Mlux Nail Spa now open in Rockville

Mlux Nail Spa is now open at 121 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. Located in the heart of the Rockville Town Center area at the Rockville Metro Plaza building, the upscale nail and head spa not only offers free parking in the garage and lot at the rear of the property, but is also just steps away from the Rockville Metro station and The Square at Rockville. Inside, the salon is spacious and super-clean.

Services offered include a full suite of nail manicures, pedicures, enhancements, decoration, and spa treatments. Mlux also offers waxing; lash and brow lift, tint, and lamination; luxury head spa treatments; body massage, and combination packages. Appointments can be booked online. Mlux has already earned rave reviews online, with a 4.9-star rating on Google Reviews, and a perfect 5-star rating on Yelp.

Crust & Crumb Bakery Cafe opens in Rockville

Crust & Crumb Bakery Cafe is now open at 718 Rockville Pike in Rockville. That was formerly home to Roy Rogers. Operating hours of the Taiwanese-inspired bakery are 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, seven days a week. A grand opening celebration is scheduled for November 13 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Along with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, there will be free gift bags for the first 50 customers, activities, giveaways, and music by a live DJ.

Wingpop coming soon to Rockville

It's not Wingstop - it's Wingpop. And chicken wing lovers in Rockville will soon have a chance to judge who has the better wings. That's because Wingpop has leased a 1,421-square-foot space at The Shops at Congressional Village at 1701-B3 Rockville Pike. Construction is essentially completed, and the restaurant hopes to open before the end of fall. 

Wingpop is not a chain - yet - but is a new concept from parent company IVEA, which owns the shopping center. Operating hours will be 11:00 AM to 9:30 PM Sunday through Thursday, and 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.

Shotted Specialty Coffee opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Shotted Specialty Coffee is now open at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The Saudi-inspired coffee and dessert bar features several unique beverages and menu items you won't find at Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts. Try a Karak Chai or Warm Date Toffee for a taste of the Arabian Gulf. They even have soft-serve ice cream. 

The chain, which is thriving in Northern Virginia, was conceived by its founder as a way to use coffee as an ambassador for Saudi culture. Its corporate values are aligned with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 initiative, part of which is aimed at diversifying the Saudi economy beyond oil with the promotion of culture and tourism. Customers are invited to experience Saudi culture and hospitality at all Shotted locations, and three Saudi holidays are celebrated with special events.

But Shotted isn't ignoring trends closer to home. Witness their Pumpkin Series menu for fall, which features the limited-time-only Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Chai Latte, Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, and Pumpkin Cream Matcha beverages. It will be interesting to see what seasonal drinks they might have as the holidays and winter approach. Look for Shotted Specialty Coffee in the former Gold Bunny Donut space in the Dining Terrace food court, on Level 2 of the mall.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Wetzel's Pretzels opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda with Cat in the Hat movie promo

Wetzel's Pretzels is now open at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The arch-rival of Auntie Anne's has made a triumphant return to the mall nine years after closing its original kiosk here. It arrives just in time for a major motion picture tie-in promotion with The Cat in the Hat, which opens in theaters nationwide on November 6. The partnership centers on a limited-time-only drink, The Things' Blue Lemonade Freeze. A super-patriotic red-white-and-blue presentation combines frozen lemonade with Blue Raspberry Granita and Cherry Boba. 

Special movie-themed packaging for standard menu items is also part of the promotion, while supplies last. The Cat in the Hat drink will be available through December 6, ensuring Black Friday refreshment. If you haven't tried Wetzel's Pretzels before, now you can finally conduct your own head-to-head comparison with Auntie Anne's under the same roof at Montgomery Mall. Look for Wetzel's Pretzels on Level 2 of the mall, in the corridor between Macy's and the Dining Terrace food court.

Fashion Q opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

After a few hiccups and false starts, Fashion Q has finally opened its doors at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. It's an encore for the Los Angeles-based fashion wholesaler, which is returning to the mall after a sudden exit in 2025. A couple of grand opening dates had come and gone, but the important thing is that the boutique is now open in time for the peak holiday shopping season. Look for Fashion Q on Level 1 of the mall, across from Build-A-Bear.

