Travilah Trader Joe’s is ready to roll
Trader Joe’s will open its new Rockville store just after Labor Day, wrapping up some 18 months of construction at the newly revamped Travilah Square Shopping Center off Darnestown Road. Barring any last-minute delays, doors are set to open on Friday, Sept. 7. This location replaces an older store in Gaithersburg, which will close when the new one opens. Meanwhile, the Trader Joe’s on Rockville Pike will have some new competition this fall: Aldi is on the way. Click here for more in our July 12th edition.
Hello Uniqlo
Sept. 1 is opening day for the 8,000-square-foot Uniqlo store at Pike & Rose. The Japanese retailer, which also has locations at Tysons Corner and D.C.’s Union Station, is known for selling simple, functional clothing for men, women and kids at very reasonable prices. For example: packable down vests for less than $50, Merino sweaters for less than $40, T-shirts for ten bucks and free alterations for all pants over $20. The Pike & Rose store is Uniqlo’s first location in Maryland. Click here for a preview.
Home Depot’s mystery project
We’ve gotten a lot of questions about construction at the Home Depot shopping center off Westlake Terrace, where rumors started flying after a large section of the parking lot was fenced off a couple of weeks ago. Home Depot tells us the project is simply an extension of the parking lot expansion that began last winter with the demolition of the old Vince & Dominic’s building. The fenced-off area is being flattened out to improve water drainage. Nothing more interesting to report. Sorry.
Skins, Caps & Nats at the mall
Just in time for football season, fan shop Sports Nation has opened next to the Vans store at Westfield Montgomery mall. The shop carries pants, shorts, jerseys, bobbleheads, keychains and other gear for all the local professional sports teams. And just down the hall, Old Navy has begun a major facelift that should be done by fall. What else is new at the mall? Click here for our Aug. 9th issue.
Is the chef from Michael’s Noodle House cooking somewhere else now? Michael’s was in the shopping center where the new trader Joe’s is opening soon.
So sorry, we focus on openings and closings and don’t tend to keep up with chefs moving around (with a few exceptions, i.e. our recent story about the new chef at Julii). Michaels’ Noodle House had a huge following. If anyone knows where that chef has landed, please weigh in.