Store Reporter

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

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Who’s open & who’s out at Westfield Montgomery mall, sneak peek of Rockville’s new Barnes & Noble

The mall's back – but not everyone's returning

Westfield Montgomery mall is back in business, and its stores are ready to welcome you with masks, alcohol wipes, hand sanitizing stations and social distancing floor markers. About half the mall reopened this week, with more returns expected by early July. Some restaurants in the Dining Terrace are open for carryout and curbside pickup, but all of the seating areas have been roped off. Here’s a quick look at what else has changed since you last stepped into the mall — and which stores won’t be back.

  • Steve Madden, Everything But Water and Bose are all gone for good.
  • Wentworth Gallery has been emptied out, but it’s not clear if this is permanent.
  • Forever 21, which faced an uncertain future a few months ago, has reopened after all.
  • Amazon 4-Star and 7-Eleven are expected to open in the next few weeks.
  • ArcLight and Lucky Strike remain closed for now.
  • Mirch Masala is the first confirmed casualty in the Dining Terrace. Owner Poonam Chopra, who opened the Indian restaurant 10 years ago, says she’s decided not to renew her lease. June 28th will be her last day.
Game Gym

New chapter for Barnes & Noble

Rockville’s new Barnes & Noble store is just weeks away from opening at Congressional Plaza, with rows of blonde wood bookshelves and a new Starbucks cafe just inside the entrance. When the bookstore opens — tentatively mid-August — the older Barnes & Noble at Montrose Crossing will close its doors. Still unclear: whether Starbucks will keep its other location at Congressional Plaza. For a sneak peek of the new store, check out Store Reporter on Facebook and Instagram.

Celebrations to You

Busy summer for the auction biz

The local auction market is hotter than ever this summer. With some people sorting through decades of belongings while others bid furiously from their iPads, unprecedented time at home is leading to unprecedented levels of art, jewelry and collectibles changing hands. The most popular items include 19th century Impressionist paintings, mid-century modern furniture, fine jewelry and luxury watches from brands like Cartier, Bulgari, Rolex and Tiffany & Co. Debrah Dunner, a Potomac-based rep for the auction house Freeman’s, has been selling everything from diamonds and Tiffany lamps to Andy Warhol screenprints and Picasso ceramics. In the D.C. area, she says buyers have been especially interested in furniture by Pennsylvania artisan George Nakashima and abstract expressionist works by D.C. painter Sam Gilliam. (Idylls 1, the unstretched canvas shown here, sold for $370,000.) “A lot of people around here have bought directly from Gilliam or know him personally,” Dunner says. “His auction prices have gone through the roof.” Dunner offers free auction estimates via virtual appointments, with easy no-contact pickup of your goods. Email ddunner@freemansauction.com or call (301) 738-0347.

Taff & Levine

The Store Reporter Guide

A weekly guide sponsored by some of our favorite locally owned stores, restaurants and service businesses.

 

FOOD, DRINKS & MEAL DEALS

 

  • BROOKLYN’S DELI, homemade meats, soups & sandwiches at Potomac Woods Plaza, 1089 Seven Locks Road. Try our corned beef, hand-carved pastrami, brisket, nova, chopped liver, pancakes from scratch, cheese blintzes & more — plus artisan bagels from Bethesda Bagels. Phone: (301) 340-3354. Open daily for carry-out, catering & patio dining. Menu: brooklynsdelimd.com.

 

  • GREGORIO’S TRATTORIA, Italian favorites at Cabin John Village, 7745 Tuckerman Lane. Outdoor seating & limited indoor seating now open for lunch & dinner, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. We also offer curbside pickup, pay by phone & contact-free delivery. Full menu and weekly specials, plus 1/2 off all wine, beer & cocktails. Phone: (301) 296-6168. Menu: gregoriostrattoria.com.

 

  • GYROLAND casual Greek food, cooked fresh seven days a week. 1701 Rockville Pike in the Shops at Congressional Village, right under the Verizon store. Dine-in service, cashless transactions only. Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 11 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Pork, chicken, beef and lamb gyros, plus mixed grill and vegetarian options. Free delivery in a five-mile radius with $30 minimum. 1/2 off all wine with your order. Call us: (301) 816-7829. Menu: gyroland.com.

