Dawson's Market closes in Rockville (Photos)

Dawson's Market has closed at 225 N. Washington Street at Rockville Town Square. The permanent closure ends a long but tumultuous run for the grocery store at the struggling Town Center development. It also leaves an anchor retail space vacant at property that already has no shortage of empty storefronts. A bigger-name chain grocer could spur more shoppers to patronize Rockville Town Square, but property owner Morguard faces the same challenge as the original developer here, in that the poorly-designed-and-placed grocery space was turned down by many such supermarkets almost twenty years ago.

The space is well-sized for brands like Aldi, Lidl or Trader Joe's. If one of those can be attracted here, the famous brand will have to overcome the shortfalls of being hidden away from the busy state highway MD 355 at the very back of the development, and the almost universally-despised parking scheme at Rockville Town Square. The latter was improved in recent years by finally allowing free parking for 2 hours. But the dungeon-like garages, paid parking and validation memories of the past persist in the minds of many, and there is a Giant and a Food Lion with free, hassle-free surface parking only a short distance from Rockville Town Square. 

Police seek suspects in Park Potomac assault

Montgomery County police are seeking the public's help in identifying and located multiple suspects in the June 22, 2024 aggravated assault at the Park Potomac development. Police say that as many as four suspects ganged up on the two adult victims around 4:10 PM that afternoon, in the 12500 block of Park Potomac Avenue. The suspects displayed unspecified weapons, and assaulted both victims.

Police describe the suspects as three or four Black females in their late teens. If you have any information about the suspects or this incident, you are asked to call police at (301) 279-8000. 

Torchy's Tacos construction picks up steam in Rockville

Torchy's Tacos is now under construction at 1776 E. Jefferson Street at Federal Plaza in Rockville. Construction crews are working into the night on the interior fit-out of the Mexican restaurant, which is replacing another famous chain, Chuy's, at the shopping center. Chuy's sadly departed in 2020. Torchy's is expected to open this fall.

New public art installed at Rockville Town Square (Photos)

When life gives you a failing town center, make art. That's just what the City of Rockville and property owner Morguard have done with a large storefront that has been vacant for a painfully-long time at Rockville Town Square. The windows of what was to be HalfSmoke at 36-A Maryland Avenue are now hosting a new public art installation. "The LOVE Mural" was painted by artist Lisa Marie Thalhammer with assistance from members of the community during this month's Rockville Pride event.

"Together, we are painting this world a rainbow," a plaque near the mural states. "'The LOVE Mural' project honors the beautiful diversity of our world and connects us through the power of public art creation. Through love we can come together and solve our world's most challenging issues, empowering us to listen and value each other. By painting LOVE we celebrate each other and amplify positive energy authentically around the world, elevating respect and equity for all beings."

Police called after assault at auto dealership in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault on Rockville Pike this past Wednesday, June 26, 2024. The assault was reported at an auto dealership in the 800 block of Rockville Pike at 12:00 PM. There are two dealerships located on that block. 

Dinosaurs spotted in parking lot at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda (Photos)

It's not every day you see a velociraptor racing across the parking lot at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Why are these extinct creatures suddenly massing on the Westlake Terrace side of the property? For next week's Dino Safari attraction, which will be at the mall for a full month, from July 4 to August 4, 2024. Some woolly mammoths are thrown in for good measure, even though the current temperatures are not to their liking. Signage for the event has been posted, as well as a couple of plugs for Dino Safari production company Lumino City's holiday lights event expected to return to Montgomery County this winter. Tickets for Dino Safari are available online.

Signage installed at future Amazon Fresh on Shady Grove Road (Photos)

The sign is (back) up at Amazon Fresh, opening soon at 15790 Shady Grove Road at the 270 Center on the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg. It's exactly the same logo sign that was vandalized, and ultimately removed, when Amazon paused - and then "canceled" - the opening of this store last year. The reversal of that decision became apparent earlier this month. There's still nothing on the bare shelves inside the store, but more signage has been added inside over the last few days, including a large banana image and other promotional images in the produce department.

We should soon see the grocery cart return out front in the parking lot. It was erected, and then dismantled, during Amazon's period of indecision in 2023. One wonders if anyone in Amazon's grocery division was fired as a result of the faux cancellation of this location. Nothing has changed over the last year, and Amazon only lost money over this period that the store didn't operate. If anything, the market is worse, as Americans have reduced their grocery purchases due to runaway inflation of prices, and price-gouging by greedy corporations.