Rockville Safeway near future Wegmans location considering exit option

"Wegmans Effect" already being felt

The grocery store's first brick hasn't even been laid yet, but the Wegmans effect may already be palpable in Rockville. A real estate source tells me the Safeway store located one block south of the future Wegmans site is actively seeking a tenant to sublease its space at 1800 Rockville Pike. The Safeway store currently has a 20-year lease at the recently-built Galvan at Twinbrook development.

If Safeway were replaced with a new tenant under a sublease, it would be a blow to the community and the Galvan. The grocer is the anchor retail tenant at the development, occupying a 62,753 square foot retail space on the ground floor. As anchor, it's counted on by the other businesses to drive retail traffic to the site. And Twinbrook lost its original Safeway store when this one was planned to replace it.

Contrary to what you would expect from an upscale grocer like Wegmans, their prices are about 14% lower than Safeway's in the D.C. area, Consumers' Checkbook found. Yet Wegmans' products and produce have a reputation for being superior in quality to local competitors.

Aside from the intense competition Wegmans will provide for local shoppers, Safeway may also be suffering from a problem created by both the design of the Galvan, and City of Rockville sign regulations. With a setback from Rockville Pike required by past visions of a parallel service road, and a lack of large, driver-facing signage, it's frankly hard to know which businesses you are passing at the Galvan while facing forward to monitor the road ahead. It's no wonder developer B.F. Saul fought - successfully - to obtain the right to build up to the edge of Rockville Pike for its Twinbrook Quarter development, which will be anchored by the Wegmans.

Smashburger Rockville opening today

Smashburger is scheduled to reopen its Rockville location at 1800-A Rockville Pike today. They have been holding training sessions in recent days. Now the tables are set for diners inside. Smashburger is located in the Galvan development near the Twinbrook Metro station.

Smashburger Rockville location to reopen

Smashburger's Rockville location promised they would reopen after closing their doors earlier this year. Now the improbable is becoming reality - Smashburger is actually going to reopen this store at 1800-A Rockville Pike in The Galvan development. The restaurant was in the process of hiring potential employees when I stopped by yesterday. So if you've been missing Smashburger since their restaurants around the county closed, you're in luck once they reopen "soon."

Assault at Twinbrook Safeway

Montgomery County police detectives have released photos of a man they accuse of shoplifting and assault of an employee at the Twinbrook Safeway store, located at 1800 Rockville Pike, on October 17 around 1:00 PM. Detectives say the suspect stuffed merchandise from the Safeway's shelves into a bookbag, and then attempted to walk out of the store without paying for any of it.

Confronted by a "loss prevention employee" as he left, the suspect allegedly then pulled a knife out of his back pocket, and pointed it at the chest of the employee. The suspect was able to then flee the store, and was last seen boarding a Metro train at the Twinbrook Metro station nearby.

Anyone with information about this theft and first-degree assault and/or the suspect involved is asked to call the 1st District Investigative Section at 240-773-6084.  Those who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information provided to them that leads to an arrest in this case.

The alleged thief making his getaway
at the Twinbrook Metro station

Rockville Pike Craft Beer & Wine opens (Photos)

Rockville Pike Craft Beer & Wine has opened at 1800-D Rockville Pike, in the ground floor of The Galvan apartments near the Twinbrook Metro station. The interior looks modern and sleek, and they have a nice bar and tasting area in the front part of the store. Certainly a much-appreciated addition for residents of the building.

Beer & wine store close to opening at The Galvan on Rockville Pike

The sign is up and lit, but the name has changed. We've been waiting months for the debut of The Beer Junction in the ground floor of the Galvan at Twinbrook development at 1800-D Rockville Pike. Now workers are putting the finishing touches on the interior, where seating and tables are also in place. The store will now be called The Rockville Pike Craft Beer & Wine.

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The Beer Junction finally moving forward in Rockville

After almost a year of delay, there is finally some activity at the future home of The Beer Junction at 1800 Rockville Pike in the Galvan apartment building. A coming soon banner has been installed at the beer and wine store, and construction work is underway inside. The store will be located next to Floyd's Barbershop, facing the Pike.

Gong Cha Daily Tea Place to open in Rockville March 31

Another bubble tea shop is on the way to Rockville. Despite being an international chain, Gong Cha Daily Tea Place has plenty of authentic credentials. It was founded in 2006 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and its name means “tribute tea for the emperor.”

Gong Cha brews its tea and cooks its bubble pearls every four hours for freshness. Their tea is sourced from "the finest Taiwan tea estates." Gong Cha will open on March 31 in the former Pie 360 space in the Galvan apartments, located at 1800-C Rockville Pike.

Urban Hot Pot to hold soft opening this Saturday in Rockville

Urban Hot Pot is just about ready to open at the Galvan development at 1800 Rockville Pike. They will hold a soft opening tomorrow, Saturday, December 9, 2017. Urban Hot Pot will be an all-you-can-eat hotpot spot, complete with rotating conveyor belt. It is right next to the already-open Akira Ramen & Izakaya. The restaurant is walking distance from the Twinbrook Metro station.

Akira Ramen & Izakaya soft opening in Rockville (Photos)

Akira Ramen & Izakaya is holding a soft opening this week in Rockville. The new restaurant is located at 1800 Rockville Pike in the new Galvan apartments. Hours during the soft opening, which runs through this Friday, October 13, 2017, will be 5:00-10:00 PM.

