2 the 9s to reopen July 15 at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

2 the 9s has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. However, the owner says the fashion boutique is changing hands, and is being remodeled by the new owner. The shop will reopen July 15 "with a fresh look." 2 the 9s opened here on Level 2 of the mall in the spring of 2023.

EUG Apparel closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

EUG Apparel has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The sportswear and streetwear boutique launched a thousand discussions about its name, which appeared as Embrace Ur Greatness on the storefront, but which Westfield listed as EUG Apparel in its directories. Was the latter simply 3 initials - and if so, what did they stand for? - or a Trumpesque "Yuuuuuuuuge"? But as Jesse Jackson once declared, "The question is moot." The signage is gone, the space is cleared out, and the storefront windows are now blacked out. EUG opened here for the holiday shopping season in November 2024, and that's a pretty impressive run to last almost two years in Montgomery County's anti-business climate and moribund economy.

Kokosh relocates at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Kokosh has moved within Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The cosmetics boutique debuted in the Macy's wing next to Purple back in December of 2023. It has stayed on Level 2, but now it is across from Uniqlo, next to LensCrafters. Carrying many of the top skincare products from South Korea has been a recipe for success for Kokosh at the mall, at a time when that country has become the standard for beauty and skincare across the globe. Kokosh also carries a line of jewelry reflecting the latest minimalist K-fashion trends in Seoul.

Sneak peek: Gap Factory opening May 20 in Rockville (Photos)

We've been watching the signs going up in recent weeks at Gap Factory at 1667 Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza. Now, the most important sign of all is up: the one announcing the store's opening date, which is now set for this Wednesday, May 20, 2026. The sign has to mention that the store is not currently open, because the lights are on and workers are busy stocking shelves and displays ahead of the big day. For whatever reason, the window coverings were removed from the front entrance area, and that means it's time for a sneak peek at what awaits you on Wednesday!

Sign installed at Gap Factory in Rockville

The main sign is up at Gap Factory, opening soon at 1667 Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza. It has the widely recognizable Gap logo, but is otherwise understated in size and color. They could go bigger and louder, in my opinion, especially when you have to make what little signage you're allowed these days count. The windows are still papered over, so we can't see just how close opening day is. The sign installation - and especially the removal of the construction wall, suggests it is not far off.

Update on Gap Factory in Rockville

The construction wall across the storefront has been removed from the future Gap Factory at 1667 Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza. Alas, the windows are still papered over, blocking view of the progress on the interior fit-out of the store. A sign has been installed over the sidewalk out front, but the main sign above the storefront is still to come. Gap Factory sells apparel exclusive to Gap Factory stores, designed with less-expensive materials at lower prices by "real" Gap designers. So, if you want to look like you shop at Gap, but pay less, Gap Factory will be for you.

Francesca's closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Francesca's has permanently closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. They had one of the longest closing sales I've seen outside of some of those rug shops. Then again, the demise of the fashion boutique chain was also a long one. Francesca's filed for bankruptcy over five years ago. Westfield is probably not losing sleep over this closure, as it has recently agreed to leases with a number of tenants that would be considered an upgrade from Francesca's.

Beyond Yoga opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

What is beyond yoga? Astral projection? Teleportation to Waffle House? The first customers are finding out at Beyond Yoga, which is now open at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. We know one thing, which is that Beyond Yoga delivers on promises. Only announced a few months ago, and expected to open by summer, it has opened well ahead of schedule. Expected to compete with Lululemon and Fabletics, based on reader feedback, Beyond Yoga is considered by a good number to be superior to both.

The Los Angeles-based company's calling cards include a "body-positive" product line, a Thred-Up apparel exchange program, and its proprietary soft Spacedye fabric. It recently expanded into men's apparel. Look for Beyond Yoga on Level 1 of the mall, next to Vineyard Vines in the Nordstrom wing.

Nordstrom Rack "coming soon" to Rockville

Nordstrom Rack is "coming soon" to Rockville, according to signage posted across its future storefront. It will be located at 1683 Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza. This is the former Buy Buy Baby space.

What is the difference between Nordstrom at Westfield Montgomery Mall and Nordstrom Rack? Well, unlike a couple of competitors I recently wrote about, Nordstrom Rack actually does sell some overstock, clearance, and past-season items from the "real" Nordstrom. So this means that you actually are going to be able to find a significant number of Nordstrom-quality products by top labels at great savings at Nordstrom Rack.

However, like those other competitors, Nordstrom Rack also carries items specifically designed and manufactured for Nordstrom Rack. These are essentially going to be pieces that look like what you expect to see in the higher-end Nordstrom department store, but that might be made with a lower-cost material. You can quickly identify apparel made for Nordstrom Rack by checking the tag, which will say... Nordstrom Rack, not surprisingly.

You won't have the department store Nordstrom services like personal shoppers and alterations at Nordstrom Rack. And there won't be a cafe or somebody tinkling away on a grand piano. But bargain hunters won't mind, as they search for and score deals on items that might have been out of their price range at the department store a season ago.

Mavi opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Mavi has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The Turkish denim boutique missed its fall 2025 opening date by several months, but the chain has been engaged in a major expansion of bricks-and-mortar locations across America over the last year, including Jacksonville, Minneapolis, and Long Island. That has included establishing a U.S.-specific subsidiary. Mavi's arrival in American malls comes as Gen Z has shown a preference for in-person shopping over online ordering, particularly in the fashion sector.

If a denim brand can't have Sydney Sweeney and her good genes, it helps to have something unique in the actual denim material to set the brand apart from the other department store jeans that abound in the mall. In Mavi's case, they have Turkish denim fabric in several styles. SuperSoft is a midweight denim that employs Tencel and Lyocell fibers for softness and stretchiness. Feather Denim is even softer and lighter. And Organic Move is the softest with maximum stretch.