Mango Mango opens to long lines in Rockville

Mango Mango House of Desserts is now open at 1617 Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza in Rockville. Lines have been out-the-door, and trailing down the sidewalk since the opening. Waits of 45 minutes to over an hour for smoothies or crepe cakes have led to negative reviews among the online raves. In one case, Google has temporarily shut down reviews of the establishment for what it calls "a spike in spam reviews," something you rarely see. Mango Mango is open from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM Monday through Thursday, and from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.

Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The first chill of fall is in the air. That means two things: it's time to buy warm clothes, and the holiday shopping season is rapidly approaching. One herald of both is the annual arrival of Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Just seeing the store back at the mall gives a warm feeling to those who can't wait for The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Nordstrom Rack sets opening date in Rockville

The new Nordstrom Rack store in Rockville now has an opening date. It will open on October 29, 2026 at 1683 Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza, according to signage in the window. What is the difference between Nordstrom at Westfield Montgomery Mall and Nordstrom Rack? Nordstrom Rack sells 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, 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. Holiday shoppers: Start your engines!

The Korean Dessert Fruit Ice Cream opening at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The Korean Dessert Fruit Ice Cream is opening at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. It is a freestanding kiosk located on Level 2 near Snipes in the Macy's Home wing. It will be serving fruit-shaped ice cream with a thin shell coating on the outside. Considered a viral dessert on TikTok some time ago, it is now arriving at the mall.

Bogotá Coffee House opening Thursday in Rockville

Bogotá Coffee House will celebrate its grand opening tomorrow, Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 115 N. Washington Street in Rockville. The new coffee shop will not only serve Colombian coffee, but its decor will ensure you feel like you've been transported to that nation's capital. Operating hours will be 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, seven days a week. Here's a sneak peek inside:

Soccer jersey kiosk opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

If you have soccer fans on your holiday shopping list, there's a new destination for you at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. A kiosk selling international soccer jerseys has opened. Uniform tops for Jude Bellingham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Cole Palmer, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé are among those available. Look for the kiosk on Level 1 near Carter's and the future PacSun, in the Old Navy wing of the mall.

MangoLina opening September 14 in Rockville

MangoLina has set an opening date for its new Rockville location. The dessert truck will begin serving customers this coming Monday, September 14, 2026. It is located at the Shell gas station at 2240 Veirs Mill Road. Opening time Monday will be 1:00 PM.

Always Ice Cream "coming soon" to Rockville

Always Ice Cream is coming soon to Rockville Pike, according to signage posted in its future storefront. It will be located at 11802 Rockville Pike at Pike & Rose. The Maryland-based chain manufactures over 250 handcrafted flavors in the state, but has attracted the attention of national media. Always Ice Cream is expected to open this fall. Most of its scoop shops are located in the Annapolis area, but the brand is now expanding into Montgomery and Charles counties.

Just Salad opening in Rockville

Just Salad is "coming soon" to Rockville, according to signage posted in the windows of its future storefront. It will be located at 12242 Rockville Pike, right next to the recently-opened Wonder food hall. The fast-casual salad restaurant is the latest dining addition at the revitalized Towne Plaza development. Reusable bowls and a large number of plant-based alternatives to meat (the real thing is also still available at Just Salad, though) are part of what the chain calls "Earth-friendly" dining. Another location is "just down the Pike" in the Residences at Mazza in Friendship Heights NW.

Kareem's Lebanese Kitchen opens in Gaithersburg

Kareem's Lebanese Kitchen opened with a ribbon-cutting yesterday at 212 Boardwalk Place at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg. The dining room was packed this evening. Specialties include fresh breads, handmade mezze, Lamb Mouzat, Farrouj, and Kareem's signature hummus, which is prepared from scratch in a three-day process. 

"I'm proud to bring Kareem's to Maryland and share the food, traditions and hospitality that have been part of my family for generations," Chef Rachid Eido said in a statement. "Lebanese hospitality is about more than serving a meal. It is about opening your table, sharing generously and making people feel like they belong. That is what we want every guest to experience when they come to Kareem's."

Hong Kong Tea House opening in Rockville

Hong Kong Tea House is coming soon to Rockville. It will be located at 605 Hungerford Drive (MD 355). At Hong Kong Tea House, patrons will "indulge in Hong Kong's sweetest secrets," the local chain promises. Specialties include handcrafted milk teas, fruit teas, Vietnamese coffees, smoothies, desserts, and a wide selection of authentic Chinese street foods from a variety of regions. Hong Kong Tea House is currently hiring cooks, baristas, and assistant managers.