CATHERINE'S PLUS SIZES TO CLOSE ON ROCKVILLE PIKE

A major tenant in Pike Center on Rockville Pike in south Rockville, Catherine's Plus Sizes, is going to close. A closing sale is underway at the store. Another storefront is currently vacant. Pike Center had been sought as a location by Walmart, but the big box chain was rebuffed by the Montgomery County Council, and the developer withdrew the proposed plan. Savings are posted as being up to 40% off during the closing sale.

POMEGRANATE & CO. CLOSING IN ROCKVILLE TOWN SQUARE (PHOTOS)

Longtime tenant Pomegranate & Co. is closing its store in Rockville Town Square.

They are currently holding a 50%-off closing sale.

FRESH PIZZERIA CLOSED IN ROCKVILLE? (PHOTOS)

Fresh Pizzeria on Rockville Pike was closed when I arrived during regular Sunday business hours yesterday.  The store was dark, and tables were stacked.  There was a large sign in the front window announcing the space is For Lease.

I don't have any official announcement, but it appears Fresh Pizzeria may have closed.

MAGRUDER'S CLOSING IN ROCKVILLE

Magruder's supermarket in Rockville is closing, perhaps at the end of the month. Both Rockville Patch and Gaithersburg Patch are reporting store employees have told them Magruder's Rockville and Gaithersburg locations will close.

The corporate headquarters of the longtime, local grocery chain has not publicly addressed the issue as of press time.

If true, this is a sad day.  As a lifelong county resident, I have memories of several Magruder's stores, including the one in Northwest Washington.

What caused this? It sounds like a companywide problem.  But with Rockville customers so critical to the chain, it's worth considering its Rockville-specific troubles in recent years.

I think the condemnation of the Town Center location played a role. The City never was able to relocate Magruder's in the poorly-designed supermarket space in Rockville Town Square. In fact, no chain wanted the space until Dawson's Market finally agreed to move in.

But there was also the county's ill-advised, punitive Energy Tax.  Magruder's actually had to reduce its interior lighting at one point (so did Target) to save money. Like many county businesses, the Energy Tax devastated stores during an already-difficult recession.

As disgraceful as the County Council's Energy Tax is, there are also the factors of the newer Giant nearby on the Pike, and increasing costs.

Perhaps the company will explain the cause, but these are just some of my thoughts.

If Magruder's indeed closes, it is yet another Hot Shoppes, G.C. Murphy, Chuck E. Cheese, Century Ford, etc., etc. loss for Rockville - and the DC area in general.