Who won our Wildwood Kitchen giveaway?

Congratulations to Store Reporter reader Sharri Freedman, who won our $75 gift card to Wildwood Kitchen at the Shops of Wildwood. We also have a special thank-you for everyone who entered: a free dessert on your next visit to Wildwood Kitchen. (If you were one of our Wildwood entrants, watch for an upcoming email with details on how to claim your dessert.) We have many more great restaurant giveaways coming up this fall; be sure to enter the next one for Bethesda’s Urban Heights.

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New place for workout wear

Lululemon and Lucy just got some fresh competition in the D.C. market: Chelsea Collective, a female-focused subsidiary of Dick’s Sporting Goods, opened its very first store this month at Tysons Corner Center. The merchandise is a mix of clothes, shoes and fitness accessories from mainstream brands like Nike and Under Armour as well as trendier lines like Zobha, Splendid, Lorna Jane, Spiritual Gangster and the new Calia by Carrie Underwood. The store aims to please with tailoring services a la Lululemon, gait analysis a la your favorite running store, and a “girlfriend lounge” equipped with treadmills and ballet barres to test the merchandise in action.

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

July 16, 2015 By Store Reporter Leave a Comment

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 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 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.

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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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.

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.”

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.”

Bonobos and Cold Stone Creamery to the mall; Goodbye P.F. Chang’s, hello Roy Rogers

December 18, 2014 By Store Reporter

New place for men at the mall

Bonobos, the online men’s clothing company known for its well-fitting pants, will soon have a physical store at Westfield Montgomery Mall — but you won’t be able to buy anything there. Bonobos stores, known as “Guideshops,” don’t stock much merchandise or handle any real-time sales transactions. Instead, they function as showrooms where men can make an appointment to be fitted, figure out what they like, and then follow up with an online order. It’s all part of a trend for online retailers (including Warby Parker, Athleta, Piperlime and even Amazon) to open physical spaces in major cities where customers can try before they buy. Montgomery Mall’s Bonobos store, which will be the third for the D.C. area, will open in a couple of months — right across from the guy-magnet Tesla showroom.

Cold Stone Creamery headed to the mall — plus opening updates

We hear that Cold Stone Creamery will soon be joining the food lineup at Westfield Montgomery Mall, opening early next year. Arriving sooner — probably around New Year’s — will be Chipotle and CRAVE American Kitchen & Sushi Bar. In non-food news, the Kiehl’s skin-care store opens tomorrow (Dec. 19) at 11 a.m. with “mystery gift cards” for the first 50 customers.

Goodbye P.F. Chang’s

Here’s some news that shouldn’t surprise anyone: P.F. Chang’s at the White Flint Mall will close its doors in January, leaving only Lord & Taylor still in business while the rest of the property is slated for demolition. Although there had been talk of a relocation for P.F. Chang’s, management now says the restaurant will come back to White Flint after the mall is rebuilt as an open-air shopping/dining complex. There’s still no word on the timing of that project, which has been held up by lawsuits from Lord & Taylor and the now-closed Dave & Buster’s.

Hello Roy Rogers

Roy Rogers rode back to Rockville this week for the first time in more than 25 years, opening Monday on the Pike across from Marlo Furniture. It’s a welcome return for many locals who have fond memories of the singing cowboy, the western-themed menu and the signature “Fixin’s Bar.” The Rockville restaurant is number 50 for a company that went from 600 locations to near-extinction before its current journey along the comeback trail. Click here to read more in our Nov. 13 edition.

Holiday Giveaway at Cabin John

Cabin John Shopping Center and Mall is offering an extra incentive for shoppers this month. Spend $25 or more at any merchant (except CVS or Giant) and get a cute LED light-up mug and a pack of Ghirardelli hot cocoa mix. Some of the cocoa packs also include a $50 gift certificate to one of Cabin John’s merchants. And be sure to register for the grand prize: a $50 gift certificate to every merchant at Cabin John (a $2,750 value).

White Flint Mall

Inside Lord & Taylor: It’s not what you think

Goodbye Benjarong

New boutique moves into Flora’s

Aéropostale store may not close after all

Roti near the mall is the first to fall

New year, new burrito at Cal Tort

What’s next for White Flint?

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

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

REI takes a hike down the Pike

Sponsored Content

Who’s left, who’s leaving

White Flint update

What went down while you were out of town

White Flint/Wegmans watch

Chopt on the way to Congressional Plaza

Win a $50 gift card for Urban Heights

Sponsored Content

New boutique at Potomac Woods

Who won our Wildwood Kitchen giveaway?

Sponsored Content

New place for workout wear

Fish Taco on the way to Wildwood

As Kindred Spirits opens — with 15% OFF

Sponsored Content

Alex and Ani heading to the mall

Win a $75 dinner at Wildwood Kitchen

The wrecking ball arrives at White Flint

First look at Not Your Average Joe’s

New seafood market may be on the way

White Flint Mall — finally ready to come down?

Sponsored Content

Costco says goodbye Amex, hello Visa

Goodbye — again — to Konplott

Reader Favorite: French baguettes at Breadsmith

Holiday Giveaway at Cabin John

Sponsored Content

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