Vacant CVS space in Rockville Town Center offered for sublease

A large corner space that has sat vacant for almost four years at The Square at Rockville is now being marketed as available for sublease. CVS Pharmacy was the longtime tenant of this spot at 360 Hungerford Drive (MD 355), until the drugstore fell victim to the ubiquitous chain's uncharacteristic downsizing effort in 2022. The remainder of the CVS lease extends through September 30, 2032. Now the 13,800-square-foot storefront, which includes a drive-thru, can be sublet to you at an unspecified rent. That hush-hush rate is negotiable, according to the online listing.

Man pulls knife when told coffee isn't free in Rockville

There's no such thing as a free lunch, or even a free cup of coffee, in Rockville. A man seeking just that barged into a business in the 800 block of Rockville Pike around 5:00 AM on April 1, 2026, Montgomery County police report. When he was told he would have to pay for the coffee, the man pulled out a knife and threatened the employee. Police located the caffeinated suspect outside the business, which police did not identify, and placed him under arrest.

Montgomery County's first Hobby Lobby construction update (Photos)

Here's a look at the construction progress on the first Hobby Lobby store in Montgomery County at 15750 Shady Grove Road in the 270 Center, on the border of Gaithersburg and Rockville. The interior fit-out is still blocked from view, but we can see the exterior alterations being made to the former Best Buy facade. A look at the Hobby Lobby website shows the large inventory of Easter products, as an example of the chain's seasonal merchandise. Stay tuned for an opening date.

Matan Cos. breaks ground on new strip mall in Gaithersburg

Matan Companies broke ground on the latest addition to its commercial development on the former Leidos site at the corner of MD 355 and Montgomery Village Avenue in Gaithersburg today. Construction will now commence on a 10175-square-foot strip mall at 715 Progress Way. It will join two fully-leased 198,000-square-foot Class A buildings, also developed by Matan Companies, whose tenants include AstraZeneca, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), and Daikin Comfort Technologies Distribution, Inc., and two pad sites occupied by Chick-fil-A and Sheetz. The latter two have drawn tremendous traffic to the property, and corporate officials at Sheetz have publicly expressed their satisfaction with the success of their first Montgomery County location here.

Three pad sites remain available, along with the inline spaces available in the future strip mall. "We’re excited to continue expanding this dynamic destination in Gaithersburg," said James Matan, Director of Leasing for the Matan Companies, said in a statement this morning. "With strong existing traffic generated by Chick-fil-A and Sheetz, along with excellent accessibility, this site offers an ideal opportunity for retailers."

Update on Molly Tea in Rockville (Photos)

Signage is being installed on the future storefront of Molly Tea, opening soon at 860 Festival Street at Twinbrook Quarter in Rockville. See a sneak peek at the interior below, as well. Molly Tea specializes in jasmine tea. 

"Inspired by the Four White Flowers of the East, we select the best mountain tea leaves and scent them with fresh flowers, with focus on Jasmine aromas and Chinese tea," the company's US franchise website states. "Molly Tea aspires to explore all things Jasmine, allowing everyone to see the beauty of Chinese tea culture in their daily lives." Their specialties are Fresh Milk Tea, Snowy Whipped tea beverages topped with jasmine-infused whipped cream, and Fresh Oat Milk Tea.

Late night door knockers assault resident in Rockville

Three suspects knocked on the door of a residence in the 600 block of Blandford Street in Rockville at 2:00 AM on March 26, 2026. When the resident answered the door, the suspects demanded to see an individual, Rockville City police say. After the resident informed them that person did not live there, the suspects physically assaulted the resident. Police have not released any suspect descriptions as of this writing.

Panera Bread space marketed for lease in Rockville Town Center

Panera Bread's space at 219 E. Middle Lane in Rockville Town Center is being marketed as available for lease. Prospective tenants and their representatives are warned "Do not disturb" the existing restaurant. Panera Bread remains open for business at this time, but its loss would certainly be a blow to the lunch scene in the Town Center area. A former bank space in the ground floor of the same building, vacant for some time now, also remains available for lease. Panera has two other locations in Rockville, at the Fallsgrove Village Center, and at Federal Plaza on Rockville Pike.

R.F. Fager Supply opens in Rockville

R.F. Fager Supply has opened a new location in Rockville. It is next to Taipei Cafe at 800 Hungerford Drive (MD 355). In addition to its consumer-facing designer plumbing fixture showroom, R.F. Fager also carries a massive inventory of plumbing supplies for the professional tradesperson. The company started in Central Pennsylvania, but has expanded into Maryland in recent years.

