Sneak peek inside Spirit Halloween in Rockville (Photos)

Spirit Halloween looks like it is getting closer to opening day in Rockville. This year, the pop-up Halloween costume and decor retailer is in the former Bed Bath & Beyond building at 1519 Rockville Pike, at the Congressional North shopping center. I see quite a number of Nightmare Before Christmas items up front. A sign states that "We happily accept refunds through October 18, exchanges through October 24. All sales final after October 24."

Nada closes in Rockville

Nada has closed at 11886 Grand Park Avenue at Pike & Rose. The Mexican restaurant had a decent run, opening in November 2018 in the ground floor of The Henri apartments. Nada appears to be down to three remaining locations, with two in its home state of Ohio, and one in Indiana. A Nashville location closed about 7 months ago. 

Nothing Bundt Cakes to open in Rockville

Nothing Bundt Cakes is coming soon to Rockville. The bakery will be located at 1032 Rockville Pike at Edmonston Crossing. "Baking soon" signage has been posted in its future storefront windows. This was previously home to Sun's Carpet & Floors.

A national chain, Nothing Bundt Cakes offers 1950s Bundt cakes in 8" or 10", tiered Bundt cakes, Bundtlet miniature cakes, and bite-sized Bundtini cakes. Flavors include Classic Vanilla, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Red Velvet, White Chocolate Raspberry, Confetti, Carrot Cake, Lemon, Snickerdoodle, and Pumpkin Spice. There are also two gluten-free flavors, Lemon Raspberry, and Chocolate Chip Cookie. Nothing Bundt Cakes has several existing Montgomery County locations, including Bethesda, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, and Germantown.

Spirit Halloween haunting soon in Rockville

Spirit Halloween temporary banner signage has been attached to the front of the former Bed Bath & Beyond store at 1519 Rockville Pike, at the Congressional North shopping center. The windows are still covered, hiding whatever ghoulish merchandise is being stocked on the pop-up costume and decor shop's displays. Of course, the vacant big box store was likely already haunted by some ghosts of its own, perhaps by spectral versions of the Big Blue coupons that many experts claimed were the demise of the chain's retail operations. A developer would like to put the empty building out of its misery by tearing it down, but not before at least one more scare by Spirit Halloween this fall!

Montgomery County's last Bowl America becomes a Bowlero

The last Bowl America bowling alley at 1101 Clopper Road in Gaithersburg has become a Bowlero. It's the end of an era, as the bowling centers "where thousands cheer" fade into history with a final crash of the pins. A permanent Bowlero logo has been attached to the exterior of the building, but the sign out front has simply been covered with a Bowlero drape for now. "New name, same epic fun," the company said in announcing the change. The bowling alley was renovated before reopening as Bowlero.

Bowlero has largely cornered the market on bowling in the region. The global company started as Bowlmor in New York in 1997. An original Bowl America on Westbard Avenue in Bethesda was acquired by Bowlmor, and then became a Bowlero when the brand changed its name in 2014. The AMF Bowling on Shady Grove Road is a Bowlero today, as a result of Bowlmor's 2013 acquisition of AMF. If you're still looking for the Bowl America experience in 2024, locations remain in Northern Virginia in Alexandria, Bull Run, Burke, Fairfax, Falls Church, and Woodbridge.

First Wegmans signage installed in Rockville

The first permanent signage for the future Wegmans grocery store has been installed at the Twinbrook Quarter development at 1600 Rockville Pike. It is at the entrance to the development's public parking garage on the new Festival Street. The garage lies beneath the Wegmans, a Class-A office building, and The Milton apartments. Wegmans itself is not expected to open until next year at the Saul Centers development, while the office space and apartments are now being marketed for lease.

Festival Street looking west toward
Rockville Pike and Congressional Plaza

Dispute about public urination leads to assault in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of an assault in the 800 block of Rockville Pike on August 26, 2024. Police say two suspects got into an argument about public urination with employees of a business on that block around 7:31 PM. The two suspects allegedly proceeded to assault the employees, and fled.

Police describe one of the suspects as a Black male, 20 to 29 years of age, with a medium build. He is approximately 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighing about 170 pounds. The suspect has brown eyes and "black dreads." No description of the second suspect has been released. If you can identify either suspect, or have any information about this incident, call police at 240-314-8900.

Attempted break-in at Rockville gun store

Montgomery County police are investigating an attempted burglary at a gun store in Rockville. A suspect attempted to gain entry to Atlantic Guns at 15813 Frederick Road at 10:03 PM on August 18, 2024, but was unsuccessful. Police describe the suspect only as "male." If you have any information about this incident, call police at (301) 279-8000. 

