Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The first chill of fall is in the air. That means two things: it's time to buy warm clothes, and the holiday shopping season is rapidly approaching. One herald of both is the annual arrival of Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Just seeing the store back at the mall gives a warm feeling to those who can't wait for The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Lilly Pulitzer window coverings get glow-up at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

They heard us, folks. The trash bags in the windows of Lilly Pulitzer at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda are gone. In their place are branded window screens with images of Via Mizner in Palm Beach, where the label was founded over 60 years ago. There's also now a message to customers regarding the temporary closure for remodeling, and a number you can text to receive updates when the reopening timeline is solidified. This is definitely a better look for the upscale mall, and upscale brand.

Nordstrom Rack sets opening date in Rockville

The new Nordstrom Rack store in Rockville now has an opening date. It will open on October 29, 2026 at 1683 Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza, according to signage in the window. What is the difference between Nordstrom at Westfield Montgomery Mall and Nordstrom Rack? Nordstrom Rack sells some overstock, clearance, and past-season items from the "real" Nordstrom. So this means that you actually are going to be able to find a significant number of Nordstrom-quality products by top labels at great savings at Nordstrom Rack. 

However, Nordstrom Rack also carries items specifically designed and manufactured for Nordstrom Rack. These are essentially going to be pieces that look like what you expect to see in the higher-end Nordstrom department store, but that might be made with a lower-cost material. You can quickly identify apparel made for Nordstrom Rack by checking the tag, which will say... Nordstrom Rack, not surprisingly.

You won't have the department store Nordstrom services like personal shoppers and alterations at Nordstrom Rack. And there won't be a cafe or somebody tinkling away on a grand piano. But bargain hunters won't mind, as they search for and score deals on items that might have been out of their price range at the department store a season ago. Holiday shoppers: Start your engines!

Pike & Rose among 6 Starbucks stores closing in Maryland

Starbucks announced a new round of downsizing nationwide, and the closure list includes six stores in Maryland. Montgomery County stores at Pike & Rose in Rockville, and 12255 Prosperity Drive in the White Oak area of Silver Spring are among those getting the axe. That's particularly devastating for residents of the buildings at Pike & Rose, as having an on-site Starbucks was among the amenities of living there. Also shuttering will be Starbucks stores in Chester, Easton, Frederick, and Pocomoke City.

UK quantum computing firm chooses Virginia over Maryland for U.S. HQ

It's Groundhog Day once again for economic development in the Washington, D.C. region, as yet another firm has chosen Virginia over Maryland, and Arlington County over Montgomery County for its corporate headquarters. This time it's British quantum computing firm Phasecraft. The company announced that Virginia is the winner in the sweepstakes for its new U.S. headquarters. Phasecraft will open the HQ at a not-yet-announced address in Ballston.

The announcement has to particularly sting Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who has repeatedly claimed that he wants to make his state a leader in quantum computing. It certainly didn't help Maryland's bid that Moore declared four days prior to the company's decision that he would sign a total ban on data centers, if the legislature sent one to his desk. This forehead-smacking faux pas is reminiscent of the Montgomery County Council announcing it was canceling the biggest infrastructure project in the White Flint sector plan on the very day that Amazon's HQ2 search team was touring the County's suggested site in White Flint. Whoops!

Just as the Council's transportation infrastructure cancellation cost it the HQ2 of a logistics company, Amazon, announcing you are going to possibly totally ban data centers would almost certainly terminate the consideration of any quantum computing firm to locate in our state. Doh! A decade later, we continue to be led by very stupid people.

A smarter governor, Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, found herself once again taking a victory lap. "Virginia continues to grow as a global hub for cutting-edge companies and groundbreaking technologies," Spanberger said in a statement. "I’m thrilled to welcome Phasecraft to the Commonwealth and look forward to seeing all they accomplish as they grow and build on Virginia’s world-class innovation ecosystem. This investment will create new high-tech jobs, attract other leading companies to Virginia, and strengthen the Commonwealth’s growing role in bringing next-generation technologies to market."

Virginia, in contrast to Maryland, is known as the data center capital of America. How Maryland will become "a leader in quantum computing and cybersecurity" without data centers is indeed a puzzling and even humorous dilemma for observers of Governor Moore, who has proven so far that he's far from the sharpest tool in the drawer. What we already do know is that Maryland and Montgomery County haven't attracted a single major new corporate headquarters in over 25 years. Will voters quintuple down on futility on Election Day in November?

The Korean Dessert Fruit Ice Cream opening at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The Korean Dessert Fruit Ice Cream is opening at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. It is a freestanding kiosk located on Level 2 near Snipes in the Macy's Home wing. It will be serving fruit-shaped ice cream with a thin shell coating on the outside. Considered a viral dessert on TikTok some time ago, it is now arriving at the mall.

Bogotá Coffee House opening Thursday in Rockville

Bogotá Coffee House will celebrate its grand opening tomorrow, Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 115 N. Washington Street in Rockville. The new coffee shop will not only serve Colombian coffee, but its decor will ensure you feel like you've been transported to that nation's capital. Operating hours will be 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, seven days a week. Here's a sneak peek inside: