Altar'd State closing today at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Altar'd State is closing permanently at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, at the close of business today, May 21, 2023. The Christian women's apparel boutique opened here in April 2018. This closure we can blame on Montgomery County's hostile business climate and County Council, as the brand is neither going bankrupt, nor closing stores elsewhere in the country. In fact, a company press release exactly one month ago described Altar'd State as "a rapidly growing women's fashion brand with 123 Altar'd State stores, 25 Arula boutiques, six Vow'd boutiques and two Tullabee boutiques in 38 states."

Maryland Democrats to honor Steny Hoyer at 2023 Gala in Baltimore

The 2023 Maryland Democratic Party Gala will honor Congressman Steny Hoyer, who has represented the state's 5th Congressional District since 1981. It will be held on the evening of Thursday, June 22, 2023 at the Martin's West banquet hall in Baltimore. Maryland Governor Wes Moore is expected to attend the event. The party expects the gala to sell out in advance; tickets are available online.

Lakeforest Mall owner wants to demolish mall sooner than planned

The now-shuttered Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg was not expected to be demolished until next year. But owner WRS Realty is now seeking to bring the building down much sooner. The rationale for waiting until 2024 was that the company would retain the fallback plan of reopening the mall, should the City of Gaithersburg not approve its plan to redevelop the site with thousands of residential units, along with new restaurants and retail. 

WRS Realty now says it would raze the mall sooner, if it could enter a binding contract with the City that provides a guaranteed right to redevelop the property, the Washington Business Journal reported this afternoon. If the City agrees, reporter Daniel J. Sernovitz wrote, it could speed up delivery of the new development by two years. The new plan by WRS Realty may explain why an auction of the mall's contents is now scheduled for next month. If WRS Realty were to reopen the mall, it would have to replace some amount of that stuff to do so.

Rockville Wegmans construction update, Twinbrook Quarter apartments branded "The Milton" (Photos)

The Wegmans grocery store-anchored Phase 1 building of B.F. Saul's Twinbrook Quarter development continues to progress towards completion at 1592 Rockville Pike. Among the latest news updates, the biggest is the revealed branding of the residential component of the building. The apartments are now being marketed as "The Milton." A new amenity for the building's residents has also been announced: a full-size, resort-style pool, with private cabanas.

Construction is now moving to the phase of applying the brick facade, which will utilize different colors of brick to add visual interest and define sections of the building. This can already be seen along the Chapman Avenue side of the property. Also outside, underground utilities are being installed, as are sidewalks, curbs, and traffic signals. 

Inside the building, interior wall studs, water and sewer pipes, mechanical ductwork and electrical systems are now being put into place. Ahead for the summer, installation of exterior walls and window glass will be two major projects. A 2024 delivery is anticipated for Wegmans and The Milton.

Assault at 7-Eleven on Shady Grove Road

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an assault at the 7-Eleven store at 15900 Shady Grove Road, on the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg, early Tuesday morning, May 16, 2023. The assault was reported at 1:43 AM Tuesday. 

Journey Within Wellness Center to open in Rockville

Prepare to embark on the journey within. The Journey Within Wellness Center is moving into the former PureBeauty Salon in the ground floor of The Sterling at 11755 Rockville Pike. Services offered will include float therapy, massage therapy, cryotherapy, infrared sauna, steam room, Thai body stretch, and intravenous injection therapy. The original Journey Within Wellness Center in Columbia boasts celebrity clients from the Baltimore Orioles, NFL, USFL among others. Journey Within is expected to open in June 2023.

Lakeforest Mall contents to be auctioned off next month

Lakeforest Mall fans will have one last chance to grab a piece of memorabilia from their nostalgic past next month. After closing on March 31, the Gaithersburg mall was quickly boarded up and fenced off. Beyond security concerns, one reason for that was to preserve the remaining contents inside for future sale. That future is now set for June 21-30, 2023, when an auction of those contents will take place. 

The auction will include "furniture, fixtures and equipment from dozens of stores, restaurants [and] common areas" of the mall, according to the auction listing. June 21 will be the preview date, when all items being auctioned off will be displayed on the auction page. The auction will then close beginning on June 22. Winners will pick up their items from the mall between June 26 and June 30.