Trader Joe's fans lined up as far as the eye could see Thursday at the grocery chain's newest Rockville location at 225 N. Washington Street at The Square. A temporary power outage delayed the grand opening ceremonies about two-and-half hours, but did not deter the folks who were lined up all the way down Gibbs Street, toward E. Middle Lane. Once electricity was restored by Pepco, Rockville Mayor Monique Ashton presented Morguard Associate Vice-President Joshua Nolan with a proclamation from the Mayor and Council. Morguard North American Residential Real Estate Investment Trust is the new owner of the development, and recently rebranded it from Rockville Town Square. Morguard Corporation is the management firm for the property.
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| Morguard AVP Joshua Nolan and Rockville Mayor Monique Ashton |
Rockville Town Square had its struggles over the last two decades, but had never had a true grocery store in the anchor space until now. That has given Morguard confidence that the development can start fresh, with the popular grocer to draw the kind of foot traffic that this corner space had been intended to generate from the beginning. The property hadn't seen the kind of enthusiasm and excitement on display Thursday since the early days of its debut in the summer of 2007.
"This opening reflects Morguard's commitment to creating spaces that enrich local communities," Morguard President and Chief Operating Officer Angela Sahi said in a statement. "The Square is a prime example of how thoughtful reinvestment can spark neighborhood revitalization." Morguard's home run swing in landing Trader Joe's has impressed many local commercial real estate observers, as it immediately solves one of the fundamental flaws that had been a drag on the property, and a source of frustration for City officials.
"We're excited to welcome Trader Joe's and continue expanding the experiences offered at The Square," Nolan said Thursday. "Working with the city and Mayor Monique Ashton, we continue to focus on bringing people together and supporting our community."
Photos courtesy Morguard Corporation
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