Go Fresh 365 supermarket "coming soon" to Rockville

A Go Fresh 365 supermarket is "coming soon" to 1800 Rockville Pike at the Galvan at Twinbrook development in Rockville, according to signage posted at its future storefront. The Long Island City, New York-based grocery chain boasts that it is the "No.1 Asian/Chinese Supermarket Chain" on the East Coast of the United States. Founded in 1995, the company has grown by leaps and bounds through a focus on freshness, and exclusive partnerships with businesses in the fields of fresh produce, livestock breeding, marine fishing, catering services, and commercial real estate. 

Here in Rockville, Go Fresh 365 will attempt to fill the vacuum left when Safeway closed at the Galvan earlier this year. The chain says it takes very seriously a responsibility to promote and spread Chinese food culture. Its mission, it says, is to "create greater values for overseas Chinese and the American people." Go Fresh 365 is expected to open in Rockville in November.

Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for its annual extended seasonal run. There's a chill in the air these nights, and this store's arrival every year reminds us that Black Friday and the holidays are just around the corner. That's the store's prime time, along with the frostier early months of the year - and believe it or not, we're less than two months from the start of the Christmas season at 12:00 AM on November 1. Look for Sheepskin Gifts and Alpaca Too on Level 1 of the mall, in the former Tesla space.

Montgomery Mall to celebrate the arrival of fall with Fall Fest September 20

Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda is welcoming the fall equinox with a Fall Fest celebration on September 20, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The event will feature a "vibrant" artisan market, craft activities, and dance. There will be dance performances, and attendees can participate in interactive salsa lessons. Over 30 local arts and crafts vendors will be spotlighted in the artisan market. Many mall businesses will offer fall season specials and experiences during the Fall Fest hours. The event is free, and you can RSVP online.

Gorjana, PacSun, HEYTEA could be in your future at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

A sharp-eyed reader noticed some new additions to the tenant roster at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, and snapped a few screenshots (see below) before they were taken down. These "coming soon" listings touted the ultra-popular Chinese beverage cafe HEYTEA, and a return by California-inspired surf and skate-wear retailer PacSun. I also see remnants of those listings in Google search, but the links just take you to the main mall directory now. But the reader said mall management confirmed HEYTEA and PacSun - as well as another California-inspired retailer, jewelry boutique Gorjana - perhaps in time for the holiday shopping season, although there are no official announcements or target opening dates at this time.

Lululemon soft-opening today at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Lululemon has set the opening date for its new space inside Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Its current space has now closed to facilitate the move to their new storefront, which is in the mall center court on Level 1, between Psycho Bunny and Sleep Number. The new store - which was still walled off as of last evening - will hold a soft opening today, September 4, 2025. A grand opening will be held this Saturday, September 6.

Sula Latin Market opens in Gaithersburg

Sula Latin Market has opened at 122 E. Diamond Avenue in Olde Towne Gaithersburg. Just ignore the "coming soon" banner on the building. The Latin grocery store is located right across the street from Cancun Mexican Cuisine. Operating hours for the supermarket are 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, seven days a week.

Foot Locker construction begins at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The interior fit-out of Foot Locker's new space is underway at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Now the location of the new space is clear, as "coming soon" signage has been placed across the future storefront. The new store will open this fall, just in time for the big holiday shopping season, and will include a Kids Foot Locker. Foot Locker can currently be found two doors to the left, in its temporary location between AT&T and Macy's Home.

Assault at grocery store in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of an assault at a grocery store early Saturday afternoon, August 23, 2025. The assault was reported at a supermarket in the 800 block of Rockville Pike at 12:10 PM. There is a Food Lion on that block. An individual was accused of theft in the same incident.

Marlo Furniture confirms it is closing in Rockville

I reported back in July that Marlo Furniture's showroom space at 725 Rockville Pike was being marketed for lease. Images in the marketing materials at that time showed Marlo's logos removed from the building. Now the furniture retailer has made it official: The Rockville store is closing. In fact, after 70 years in business, Marlo is closing all of its stores.

The chain hasn't continually been run by the same people over those 7 decades, however. Marlo was acquired by Regency Furniture in 2012. Regency continued to operate some of the stronger Marlo locations under the Marlo name through this year. A liquidation sale - which Marlo is referring to as its "final Labor Day sale ever - is now underway.

Lululemon move postponed at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Lululemon is staying put in its current spot at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for a little bit longer. The activewear company did not specify why its planned move is being delayed, but said it hopes to have a firm grand opening date by the end of August. In the meantime, their existing store remains  fully open for business. The new space, still walled off, is much larger than the current Lululemon store.

Ace Hardware "coming soon" to Rockville

Ace Hardware has posted "coming soon" signage at its future Rockville location at 835 Rockville Pike, at Wintergreen Plaza. Construction is well underway inside the space, which was formerly occupied by Gold's Gym. The store will only use the first floor level of the old gym, though. When it opens, this will be the first Ace Hardware store in Rockville. An excellent addition to Wintergreen Plaza that should boost traffic to the other businesses there, and a much-needed amenity for the City of Rockville.

