Jersey Mike's Fallsgrove open in Rockville

Jersey Mike's has opened at the Fallsgrove Village Center in Rockville. There's no shortage of sandwich options here now, with Panera Bread and Starbucks in the same shopping center. Certainly the sandwich size will be heartiest at Jersey Mike's. All bets are off if the Hot Now light is on at Krispy Kreme, though...

Climate activists may shut down commuter routes into D.C. Monday morning with #ShutDownDC protests

Climate activists are threatening to block major roadways commuters use to reach downtown Washington, D.C. Monday morning, September 23, 2019, as part of an ongoing series of protests to coincide with the United Nations Climate Action Summit. Participating organizations are not revealing which roads or intersections they plan to blockade during an action they are calling #ShutDownDC.

Montgomery County, the County Council, and the County Department of Transportation are apparently asleep at the switch, and have not released any statements on the expected protests or possible delays. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has released a statement warning commuters to plan several alternative routes to your destination, or to take public transportation. "The groups have planned first-amendment protected events on Monday to potentially include the intentional disruption of traffic on high-volume roadways around the District," the statement says.

With no way to know what these folks have planned, it would be wise to plan ahead and check traffic reports before leaving for work Monday morning - and give yourself extra time to get there, if your route is affected.

Montgomery County Council vape shop bill poised to set economic destruction record

Would be third County economic sector

totally wiped out this decade after

food trucks, nightlife

The Montgomery County Council is poised to set a world record this fall - and it's not one to be proud of. Known for a record of economic failure, high taxes, jammed roads, failing schools and banning stuff, the Council is turning to that last font once again with a new vape shop bill and zoning text amendment package. To call it heavy-handed would be an understatement - it would literally require almost every single vape shop in Montgomery County "to close within 24 months." In doing so, the Council would destroy an entire sector of the County's economy - vaping and smoke shops - for the third time in a single decade, following their destruction of the food truck and nightlife sectors over the last eight years.

As usual, the Council is not on firm legal or logical ground. No resident should feel comfortable with the County in the hands of elected officials who would destroy a whole sector of the economy without even having a knowledge of the topic and industry they are "cracking down" on. If one did have a grasp of the basic facts, he would not be introducing a bill based entirely on hyperbole and panic generated by misleading media reports.

Vaping hysteria is suddenly and mysteriously sweeping the nation. If you believe many media reports, Juul users are keeling over by the dozens. Actually, that's fake news. The majority of "vaping deaths" appear to have resulted from people trying to use unauthorized THC vaping cartridges. THC is the primary active ingredient in marijuana.

Not a single person in Montgomery County or Maryland has died from immediate use of legal, nicotine vaping products. The Council laughably cites three students being hospitalized after "vaping on school grounds." Many, many more students have been hospitalized after using various other drugs on school grounds than that. It is currently illegal for minors to purchase e-cigarettes and vaping products. Why wouldn't the Council crack down on illegal sales, if the real concern was use by minors?

Predictably, no local media outlet is pressing the Council on its latest Draconian solution in search of a problem. Taxpayers will foot the bill for the lawsuits that are sure to follow passage of a bill designed to put specific enterprises out of business.

Once again, the County Council's hypocrisy and doublespeak has been exposed. They said we needed more millennials to move here. They've claimed for years that we needed to allow unlimited development of luxury apartments to attract those millennials. But the development they approve isn't within the price range of most millennials.

They claimed they would make us "hip," and launched the disastrous "Nighttime Economy Initiative" that ended up cratering the nightlife sector countywide, with eighteen nightspots closing in downtown Bethesda alone.

Finally, the Council deep-sixed what was a booming food truck industry by banning the trucks from public streets. Food trucks are a major draw for young professionals in urban areas - you know, the very people the Council said we needed to attract. What does the Council then do? Implode the food truck industry, with 96% of trucks either going out of business or fleeing back into the District, where many of them can be found at lunchtime just over the border in Friendship Heights, D.C.

It's as if the County Council wants to make sure Montgomery County's national reputation as a terrible place for young people and businesses is solidified for all time. Vaping is very popular among young adults. For better or worse, it is "hip," to use the Council's outdated dad-jeans lingo. So no housing, no nightlife, no lunchtime food trucks and no vaping for you, millennials. Enjoy your life in Northern Virginia - heck, that's where your jobs are anyway. Might as well live there, too! Wait, you already do?

