Banana Republic closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Banana Republic has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Its space next to the Apple Store has been cleared out of merchandise. A sign on the door provides a number to call for deliveries, so it appears they haven't fully vacated the premises yet. However, the logo signage outside the store is gone. 

It's a shock to see a mall stalwart like Banana Republic vanish, even if smart shoppers knew you could always find similar items far cheaper at sister stores Gap and Old Navy, without leaving the premises. Operating a mall without a Banana Republic, Hot Topic, Cinnabon, and Auntie Anne's should probably be illegal, if it isn't already. Parent company Gap, Inc. said in 2020 that it planned to close 350 Gap and Banana Republic stores by the end of 2023. This location survived that cut, but I see that Banana Republics in Columbus, Ohio and Sacramento, California shuttered earlier this year, so a smaller round of closures appears to be taking place.

Dawson's Market closes in Rockville (Photos)

Dawson's Market has closed at 225 N. Washington Street at Rockville Town Square. The permanent closure ends a long but tumultuous run for the grocery store at the struggling Town Center development. It also leaves an anchor retail space vacant at property that already has no shortage of empty storefronts. A bigger-name chain grocer could spur more shoppers to patronize Rockville Town Square, but property owner Morguard faces the same challenge as the original developer here, in that the poorly-designed-and-placed grocery space was turned down by many such supermarkets almost twenty years ago.

The space is well-sized for brands like Aldi, Lidl or Trader Joe's. If one of those can be attracted here, the famous brand will have to overcome the shortfalls of being hidden away from the busy state highway MD 355 at the very back of the development, and the almost universally-despised parking scheme at Rockville Town Square. The latter was improved in recent years by finally allowing free parking for 2 hours. But the dungeon-like garages, paid parking and validation memories of the past persist in the minds of many, and there is a Giant and a Food Lion with free, hassle-free surface parking only a short distance from Rockville Town Square. 

MOD Pizza closes on Rockville Pike

MOD Pizza has closed at 12027 Rockville Pike at the Montrose Crossing shopping center. The pizzeria opened here in August of 2019. This is probably not a total shock, as the chain closed 26 of its locations in Q1 of 2024. At the time of those closures, MOD described those stores as "underperformers," so we can't rule out the anti-business policies or moribund economy of Montgomery County as contributing factors. 

The "fast-fired" pizza chains as a whole seem to have struggled in MoCo. Blaze Pizza didn't even last two years at Montgomery Mall, closing in 2016, but its multiple outposts right next door in Gorgeous Prince George's County are still serving pies in under 180 seconds today. Yet &pizza seems to continue to thrive at its many Montgomery County locations, including one about a block away from this MOD at Pike & Rose, so they must be doing something right that some of the other chains weren't.

Peter Chang signage removed at Rockville Town Square

The final trace of local celebrity chef Peter Chang has been removed from his former restaurant at 20-A Maryland Avenue at Rockville Town Square. Kungfu Kitchen abruptly took over the space when Chang made his unexpected exit from the struggling Town Center property in April. Chang's eponymous restaurant operated at Rockville Town Square for ten years. His exit stings all the more as the Montgomery County-averse dining critic of The Washington Post just wrote rave reviews of Chang's newest restaurants in Gaithersburg and Arlington. 

Chang's status among celebrity chefs and prolific restaurateurs is remarkable in that his fame derives entirely from the products of his kitchens. He is rarely seen or heard in the media via interviews or public relations efforts, and doesn't belittle aspiring chefs on competitive cooking TV shows, or engage in publicity stunts. Chang is known for one thing: his cooking. Rockville Town Square is increasingly known for...empty storefronts.

Ann Taylor closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Ann Taylor has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. This store managed to survive the 2017 purge of Ann Taylor store closures, as well as the pandemic, so it's surprising to see it go now. Yet Ann Taylor stores in more-business-friendly and economically-vibrant Tysons, Pentagon City, Fair Oaks Mall, and Dulles Town Center remain open. 

It's tough to remain a going concern when the local economy is stagnant, and ever-increasing taxes and fees eat away at already-slim profit margins. Ann Taylor appears to be the latest victim. All the store workers now find themselves unemployed. Let's say it together: "Moribund Montgomery County."

Goodyear closes on Rockville Pike (Photos)

Goodyear has closed its tire and auto service center at 12103 Rockville Pike at the Pike Center in Rockville. The space is being cleared out. Goodyear is putting a positive spin on the closure. In a message to customers, it invites them to its Gaithersburg location at 457 N. Frederick Avenue. There, the company says, it has "combined facilities" and "expanded services" offered.