Assault on residential street in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of an assault on a residential street in the King Farm area yesterday morning, March 28, 2026. The assault was reported in the 800 block of Elmcroft Boulevard at 11:45 AM Saturday. At least one individual was also accused of obstruction, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct in the same incident. This took place just three days after a teen was stabbed outside of the nearby Safeway store at King Farm Village Center. Yet another example of the troubling new trend of violent crimes being committed during daylight hours in Montgomery County.

Man shot to death in Rockville

Montgomery County police are investigating a deadly shooting in Rockville last night. The shooting was reported in the 12900 block of Twinbrook Parkway at 10:20 PM Friday. Officers arriving at the scene found a 20-year-old man in a parking lot suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. @TheDMVLive reported the man had been shot in the face, and was in cardiac arrest. Police say officers began CPR on the victim, who was transported to a local hospital, where he tragically passed away.

No suspect has been identified so far by police. A homicide investigation is now underway. The victim will not be identified until family members can be notified, police say.

Maryland silica factory closing, production relocating to South Carolina

There goes another one. Evonik Corporation will close its Maryland factory in Havre de Grace, and relocate its production of silica to South Carolina. The closure will eliminate 34 jobs, according to a filing the chemical firm submitted to the state on Wednesday. While the company explains its strategic move with buzzphrases like "economies of scale," there are several obvious reasons why the grass appears much greener in the Palmetto State if you are running a business enterprise.

Industrial electricity rates in South Carolina are 22% less than in Maryland. This is largely due to the forced closure of eight power plants by Maryland elected officials, who have also mandated the purchase of ever-increasing amounts of "clean power," such as solar or wind. In addition, the state has socked energy utility customers with an EmPOWER Maryland fee, that funds a Marxist program that subsidizes the purchase of energy efficient equipment by lower income customers. The end result is that Maryland now imports the majority of its electricity from out-of-state, naturally at greater cost than it had been provided from those shuttered in-state plants. Not to mention that Maryland ratepayers are now receiving record-high monthly power bills.

Maryland's corporate tax rate is 8.25%. South Carolina's is 5%. Doh!

Last year, Maryland Governor Wes Moore and the Democratic-controlled legislature established a 3% tech tax. By comparison, IT consulting, custom coding, and systems design are not taxed in South Carolina.

Finally, Maryland’s average annual pay for chemical engineers is approximately $121,012 to $140,708. In Charleston, the average is roughly $93,975 to $128,000, according to Indeed.com.

Heckuva job, Brownie!

Maryland Governor candidate Ed Hale blasts Wes Moore's floundering Key Bridge rebuild

"I heard a noise, it's that close to me," Maryland Governor candidate Ed Hale recalled of the collapse of the Key Bridge in Baltimore two years ago today. The Republican businessman and Charm City resident's home was within earshot of the catastrophe that unfolded on March 26, 2024. Two years later, progress on the construction of a replacement bridge has stalled as the cost of the project ballooned fivefold under the administration of Governor Wes Moore (D). Running afoul of federal funding guidelines, and Moore's relentless personal attacks on President Donald Trump, have led to the possibility that former president Joe Biden's vow to pick up 100% of the tab is now in serious jeopardy. Hale scheduled a press conference within sight of the bridge yesterday to excoriate Moore for the lack of progress, 24 hours ahead of the predictable Moore media blitz.

"It's a bridge that I've used pretty much all of my life," Hale told reporters Wednesday. "I'm from around here. This is my house right here," he added, gesturing toward his home. The neighborhood around the former bridge connection "is hurting, because it takes forever to go from here to over there," Hale said.

Hale argued the floundering rebuild is "emblematic of a governor that's really not paying attention to this whatsoever. He'll smile and say that he is, but he's not. And what you see is anger on both sides of the bridge, all around [Anne Arundel and Baltimore] County and just, the citizens here are extremely upset and don't like the idea that we're not getting this done. There's no end in sight for this thing to be done."

"We are a ship without a rudder," Hale charged of Moore's leadership of the state, saying the current governor's attention is largely consumed by his quest for the presidency in 2029. He announced that in lieu of a workable solution from the Moore administration, "I have a plan."

"I'm going to have the bureaucrats involved, the engineers, and the construction companies involved in this whole process, and see what they can do," Hale said. "And if they don't have a reasonable explanation, they're not going to last long in my administration." He suggested the state turn to Maryland-based firms that do similar work around the world to rebuild the bridge, saying he knows they are qualified because he has hired many of them for his own projects. "I've talked to a bunch of people, and they're standing by, ready to do it."

