See's Candies to return to Montgomery Mall for the holidays

 

If you needed another sign that the holidays are almost upon us, here it is. See's Candies is now confirmed to be returning to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for the 2025 season. This year, it will be located on Level 1 in the Nordstrom wing of the mall, between Anya by Vivien and Everything But Water. See's Candies are super high quality, making them a gift you can give with confidence.

Kako Claw arcade to open at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

 

The claw machine craze is coming to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Kako Claw, a claw machine arcade located in several other malls in the region will be opening soon here. It will be on Level 1 of the mall in the Old Navy/Cheesecake Factory wing, appropriately next to GameStop. One selling point of Kako Claw is that the company and some customer reviews note that the machines are on a fair setting, increasing odds of winning a prize in relative terms.

La Baguette Antojitos opening in Rockville

La Baguette Antojitos is "coming soon" to Rockville, according to signage posted in the windows of their future storefront. The bakery will replace another bakery - Lavande Patisserie - at 275-B N. Washington Street in Rockville Town Center. Images displayed include baked goods, coffee and tacos. This appears to be an independent, small business, as this appears to be the first and only location for this enterprise. There are no social media accounts for La Baguette Antojitos as of this writing, either.

Guapo's to open new Gaithersburg restaurant

Guapo's is opening a new restaurant in Gaithersburg. It will be a Guapo's Rotisserie Chicken & Tex Mex Grill concept, of which the local company operates three in Northern Virginia. This would be the first on our side of the Potomac. Guapo's has full-service Mexican restaurants in Bethesda, and at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg.

Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken is the specialty at the Guapo's Rotisserie Chicken locations. The new restaurant will be located at 12211 Darnestown Road, at the Quince Orchard Marketplace shopping center. That was formerly home to California Tortilla.

Song Dog Farm Distillery opens in Montgomery County (Photos)

Song Dog Farm Distillery has opened at 18100 Bucklodge Road in Boyds, Maryland. The distillery is located on a farm property in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve, and includes a tasting room, a "front porch" outdoor patio, and expansive lawns. Song Dog Spirits was founded in 2015 by the husband and wife team of Megan Draheim and David Harris, who purchased the farm in 2021, and constructed the facilities over the past four years. 

There is a tasting room menu, and food is also available from food trucks on-site, or you can bring your own. Kids and "well-behaved" dogs are also welcomed on the premises. Song Dog produces bourbon, rye whiskey, vodka, gin, and seasonal liqueurs, and all of their products reflect the agricultural produce and flavors of Maryland. Operating hours are 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM Wednesday through Friday, 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. For a preview of their product line, and information on planning a private event at the farm, visit their website.

Andy's Pizza opening at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Andy's Pizza is speeding up its expansion within Montgomery County. The award-winning pizzeria that has had tremendous success in downtown Bethesda will soon open a second Bethesda location at Westfield Montgomery Mall. It will be in the Dining Terrace food court on Level 2, in between CAVA and Chipotle. A third MoCo Andy's Pizza shop will be opening soon at Kentlands Market Square in Gaithersburg.

Gold Bunny Donut opening at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Gold Bunny Donut is coming soon to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. It will be taking over the end space just vacated by another donut shop, Donutchew, in the Dining Terrace food court on Level 2 of the mall. At Gold Bunny Donut, the donuts will be handmade fresh each morning, and each afternoon. You can check out the flavors here.

"Gold Bunny Donut transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary," the mall said in a statement. "The goal is to lead the new wave of donut innovation, offering a premium and delightful dessert experience you can feel good about sharing with your loved ones."

"Gold Bunny Donut believes in creating moments of joy with every bite. With donuts that are crafted with unique textures and flavors, especially the signature creamy varieties that elevate the traditional donut experience. Gold Bunny Donut is dedicated to using only the finest ingredients, free from preservatives and artificial additives, ensuring that treats are not only delicious but also safe for everyone, including your little ones."

"The inspiration comes from a desire to provide clean and wholesome desserts. The bunny symbolizes purity and care, reflecting our commitment to quality and family-friendly treats." 

Immersa Edutainment VR game experience opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Immersa Edutainment has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The virtual reality game hub has been set up on Level 1 of mall, near the LEGO Store and Build-A-Bear in the former Sears wing. VR machines available to play include the TRON light cycle-esque 360 Moto VR ($11.99-$15.99 for 7 minutes), Car Simulator VR ($11.99-$15.99 for 8 minutes), and the UFO Experience space exploration adventure game ($11.99-$15.99 for 6 minutes). The UFO game has 5 seats for a multi-player experience.

Immersa is operating on a soft opening basis right now. The full experience will begin on October 31, 2025 for the holiday season. Immersa is combining gameplay with STEM learning, and will be offering educational workshops in the future.

New Rockville menswear shop has a Porsche inside the store

Collars & Co. is now open at 1643-A Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza in Rockville. The Shark Tank-backed retailer specializes in modern business casual menswear. Its current featured product is the patent-pending Dress Collar Polo. The 2900-square-foot store includes a vintage Porsche (shown below) and private jet replica for selfies, and a bespoke custom closet by Bethesda Custom Closets and Blinds. Operating hours for Collars & Co. are 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sundays.

Sixty Vines opens in Gaithersburg

Sixty Vines has opened at 212 Ellington Boulevard at Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg. "The winemaker's restaurant" is now the wine drinker's restaurant. Your choice of sixty wines will be poured from the restaurant's "sustainable wine on tap system." Sixty Vines replaces Pour House at the development.

Dave's Hot Chicken "coming soon" to Rockville (Photos)

Dave's Hot Chicken is "coming soon" to Rockville Pike, according to a banner posted on the restaurant building. It will be at 11564 Rockville Pike in Rockville. That was formerly an old-style McDonald's restaurant, until the golden arches moved a short distance north to the old Arby's site. Before expanding to Montgomery County, Dave's Hot Chicken was best known to Marylanders as the fast food company that promoted itself via influencer videos on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Other Maryland locations have already opened in White Oak and Waldorf.

K Bap Express opens in Rockville

K Bap Express is now open at 121-B Congressional Lane, at the Congressional North shopping center in Rockville. The Korean restaurant replaces Pines of Rome Express. Dishes served include bibimbap, mandu, and kimbap. They have a couple of small tables for outdoor dining, and a small indoor dining room, so takeout sales are the primary focus here.

Spirit Halloween opens late in Rockville (Photos)

Better late than never! That's the only consolation for the Spirit Halloween store at 1683 Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza in Rockville. The store had never opened this Halloween season, and last week cited its inability to receive the necessary permits to operate. Those permits were apparently finally expedited the day after my report, and the store is now open for business. The selection is slightly better than some other locations, as the inventory hasn't been picked over for weeks. This store also has the best presentation of the haunted subway car that is the centerpiece of this year's product line.