Soma closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Soma has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The women's lingerie boutique brand was recently acquired by a private equity firm, which makes the closure less surprising. Having said that, I do not see news stories about specific Soma locations closing in other areas of the country at this time, so perhaps Montgomery County's infamously-moribund economy is to blame in this case. Soma was launched by Chico's FAS twenty years ago, and claims to have over 250 stores today.

Bonobos closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Bonobos has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Its parent company, Express, Inc., filed for bankruptcy in April. However, the filing hadn't affected Bonobos until now. Columbus Business First reports that Express rejected 17 leases across the country last week, and that some of those stores were Bonobos locations. Bonobos has another Bethesda location at Bethesda Row, which remains open.

Red Lobster closes in Rockville as chain files for bankruptcy (Photos)

Red Lobster has closed at 15700 Shady Grove Road. The seafood restaurant chain announced late Sunday night that it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. "This restructuring is the best path forward for Red Lobster," CEO Jonathan Tibus said in a statement. "It allows us to address several financial and operational challenges and emerge stronger and re-focused on our growth. The support we've received from our lenders and vendors will help ensure that we can complete the sale process quickly and efficiently while remaining focused on our employees and guests." As part of its bankruptcy filings, Red Lobster will close some locations, sell some - or potentially all - of its assets, and sell its business to a new entity "formed and controlled by its existing term lenders."

This is especially sad news for residents of the Upper Rock neighborhood. The closure removes one of the main dining options within walking distance of the apartments there. Can we get an Olive Garden or Texas Roadhouse into this empty building? Montgomery County may be the only jurisdiction of its size in America to have neither. The machinations of the Montgomery County Council against those brands, Walmart, Cracker Barrel, and modernity in general are truly bizarre! Believe it or not, your constituents want unlimited bread sticks, and to be able to buy beer and wine at Giant and CVS!

The Block food hall closes in Rockville

The Block, the Asian food hall at 967 Rose Avenue at Pike & Rose, has closed. Reduced hours and departing tenants had already reduced business at the venue. The closure was first reported by The MoCo Show. In March, Store Reporter noted that property owner Federal Realty had removed The Block from its leasing map. Vendors told MoCo360 that the food hall might close at the end of the month.

Kung Fu Kitchen replaces Peter Chang in Rockville

Peter Chang has left the building. The beloved restaurateur and chef recently opened a Gaithersburg location, but now his Rockville outpost has closed. His space at 20-A Maryland Avenue at Rockville Town Square isn't going dark like so many others in the struggling town center, though. It has quickly been filled by Kung Fu Kitchen. Promising a new menu of "authentic Chinese cuisine," it still has the Peter Chang signage above the storefront, but that will change in the coming weeks.

Ssong's Hotdog closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Ssong's Hotdog has permanently closed in the Dining Terrace food court in Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The Korean hot dog vendor was closed last evening, and the menu screens had been removed. A calendar behind the counter is still set on March. A Ssong's Hotdog spokesperson confirmed this afternoon that the Bethesda location has closed. Their other Maryland locations remain open, he said, including Columbia, The Hub Asian Food Hall in Catonsville, and Towson. Disappointing news, as these were great hot dogs, and the design of the branded packaging was well done.

Contents of Rockville restaurant to be auctioned off

The contents of Super Bowl Noodle House at 785-G Rockville Pike at the Ritchie Center in Rockville will be auctioned off starting tomorrow, April 26, 2024. Super Bowl Noodle House has permanently closed, and all equipment, furniture and fixtures are being liquidated. Among the items up for bid are a rice cooker, flat screen television, neon "OPEN" sign, various sinks, and multiple refrigerators. Equipment will have to be removed from the premises on Monday, April 29, between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, according to the auction listing.

Dunkin' Donuts temporarily closed at Wintergreen Plaza in Rockville (Photos)

The Dunkin' Donuts store at 865 Rockville Pike at Wintergreen Plaza is temporarily closed. An extensive renovation project is now underway inside the space. A reopening date has not been announced yet. Customers are being directed to the Dunkin' Donuts locations nearby at 11530 Rockville Pike, and 2006 Veirs Mill Road. However, I'm going to add the store at 15180 Frederick Road at College Plaza to that list, which seems like it might be closer to Wintergreen Plaza than White Flint.

7-Eleven cleared out at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda (Photos)

7-Eleven closed in the Dining Terrace food court at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda at the end of last month, as I reported January 30. Inventory was mostly cleaned off of shelves by February 7, but a lot of equipment and displays remained inside the darkened space. Now it has been cleared out and sealed off, in addition to the retractable metal barrier that could still be seen through last week. It's unclear why this location closed, as many have noted it was well-patronized during its short run at the mall, but the convenience store chain did close 184 stores nationwide last year.

February 7, 2024

February 7

February 7

Now sealed off