And that's the real capstone of the Kill Vaping Bill. Despite record-high taxes, County revenue is down, and we are in a structural budget deficit. The Council has driven our economy into the ground over the last two decades, and has failed to attract a single major corporate headquarters in over twenty years. Ultra-rich residents have fled in droves, slashing tax revenues that were being provided by some of our wealthiest denizens, and shuttering storefronts up and down "Montgomery County's Rodeo Drive" in Chevy Chase. And the County's debt, if it were a government department, would be the third-largest department in the County government.

After passing a corruption-bloated, reckless and irresponsible budget in May - and raising taxes in the process - one of the major bond rating agencies sent out an urgent alert warning investors. That means our AAA bond rating is in danger of being downgraded. And just as a recession may be around the corner.

This is the time that the Council would destroy yet another entire sector of our economy, and forgo all of that revenue from a popular consumer product? This is the time that they would, yet again, deter young adults from choosing to live in Montgomery County?

What are these folks smoking?

Gumbo Ya Ya opening at Rockville Town Square

Gumbo Ya Ya is expanding its "Puerto-Nawlins" cuisine from Germantown to Rockville. The Cajun/Puerto Rican restaurant will open a new location at 101 Gibbs Street at Rockville Town Square, formerly home to Ev & Maddy's and Lab Cafe. What started as a food truck at Joint Base Andrews is now becoming a small chain with bricks-and-mortar location number two.

Katsu Go removes sign after owners' dispute

Katsu Go opened at 12238 Rockville Pike with big plans in May - and met with immediate success, capped by recognition in Washingtonian magazine as one of the best new budget restaurants in the region. That success led to the sudden breakup of the ownership group that launched the business just months ago, according to one owner, who said he and a partner were brought in to help launch the restaurant. Both men are now out, he said, and looking for a new Rockville location.

The Katsu Go sign has been removed from the front of the restaurant. But there were still customers dining inside, and steam rising from orders being prepared by staff, when I stopped by. Perhaps it has become like one of those cool bars that doesn't have a sign.

Lighted sign installed at Land's End in Rockville

The sign is up at Land's End at Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike. Last night it was already lit. The 8500 SF clothing store is expected to open in late fall.

Patisserie Manuel to open at Montgomery Mall

Patisserie Manuel is expanding to Bethesda. L’Academie de Cuisine graduate Claudia Olea started the bakery in the Aspen Hill area, and this year moved to 8810 Brookeville Road. Named for her father, Patisserie Manuel will soon open a new location in the Dining Terrace at Westfield Montgomery Mall, by McDonald's.

Patisserie Manuel offers the standard French-style pastries you would expect to find at an upscale bakery. What sets it apart is the special Chilean pastries you will also find on the menu. And why settle for a Tres Leches Cake when you can order the Four Leches Cake at Patisserie Manuel?

Panera Bread reopens at Fallsgrove Village Center in Rockville

Panera Bread has reopened at the Fallsgrove Village Center in Rockville. Contrary to rumors, the restaurant did not close permanently, but temporarily closed for renovations.

Another Extreme Halloween in Rockville

Halloween will be extreme again in Rockville this year. Extreme Halloween is back at 1616 Rockville Pike with costumes, props and decorations. They are located next to Mattress Firm, at the corner of Rockville Pike and Halpine Road, across from Congressional Plaza.

Police to close Maryland Avenue during dueling immigration rallies today

Dueling rallies between opponents and advocates of Montgomery County's new policy restricting ICE agents' access to County facilities, and to prisoners with federal immigration detainers being released by the County, at 11:00 AM in Rockville today have led Montgomery County police to close parts of two streets.

Maryland Avenue will be closed between Fleet Street and E. Jefferson Street between 8:00 AM this morning and 2:00 PM this afternoon; the rallies are taking place in front of the County Council office building at 100 Maryland Avenue between 11:00 AM and noon.

Vinson Street will be entirely closed during those same hours.

The rally against the County's sanctuary policy will be headlined by television commentator and author Michelle Malkin and conservative commentator and talk radio personality Larry O'Connor. A coalition of progressive, immigration, and faith-based organizations has scheduled a counterprotest at the same location. Expect police to try to keep the two groups separate, but if you are not participating in one side or the other, you'll probably just want to steer clear of this area mid-day today.

Montgomery County Interfaith Community Liaison Rev. Mansfield Kaseman released a statement saying he has advised police that he and his team are available to assist in "maintaining peace" at today's rally, and has discussed the event with County Executive Marc Elrich.

Hiro Sushi closed in Rockville

Hiro Sushi has closed at 5268 Nicholson Lane in the White Flint Plaza shopping center. No reason is posted for the closure. However, I can find no listing online showing the space available for lease yet.

Michelle Malkin, sanctuary opponents to rally Friday in Rockville; counterprotest planned in Montgomery County immigration stand-off

Opponents and advocates of Montgomery County's policy of not detaining prisoners with ICE detainers being released from the Montgomery County jail until federal agents can take them into custody will face off outside the Montgomery County Council building at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville tomorrow, Friday, September 13, 2019 from 11:00 AM to noon. A rally headlined by political commentator and author Michelle Malkin and WMAL conservative radio host Larry O'Connor will take place on the steps of the Council building.

Rally organizers say they will call on Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich to withdraw his executive order,"Promoting Community Trust," that put further restrictions on ICE cooperation this year. Elrich has said he will review aspects of the policy, and determine whether to make changes.

Activists and organizations who support the County policy, which has come under national political fire from the Trump administration after eight immigrants in the country illegally were accused of separate sexual assaults of women and children in the County over the last few weeks, are pledging to turn out in force to counter the rally. "Let's drown out the hate with NOISE," Showing Up for Racial Justice - Montgomery County said in a Facebook announcement of their counter-rally, "MoCo Stands with Immigrants," that will take place at the same time and location.

Malkin is touring the country to promote a new book, Open Borders, Inc.: Who's Funding America's Destruction?, the release of which has coincided with the Montgomery County controversy. Others slated to appear at the original rally include Shari Rendall of FAIR, Brad Botwin of Help Save Maryland, author Ying Ma and Montgomery County Republican Party chair Alexander Bush.

The counterprotest will include members of SURJ, host Takoma Park Mobilization, Jews United for Justice, CASA de Maryland, UFCW Local 1994, Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition, Action in Montgomery, JCRC of Greater Washington, Poor People's Campaign, United We Dream, Sanctuary DMV, and other local unions and organizations.

Photo via @michellemalkin Twitter account

Rockville construction update: Barnes & Noble at Congressional Plaza (Photos)

More news from Congressional Plaza in Rockville today. Construction on the future Barnes & Noble bookstore, opening in 2020, has begun in earnest across several empty storefronts. A covered pedestrian shelter has been erected to protect Plaza patrons during the work, and it also shows that this will be a more-complicated build-out than the typical tenant switchover.

Orangetheory Fitness, CorePower Yoga opening at Congressional Plaza in Rockville

After losing several tenants, Congressional Plaza in Rockville has been adding new ones in spades. Orangetheory Fitness and CorePower Yoga are the latest two officially announced by property owner Federal Realty. Both fitness facilities will be part of a new section of Congressional Plaza they are branding as FITRow.

One space remains to be filled in the FITRow section, which will be next to the future Barnes & Noble bookstore in the north wing of the property. Federal Realty says it found success with its original test of the FITRow concept at its Assembly Row property in Boston. I can say there has been a huge response to the recent announcement of Orangetheory's future location at 7900 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda, which bodes well for a warm reception in Rockville.

“FITRow is a lifestyle, a community where people have access to several boutique studios that can evolve with their fitness wants and needs,” Federal Realty Director of Asset Management Kari Glinksi said in a statement this morning. Orangetheory and CorePower will both open in 2020.

Rockville strip mall to be redeveloped as Rock Grove (Photos)

The Shady Grove Professional Building's retail strip mall at the corner of MD 355 and Shady Grove Road is going to be redeveloped as Rock Grove, a more-modern strip retail center. A rendering shown by JBG Smith promises a more modern and attractive appearance, while keeping the same retail use.

Dunkin' Donuts (which is not in the strip mall structure, but rather in the building itself) and Minerva Indian Cuisine are still operating, but other storefronts have been cleared out. It's uncertain which vacated tenants might return in the new center, as JBG Smith is advertising spaces as available in the future Rock Grove Center. It would be nice if they added a fast food restaurant with drive-thru to the parking lot, such as Steak and Shake, Jack-in-the-Box, or Hardee's - any chain currently not found in Montgomery County.

 

Friendship BBQ opens at Rockville Town Square

Friendship BBQ has opened at 33-E Maryland Avenue at Rockville Town Square. It's not Carolina or Texas barbecue, but Chinese barbecue. The cuisine, and even the wood used to grill the skewers, are native to the Xinjiang region of China, according to property owner Federal Realty.

