GIANT LAUNCHES AMAZON PRIME-LIKE SERVICE FOR FREE PICK-UP, PEAPOD DELIVERY ORDERS

The Peapod division of Giant Food has started charging a $2.95 fee, and now requires a $60 minimum order, for its formerly-free/no minimum Pick-up service. But just as Amazon.com made it tougher to qualify for free shipping while offering unlimited free shipping through Amazon Prime, Giant is balancing the change with a new Prime-like program called Pod Pass.

Pod Pass allows you to purchase a 3, 6 or 12 month pass that gives you unlimited, free Pick-up service and/or Peapod delivery service during that time. There is fine print, though. You only get completely free Pick-up/delivery with a minimum order of $100, taxes still apply, and your pass will automatically renew itself unless you sign into your Peapod account to stop it.

Much like Amazon Prime, the potential benefit of the new service likely relates to your shopping habits, and the amount you spend on groceries per week. Otherwise, the main news here is no more no-strings free Pick-up, which was a selling point when that service began.

Also, there is a free trial Pod Pass promotion currently underway. For more information, visit the Peapod by Giant website.

PROPOSED MONTGOMERY COLLEGE PARKING GARAGE ON ROCKVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA SEPT. 10

A new parking garage at Montgomery College's Rockville campus will be among the agenda items when the Rockville Planning Commission resumes its work on September 10 at 7 PM at City Hall.

The proposed garage will rise above existing Lot 4 on the northern side of the community college campus, and will be open to visitors, students and faculty members. There is no map of the precise location, or rendering of what the garage will look like, currently attached to the agenda online.

ROCKVILLE ROY ROGERS HIRING MANAGER (PHOTO)

Finally, we're seeing activity towards the opening of a Roy Rogers restaurant in Rockville. The Frederick-based fast food chain seems to be hiring a manager for its future Rockville location, which - although not yet publicly identified - is believed to be in the vacant retail structure on the former Century Ford site on Rockville Pike (across from Marlo Furniture). The delayed return to Rockville has tried the patience of ranch hands across lower Montgomery County for about a year.

Roy Rogers' ad has now been deleted (hopefully because it was filled, and not because of another delay), but I captured the Craigslist screen image above.

CELEBRATE CALIFORNIA WINE MONTH IN ROCKVILLE WITH 50% OFF

September is California Wine Month. You can celebrate it in Rockville at Timpano Italian Chophouse in the Montrose Crossing shopping center (at Rockville Pike and the Montrose Parkway) today through Thursday, with 50%-off all California wine bottles!

ROCKVILLE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: THE UPTON APARTMENTS, CAMBRIA SUITES HOTEL (PHOTOS)

The Duball project is really making progress since my last update. A hybrid of a luxury apartment building (The Upton) and a hotel (Cambria Suites), the building is much more in line with Rockville Town Square than the hodgepodge of projects planned for Town Center Phase II north of there.

Rockville Town Center

The view along Regal Row

Lots of glass is in place

Catch the T2 to Bethesda,
Potomac and
Friendship Heights here

View toward the Regal Cinemas
from E. Middle Lane

CARBÓN PERUVIAN CHICKEN, HAIR CUTTERY CLOSE AT ROCKVILLE TOWN SQUARE (PHOTOS)

The latest casualties at Rockville Town Square are Carbón Peruvian Chicken & Grill, and the Hair Cuttery. Both have closed, with hairdressers at the Hair Cuttery leaving a calling card for clients to follow them to their new King Farm outpost.

Carbón's website is gone, and a call to the restaurant's phone number resulted in a message reporting it had been disconnected. I've heard a rumor it might reopen elsewhere, but have no solid information on that yet.

These closures follow those recently of Cosi, Pho & Rolls, and Oro Pomodoro at the town center.

Empty menu holder

STOLEN CAR, 3 ASSAULTS + MORE - NIGHTSWATCH: ROCKVILLE CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Rockville on August 24, according to crime data:

Stolen car. 800 block N. Stonestreet Avenue.

Assault. 200 block Rockville Pike.

Assault. 600 block Northcliffe Drive.

Assault. 1300 block Baltimore Road.

Theft. 1100 block Higgins Place.

Theft. 1700 block Rockville Pike.

Theft. 100 block Adclare Road.

Theft. Unit block of Blue Hosta Way.