Rockville Safeway near future Wegmans location considering exit option

"Wegmans Effect" already being felt

The grocery store's first brick hasn't even been laid yet, but the Wegmans effect may already be palpable in Rockville. A real estate source tells me the Safeway store located one block south of the future Wegmans site is actively seeking a tenant to sublease its space at 1800 Rockville Pike. The Safeway store currently has a 20-year lease at the recently-built Galvan at Twinbrook development.

If Safeway were replaced with a new tenant under a sublease, it would be a blow to the community and the Galvan. The grocer is the anchor retail tenant at the development, occupying a 62,753 square foot retail space on the ground floor. As anchor, it's counted on by the other businesses to drive retail traffic to the site. And Twinbrook lost its original Safeway store when this one was planned to replace it.

Contrary to what you would expect from an upscale grocer like Wegmans, their prices are about 14% lower than Safeway's in the D.C. area, Consumers' Checkbook found. Yet Wegmans' products and produce have a reputation for being superior in quality to local competitors.

Aside from the intense competition Wegmans will provide for local shoppers, Safeway may also be suffering from a problem created by both the design of the Galvan, and City of Rockville sign regulations. With a setback from Rockville Pike required by past visions of a parallel service road, and a lack of large, driver-facing signage, it's frankly hard to know which businesses you are passing at the Galvan while facing forward to monitor the road ahead. It's no wonder developer B.F. Saul fought - successfully - to obtain the right to build up to the edge of Rockville Pike for its Twinbrook Quarter development, which will be anchored by the Wegmans.

Sports & Social construction begins in Rockville

The construction process to build the new Sports & Social at 11800 Grand Park Avenue at Pike & Rose is now underway. Destruction is the first step, however, and it's sad to see the elaborate interior of former tenant Del Frisco's Grill being demolished. It was almost 7 years ago that Del Frisco's opened with a memorable VIP party, which showed off the upscale decor.

Armed carjacking in Rockville

City of Rockville police are searching for a vehicle stolen at gunpoint this morning. At 3:38 AM in the 200 block of Congressional Lane, three black males allegedly put a gun to the victim's head, and drove away with the victim's wallet and white 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander. The Outlander's license plate is Maryland tag number 6CP4813. Police ask you to call 911 immediately if you see this car.

Montgomery County Council approves FY-2022 budget with property tax increase

Property taxes will increase for almost all Montgomery County residents in the fiscal year starting July 1, 2021, under the $6 billion FY-2022 budget approved by the County Council yesterday. The tax hike comes at a time when many residents and businesses have been struggling during the pandemic's economic downturn. 

Also hitting residents' wallets in the budget: parking fee increases in Bethesda and Wheaton, and the expansion of parking enforcement hours in Silver Spring and Wheaton, which will begin in January 2022. All nine councilmembers voted unanimously to approve the budget and tax increase.

McDonald's BTS Meal arrives in Rockville (Video+Photos)

The McDonald's BTS Meal officially arrived nationwide yesterday. In partnership with the K-pop boy band, the meal includes a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium fries, a medium Coca-Cola, and two sauce packets: Cajun and Sweet Chili. 

While most media outlets have lauded the sauces as both being new to the United States, McDonald's actually offered Sweet Chili sauce some years back. The Cajun sauce is brand new, however. Watch my in-depth review on YouTube.

BTS fans have reacted enthusiastically to the promotion on social media, but there has been significant dissatisfaction among them that McDonald's did not provide BTS-branded packaging for the meal nor any BTS-themed prize, cards or toys in the United States. Some overseas countries have received special packaging for their BTS meals, which led some fans to ask why an American restaurant chain did not provide this BTS packaging for its American customers.

Taco Bamba sets opening date in Rockville

Opening day for Taco Bamba at Congressional Plaza on Rockville Pike is finally in sight. Chef Victor Albisu announced yesterday that the tacqueria's first Maryland location will open next Friday, June 4, 2021. Like the other Taco Bamba locations, this one will have menu items exclusive to, and inspired by, its location. 

Among the exclusive menu items you will find at this Taco Bamba are the MoCo CRAB (griddled crab melt, spicy mayonnaise, vinegar coleslaw, and mini fries), the First Lady of Maryland-inspired "Mrs. Hogan" (kalbi pork, gochujang, kimchi bacon fried rice, cucumber, and radish), and the Fredneck (BBQ pork carnitas with morita slaw).

At the bar, the focus will be on agave spirits, including a margarita-style drink made with kiwi, Fresno pepper, lemon and mezcal. Taco Bamba will be open 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM Sunday through Thursday, and 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.

Car stolen from Rockville apartment building

City of Rockville police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle outside an apartment building Monday afternoon. The vehicle was reported stolen from an apartment complex in the 400 block of Blandford Street around 4:06 PM, according to crime data.