Where there's HalfSmoke, there isn't always fire. A four year odyssey of disappointment came to a whimpering conclusion at Rockville Town Square yesterday. It was almost exactly four years ago that local sausage chain HalfSmoke had announced plans to open a Rockville location at 36-A Maryland Avenue. During the long period of befuddled anticipation, a HalfSmoke kiosk came and went at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. But the Rockville HalfSmoke never came to pass.
Last night, the "coming soon" signage that had covered the windows of the former Austin Grill and American Tap Room space since November 2020 was gone. Passersby could finally see through the large windows, and judge for themselves what had - or hadn't - been done inside since the last presidential election. This is a huge space that needs a really good restaurant tenant. Meanwhile, HalfSmoke still has a Washington, D.C. location, with a second D.C. restaurant rumored to be in the works.
I'm not surprised the mall location closed. I'm surprised the one downtown stays open. Almost $15 for a half-smoke compared to under $10 at Ben's Chili Bowl. No brainer.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Olney Ale House will reopen.
ReplyDeleteStay in your lane.
DeleteWhich MoCo or Rockville instrumentality will win the space? Science Center? VizArts? A new tax-payer backed temporary/permanent infill helping keep up appearances in what should be/we all assumed would be prime real estate?
ReplyDeleteProbably some Asian themed restaurant but some troll here who doesn’t understand the basics of supply and demand will complain about too many Asian establishments in Rockville
DeleteSaturation of Asian themed food has been the death of Rockville Town Center and the new Asian themed shopping center (old Congressional South) will certainly steal the buzz from RTC. Diversity is good.
ReplyDeleteVizarts has been a good placeholder for otherwise vacant space.
Well done @10:03, you just proved @2:52’s point. Way to show up.
DeleteBlaming Rockville town center’s struggles on too many “Asian themed” (what does that even mean?) restaurants is so nuts and silly. The problem is the design and fundamental concept. Asian entrepreneurs are a huge part of what makes Rockville successful (to the extent it’s successful at all). Vizarts is great. But it’s the complement to a vibrant private sector business core, not its replacement.
ReplyDeleteAs I stated a few years back, Rockville is the new Chinatown. This is evident by the numerous Asian oriented retail and restaurant locations, growing by the minute. They are adding to the tax base due in a major part to the bustling Asian demographic in Rockville. This segment of the demographic is the second largest group, and has been since the 2000 census.
DeleteAs usual, Social Norm plays to the optimist tune in the face of all obvious issues. The Asian/Chinese business model deserves praise to the utmost. What killed RTS is the County Council, with the beyond useless Takoma Park CE and its anti business, absurd Green Energy initiatives and driving normal, family values out of the region. Dawsons did not survive with a 400k bailout. That’s not much $ in Joe Bidens America
ReplyDeleteYou are showing us your naivete for not knowing that The County Council has diddly squat to do or say with what happens development wise within the Rockville Town Center. It behoves you to learn and understand the various levels of substate, intergovernmental relations, before spewing your misguided opinings.
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