Suspect arrested in rape at gas station in Rockville

Montgomery County police have arrested a suspect in the August 14, 2025 sexual assault that allegedly took place at a gas station in Rockville. Carlos St. James Hover, 34, of Washington, D.C. entered the gas station early that evening, police say, and allegedly assaulted and raped the victim inside. Hover was captured by police after officers responding to a bank robbery call the next morning in Wheaton recognized the suspect in that armed robbery because he was wearing some of the same distinctive pieces of clothing the previous night's rape victim had described to detectives.

Hover was transported to the County's Central Processing Unit where he was charged with first-degree rape, first-degree assault, armed robbery, resisting arrest, and other related crimes. He is being held without bond.

Photo courtesy Montgomery County Police Department

Assault at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall Thursday afternoon, August 14, 2025. The assault was reported at the mall at 4:12 PM Thursday. This is the seventh assault police have responded to at the property this year. It had been a relatively quiet summer at the mall up until August 6, when the last assault took place during a shoplifting incident at a clothing store. There were 11 assaults reported at the popular retail center in 2024, 5 in 2023, and 12 in 2022, putting this year's numbers in line with last year's so far.

Claire's closing at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

It's a sad day in the piercing industry. Claire's is closing at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. A closing sale is underway at the piercing and jewelry boutique. We can't blame the Montgomery County Council or their moribund County economy for this departure. Claire's has filed for bankruptcy, could wind up closing over 1000 locations nationwide. The company hopes to save itself via a sale of 800 other stores to a potential buyer, but if one can't be found, this could be the end of the line. Are they celebrating over at Piercing Pagoda?

Assault at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall late Wednesday afternoon, August 6, 2025. The assault was reported at a clothing store in the mall at 4:58 PM. Police have not yet identified the name of the store. The assault occurred amid a shoplifting incident at the business.

This is the sixth assault reported at the property so far this year. It had been a relatively quiet summer up to this point at the mall, however. There were 11 assaults reported at the popular retail center in 2024, 5 in 2023, and 12 in 2022.

Fashion Q closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Fashion Q has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Their space has been totally cleared out inside. The Los Angeles-based fashion wholesaler lasted less than a year at the mall after its November 2024 opening, despite its trademark super low prices. Fashion Q is the latest victim of the moribund Montgomery County economy.

Tumi relocates at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Tumi has moved inside of Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Its previous location on Level 2 of the mall, between GAP and Coach, is now closed and walled off. Signage posted across that storefront is directing customers to the new location. Their new spot is also on Level 2, next to Perfume World in the Macy's Home wing of the mall. The change is so new, it does not yet appear on the mall's website map.

Sheepskin Gifts and Alpaca Too returning to Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for 2025

Sheepskin Gifts and Alpaca Too is returning to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for its annual extended seasonal run. Few people are thinking about warm clothing as thermometers float between 90 and 100 degrees, but alpaca wool is known for its ability to wick moisture away from the skin during the summer season. The store's prime time is still the holiday shopping season, and the frostier months of the year - and believe it or not, we're less than four months from the start of the Christmas season at 12:00 AM on November 1. Look for Sheepskin Gifts and Alpaca Too on Level 1 of the mall, in the former Tesla space.

Hobby Lobby to open first Montgomery County store in Gaithersburg

Hobby Lobby is planning to open its first store in Montgomery County. It will be at 15750 Shady Grove Road in the 270 Center, on the border of Gaithersburg and Rockville. That is the former Best Buy space. Hobby Lobby will take advantage of the big box building dimensions, and the immediate access to I-270 just west of the shopping center.

Hobby Lobby was founded by David Green in 1972, initially operating out of a garage with a $600 loan to create miniature picture frames. The success of these frames, which could be sold to larger retailers, allowed Green to open the first Hobby Lobby store in Oklahoma City in 1972. The company's growth was fueled by its focus on providing a wide array of craft and hobby supplies at competitive prices, coupled with a strong emphasis on customer service. Similar to Chick-fil-A, Hobby Lobby followed a practice of closing its stores on Sundays. Their strategy resonated with a broad customer base, enabling steady expansion across the United States.

The Hobby Lobby concept centers on offering a vast selection of arts, crafts, and home decor items under one roof, catering to a diverse range of creative interests and decorating styles. Their merchandise typically includes framing supplies, floral and wedding décor, fabric, jewelry making components, scrapbooking materials, and various craft supplies for painting, drawing, and needlework. Beyond crafts, Hobby Lobby also stocks a significant amount of seasonal decorations, party supplies, and general home furnishings, all curated to appeal to a family-friendly demographic interested in DIY projects and affordable home embellishments.

IT'SUGAR closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

IT'SUGAR has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The candy store's windows have been covered, and signage has been removed from above the entrance. Montgomery County's moribund economy and the County Council's anti-business policies, have turned the shop's sweet profit margin sour. Heckuva job, Brownie! IT'SUGAR's Rockville location closed several years ago.

In contrast to the closures here, IT'SUGAR is currently in a major expansion mode elsewhere, opening "15 to 20 stores a year," according to a U.S. Chamber of Commerce article touting the chain's success. Openings so far in 2025 include Poughkeepsie and Middletown in New York; Salem, New Hampshire; Mercedes, Texas; and Braintree, Massachusetts. Something for the County Council to ponder: what are we doing wrong, that Braintree is doing right?