Regal Germantown signage removed (Photos)

Signage has been stripped from the facade of the former Regal Germantown cineplex at 20000 Century Boulevard. It closed about a month ago. The building is for sale, and is likely to be redeveloped as housing unless another theater chain takes it over. Regal Germantown started this century as a Hoyts Cinema. One of the newest theaters in Montgomery County at that time, it stagnated into obsolesence over the next two decades, failing to add the upgrades and amenities like recliners that are standard circa 2024.

Polestar EV on display at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda (Photos)

Tesla has been a prominent presence at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for many years now. Competitor Polestar, which counts Volvo among its ownership team, is muscling in on Elon with a holiday display. The Polestar 3 (sounds a lot like Model 3) is described as "the SUV that drives like a sports car" (sounds a lot like Model X and Y). Depending which variant you buy, the Polestar 3 comes with up to 517 horsepower, and 350 miles of range. You can arrange a test drive by using a QR code at the display, but you can also use this link.

Chateau de Rockville "coming soon" to Rockville Pike

Chateau de Rockville is "coming soon" to The Shops at Congressional Village at 1701 Rockville Pike. Signage posted in its future storefront describes the business as a bakery, and a dessert and coffee shop. Property owner IVEA had promised a new focus on attracting overseas restaurant chains to the shopping center, with the initial group largely representing Asian cuisines. Now Francophiles may also find themselves lured to the retail center, to visit the Chateau de Rockville. Incroyable!

Will last-minute Big Lots deal save Montgomery Village store?

All Big Lots stores across America were anticipated to close in the near future, after the company filed for bankruptcy and a potential sale of the chain fell through. However, last Friday, Big Lots reached a tentative agreement to transfer between 200 and 400 of its stores to a firm called Variety Wholesalers, via a sale to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners. Neither party has yet announced which specific stores will be saved in the deal, including the Big Lots at the Montgomery Village Center, the last one remaining in Montgomery County.

There is reason for optimism, though. The other chain stores operated by Variety Wholesalers are concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern states. It would be logical for Variety to focus on acquiring Big Lots stores located in those regions, with the Montgomery Village location being one.

The sale agreement will still have to be approved by the bankruptcy court."We are pleased to reach this strategic agreement with Big Lots and partner with Variety Wholesalers to achieve a path forward that allows Big Lots to continue to serve customers with extreme bargains and an outstanding shopping experience," Gordon Brothers Head of North America Retail Rick Edwards said in a statement.

Rockville Town Square drops "Rockville" from name

Rockville Town Square property owner Morguard announced that it is dropping the "Rockville" part of its name. From this point on, the mixed-use development will simply be called "The Square." Ouch. What an insult to the City of Rockville, that the city name is seen as a marketing problem. We were always told by the evangelists of urbanization that 15-minute-city town centers would create "a sense of place."

Does "The Square" represent a geographical place in any sense? No. How would anyone know where "The Square" is, especially when so many retail centers utilize "Square" in one fashion or another. "The transition to The Square marks just the beginning of a reimagined and revitalized experience at this well-loved community epicenter," a Morguard rebranding announcement declares. "Get ready for a fresh perspective on shopping, dining, and entertainment. Coming 2025!"

The struggling Rockville Town Square, like much of the Rockville Town Center area, has been through a difficult decade. There are many ideas among residents, patrons, and business owners about what should be done. Dropping "Rockville" from the name is not one I have heard before!

Armed carjacking in Rockville parking garage

Rockville City police responded to a report of an armed carjacking Friday afternoon, December 27, 2024, near the Twinbrook Metro station. The carjacking was reported in a residential parking garage in the 1100 block of Higgins Place at 3:01 PM Friday. That is in the area of the Alaire apartments.

Nothing Bundt Cakes sets opening date in Rockville

Signage has been installed over the future storefront of Nothing Bundt Cakes at 1032 Rockville Pike in Rockville. The bakery is now scheduled to open on January 6, 2024, according to Google. Nothing Bundt Cakes is currently featuring a candy-inspired Andes Peppermint Chocolate Chip cake for the holiday season. The shop will be located next to Uptown Cheapskate at the Edmonston Crossing shopping center.

