Child's Play, Silver Moon cleared out in Rockville

Two storefronts have been emptied out at Congressional Plaza in Rockville. Child's Play and Silver Moon had temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Now on the eve of curbside sales being permitted for non-essential businesses, they have permanently closed, and the spaces have been cleared out. On a brighter note, Custom Ink has posted a Coming Soon sign; they are expected to open this summer.

Montgomery County Headlines:

Looting in Chevy Chase

Bethesda Row begins boarding up stores in anticipation of looters

Barnes & Noble installs sign at Congressional Plaza in Rockville

The permanent sign is up at Barnes & Noble's future Congressional Plaza location on Rockville Pike. They'll be moving up the Pike from Montrose Crossing later this year. There's still a long way to go on the interior construction of the new bookstore, but the new canopy and exterior look finished when you look up from the sidewalk.

Congressional Plaza construction update (Photos)

Construction continues on the future Barnes & Noble bookstore and FITRow section at Congressional Plaza. As you can see, much more has been done outside than inside at the Barnes & Noble. The opposite is true inside FITRow. Some branding signage has been installed and work is well underway building what will be three new fitness studios by three different chains.

Custom Ink opening Rockville location

Custom Ink plans to open its third Maryland location in Rockville this summer. The custom apparel and accessories store will be in Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike, between Honeyfish Poke and Cartoon Cuts.

"From the softball teams at Dogwood Park to the medical programs at the NIH and the students at Montgomery College, Rockville is built around community,” Director of Store Operations Amanda Hanlon said in a statement Wednesday. “Custom Ink believes that every group can unite its members through the power of custom gear, and we’re delighted to open a local showroom in Rockville to help build that community bond.”

Photo courtesy Custom Ink

Barnes & Noble raising the roof at Congressional Plaza in Rockville

It may or may not be a real upper floor, but a second level of architecture is being added above the future Barnes & Noble bookstore at Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike. You may remember my update from December showed a frame structure rising on the front facade. 

Now there is a whole new roofline on top of that section of the strip mall, and it seems to be an attempt to match the higher floors of the Neiman Marcus last call STUDIO/new FITRow section directly adjacent to it, visually if not functionally. Having said that, anytime you have a bookstore with more than one floor, I will give you extra points for that. Also note that now the new front windows are uncovered.

Madison Reed Color Bar signage pops up in Rockville

Rockville Nights readers have known for a month that Madison Reed Color Bar is coming to Congressional Plaza this spring. But the harsh-chemical-free hair color studio is now making its imminent arrival public at the shopping center on Rockville Pike with some "Coming Soon" window screens.

Madison Reed Color Bar coming to Rockville

Color is the new blowout. Madison Reed Color Bar, a coloring-only salon concept, recently opened its first DC-area location at Bethesda Row. Rockville residents won't be missing out much longer, though. The chain has just signed a lease at Congressional Plaza.

Madison Reed Color Bar will be located between Noodles & Company and the future Barnes & Noble bookstore. A spring opening is expected. The chain's concept is "stunning color, free of harsh chemicals."

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The final hours of Baskin Robbins in Rockville

There were 31 flavors, but many less hours left in the life of Baskin Robbins at Congressional Plaza this past Sunday. The shop generously offered all ice cream at 50% off to customers on the final day of operation. Baskin Robbins - the chain - is directing customers here to their store at 7909 Tuckerman Lane in Potomac. I don't believe I've ever gone to that Baskin Robbins, so I'm interested to give it a try, since this one was the best in the county in my opinion. One scoop of Peanut Butter & Chocolate, and one scoop of Baseball Nut, for the final farewell. Another great business closes in moribund, razor-thin-profit-margin, high tax, high cost, high rent Montgomery County.

Congressional Plaza construction update (Photos)

Construction continues on the future Barnes and Noble bookstore, and FITRow, at Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike. Both the bookstore and the 3-space fitness annex will open in 2020. I can't figure out what they are doing at the B&N space - raising the roof, adding a floor, or just increasing the height of the facade. They have also posted a yellow FITRow sign on the building.

Rockville Baskin Robbins closing

This entire counter display at the
Baskin Robbins at Congressional Plaza
is up for bid when the store closes

Baskin Robbins is closing at Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike. The contents of the ice cream shop are scheduled to be auctioned off after the closure. This is sad news, as this was the best Baskin Robbins location in the county, in my opinion, since the old Bethesda one on Arlington Road closed many years ago. If you're a big 31 Flavors fan like me, you can even buy the entire counter display and recreate it in your basement recreation room. It's a puzzling closure, as there always seemed to be customers whenever I stopped in to buy something here.

Photo courtesy Capitol Online Auctions

Federal Realty posts renderings of FITRow at Congressional Plaza in Rockville (Photos)

A first hint of what to expect from the first floor entrance of FITRow is now on display at Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike. Three fitness centers will take vacant retail space in a redesigned section of the shopping center in 2020, under the FITRow branding. Already on board are orangetheory fitness and Corepower Yoga; a third space is still available for lease. You can see there will be a lobby area to the left of the existing escalators.