Akira combines ramen dishes with casual Japanese gastropub fare. The soft opening menu (click photo below to enlarge for detail) includes 16 appetizers ranging from fried chicken to fried squid legs, 6 ramen bowls, and Green Tea cheesecake with green tea ice cream for dessert. Be one of the first to check it out in Rockville!

The Beer Junction to open in Rockville

Residents of The Galvan will soon have a short trip to buy booze. The Beer Junction, a beer and wine store, will open in the ground floor of the apartment building at 1800-C Rockville Pike. With the old Pie 360 sign still up, one wonders how many hungry drivers have pulled off the Pike thinking they're going to get a pizza at this place, only to find it's closed.

Two new restaurants coming to Galvan at Twinbrook in Rockville

The new Galvan at Twinbrook development is recovering from the shocking loss of the Pie 360 pizzeria by upgrading with two new Asian dining additions. Akira Ramen and Urban Hot Pot are coming soon to the JBG-developed property, with names leaving little to the imagination as to what cuisine they will be serving.

Urban Hot Pot will be the second hot pot restaurant in Rockville, following the opening of Little Dipper Hot Pot at Rockville Town Square this past February. It also continues the growth of Rockville as a major destination for Asian cuisine in the D.C. region.

Pie 360 opening today in Rockviile - here's a sneak peek (Photos)

Pie 360 plans to open today, December 5, at 11:00 AM at its new Rockville location, in the Galvan at Twinbrook development at 1800-C Rockville Pike. A fast casual pizzeria concept from the creators of Coal Fire, Pie 360 is expanding from Baltimore to Rockville, Alexandria and the District. It will immediately take on rivals &pizza, Blaze Pizza, and the new Pieology in Gaithersburg.

The basic ingredients at Pie 360 are their specially-aged dough, three sauce recipes, and mozzarella cheese. After picking your crust (traditional, wheat or gluten-free) and sauce (traditional, Signature, or spicy - or substitute garlic-infused olive oil), you can then add four toppings of your choice to the 10" pizza in addition to the mozzarella that is included. There are over 50 toppings to choose from.

Too many choices? Order one of their specialty pizzas, including Prosciutto Cipolla, Ring of Fire, and Bianco Speciale. Or custom order a salad or wrap. For dessert, they have house-made banana pudding and equally-house-made chocolate chip cookies.

SunTrust installs signage at future Galvan location in Rockville (Photos)

The permanent sign is up at the future Galvan at Twinbrook branch of SunTrust bank. Much progress has been made on the interior, and the ATM is already installed. This will be next to the eagerly-awaited Pie 360 pizzeria at the JBG Companies development, which is located on Rockville Pike near the Twinbrook Metro station (but officially addressed as 1801 Chapman Avenue).

Rockville construction update: Pie 360 at The Galvan (Photos)

Things are shaping up at the future Pie 360 at The JBG Companies' Galvan at Twinbrook development in Rockville. The sign is up, and build-out of the interior is nearing completion.

Pie 360 - "Where every pizza is personal" - is a Baltimore-based chain offering customizable pizzas and wraps, as well as salads. Their specialty pizzas include Ring of Fire, Ricotta Infusion, and Buffalo Chicken.

Dunkin' Donuts to celebrate grand opening this Saturday in Rockville

After a delay of a few days, the new Dunkin' Donuts at 1800 Rockville Pike opened its doors on Tuesday. Their rescheduled grand opening celebration will be this Saturday, October 8, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

As planned before, you will still be able to get a free small hot or iced coffee this week through Saturday, October 8. In addition, during the grand opening celebration this Saturday, there will be prizes and samples, and a balloonist and magician. WASH FM will be broadcasting from the store between 10:00 AM and noon during the event.

The new location is in the Galvan development near the Twinbrook Metro station. Street and garage parking are available on-site.

Dunkin' Donuts opening this Saturday at The Galvan in Rockville

Dunkin' Donuts will open its newest Rockville location this Saturday, October 1, in The Galvan at Twinbrook, located at 1800 Rockville Pike. During the first day, there will be music, a prize wheel, and a magician/balloonist on hand between 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. To celebrate the opening, the store will be offering a FREE small hot or iced coffee from October 1 to October 8.

Capriotti's is out, Pure Barre is in at Galvan; 9Round to open at The Terano in Rockville

Say it ain't so, Joe (Biden)! The much-hyped Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, a favorite of the Vice President, has pulled out of the Galvan at Twinbrook development, I have confirmed. Thanks to the anonymous tipster who brought this to my attention. I had wondered what was going on with that, given that the franchisee had set a fall 2015 opening date.

But the JBG development continues to lease up with other tenants, trading high-calorie sandwiches for a calorie-burning fitness studio - Pure Barre.

Not to be outdone in the sweat department, JBG's The Terano development is adding 9Round, a kickboxing gym that promises to burn up to 500 calories in 30 minutes. "Say goodbye to the boring big box gyms," the 9Round website advises.

Sign installed at Dunkin' Donuts at Galvan in Twinbrook (Photos)

The permanent sign is installed at the future Dunkin' Donuts in the Galvan development near the Twinbrook Metro station in Rockville. A "D" door handle has also been installed outside. There's still a long way to go on the inside. This is one of several Dunkin' Donuts that have either opened, or are planned to open, in Rockville.

Smashburger now open at Galvan in Rockville

Smashburger has opened at JBG's new Galvan at Twinbrook development in Rockville. The restaurant opened yesterday, after postponing the original April 6 opening. Galvan is located at 1800 Rockville Pike. Smashburger has several other area locations, including Bethesda and Downtown Crown.