HAPPY THANKSGIVING ROCKVILLE!

Happy Thanksgiving to all readers of Rockville Nights! I am thankful for all of you who read this blog, and hope to continue improving the quality of the site each day.

Here are a couple of Thanksgiving links I hope are useful:

Rockville restaurants open Thanksgiving Day (Updated)

Black Friday deals at Westfield Montgomery Mall

BLACK FRIDAY DEALS AT WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL 2013

Now that we know what time the stores open at Westfield Montgomery Mall on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, the question is, what are the deals?!

Here is the complete list of Black Friday deals at the mall as of this morning, and here are highlights of some of the best to help you plan:

SEARS

• RCA 32” Class 720p 60Hz LED TV for only $179.99 (Save $60)
• Craftsman 220pc Mechanics Tool Set with Case $99.99 (regular $129.99)
• All DieHard work boots only $44.99 (regular $65-$105)
• Women’s sweaters from $9.99
• Juniors Bongo sweaters and skinny jeans from $12.99
• 50% off bras and panties
• Sleepwear sets from $9.99
• 50% off cosmetic kits
• 60% off jewelry boxes and more!

BANANA REPUBLIC

50% off 1st full priced item, 40% off remainder of purchase

MACY'S

$9.99 –your choice: coffee maker, griddle, waffle maker, rocket blender, toaster, slow cooker, deep fyer, Panini maker, pressure cooker, or blender; sharper image action camera $49.99; Tag Fairfield III 5-piece luggage set $49.99; 30% off Impulse apparel from Kensie, Lucky Brand, Miss Me, Rachel Rachel Roy, Bar III & more

bebe

30%-50% off select full price and sale items through closing

GUESS

40% off Entire Store until closing

EXPRESS

Open from 8pm, November 28; Entire store 50% off until 12noon 40% off after 12noon

RADIO SHACK

50% off toys; 36 pack of AAA or AA batteries; **Samsung Galaxy S4 $49.00** (all carriers)

THE LIMITED

50% OFF EVERYTHING Including markdowns! Not combinable with any other offers or promotions. DOORBUSTERS 6AM Until 10AM Black Friday! Catch them while you can! While quantities last. Not combinable with other offers

AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS

50% off entire store 8pm-6am Thanksgiving/Black Friday; 40% off from 6am-10pm Black Friday

AÉROPOSTALE

50% off the entire store. $10 Fleece doorbusters. Free holiday bear with a purchase of $75 or more

GAP

50% off entire store!

LAILA ROWE

Buy 1 Get 1 50% off (of equal or lesser value) through the entire store Midnight-10pm 11/29

ROCKVILLE OFFICIALLY SEEKS TO ACQUIRE KARMA ACADEMY SITE AT 175 WATTS BRANCH PARKWAY

The City of Rockville is formally expressing interest in acquiring a 5-acre property at 175 Watts Branch Parkway, which is currently owned by Montgomery County.

In response to concerns expressed by nearby residents of Rockshire and Fallsmead, the Mayor and Council voted on November 18 to declare its interest in the county disposition process.

According to Assistant City Manager Jenny Kimball, the county recently had the property appraised at $760,500. Other entities will likely seek to purchase the potentially-valuable property.

The two affected neighborhoods would like the site to be annexed into adjacent parkland. But councilmember Tom Moore expressed concern about that use. "We don't need a park there," Moore said last Monday. He argued that the neighborhood has sufficient parkland already, and that there is great need for affordable housing for the elderly and disabled.

Councilmember Beryl Feinberg disagreed. In her on-site inspection, she said, she saw residents making recreational use of the site. Feinberg also cited traffic concerns on the relatively narrow roadway.

What residents may correctly fear is either a dense, infill redevelopment of the site, or a public facility that could affect quality of life in the neighborhood. While there is Ride On bus service to Town Center in Rockshire, the site in question is not suitable for transit-oriented development.

Mayor Bridget Newton proposed an addendum to the declaration of interest that she said would give the city flexibility, should the county not prefer the site be used as parkland. Newton also suggested the possibility of a land swap to address needs elsewhere in the city.

The motion to proceed, including the addendum, passed unanimously.

ROCKVILLE RESTAURANTS OPEN THANKSGIVING 2013

Here is a short list of restaurants in or near Rockville that will be serving dinner on Thanksgiving Day this year:

CHEF GEOFF'S (Rockville Pike)

HOOTERS (Open 4 PM to 10 PM Thanksgiving, 1584 Rockville Pike)

IHOP (Rockville Pike)

MERITAGE (White Flint at Marriott conference center hotel)

SEASONS 52 (White Flint)

CLYDE'S TOWER OAKS LODGE (Rockville)

BUCA Di BEPPO (Gaithersburg/Kentlands)

ROCKVILLE POLITICAL CARTOON

In the best traditions of political cartooning, William Charles is putting pen - and Rockville politics - to paper. And via Rockville Nights, to the internet:

(Click cartoon to enlarge for more detail)

PIKE AND ROSE SITE PLAN AMENDMENT GOES TO MOCO PLANNING BOARD DECEMBER 5 (PHOTO)

A site plan amendment for the Pike & Rose development, on the former Mid-Pike Plaza property along Rockville Pike in White Flint, will be taken up by the Montgomery County Planning Board on December 5.

The amendment would allow changes to be made to, and around, an existing retail building currently leased by Bank of America and Starbucks. That building is located at the southeast corner of the Pike and Rose development, where Old Georgetown Road meets Rockville Pike, and is referred to as "Building 13."

Changes described in the amendment include new building facades, a 1000 square foot expansion of retail space, a new pedestrian connection to Rockville Pike, and screening of existing trash receptacles and an electric transformer.

On the Pike side of the structure, the amendment would allow for outdoor cafe seating with overhead catenary lights, landscaping and a fountain.

Planning department staff have recommended approval of the site plan amendment.

Map via Montgomery County Planning Department:

BLACK FRIDAY 2013 AT WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL - SCHEDULE/OPENING TIMES - STORES OPENING THANKSGIVING

Black Friday will begin on Thanksgiving at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Many stores will open "after dinner" on Thursday, November 28.

Old Navy will actually open Thursday morning, but then close at 4:00 PM. Then it will re-open at 7:00 PM.

Other stores will follow throughout Thanksgiving night:

8:00pm
Macy's
Sears
American Eagle
Brookstone
Forever 21
Dippin Dots
Tea Neck
Gap
Abercrombie & Fitch
Hollister Co.
Arden B
Pac Sun
Piercing Pagoda
Walking Company

9:00pm
Starbucks

10:00pm
Aeropostale

10:30pm
Caribou Coffee

11:00pm
Aldo
Aroma
Jamba Juice