What's new for the season at Mavi just as they welcome their first customers in Bethesda? Most obviously, they are promoting their "L-OW RISE" jeans. For summer, they have a line of white denim. Look for Mavi on Level 1 of the mall, in the Nordstrom wing, across from Lily Pulitzer. Operating hours are 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM, seven days a week, according to the mall website.

J. Crew Factory to open at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg

J. Crew Factory is coming soon to Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg. The outlet arm of the preppy apparel brand has posted signage in the storefront windows at 20-A Grand Corner Avenue. J. Crew Factory will open in "Winter 2026," according to the signage. Very similar to Gap Factory, J. Crew Factory is not a liquidation outlet of past-prime J. Crew clothing, instead carrying a line of clothing designed specifically for Factory stores. 

What's the difference? Mostly in the materials used. They're going to be lower-quality but also much lower priced. The genuine wool sweater or scarf you might buy at J. Crew, for example, could be made of synthetic fabrics at Factory stores. So it's a way to get J. Crew styling for less, but the pieces might not last you as long as The Real Thing. How can you immediately recognize a Factory item on the resale market? J. Crew Factory items will have two tiny diamonds or dots on the brand label.

Burlington sets opening date for Montgomery Village store

We now have an opening date for the new Burlington store at 19142 Montgomery Village Avenue at the Montgomery Village Center. The store is now scheduled to open on April 24, 2026, just in time to shop for your summer wardrobe. Burlington is replacing Big Lots at the center. I was sad about the closure of Big Lots, but Burlington is an excellent replacement, and better than I expected.

Gap Factory coming soon to Rockville

Gap Factory is coming this summer to Rockville. The store will be located at 1667 Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza. That's the space recently vacated by Land's End, next to Hallmark. The interior has been gutted and construction on the interior fit-out appears to be getting underway.

Is Gap Factory yet another liquidation outlet? No, and I did not know this. Gap Factory does not sell anything sold at regular Gap stores. Instead, the products are designed with less-expensive materials at lower prices by Gap designers. Now, most of us would probably say, "Isn't that what Old Navy is?" The selling point seems to be that if you are fond of the styling of Gap clothes and find their designers' tastes to reliably match yours, Gap Factory is an additional line of their creations you can snag for less.

Urban Outfitters opens new concept store at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Urban Outfitters has opened its long-promised new concept store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. This is only the third location in America to get this store design, after Houston and Glendale. The new store concept features more floor space dedicated to the best-selling UO brands, including BDG denim, OFU (Out from Under) and Standard Cloth. New modular and responsive fixtures and displays allow the store to more quickly and easily respond to trends and seasons. The new concept was developed after extensive research into what store design elements, layout, and aesthetics would appeal to Gen Z shoppers, the brand's current target audience.

Beyond Yoga to open at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Beyond Yoga is coming soon to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The "female-founded and led" (it's actually now owned by Levi Strauss & Co.) athleisurewear brand will immediately face intense competition from existing mall tenants like Lululemon and Fabletics. Like those labels, Beyond Yoga has celebrity endorsers, including Jennifer Lawrence and Olivia Wilde. 

The Los Angeles-based company's calling cards include a "body-positive" product line, a Thred-Up apparel exchange program, and its proprietary soft Spacedye fabric. It recently expanded into men's apparel. Beyond Yoga is expected to be open by summer.

Urban Outfitters debuting new store concept at Montgomery Mall this month

 

Urban Outfitters has closed its existing store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The apparel brand is preparing to open its new concept store, targeted at Gen Z shoppers, later this month in a different space at the mall. UO has so far rolled out the new store design in Houston, Texas, and Glendale, California. Maryland is third on the list, and the first on the East Coast. 

Old store

When UO examined retail trends, it found that Gen Z is driving a mall resurgence across the country. 72% of Gen Z shoppers surveyed stated that they do the majority of their apparel shopping at malls, and that this is their preferred shopping method. In designing a new store concept, UO also revamped its approaches to its men's and women's product mix.

New concept storefront 

The new store concept features more floor space dedicated to the best-selling UO brands, including BDG denim, OFU (Out from Under) and Standard Cloth. New modular and responsive fixtures and displays  will allow the store to more quickly and easily respond to trends and seasons. The new store's fitting rooms will feature a brighter, more spacious design. And warmer, more richly-textured decor will create a more immersive shopping experience.

New concept women's department 

“Our goal is to be the go-to brand and destination for the categories and brands that define our customer’s style, and a source of inspiration through our creativity,” Urban Outfitters President Shea Jensen said in a statement. “This new format gives us the freedom to shape our stores around our customers, their lifestyle, and the moments that matter most to them.”

New concept men's department 

UO plans to open an additional six locations of the new concept store this year. At Montgomery Mall, the new store will be found on Level 1, between Calzedonia and Kickz.

Gorjana confirmed to be opening boutique at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Gorjana is now confirmed to be a future tenant at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The Laguna Beach-based jewelry retailer has been pursuing an aggressive expansion plan this decade. However, its growth is strategically targeted to areas where it has identified an existing customer base for its products, and the company previously cited Bethesda as one of those. Gorjana continues a retail trend, particularly among fashion brands, of opening stores at Bethesda Row and Montgomery Mall to operate simultaneously.

Hollister opening today at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Hollister will make its triumphant return to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda today, Friday, November 14, 2025, according to the staff at Abercrombie & Fitch. It's unknown if John Hollister, Jr. himself will make an appearance. But it is known that the new Hollister store will be found on Level 1 next to American Eagle, in the Cheesecake Factory/Old Navy wing of the mall. It warms the heart of mall lovers everywhere to see Hollister opening its doors in time for Black Friday.

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.