Buffalo Wild Wings GO coming soon to Rockville

Buffalo Wild Wings GO is coming soon to Rockville. It will be located at 16256 Frederick Road at the Rock Grove shopping center, at the southwest corner of MD 355 and Shady Grove Road. Buffalo Wild Wings' "GO" concept took off during the pandemic, when the chicken wings chain sought to capitalize on an explosion in demand for takeout orders, as well as a chance to muscle in on carryout-focused competitors like Wingstop. Rockville and Gaithersburg both have traditional, full-scale Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants, which are more like sports bars, competing with sit-down competitors like Hooters.

You'll find a slimmed-down menu at Buffalo Wild Wings GO, comprised of some of BWW's customer favorites. An "innovative cooking process" is able to churn out the same crispy wings you find at a regular BWW at a speedier pace, the company says. The interior set-up is designed to get customers in and out of the smaller-scale GO store as quickly as possible, especially when ordering ahead. GO also has some exclusive flavors not found at the full-size BWW.

One of the exclusive flavors at GO locations

Watching Wingstop's tremendous success surely has BWW concentrating even more on growing the number of GO locations around the country. CNBC reported just last week that the preference of sports television viewers for wings while watching the game has allowed Wingstop to avoid the recent sales downturn experienced by McDonald's and Starbucks. Sports fans don't favor the latter two for their game day smorgasboards, the network found, and Wingstop has kept its prices relatively low while McDonald's customers have been ravaged by the Hamburglar's inflation-jacked price hikes.

It's interesting that Rock Grove also has a Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins store, as those brands are also in BWW parent company Inspire Brands' portfolio. That might have played a role in the development scoring another popular brand. Buffalo Wild Wings GO will be next to Qdoba Mexican Eats at the property. Construction on the Rock Grove location is expected to begin early this fall, so we might expect a winter opening. Just in time for the Super Bowl!

Photo 1 & 3 courtesy Inspire Brands

MíaCane Juicery and Açaí Bar opens in Rockville

MíaCane Juicery and Açaí Bar is now open in Rockville. The shop brings the newest beverage trend of sugarcane juice alongside smoothies, açaí bowls and Vietnamese coffee to 785-I Rockville Pike at the Ritchie Center. It has already earned a perfect 5-star rating from early customers on both Yelp and Google Reviews.

"Welcome to MiaCane Juicery and Açaí bar, where freshness meets flavor!" the store said in a statement. "Indulge in our vibrant selection of fresh-pressed juices and refreshing sugarcane elixirs. At MiaCane, we believe in harnessing the power of nature to deliver beverages that not only tantalize your taste buds but alsow boost your health. Our fresh-pressed juices are crafted from the finest, sourced fruits and vegetables, ensuring every sip is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Our signature sugarcane drinks, naturally sweet and rich in nutrients, provide a refreshing energy boost and support hydration. Come to MiaCane for a revitalizing experience that's as delicious as it is nourishing!"

Hit and miss night for busy Rockville burglars

One or more burglars experienced the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat, in Rockville over the night between August 12 and August 13, 2024. Montgomery County police responded to a burglary at P&C Complete Car Service at 12516 Parklawn Drive on August 13. Officers arriving at the scene found evidence of forced entry, and cash had been stolen from the auto repair shop. Police believe the burglary occurred between 4:00 PM on August 12 and 7:50 AM on August 13.

Officers also responded to a burglary call at Plaza Carpet on the same block of Parklawn on the 13th. There they found the burglar(s) had been unsuccessful at gaining entry to the business. No suspect descriptions have been released as of this writing. If you have any information about these incidents, call police at (301) 279-8000.

Is Best Buy planning an exit on Shady Grove Road?

Is Best Buy's future at 15750 Shady Grove Road at the 270 Center in doubt? It sure looks like it from an online listing for the 270 Center. The big box store's "big box" is available for lease, according to the KLNB listing. Whoever the lucky next tenant is will be able to move into the 46,155-square-foot space on February 1, 2025. 

Best Buy announced on a corporate earnings call that it planned to close 10 to 15 stores in 2025. This one on the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg now appears to be one of them. Rockville has a venerable Best Buy store located at 1200 Rockville Pike. Living in the 90s!

The great HalfSmoke saga ends in Rockville

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.

Alsobrooks, Hogan tied in Maryland U.S. Senate race poll

Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) and former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) are in a dead heat in the contest for the U.S. Senate seat of Ben Cardin (D), a new poll showed Tuesday. Hogan remains a popular governor across party lines in the state, and Alsobrooks received praise and national exposure with a speaking slot at last week's Democratic National Convention. While the race is considered by many to be the most important in deciding which party will next control the Senate, there haven't been enough polls to provide a consistent measure of the state of the race. The AARP poll showed Alsobrooks and Hogan tied at 46% each. 8% of the voters polled remain undecided, a statistically-significant number in light of the poll result.