Rockville homeowner victimized during kitchen makeover

A Rockville homeowner having his kitchen remodeled was victimized by one or more thieves during the project between December 8 and December 15, 2024. Rockville City police report that several appliance components left unsecured outside the home were damaged or stolen. The incidents took place at a home in the 5900 block of Holland Road. If you have any information about these incidents, or can identify any suspect(s) involved, call police at 240-314-8900.

Maryland AG office investigating Gaithersburg death in police custody

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown announced that his office's Independent Investigations Division (IID) is beginning an investigation into the death of a person who was in Gaithersburg City police custody on the night of December 24, 2024. Officers were dispatched for a disturbing the peace call in the 300 block of N. Summit Avenue at 10:15 PM that night. Arriving at the scene, they found a man covered in blood on the ground outside of an apartment building.

The man was conscious, but acting erratically, Brown said. After the man rose from the ground and began to walk away from the scene, he was grabbed by the officers, and placed back on the ground. The officers called for assistance from Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Services, and held the man down while awaiting their arrival. The man then lost consciousness, and stopped breathing. Officers attempted to render lifesaving care, which was taken over by MCFRS personnel after they arrived at the scene.

MCFRS transported the man to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, Brown said. His office said it will release body camera footage from the officers within 20 days of the incident, unless more time is needed for the investigation, or to contact family members of the decedent. 

PayMore opens in Rockville

PayMore has opened at 800 Rockville Pike, at the Golden Arcade shopping center. PayMore is a retail business that buys your old electronics - even if they are damaged - for cash. They will also wipe your data from the device to protect your security. This is PayMore's first Montgomery County location.

Chili's demolished on Rockville Pike (Photos)

The Chili's restaurant at 11428 Rockville Pike has been demolished. Demolition of the adjacent Woodglen Park property is still underway. The site is being redeveloped with a mixed-use residential apartment building, branded for now as North Bethesda Market II. Montgomery County has already approved that project.

Socks to Be You opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Socks to Be You is now open at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The cleverly-named store is just what it sounds like: a seller of socks. Socks come in a thousand variations, many featuring licensed famous characters. The selection includes Mega Man, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Daphne Blake, and Chun Li. Look for Socks to Be You on Level 1 across from Zara, in the Nordstrom wing of the mall.

Big Lots closing in Montgomery Village

Big Lots will be closing its last store in Montgomery County. A closing sale is underway at the store at 19142 Montgomery Village Avenue at the Montgomery Village Center. Big Lots is closing all stores after filing for bankruptcy earlier this year. The company has not announced an official closing date for the Montgomery Village store, as it says each store's closure will depend on how quickly it eliminates its inventory.

Shoe thieves plague Rockville apartment complex

One or more package pirates targeted an apartment complex in Rockville earlier this month, Rockville City police report. While porch pirates were predictably busy citywide during the holiday season, the apartments on Upper Rock Circle suffered "a particularly acute spree" of package thefts. Police say the primary target of those thefts was packages containing shoes. 

In one case on December 8, 2024, a Honda CRV believed to be driven by a package thief gained access to a restricted parking garage at the complex, by tailgating another vehicle around 7:00 PM. Once inside, the alleged thief grabbed a large number of packages from a parcel drop-off area, and fled. 

Police have not yet released descriptions of any suspects in these cases. If you can identify a suspect in these incidents on Upper Rock Circle, or have any information that might assist detectives, call police at 240-314-8900.

Tatte Bakery & Cafe targets January opening in Rockville

The sign is up at Tatte Bakery & Cafe at 12232 Rockville Pike at Towne Plaza in Rockville. Inside, the interior fit-out appears nearly complete. Furniture, and kitchen and counter equipment, are in place. Tatte is now working toward a target opening date of January 29, 2025 for the Rockville store. The chain recently opened a second Bethesda location at Westbard Square.