 

  • HUNTER’S BAR AND GRILL, the “Cheers” of Potomac. 10123 River Road. Phone: (301) 299-9300. Open for lunch, dinner and gift card sales. Half-priced bottles of wine with food purchase. Delivery through DoorDash and GrubHub, choose no-contact curbside carryout, or enjoy our patio for outdoor dining plus limited seating indoors. Reservations recommended. Check Facebook for daily specials. Menu: huntersbarandgrill.com

 

  • LAHINCH TAVERN AND GRILL, regional American cuisine at Cabin John Village. New menu featuring split grilled bangers, Guinness-battered fish & chips, corned beef & cabbage, shepherd’s pie, chops, steaks & sandwiches. Discounted beer and wine to go. Delivery, carry-out, curbside pickup or enjoy outdoor dining in our new socially distanced patio & have a cocktail at our new outdoor bar. Call: (240) 499-8922. Menu: lahinchtavernandgrill.com.

 

 

  • MOBY DICK KABOBS, Persian cooking on the go. Multiple locations in Maryland & the DMV. Our family platters feed 3-4 people starting at $36.99 or 5-6 people starting at $63. Check out daily specials like khoresht gheymeh (yellow split-pea soup with beef) on Wednesdays & ghormeh sabzi (herb stew) on Fridays. All locations open for carry-out, delivery, curbside pickup & limited indoor seating, plus outdoor dining at Fallsgrove. Potomac phone: (240) 660-2626. Rockville phone: (301) 738-0005. Menu: mobyskabob.com.

 

  • MOSAIC CUISINE, modern French cooking in Rockville. Freshly reopened for curbside pickup at 186 Halpine Road or delivery with Grubhub. Also offering outdoor dining plus limited seating in our newly redesigned dining room. Offering your favorite waffles, beef bourguignon, two-course family meals for four starting at $58, and much more. Order online or by phone: (301) 468-0682. Menu: mosaiccuisine.com.

 

  • MYKONOS GRILL, fine Greek dining in Rockville. 121 Congressional Lane. Outdoor patio, plus limited indoor dining & carry-out from 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday & Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday. Reservations strongly recommended. Cashless transactions only. Free delivery in a five-mile radius with $50 minimum, or use the major delivery apps. Try our branzino, octopus, lamb chops & vegetarian platters. Ask about our daily specials. 1/2 off wine bottles with carry-out. Call (301) 770-5999. Menu: mykonosgrill.com.

 

  • NORMANDIE FARM, pop on over for fine cooking in the heart of Potomac, 10710 Falls Road. Outdoor patio now open, plus limited indoor seating. Full menu service, fine wines & spirits, live music Thursday-Sunday evenings, and of course our famous popovers. Also open for carry-out service. Phone: (301) 983-8838. Menu: popovers.com.

 

  • POTOMAC PIZZA, a delicious favorite since 1978. Multiple locations in Maryland and the DMV. Potomac location: (301) 299-7700. Traville location: (301) 279-2234. Chevy Chase location: (301) 951-1127. Offering contact-free delivery, curbside pickup & takeout. Sister company Bagels & Grinds also offering bagels, lox & cream cheese pickup in Potomac on Saturday mornings. Menu: potomacpizza.com.

 

  • QUARTERMAINE COFFEE ROASTERS, locally roasted fresh coffee. Bethesda store open 6 a.m.-3 p.m. daily with drinks, beans & pastries. Use the Quartermaine app or call (301) 718-2853. Also: $5 flat-rate shipping with $30 minimum for beans shipped to your door. Click on the person next to the shopping cart at www.quartermaine.com.

 

  • SISTERS THAI POTOMAC, Asian & Thai cuisine + desserts. Pickup at Cabin John Village, 7995 Tuckerman Lane. Specialties like chicken satay, larb gai, pad thai, drunken noodles, curry dishes & more. Phone: (301)299-4157. Free no-contact delivery with $30 to $40 minimum order. Menu: sistersthaicabinjohn.com.

 

 

SHOP LOCAL

 

  • AUSTYN PARKER, fun jewelry for kids & cute clothes for moms. For kids: Make-your-own jewelry kits & online parties where everyone works on a project together. For moms: We’ve got your favorite brands like LNA, Monrow, Perfect White Tee, Generation Love, Chrldr & Comune. Shop Facebook or Shop Instagram. For gift ideas, party planning & what’s in stock, call us: (301) 706-8122 or email us: randi@austynparker.com.

