THE RESURGENCE OF BIG SUVS IN AMERICA - AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Giant SUVs were thought to have been driven into extinction by the double whammy of the Great Recession and inflated gas prices. Media reports suggest that Americans are desperate to downsize their vehicles and housing. But just as the claim that "the suburbs are dead" proved premature, Summer 2014 auto sales numbers indicate Americans' desire for bigger and better trucks is only growing.

A USA Today article from August 25, 2014 (which appeared only in print, not online), says there is "oversized demand" for the next generation of outsized SUVs. The article cited Autodata figures which showed sales of the redesigned 2015 Cadillac Escalade shot up in July 2014, with twice as many of the yacht-like luxury truck being sold as had been moved last July. Ford Expedition sales were up 59.3%, and GM's Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon sales both notched 50% increases.

In comparison, overall new car sales increased only 9.1%.

Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell told USA Today's James R. Healey that "we just closed the order bank" for the 2015 Escalade, "and we have three times as many orders as we can supply."

The hot truck is a hot seller here in Montgomery County, as well. Patrick Coleman of Jim Coleman Cadillac in Bethesda says, "since the redesign, the new Escalade has had a tremendous amount of attention in our showroom. In fact, we have been unable to keep a supply in stock because the demand has been so high."

Workers at the Arlington, Texas plant where the Escalade is manufactured are now working 3 shifts just to keep up with demand, according to USA Today. Still, many of the Escalades being manufactured are arriving pre-sold at dealerships across the country, with prospective owners placing orders, and waiting for delivery of the SUVs. That can been the case at Jim Coleman as well, where many 2015 Escalades "are actually presold prior to their arrival at the dealership," Patrick Coleman noted.

With demand steady and Cadillac working to meet it, Coleman says the Bethesda dealership expects "sales to continue to be strong into the fall as we get more inventory."

Perhaps most interesting, is the study detailing how Americans use their large SUVs. Are they parking the low-gas-mileage vehicles and boarding public transit? Not according to an analysis by TrueCar.com cited by USA Today.

The top daily uses for large SUVs are shopping/errands (32.2%), commuting (25.3%) and "taking kids to school" (15.2%). Cadillac knows its upscale suburban buyer well, touting the Escalade as "the 420-hp gated community." "Once you've reached the top," Escalade's website argues, "there's only one direction to go - over." Sales figures suggest Americans nationwide - and locally - are doing just that.

Photo courtesy of Cadillac

ROCKVILLE KRISPY KREME SOLD TO FIVE GUYS FRANCHISEE

Don't panic, Krispy Kreme fans. Your drive-thru donuts are not in danger. A large Five Guys franchisee, Monument Restaurants, has purchased the Rockville Krispy Kreme, located in the Fallsgrove shopping center off of Shady Grove Road.

The move, reported by the Triad Business Journal, is actually part of a positive donut development. Monument is holding onto the Rockville store, but also plans to open 20 new stores in the DC Metro area. Hopefully all with drive-thrus!

Krispy Kreme currently is offering a limited-edition Pumpkin Spice donut, and Pumpkin Spice latte for the Halloween season.

STRAWBERRY CREME TWINKIES REVIEW (VIDEO)

Strawberry Creme is the second of 3 limited-edition summer flavors of Hostess Twinkies. Watch my review to find out if these are as good as the Blue Raspberry variety I tested earlier in the summer.

CITY PERCH COMING TO PIKE & ROSE IN ROCKVILLE

Big restaurant news from Federal Realty's Pike & Rose development - City Perch will be a new restaurant opening there in November, above the iPic Theaters cineplex. The restaurant will feature an outdoor Infinity Terrace, which overlooks a public square below.

Locally-sourced ingredients, and a combination of traditional entrees and small plates will bring Chef Matt Baker's New American cuisine expertise to pre- and post-theater diners. Fresh seafood will also be highlighted on the menu. Baker is currently chef de cuisine at Occidental Grill in the District, but will be heading north to helm City Perch after his last day on Tuesday.

iPic Theaters' mixologist and sommelier, Adam Seger, is whipping up a cocktail list for City Perch, and promises bottled cocktails (including a refreshing Bethesda Punch with Rare Tea Cellar Magnolia Oolong) for moviegoers to enjoy in their theater seat. Already potentially on the list are Seger's El Corazon (tequila + passionfruit, pomegranate and blood orange juices), Brandy Alexander (with local cream and housemade Creme de Cacao), and a Grasshopper (local cream, Creme de Cacao and Creme de Menthe).

 The iPic Theaters itself is shooting for a November opening, as well.

City Perch

11830 Grand Park Avenue

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.