New 7-Eleven store opens in Rockville

Rockville has a brand new 7-Eleven store, complete with gas station. It is at 700 Gaither Road, in the King Farm community. Given the massive expansion of Dunkin' Donuts in Montgomery County in recent years, I never thought I would be typing the following words, but Dunkin' Donuts closed its location here at the Shell gas station. This is very close to the 7-Eleven store and gas station at MD 355 and Redland Road in Derwood, so it will be interesting to see how that plays out.

Go! Calendars & Games opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

 

2025 will be winding down next month, and that means it's time to replace your calendars in preparation for the new year. Go! Calendars & Games has returned to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda just in time to serve your needs in that department. The selection of mainstream calendars is pretty competitive with what you will find online, and they also carry puzzles and stuffed toys. Look for Go! on Level 1 of the mall in the Cheesecake Factory wing of the mall, outside of T-Mobile.

See's Candies opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The holiday shopping season is in full swing at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. There's no better indication of that than the annual arrival of See's Candies. Look for their shop on Level 1 in the Nordstrom wing of the mall, between Anya by Vivien and Everything But Water. There's a good reason See's Candies has been around for over 100 years.

Arc'teryx opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Arc'teryx has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The outdoor apparel store is located on Level 1 of the mall, between Sleep Number and Kiehl's. Their techwear and streetwear lines are as popular with couch potato city dwellers as they are with active outdoorspeople. Operating hours for Arc'teryx are 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

Assault at convenience store in Rockville

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at a convenience store in Rockville Wednesday night, November 5, 2025. The assault was reported at a store in the 5400 block of Randolph Road at 7:10 PM. There is a 7-Eleven store on that block. 7:10 at 7/11!

Tipping Point opening in Rockville

Tipping Point is coming soon to Federal Plaza in Rockville, according to a liquor license application sign posted on its future storefront at 12274-C Rockville Pike. According to the store's liquor license application, Tipping Point will sell wine and beer. It expects to open before the end of the month. Operating hours will be 11:00 AM to 1:00 AM Monday through Saturday, and 11:00 AM to midnight on Sundays. Those are pretty late hours for Montgomery County these days!

Maryvale Market for sale in Rockville

A landmark business in East Rockville is now available for sale. The owner of the Maryvale Market, a beer-and-wine shop, convenience store, and deli, is retiring. Maryvale Market has been a fixture at 500 N. Horners Lane for 18 years. It can keep going for another 18 years or longer if a new owner can be found. The asking price for the business is $319,000, according to the online sale listing. 

Go Fresh 365 supermarket nears opening in Rockville

The sign is up at the future Go Fresh 365 supermarket at 1800 Rockville Pike at the Galvan at Twinbrook development. It was not yet lit when these photos were taken Monday night, but the interior fit-out appears to be on track for the anticipated November opening. Go Fresh 365 replaces Safeway at the development, and will likely be more competitive with the new Wegmans a few blocks away, as it will offer so many products Wegmans doesn't carry. 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.

Zara relocating at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

 

Zara will soon be relocating inside Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The fashion boutique is currently located on Level 1 in the Nordstrom wing. It will be staying in the Nordstrom wing, but moving up to Level 2. Their new space was previously home to GAP and GAP Kids. The new location is scheduled to open before the end of fall.

See's Candies to return to Montgomery Mall for the holidays

 

If you needed another sign that the holidays are almost upon us, here it is. See's Candies is now confirmed to be returning to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for the 2025 season. This year, it will be located on Level 1 in the Nordstrom wing of the mall, between Anya by Vivien and Everything But Water. See's Candies are super high quality, making them a gift you can give with confidence.

Walnut Hill Shopping Center adding Ionna EV chargers (Photos)

The Walnut Hill Shopping Center is adding electric vehicle charging stations to its parking lot at 733 S. Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg. And not just any EV chargers. These are Ionna charging stations, part of a nationwide network of 30,000 being created as we speak. The North Carolina firm is a partnership of seven international auto manufacturing companies, including BMW and Toyota. Ionna chargers offer fast-charging, essential to creating a viable network to support mass adoption of EVs. 

Of course, an even more-effective way of doing that would be to allow $8000 Chinese EVs to be sold in America, but did Joe Biden do that? Nope. That's what you would do if time was running out and a global climate catastrophe was upon us, right? $8000 Chinese EVs that are superior to the ridiculously expensive EVs made in America and elsewhere, not releasing gas from the strategic petroleum reserves, building high-speed rail, and mandating work-from-home for federal employees. Wait, Biden did the exact opposite of those things. "How dare you!" - Greta Thunberg. Heckuva job, Brownie!

Gold Bunny Donut opening at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Gold Bunny Donut is coming soon to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. It will be taking over the end space just vacated by another donut shop, Donutchew, in the Dining Terrace food court on Level 2 of the mall. At Gold Bunny Donut, the donuts will be handmade fresh each morning, and each afternoon. You can check out the flavors here.

"Gold Bunny Donut transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary," the mall said in a statement. "The goal is to lead the new wave of donut innovation, offering a premium and delightful dessert experience you can feel good about sharing with your loved ones."

"Gold Bunny Donut believes in creating moments of joy with every bite. With donuts that are crafted with unique textures and flavors, especially the signature creamy varieties that elevate the traditional donut experience. Gold Bunny Donut is dedicated to using only the finest ingredients, free from preservatives and artificial additives, ensuring that treats are not only delicious but also safe for everyone, including your little ones."

"The inspiration comes from a desire to provide clean and wholesome desserts. The bunny symbolizes purity and care, reflecting our commitment to quality and family-friendly treats." 

Warby Parker holding grand opening event Saturday at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Warby Parker will celebrate its arrival at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda this week with a special grand opening event this Saturday, October 18, 2025. The eyewear boutique will be open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Saturday. This is Warby Parker's second Bethesda location; the first is located at Bethesda Row. Look for Warby Parker on Level 1 of the mall, across from Vineyard Vines in the Nordstrom wing.

Immersa Edutainment VR game experience opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Immersa Edutainment has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The virtual reality game hub has been set up on Level 1 of mall, near the LEGO Store and Build-A-Bear in the former Sears wing. VR machines available to play include the TRON light cycle-esque 360 Moto VR ($11.99-$15.99 for 7 minutes), Car Simulator VR ($11.99-$15.99 for 8 minutes), and the UFO Experience space exploration adventure game ($11.99-$15.99 for 6 minutes). The UFO game has 5 seats for a multi-player experience.

Immersa is operating on a soft opening basis right now. The full experience will begin on October 31, 2025 for the holiday season. Immersa is combining gameplay with STEM learning, and will be offering educational workshops in the future.

New Rockville menswear shop has a Porsche inside the store

Collars & Co. is now open at 1643-A Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza in Rockville. The Shark Tank-backed retailer specializes in modern business casual menswear. Its current featured product is the patent-pending Dress Collar Polo. The 2900-square-foot store includes a vintage Porsche (shown below) and private jet replica for selfies, and a bespoke custom closet by Bethesda Custom Closets and Blinds. Operating hours for Collars & Co. are 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sundays.

Spirit Halloween opens late in Rockville (Photos)

Better late than never! That's the only consolation for the Spirit Halloween store at 1683 Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza in Rockville. The store had never opened this Halloween season, and last week cited its inability to receive the necessary permits to operate. Those permits were apparently finally expedited the day after my report, and the store is now open for business. The selection is slightly better than some other locations, as the inventory hasn't been picked over for weeks. This store also has the best presentation of the haunted subway car that is the centerpiece of this year's product line.