Hale cited the outflow of residents and wealth from Maryland to other states in recent years. Voters are "now telling me, 'If you don't win, we're moving,'" Hale recounted. A recent poll found that over 60% of Maryland residents are either in the process of leaving the state, or are considering a move. "We can't continue to have this happen," Hale said.

"We don't have economic development. We don't have job creation. We are the worst in the nation for job creation," Hale explained, noting that as a private sector businessman, he has created tens of thousands of jobs. By "every metric you can think of, we're failing," Hale said. "I don't intend to fail. I intend to make things better. Help is on the way."

Teen stabbed at Safeway in Rockville

A teenage boy was stabbed multiple times outside of the Safeway grocery store at 403 Redland Boulevard in the King Farm Village Center in Rockville last night, March 25, 2026. The shocking crime took place just after 8:30 PM during a peak shopping time. Montgomery County and Rockville City police both responded to the incident, in which the juvenile victim was hospitalized with what were believed to be non-life-threatening injuries. One suspect has been arrested, County police say, but they have not provided a description of the suspect in custody, nor of a second potential suspect they are still looking for. Eyewitnesses have stated there were at least six teens in the gathering outside the store that led to the altercation.

Pickpocket strikes in parking lot in Rockville

Watch your wallet! Montgomery County police responded to a report of a pickpocket in a parking lot in Rockville on Saturday, March 21, 2026. The theft was reported in a commercial parking lot in the 700 block of Hungerford Drive at 1:10 PM Saturday. Remember to carry your wallet in a front pocket, if possible.

Rockville man killed in rollover accident on Norbeck Road

A Rockville resident was one of two passengers killed when the gray 2025 BMW M8 they were riding in on eastbound Norbeck Road flipped over and wound up in a drainage ditch. Montgomery County police are investigating why the driver crossed the center median and lost control of the vehicle at 3:09 AM on Sunday, March 22, 2026. The BMW struck a curb and a pedestrian signal post, flipped over, and skidded upside-down through the intersection with E. Gude Drive. It continued forward, striking another curb, another pedestrian signal post, and several trees before landing in the drainage trench alongside Norbeck Road. The BMW's onboard computer alerted 911 to the crash.

Alexander J. Medrano Cangalaya, 24, of Rockville and Abraham D. Huracaya Del Aguila, 24, of Silver Spring were pronounced dead at the scene. The unnamed driver of the BMW was pulled from the vehicle by Rockville City police officers, and transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

County police say their investigation is ongoing, and may take several months to complete. They are welcoming any eyewitness information or details that might assist them. Anyone with information regarding this collision is asked to contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240-773-6620.

Cycle Gear opening March 25 in Rockville

Cycle Gear will open for the first time on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at 1500 Rockville Pike, according to a sign posted in the window. As you can see, the shelves and displays inside are just about fully stocked. Cycle Gear is America's largest retailer of motorcycle gear, apparel, parts, and accessories. The opening date was first reported by The MoCo Show. Here's a sneak peek inside:

Assault reported in wooded area in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of an assault in a wooded area yesterday afternoon, March 21, 2026. The assault was reported at 1:32 PM Saturday in the 2400 block of McCormick Road. However, the actual incident appears to have taken place a day earlier at 5:00 PM. Glenora Park is directly adjacent to McCormick Road.

Assault at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda on March 19, 2026. The assault was reported at the mall at 5:00 PM Thursday. This is the third assault reported at the mall this year, with the first having taken place on January 10, and the second on January 26. The mall is now on-pace for 12 assaults this year at this rate, the same number that took place at the property in 2025.

Update on Sheetz construction at Walnut Hill Shopping Center (Photos)

Construction on the second Sheetz convenience store and mega gas station in the MD 355 corridor is advancing quickly at the Walnut Hill Shopping Center at 733 S. Frederick Avenue. The familiar building design and roofline are now visible. There's an interesting Sheetz Site Safety sign I have included a picture of below. It looks like the store could be open by summer at this point.

Armed robbery in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of an armed robbery Monday night, March 16, 2026. The robbery was reported in the 100 block of Rockville Pike at 7:33 PM Monday. A firearm was the weapon employed in the incident.

J. Crew Factory to open at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg

J. Crew Factory is coming soon to Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg. The outlet arm of the preppy apparel brand has posted signage in the storefront windows at 20-A Grand Corner Avenue. J. Crew Factory will open in "Winter 2026," according to the signage. Very similar to Gap Factory, J. Crew Factory is not a liquidation outlet of past-prime J. Crew clothing, instead carrying a line of clothing designed specifically for Factory stores. 

