AH'HAAN by Bangkok Garden opening August 17 in Gaithersburg

AH'HAAN by Bangkok Garden has set an opening date of August 17, 2025 at 237-A Kentlands Boulevard in Gaithersburg. That is the former Good Fortune Cafe space, next to Supertooth. As you can see in the photo below, they will be serving Singha beer, "Thailand's original and best-loved premium beer since 1933." During the first week of operation, the Thai restaurant will be offering 20%-off your total bill if you agree to post a Google review of your dining experience - good, bad, or ugly. Ask your server for the review link when you have finished eating. The offer applies to both dine-in and takeout customers, and is good through August 24, 2025.

Dolan Uyghur Restaurant opens in Rockville

Dolan Uyghur Restaurant has opened at 20-A Maryland Avenue at The Square in Rockville.  The restaurant serves authentic Uyghur cuisine, including hand-pulled noodles, Big Plate Chicken, pilaf, kebabs, Piter Manta, Kawa Manta, and traditional desserts that include the new addition of Kazadibi, a Turkish milk pudding. They will also have outdoor patio dining (see the seating below) and live music. This is Dolan Uyghur's fourth location in the Washington, D.C. region, and another great addition to The Square in Rockville.

Sheepskin Gifts and Alpaca Too returning to Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for 2025

Sheepskin Gifts and Alpaca Too is returning to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for its annual extended seasonal run. Few people are thinking about warm clothing as thermometers float between 90 and 100 degrees, but alpaca wool is known for its ability to wick moisture away from the skin during the summer season. The store's prime time is still the holiday shopping season, and the frostier months of the year - and believe it or not, we're less than four months from the start of the Christmas season at 12:00 AM on November 1. Look for Sheepskin Gifts and Alpaca Too on Level 1 of the mall, in the former Tesla space.

Hobby Lobby to open first Montgomery County store in Gaithersburg

Hobby Lobby is planning to open its first store in Montgomery County. It will be at 15750 Shady Grove Road in the 270 Center, on the border of Gaithersburg and Rockville. That is the former Best Buy space. Hobby Lobby will take advantage of the big box building dimensions, and the immediate access to I-270 just west of the shopping center.

Hobby Lobby was founded by David Green in 1972, initially operating out of a garage with a $600 loan to create miniature picture frames. The success of these frames, which could be sold to larger retailers, allowed Green to open the first Hobby Lobby store in Oklahoma City in 1972. The company's growth was fueled by its focus on providing a wide array of craft and hobby supplies at competitive prices, coupled with a strong emphasis on customer service. Similar to Chick-fil-A, Hobby Lobby followed a practice of closing its stores on Sundays. Their strategy resonated with a broad customer base, enabling steady expansion across the United States.

The Hobby Lobby concept centers on offering a vast selection of arts, crafts, and home decor items under one roof, catering to a diverse range of creative interests and decorating styles. Their merchandise typically includes framing supplies, floral and wedding décor, fabric, jewelry making components, scrapbooking materials, and various craft supplies for painting, drawing, and needlework. Beyond crafts, Hobby Lobby also stocks a significant amount of seasonal decorations, party supplies, and general home furnishings, all curated to appeal to a family-friendly demographic interested in DIY projects and affordable home embellishments.

Warby Parker coming soon to Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Warby Parker is opening a new location at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The eyewear boutique will open this fall. It will be located next to L'Occitane en Provence on Level 1 in the Nordstrom wing of the mall. Warby Parker has an existing Bethesda location at 4821 Bethesda Avenue at Bethesda Row.

Dolan Uyghur Restaurant opening in Rockville

Dolan Uyghur Restaurant will hold a "soft opening soon" at 20-A Maryland Avenue at The Square in Rockville. According to Google, the Central Asian restaurant will open this Sunday, July 27, 2025. Owner Hamid Kerim, originally from East Turkistan is working to preserve "the food and flavor of Uyghur culture." To that end, he has three existing locations, in Washington, D.C., Chantilly, and Falls Church. Dolan will replace the very-short-lived Kung Fu Kitchen, which replaced the high profile Peter Chang.

Kirk Cousins' favorite hair salon is coming to Rockville

Great Clips is "coming soon" to Rockville Pike, according to signage posted in the windows of its future storefront. The hair salon will be located at 835-H Rockville Pike at Wintergreen Plaza in Rockville, and it will be Great Clips' first Montgomery County shop. Based in Minnesota, the haircut chain is best known for its convenient appointment scheduling using its Online Check-in. 

Great Clips was memorably endorsed by NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins, who said he relies on the national chain to provide a predictable haircut regardless of what city he is in. The chain's "Clip Notes" feature helps provide that reliability. "Everybody needs a little rush in their lives. I get mine when I go to Great Clips to get my hair cut," Cousins told USA Today earlier this month. Cousins' original endorsement was genuine, as he was not a paid spokesperson, but Great Clips later provided him with a VIP free haircut card after learning of his praise.