 

  • GYM & TONIC, luxury athleisure apparel, now in the comfort of your own home. DM us for virtual shopping appointments and delivery in the DMV. Don’t forget to ask about our cute masks with filters. Shop @lovegymandtonic on Instagram. Email us: wendyamy18@gmail.com. Call us: (301) 340-8800. Text us: (202) 744-0169.

 

  • HANNA’S CONNECTION clothing boutique, now open at the Cabin John mini-mall. Fully stocked with new styles to fit your lifestyle, free designer face masks with your purchase. Call for a safe, sanitized one-on-one shopping appointment. We still offer virtual shopping and online orders with free limited delivery. Curbside pickup & shipping on orders over $50. Call us: (301) 704-0264. Shop Facebook or Shop Instagram.

 

  • JOYFUL BATH CO., natural handmade bath and body care products for spa & wellness at home. 5534 Wilkins Ct., North Bethesda. Soaps, shower steamers, bath bombs, hemp ultra therapy, soy candles, Turkish towels & gift sets plus our own citric acid surface cleaner. Open 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Call (301) 986-5320 or order online for shipping or curbside pickup: joyfulbathco.com.

 

  • KAREN’S ROCKS AND RAGS, new & gently used women’s boutique with on-trend, affordable clothing & accessories. 212 Main Street, Gaithersburg. We’re only accepting gently used Lululemon, Golden Goose & luxury designer bags on consignment for a 50/50 split. Check out our $10 face masks, $10 racks & 20% off racks. Open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Shop Facebook. Shop Instagram. Phone: (240) 631-2565. eBay store: ebay.com/str/karensrocksandrags.

 

  • ON CLOUD 9, trendy boutique for babies, girls and adults. Now open at Potomac Woods Plaza, 1085 Seven Locks Road. We have your favorite brands like Hard Tail, Katie J NYC, Vintage Havana, Ocean Drive, Suzette & Dori, plus masks in stock for ages 3 to adult. We’re still offering virtual shopping, online orders & curbside pickup, plus private shopping appointments. Call (301) 251-1331 or email oncloud9potomac@gmail.com. Shop Facebook or Shop Instagram.

 

  • R BOUTIQUE, a sophisticated & cute clothing store, soon to reopen inside Art & Chemistry by Diego at Downtown Crown. Fully stocked with clothing, jewelry & stylish masks. Tons of casual wear, tie-dye sets, shorts, tank tops, sandals & sneakers. Now offering curbside pickup and free delivery within a 10-mile radius. Shop Facebook. Shop Instagram. Or call Rayna Badwey Matz for a Facebook shopping appointment, (301) 943-2000. To purchase masks, visit rboutique.shop.

 

 

 

 

FOR THE KIDS

 

 

  • INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MUSIC, now offering online music lessons. All ages and levels, multiple platforms including Skype, FaceTime and Zoom. Take the next step on your musical journey. Call (301) 365-5888 or visit our website: ismw.org.

 

  • MY GYM POTOMAC & MY GYM BETHESDA, now offering our awesome fitness & fun classes outdoors in Potomac. Small groups and age-appropriate classes allow us to run around with our friends and still social distance. Also introducing our new dance and yoga classes outside! We are still offering interactive live Zoom classes and Zoom birthday parties. More info: mygym.com/potomac.

 

  • SUNNYDYES AT HOME, mobile tie-dye parties for kids & adults. Let us host an event in your backyard or other open space. You pick the project, we’ll bring the tie-dye and all the supplies. Great for kids’ birthdays, adult happy hours & all kinds of special events. Instagram: @sunnydyesathome. For info, call (301) 461-6400 or email sunnydyesinfo@gmail.com.

 

CELEBRATIONS

 

  • CARD MY YARD POTOMAC is the premier yard greeting sign rental service, specializing in making your BIG day even BIGGER. Birthdays, anniversaries, babies or just because, Card My Yard will make it special! Locally owned and family-operated. Check us out on Facebook and Instagram. Email us: potomac@cardmyyard.com. Call us: (301) 908-3616. Book your greeting at cardmyyard.com.

 

  • CELEBRATIONSTOYOU, a comprehensive suite of services to enhance your next virtual or live event. Great for weddings, b’nai mitzvahs, birthdays & more. We offer everything from graphic design, video production and video call support to milestone keepsakes and larger-than-life yard signs by our Partyscapes division. 100% contact-less service. Instagram: geoffchesmanvisuals/ and partyscapesdc/ Email us: info@geoffchesman.com. Call us: (855) 369-5904. Website: celebrationstoyou.com.