What's the difference? Mostly in the materials used. They're going to be lower-quality but also much lower priced. The genuine wool sweater or scarf you might buy at J. Crew, for example, could be made of synthetic fabrics at Factory stores. So it's a way to get J. Crew styling for less, but the pieces might not last you as long as The Real Thing. How can you immediately recognize a Factory item on the resale market? J. Crew Factory items will have two tiny diamonds or dots on the brand label.

Lifestyle Essentials opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda (Photos)

Lifestyle Essentials has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The streetwear and athletic shoe retailer is a locally-owned small business, with an existing location at Dulles Town Center. Brands carried include Nike, Adidas, Asics, and the always-non-controversial Yeezy. Look for Lifestyle Essentials on Level 1 in the Nordstrom wing of the mall, next to Everything But Water.

How tough does Montgomery County make it to open a car wash business? Soviet tough!

Sam's Car Wash could be coming soon to Damascus, if the local chain receives permission from the Montgomery County Planning Board. Yes, in anti-business Montgomery County, businesspeople apparently can't just open a car wash without jumping through Marxist government hoops. These hoops include a list of demands from government that sound like a cross between Soviet central planning and a mafia shakedown.

The car wash is proposed for 26203 Ridge Road (MD 27), currently the site of a bank building. Sam's would demolish most of the bank, but retain part of it for office space. Existing driveways would be consolidated into one two-way curb cut for ingress and egress. 

The proposed facility is a fully-automated express car wash with automatic gates and license plate readers. "A loader will guide the customer onto the conveyor" to enter the wash tunnel, the planning staff report says. Operating hours would be 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM Monday through Saturday, and 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sundays. 

Planning commissioners will review the conditional use request at their Thursday, March 26, 2026 meeting. Staff are recommending approval of the car wash with a massive list of conditions, including the County restricting the hours of operation to the aforementioned schedule, a stipulation that no more than 4 employees may be on-site at any time, forcing the company to enter a "surety and maintenance agreement" with the Planning Board in order to receive a building permit, and forcing the company to pay the County for the full cost of constructing an 8' bike lane, a 6' street buffer, and a 2' widening of the existing sidewalk. 

And we wonder why the Montgomery County economy is moribund!

Rockville office building broken into

Rockville City police responded to a report of a burglary at an office building late yesterday morning, March 16, 2026. The burglary was reported at a building in the 1700 block of Research Boulevard at 11:47 AM Monday. Officers responding to the scene found evidence of forced entry at the building. Police believe the break-in occurred sometime between 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM the previous day.

City Hall, facilities close ahead of severe storms, tornado threat in Rockville

The City of Rockville has closed City Hall and all other City facilities due to the impending severe storms approaching the Washington, D.C. area. Montgomery County Public Schools have dismissed students early today for the same reason. Maryland Governor Wes Moore has declared a State of Preparedness. That action authorizes the Maryland Department of Emergency Management to coordinate preparations with emergency management, transportation, law enforcement, and public health agencies across the state.

Today's storms are expected to bring wind gusts of 70-80 MPH, heavy rain, lightning, hail, and the potential for isolated tornadoes. “We are working with our state and local partners to prepare for potential impacts across Maryland,” Maryland Department of Emergency Management Secretary Russ Strickland said in a statement. “We are planning for the possibility of hazardous conditions which could include debris, downed powerlines, and travel disruptions. Marylanders should make their preparations now by reviewing family emergency plans including where to shelter during a tornado warning, charging personal devices in case of power outages, and signing up for local emergency alerts to stay informed. If you don’t need to be on the roads, stay home, and always follow guidance from local officials.”

Montgomery County, central Maryland under severe storm threat Monday

The latest forecast from the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center portends trouble for the Washington, D.C. suburbs and central Maryland tomorrow, Monday, March 16, 2026. Many meteorologists are saying the NWS prediction is showing the highest chance of a tornado or derecho event they've seen in many years. The NWS predicts there is a 15-29% chance of a tornado in Montgomery and Frederick Counties Monday. The "moderate" designation means "widespread severe storms are likely," with severe weather most likely between 3:00 PM and 9:00 PM.

Such a forecast underscores the importance of monitoring weather forecasts and NWS bulletins over the next 36 hours. Make sure to bring indoors or secure any objects in your yard or on your balcony that could be lifted by high winds. Replace batteries in flashlights and transistor radios as needed tonight, try to fully charge your cellphone, and ensure you have at least half a tank of gas. A few days' supply of non-refrigerated snacks and water bottles can't hurt. Finally, have a plan for all occupants of your home to quickly move to the basement or lowest level of your house if you receive a Tornado Warning on your phone.