Andy's Pizza to add second Montgomery County location

Andy's Pizza's first venture into Montgomery County in Bethesda has been so successful, the local pizzeria chain is opening a second one. It will be located at 145 Commerce Square Place at Kentlands Market Square, next to CHOPT, in Gaithersburg. Andy's serves New York-style pizza in whole pies, or by the slice, making it an upgrade from previous tenant MOD Pizza. No opening date has been announced, and this location does not yet appear on the chain's website.

KPUB Irish-Korean fusion bar "coming soon" to Rockville

Here's something you don't see every day: an Irish-Korean fusion bar and restaurant are "coming soon" to Rockville Town Center, according to signage posted at its future space in the ground floor of the BLVD Ansel apartments at 33 Monroe Street. According to property owner Comstock, KPUB "is a dynamic full-service restaurant and bar that offers a bold menu of Korean-inspired cuisine, handcrafted cocktails, and an energetic nightlife atmosphere. KPUB will feature private karaoke rooms, a lively bar scene, and a sleek ambiance that is set to bring an elevated dining and entertainment experience to the Rockville Town Center neighborhood."

"With KPUB, I set out to create a groundbreaking Irish-Korean fusion bar that blends high-energy social dining with cutting-edge technology,"KPUB founder Derek Liu said in a statement. "This isn’t just another pub—it’s an immersive experience where guests can send drinks to other tables, enjoy elevated Korean-Irish cuisine, and transition into a late-night speakeasy with private karaoke rooms. KPUB is redefining nightlife in Rockville and beyond with innovation and excitement the industry hasn’t seen before."

"We are excited to welcome KPUB to BLVD Ansel," said Tim Steffan, Chief Operating Officer of Comstock COO Tim Steffan said. "Their concept will bring a fresh, engaging dining and entertainment experience to Rockville Town Center, creating yet another unique destination that our residents and the surrounding local community will enjoy."

Arc'teryx opening at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Arc'teryx has signed a lease to open a store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The outdoor apparel store will open this fall, according to signage posted across its future storefront. Arc'teryx was founded in North Vancouver, British Columbia in 1989 by Dave Lane and Jeremy Guard. Their techwear and streetwear lines have become popular with outdoor adventures and urbanites alike, with the latter viewing Arc'teryx clothing as a status symbol, the Financial Times and New York Times have noted. When it opens, look for Arc'teryx on Level 1 of the mall, next to Sleep Number.

Hollister to return to Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

John Hollister, Jr. lives! Nearly a decade after Hollister closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. the California surfer-inspired apparel retailer is planning a triumphant return this fall. Word is that Hollister will move into one of the spaces just vacated by Foot Locker or Merlo Point. Part of the Abercrombie & Fitch empire, Hollister is one of those tenants every self-respecting American mall simply must have, like Cinnabon, Auntie Anne's, Sephora, Urban Outfitters, and - come to think of it - Abercrombie & Fitch. If not, is it really a mall?

Photo courtesy Hollister

Garage boutique opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Garage has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The women's apparel boutique held a grand opening event yesterday, luring customers in through giveaways of free treats and beverages, gift cards, and bonus gifts with purchases. Founded by parent company GDI in Montreal in 1975, Garage describes itself as "a casual clothing brand for young women who are fun and effortlessly sexy." Look for Garage on Level 1 of the mall, in the former Aeropostale space between JD Sports and Lovisa.

Wegmans opening today in Rockville (Photos)

A nearly decade-long odyssey comes to an end today at the new Twinbrook Quarter development at the northeast corner of Rockville Pike and Halpine Road. Wegmans will open its long-awaited grocery store at 1590 Rockville Pike at 9:00 AM this morning. The store includes a Market Cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. Wegmans has so far donated over $21,000 to community causes, including So What Else and $1000 scholarships to 5 graduating seniors from Richard Montgomery and Rockville High Schools.

Darband Restaurant replacing Taste of Kabab in Rockville

Taste of Kabab has closed at 765-H Rockville Pike at the Ritchie Center in Rockville. But fans of kababs and kabobs don't have to worry. Their space has been leased by Darband Restaurant, a Persian kabob restaurant. Workers cleared out the interior, and then had tables and chairs set up in the dining room by evening Monday. That would still leave any additional decor or new kitchen/counter equipment to be installed. Taste of Kabab opened here about 21 months ago.

HeyTea opens in Rockville

HeyTea has opened at 891-F Rockville Pike at Wintergreen Plaza in Rockville. In 2012, in a small alleyway called Jiangbianli in Jiangmen, China, HeyTea's young founder invented cheese tea, the product that would become the company's signature product. HeyTea's other signature is its worldwide popularity on social media, stimulated by the company's effort in creating Instagram-ready store interiors and packaging, and drinks that have as much appeal to the camera eye as to the taste buds. The hype that preceded the Rockville opening is real, as the line was out the door Saturday afternoon at Wintergreen Plaza.