Rockville construction update: Jersey Mike's Fallsgrove (Photos)

Jersey Mike's looks pretty close to the finish line for opening at the Fallsgrove Village Center. Even the chip bags are in place. What's better - Jersey Mike's at Wintergreen Plaza or Firehouse Subs at Upper Rock? Let me know in the comments below.

Bank with drive-thru proposed for site of shuttered Rockville supermarket

A bank branch with a drive-thru has been proposed for the former Meixin Supermarket location at 460 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. It's interesting to see another Town Center Phase II property going to a low-density, traditional automobile-oriented MD 355 use. Their application has been deemed incomplete by planning staff, however, so there may be at least a brief delay in this moving forward.

Panera Bread closed for renovations in Fallsgrove

Panera Bread has temporarily closed for renovations at the Fallsgrove Village Center in Rockville. No reopening date has been announced. You can see a lot has been removed from the interior.

Sears Gaithersburg closing, company spokesperson confirms

The Sears store in Gaithersburg will close by mid-December 2019, Sears/Kmart Public Relations Director Larry Costello confirmed to Suburban News Network, publisher of RockvilleNights.com. Located at Lakeforest Mall, the Gaithersburg store appeared on a list making the rounds of national news organizations, Reddit and Facebook groups, but the impending closure had not been officially confirmed by Sears until now.

Costello said a liquidation sale will begin mid-September at the Gaithersburg Sears and Stevensville Kmart stores. One Sears store in White Oak, and a Sears appliance outlet in Wheaton, will remain in Montgomery County after the Gaithersburg store has closed.

TPB approves funding to improve Stonestreet pedestrian access to Rockville Metro

Park Road near the Rockville Metro station

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has approved $280,000 in funds to provide better pedestrian and bicycle access to the Rockville Metro station from the east side. They especially focus on the area of Park Road between N. Stonestreet Avenue and S. Stonestreet Avenue.

Including wider sidewalks, a new intersection alignment, and bike lanes, the improvements were among the recommendations of the Stonestreet Corridor Study. They also again show the benefit of Rockville having an active seat at the table - Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton has been a member of the TPB, and was elected as its chair for 2017.

Kneipp closes at Montgomery Mall, EJJI Ramen reopens

Kneipp, a German retailer of natural, vegan bath and body products, has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The shop was the latest victim of the moribund Montgomery County economy, which has suffered a net loss of over 2100 retail jobs since 2000, according to the Maryland Retailers Association. Kneipp's storefront is now blacked out, but inside it has been cleared out.

Another closure at the mall earlier this week was temporary. EJJI Ramen was closed at the beginning of the week. But the company, which has another location in Baltimore, says they had to close due to a mechanical problem. EJJI Ramen is now open again in the Dining Terrace.

Chase Bank coming to Rockville?

Chase Bank is aggressively expanding across the country, having already opened two branches in downtown Bethesda alone, with a third Bethesda location in the works. But they don't yet have a Rockville branch. Now I'm hearing they will open a future branch at Pike & Rose, on a pad site along Prose Street.

Rockville Mayor & Council TV debate schedule set

Before Rockville residents vote by mail on who will become the next Mayor and Council, three live, televised candidate forums will be held. The public can attend in person, or watch live on Channel 11 or on a livestream on the City website. They will also later be uploaded to YouTube.

Here is the debate schedule, with more community and organization-hosted non-televised debates likely to be added in the coming weeks:

• 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24 at the Rockville Senior Center, 1150 Carnation Drive. Presented by the League of Women Voters.
• 1-2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2 at Thomas Farm Community Center, 700 Fallsgrove Drive. Presented by the Rockville Chamber of Commerce.
• 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15 at the Twinbrook Community Recreation Center, 12920 Twinbrook Parkway. Presented by Twinbrook Village in association withTwinbrook Community Association. 

Escher apartments under new management in Rockville

The Escher apartments have been open for fourteen months at 1900 Chapman Avenue in Rockville. Owner Compatriot Capital has just announced the building is now under new management. Village Green, a property management firm based in Detroit, will now be in charge. The company has been around since 1919, which is pretty impressive.

"By partnering with Village Green, we know we're getting a team with a proven track record for delivering the personal touches and prioritizing the needs of residents that will enhance their living experience beyond the walls of their apartment," Compatriot President Mark Van Kirk this morning. "With more than 100 years of experience creating homes and over 50 years in apartment management, we're thrilled to leverage that expertise to provide Escher residents with a truly meaningful living experience and sense of community," Village Green CEO Diane Batayeh added.

The management of the property changed hands August 1, according to Village Green.