Alsobrooks (above) and Hogan (top) celebrated
International Dog Day Monday by tweeting
photos of their pets

"We have always known that this race was going to be decided on the margins, and this new poll today confirms that," Alsobrooks tweeted in an appeal for fundraising support. "I've been clear from the start that we are the underdogs in this race," Hogan said in a statement reacting to the poll. The former governor said the close race shows that he has a chance to potentially defy the odds once again in a state that is considered blue, but has elected a GOP executive three times in the last 22 years.

One of the most notable statistics from the poll is that more than a quarter of voters who support Kamala Harris for President told AARP's pollsters that they are voting for Hogan. Former President Donald Trump has clashed with Hogan for many years, as the former governor has been among the most vocal "Never Trumpers" in the GOP. 

Despite the intraparty disagreements over Trump, the Maryland Republican Party was thrilled by yesterday's poll results. "Larry Hogan's independent Republican message is resonating against Angela Alsobrooks' extreme far-left agenda," Maryland GOP Executive Director Adam J. Wood said in a statement. "We have a real opportunity to elect Maryland's first Republican U.S. Senator in nearly 40 years, and these polls show that every single vote is going to matter."

Both candidates had campaign stops in Montgomery County this week. Alsobrooks was at Riderwood on Monday, and in Kensington for an event on antisemitism that night, while Hogan toured an AstraZeneca biotech facility in Gaithersburg earlier the same day.

Photos courtesy Alsobrooks for Senate, Hogan for Maryland, Inc.

Signage installed at Kura Revolving Sushi Bar in Rockville

The sign is up at Kura Revolving Sushi Bar, which is expected to open by the end of summer 2024 at Federal Plaza in Rockville. Kura is splitting the former Chuy's space with Torchy's Tacos. Asked for an update, a Torchy's spokesperson says only that they are still scheduled for a fall 2024 opening; there is still not an official opening date on the calendar. The windows at Kura remain covered, so we can't yet get a sneak peek at the progress inside, which is to include sushi conveyor belts and KuraBot robots. 

HEYTEA, Sassy Arch Brows opening in Rockville

HEYTEA and Sassy Arch Brows are coming to Rockville. Both will be opening at Wintergreen Plaza on Rockville Pike. HEYTEA will move into the storefront at 981-F Rockville Pike, and Sassy Arch Brows already has signage installed at 815-B Rockville Pike. There's still a lot of work to do inside Sassy Arch Brows, and construction hasn't even begun on HEYTEA, which is still occupied by Sweet Frog.

HEYTEA is a Chinese beverage chain founded in 2012 in Jiangmen in southern China. Its name means "Happy Tea," and is sometimes written as "Hey Tea." The company claims to be the first to sell a cheese tea, which has a real cheese foam topping. 

HEYTEA will be between Paisano's and Wingstop

In recent years, HEYTEA has expanded to the United States, primarily in the New York City area. Rockville is one of several new American locations the chain hopes to open before the end of 2024.

Sassy Arch Brows construction underway

Sassy Arch Brows already has an existing Rockville location at 1170 2B Rockville Pike. The beauty salon offers brow threading and tinting, lash lifts, cosmetics, full face threading, and facial and body waxing services.

Pelicana Chicken opening this fall in Rockville

Bonchon is about to get some major competition in the Rockville Town Center area. Pelicana Chicken, a full-service Korean chicken restaurant, will open this fall at 4 N. Washington Street at Courthouse Center. The Pelicana chain was founded in 1982 in Daejeon, South Korea, and today boasts of over 3000 locations worldwide. It opened its first U.S. location in 2014 in Flushing, Queens, New York.

Despite a tagline of "old is gold," Pelicana promises its chicken is fried in "fresh, new oil daily." The motto is inspired more by Pelicana's claim to be "the longest-standing Korean chicken brand." Some of their stores even have secret menus. Pelicana's Rockville location will be open from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM Sunday through Thursday, and 11:00 AM to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. An October opening is currently anticipated.

Photos courtesy Pelicana

Assault at Rockville liquor store

Rockville City police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at a liquor store in the Rockville Town Center area late Wednesday morning, August 14, 2024. The assault was reported at a store in the 300 block of N. Washington Street at 11:25 AM. It was identified as the Montgomery County-operated liquor store.

KaFean Koffee opening soon at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

KaFean Koffee is opening soon at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Signage has been installed at the kiosk, and virtually all of the equipment seems to be in place. KaFean Koffee will serve coffee from the Austrian coffee roaster Julius Meinl. The kiosk also has a Rancilio Silvia espresso machine. When it starts percolating, look for KaFean Koffee on Level 1 of the mall, near the Lego store and Kiehl's.

JD Sports opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

JD Sports is now open at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The sporting goods chain has flipped a number of Finish Line stores, which it also owned, to the JD Sports brand. What is the "worldwide connection" touted on the posters in the store's windows? JD Sports carries exclusive items from brands around the world that aren't available at other American retailers. Look for JD Sports on Level 1 of the mall, near The Cheesecake Factory.