Buffalo Wild Wings GO coming soon to Rockville

Buffalo Wild Wings GO is coming soon to Rockville. It will be located at 16256 Frederick Road at the Rock Grove shopping center, at the southwest corner of MD 355 and Shady Grove Road. Buffalo Wild Wings' "GO" concept took off during the pandemic, when the chicken wings chain sought to capitalize on an explosion in demand for takeout orders, as well as a chance to muscle in on carryout-focused competitors like Wingstop. Rockville and Gaithersburg both have traditional, full-scale Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants, which are more like sports bars, competing with sit-down competitors like Hooters.

You'll find a slimmed-down menu at Buffalo Wild Wings GO, comprised of some of BWW's customer favorites. An "innovative cooking process" is able to churn out the same crispy wings you find at a regular BWW at a speedier pace, the company says. The interior set-up is designed to get customers in and out of the smaller-scale GO store as quickly as possible, especially when ordering ahead. GO also has some exclusive flavors not found at the full-size BWW.

One of the exclusive flavors at GO locations

Watching Wingstop's tremendous success surely has BWW concentrating even more on growing the number of GO locations around the country. CNBC reported just last week that the preference of sports television viewers for wings while watching the game has allowed Wingstop to avoid the recent sales downturn experienced by McDonald's and Starbucks. Sports fans don't favor the latter two for their game day smorgasboards, the network found, and Wingstop has kept its prices relatively low while McDonald's customers have been ravaged by the Hamburglar's inflation-jacked price hikes.

It's interesting that Rock Grove also has a Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins store, as those brands are also in BWW parent company Inspire Brands' portfolio. That might have played a role in the development scoring another popular brand. Buffalo Wild Wings GO will be next to Qdoba Mexican Eats at the property. Construction on the Rock Grove location is expected to begin early this fall, so we might expect a winter opening. Just in time for the Super Bowl!

Photo 1 & 3 courtesy Inspire Brands

Finder's keepers: Rockville criminal takes lost debit card on shopping spree

An unidentified suspect stumbled across a lost debit card in the Rockville Town Center area, and decided to take it on a spontaneous shopping spree, Rockville City police report. The suspect recovered the lost card in the 300 block of N. Washington Street on August 25, 2024 around 4:30 PM, and proceeded to make $557 in purchases from nearby businesses in the Town Center. No description or photo of the suspect has been released as of this writing. If you have any information regarding this incident, contact police at 240-314-8900.

Larry Hogan is the "un-Trump Republican," his 1st Maryland U.S. Senate TV ad of fall declares

"Never Backs Down" isn't the most original slogan to be employed by former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in his current campaign for U.S. Senate, as Ron DeSantis would likely agree. But Hogan's first TV spot for the fall campaign season does manage to come up with a more unique qualifier for an anti-Trump candidate like himself: "The un-Trump Republican." It's not all that new or original, either (the ad cites The Washington Post, and the phrase has been employed by outlets as diverse as Al Jazeera and The New York Times, among others), but is far less often invoked than "Never-Trump Republican." The latter term has failed to convert many mega-MAGA "irredeemables" back to the Bush Republican fold so far.

Using the phrase makes clear that voters in Hillary Clinton's fabled basket of deplorables are not the target audience for this ad. The spot plays up examples of "Hogan's radically normal model for the GOP," such as blocking tax increases every year he was the executive of Maryland, lowering tolls on state bridges, and leaving a large budget surplus for his successor Wes Moore. Major challenges Hogan faced while in office are also highlighted, ranging from the pandemic and Baltimore riots that followed the death of Freddy Gray, to his own personal cancer diagnosis and recovery.

"Now more than ever, we need strong independent leadership in Washington who will never back down to the extremes and the party bosses," Hogan tweeted in introducing the ad Tuesday. "That’s exactly what I did as your Governor, and that is exactly what I will do in the United States Senate." 

Hogan's Democratic opponent, Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, has already begun an ad blitz worthy of the deep-pocketed primary opponent she vanquished earlier this year. Prior to his defeat, David Trone was an inescapable presence not only on TV screens, but in his relentless, un-skippable YouTube ads. Alsobrooks' ad focuses on her central message to juice turnout in a majority-Democrat state: that the winner of the Alsobrooks-Hogan contest may determine which party controls the U.S. Senate this coming January.

MíaCane Juicery and Açaí Bar opens in Rockville

MíaCane Juicery and Açaí Bar is now open in Rockville. The shop brings the newest beverage trend of sugarcane juice alongside smoothies, açaí bowls and Vietnamese coffee to 785-I Rockville Pike at the Ritchie Center. It has already earned a perfect 5-star rating from early customers on both Yelp and Google Reviews.

"Welcome to MiaCane Juicery and Açaí bar, where freshness meets flavor!" the store said in a statement. "Indulge in our vibrant selection of fresh-pressed juices and refreshing sugarcane elixirs. At MiaCane, we believe in harnessing the power of nature to deliver beverages that not only tantalize your taste buds but alsow boost your health. Our fresh-pressed juices are crafted from the finest, sourced fruits and vegetables, ensuring every sip is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Our signature sugarcane drinks, naturally sweet and rich in nutrients, provide a refreshing energy boost and support hydration. Come to MiaCane for a revitalizing experience that's as delicious as it is nourishing!"

Drag Story Hour returns to Montgomery County Public Libraries this Saturday

Drag Story Hour is returning to Montgomery County Public Libraries this Saturday, September 7, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Marilyn J. Praisner Library at 14910 Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville. According to the official Montgomery County Public Libraries event announcement, the story hour is for an audience of "preschool and kindergarten, elementary school age, babies and toddlers." MCPL states that the event is "appropriate for all ages, especially for children ages 18 months to 10 years with their families."

"Story hour just got a lot more glamorous!" the MCPL event description says. "Drag Story Hour (DSH) is just what it sounds like! Storytellers using the art of drag to read books to kids in libraries, schools, and bookstores. DSH captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity of childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models." MCPL tags the event as one that facilitates the goal of "Kindergarten Readiness."

The events have not been without controversy, reflecting a nationwide political divide on the issue. Montgomery County police, as well as volunteer citizen groups like Parasol Patrol and Rainbow Defense Coalition, have deployed to separate attendees from protesters at past story hours.

Hit and miss night for busy Rockville burglars

One or more burglars experienced the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat, in Rockville over the night between August 12 and August 13, 2024. Montgomery County police responded to a burglary at P&C Complete Car Service at 12516 Parklawn Drive on August 13. Officers arriving at the scene found evidence of forced entry, and cash had been stolen from the auto repair shop. Police believe the burglary occurred between 4:00 PM on August 12 and 7:50 AM on August 13.

Officers also responded to a burglary call at Plaza Carpet on the same block of Parklawn on the 13th. There they found the burglar(s) had been unsuccessful at gaining entry to the business. No suspect descriptions have been released as of this writing. If you have any information about these incidents, call police at (301) 279-8000.

Rockville home broken into

Rockville City police responded to a report of a burglary in the Burgundy Estates neighborhood on Friday, August 30, 2024. The burglary was reported at a home in the 600 block of Denham Road at 5:30 AM Friday. Officers responding to the scene found evidence of forced entry and property damage at the home.