Okaeri Japanese Cafe & Anime now open in Rockville

Okaeri Japanese Cafe & Anime is now open at 1701 Rockville Pike at the Shops at Congressional Village. This is the second Okaeri location in the area, following the first in Centreville, Virginia. There is a strong emphasis on the dessert menu, but there is a wide selection of onigiri, Hamburg steak, and curries, as well. Anime gift items are available for sale. Operating hours are 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM Wednesday through Monday. Okaeri Rockville is closed on Tuesdays. 

Montgomery County fumbles biotech HQ, Philadelphia recovers for touchdown

Butterfingers! Biotech, along with residential housing construction, is really the only bright spot in Montgomery County's otherwise-moribund economy. Decisions - and hefty tax breaks, which coincidentally only apply to these two industries (wow, you mean tax breaks generate economic growth?) - made by County and Maryland leaders decades ago led to the development of a strong biotech sector. But even this couldn't prevent MoCo officials' latest fumble of a corporate headquarters, as the relocation search of Adare Pharma Solutions' global headquarters ended with the selection of...Philadelphia.

The New Jersey-based biotech firm made its decision last month, but the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development celebrated the victory at a ceremony on Friday. “Having a company like Adare relocate its global headquarters to Philadelphia is a fantastic win for our Commonwealth and proves Pennsylvania gets it done,” DCED Secretary Rick Siger said. “The company’s growth is helping to boost our already robust life sciences sector ― a key element of our economic development strategy — while creating more opportunities for Pennsylvanians.”

Steering the Keystone state's successful bid was the Governor's Action Team. “I’m competitive as hell and I believe Pennsylvania is the best state in the nation for companies who want to innovate, grow, and succeed so I’m thrilled that Adare has chosen Pennsylvania over other states for its headquarters and continued growth,” Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement. “Pennsylvania is a leader in biotech and life sciences – with a talented workforce, access to key markets, and significant laboratory infrastructure – and Adare’s growth here will build on that legacy while creating more opportunity for Pennsylvanians. Pennsylvania is open for business, and I look forward to welcoming more companies to our Commonwealth in the near future.”

Adare's new global HQ will bring "at least 115 new, well-paying jobs" to Pennsylvania, the governor's statement indicated. Meanwhile, on the day that Philadelphia was celebrating the Adare HQ prize, the Montgomery County Council was tweeting about placing even more costly environmental regulations and paperwork responsibilities on building owners in the County. "Doh!" Now there's a great recruiting message to send to firms around the world. Montgomery County continues to be closed for business.

Rockville thief uses Aldi bag to shoplift at Safeway

An alleged shoplifter at the Safeway at 403 Redland Boulevard in Rockville had the nerve to use a competitor's shopping bag, Rockville City police report. The suspect allegedly stole a large quantity of meat and household goods at 8:44 PM on September 6, 2024. Police describe the suspect only as a Black male with a full beard and dreadlocks, carrying a green Aldi bag. If you can identify the suspect, or have any information about this incident, call police at 240-314-8900.

"Everything must go!" at Alex Baby & Toys at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

There may be an opportunity to get some early holiday shopping done for the kids on your list, at discount prices, at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. "Everything must go!" according to the signs announcing a sale of 30% to 50% off on all items at Alex Baby & Toys. A number of shelves are empty, and some displays have been removed from sales floor already. There's no sign stating the store is closing, but I noticed that the Alex Baby & Toys at Holyoke Mall in Massachusetts is closing, and that the Reddit user posting got a great deal. Look for Alex Baby & Toys on Level 1, in the Old Navy wing of the mall.

Montgomery County, Maryland miss target again as Virginia wins Kongsberg missile facility

Montgomery County and Maryland hit the snooze button again, and Virginia picked up another economic development victory while their rivals across the Potomac slept. Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace announced this week that it has chosen Virginia as the location for a new cruise missile production facility. The 150,000-square-foot complex will be constructed in James City County, and will manufacture Kongsberg's Naval Strike Missiles and Joint Strike Missiles. Both are anticipated to remain in high demand, and the Norwegian firm believes it is likely to win another contract from the U.S. Department of Defense soon.

A press release from the office of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Virginia beat out two unidentified states in the competition for the Kongsberg facility. Youngkin made his winning case to Kongsberg during his trade mission to Europe this past April. While Youngkin was sealing the deal in Europe, the Montgomery County Council was passing legislation regulating hours for hookah lounges.

The factory will create more than 180 high-wage jobs. And this is actually the second Kongsberg production facility Maryland has lost out on; Pennsylvania won the first one in 2008, and the firm announced it will be expanding its Johnstown operation to handle the increased demand. It seems Kongsberg factories are dropping out of the sky everywhere around us, but landing everywhere but here. Such high-wage job creation is desperately needed not only in Montgomery County, but across Maryland from Cumberland and Hagerstown to Baltimore and Salisbury.

"Kongsberg's decision to establish its first U.S. defense assembly facility in Virginia reaffirms our status as America's top state for business," Youngkin said in a statement Tuesday. In contrast, a January report from the Maryland Comptroller's Office "found that Maryland is behind neighboring states and the nation in gross domestic product, personal income, real wages and population growth," the Associated Press reported. 

Photo courtesy Kongsberg

Donutchew moves to bigger spot at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Donutchew has relocated at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The mochi donut chain had such a great success with its mall kiosk, that it has upgraded to a larger stall at the outer end of the Dining Terrace food court. Its kiosk space has been walled off. Look for Donutchew on Level 2 of the mall, next to Cellaxs, and across from Chocolate Moonshine.

AMC Theatres adds vibrating seat PRIME at AMC experience at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

AMC Theatres has completed the conversion to reclining seats in all auditoriums at the AMC Montgomery 16 cineplex at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. But it has also topped off the retrofit of the old ArcLight Cinemas by offering its new PRIME at AMC moviegoing experience for some films. PRIME auditoriums feature newer projection technology that provides brighter colors and richer contrasts, surround sound, and "reverberating recliners." 

An AMC employee said that one auditorium is currently outfitted with the new PRIME system. A subwoofer in the recliner creates a vibrating or "reverberating" effect that, combined with the surround sound, provides a more immersive experience. Along with the superior screen images, the overall aim is to offer something as close to IMAX as possible in theaters that were not originally built to IMAX dimensions for screen size or sound configuration. 

The PRIME auditorium at AMC Montgomery 16 is currently hosting screenings of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice this afternoon, and of Transformers One this evening. That gives you an idea of the genres of film likely to get the PRIME treatment going forward, and that best capitalize on the technology. This was a nice bonus surprise to cap off the conversion from ArcLight to AMC at Montgomery Mall, along with the recliners and MacGuffins Bar.