 

  • FLASHBACK FILMS, photo & video montages for your special occasion — whether in-person or virtual. Professional montages at affordable prices for all your important milestones: birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, mitzvahs & more. We’re a locally based, student-run company and will work within your budget. Send us your photos and we’ll do the rest. Visit us on Instagram. For video samples & pricing, email flashbackfilms123@gmail.com.

 

  • LILAC, special occasion wear for girls, tweens & teens. We have the perfect outfits for graduations, cotillion, bar & bat mitzvahs (both service & party) and other special occasions. Plan for your fall events now; private shopping appointments are available throughout the summer. We also have fashionable face masks for kids & adults! Find us on Instagram (@lilacgirlshop) and Facebook (@shoplilacgirl). For more info, email sales@shoplilacgirl.com.

 

FURNITURE, ART & COLLECTIBLES

 

  • FREEMAN’S AUCTION, America’s oldest auction house, established in 1805. Potomac-based rep Debrah Dunner will help you consign fine art including modern & contemporary art, jewelry, 20th Century design & more. Virtual appointments, free auction estimates, easy no-contact pickup of your goods. For more info, call (301) 738-0347 or email ddunner@freemansauction.com.

 

  • ISI FURNISH, lightly used furnishings & decor at a fraction of the cost. Our white-glove service makes it easy to sell your fine furniture discreetly & professionally. If you’re looking to buy, we offer a wide range of affordable luxury furnishings to match your design and budget.  Call us: (971) 337-4403. Shop with us for new items every week: isifurnish.com.

 

HOME SERVICES

 

  • ISOLDIT, the easy way to turn your stuff into cash. We do the work, you cash the check. Get top dollar for your unwanted electronics, music equipment, jewelry, collectibles & furniture. Looking to reduce equipment or inventory for your business? We can help. Call us: (301) 990-2040. Email us: info@isolditmd.com. Safety is our priority — no contact, no worries. More info: www.isolditmd.com.

 

  • JIMMY GUSKY HEATING & AIR, one-stop shop for heating, air conditioning, plumbing and ductwork, serving Rockville & the D.C. area. We always give you an honest opinion and transparent pricing, making repairs when we can and helping you decide when replacement is the better option. Have an emergency? We’re available 24/7. Call (301) 327-7306 or click here.

 

  • MIKE’S LOCKSMITH & SECURITY, offering lock repair and replacement, keyless & touchpad systems plus door hardware, high-security keys and mailbox lockdown. All work guaranteed as long as you own your home. For after-hour emergencies or regular appointments, call (240) 506-7500. For more information, email mike@mikes-locksmith.com or click here.

 

  • NORMANDY CARPET, excellence in carpet, rug & upholstery cleaning & installation. We’re essential & here to serve you. Spilled wine on your carpet? Dog peed in the house? Flooding from the rain? We follow CDC safety guidelines, and our cleaning method removes dangerous viruses & bacteria. Call (301) 741-2005 or email info@normandycarpet.com. More info: www.normandycarpet.com.

 

  • TOWN & COUNTRY MOVERS, family-owned moving and storage company, based in Gaithersburg and serving the DMV since 1977. We handle local, long-distance and international relocations, as well as short-term and long-term storage solutions. Our staging division works with local realtors to enhance listings and improve home sales. Call (301) 670-4600 or click here.

 

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

 

  • SHIN ORTHODONTICS  — Drs. Debra and Richard Shin believe everyone should be able to afford an amazing smile. We offer Invisalign and Invisalign Teen, clear braces or traditional metal braces, and lingual braces. All PPO insurance plans accepted. Free consultations and custom financial plans with no large payments or hidden fees. Cabin John mini-mall and 4701 Randolph Road in Rockville. Call 301-770-7770 or click here.

 

  • TAFF & LEVINE D.D.S. provides state-of-the-art dental treatment in a relaxing atmosphere surrounded by caring doctors and staff. No insurance? No problem! Join our V.I.P. dental plan, pay one monthly fee for free hygiene appointments and 10% off all other dental procedures. 7811 Montrose Road in Potomac. Call 301-530-3717 or click here.
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