California Fish Grill opening first East Coast location in Rockville

California Fish Grill will open its first East Coast location in Rockville. The Newport Beach-based fast-casual seafood chain currently has restaurants in California, Arizona, and Nevada. It announced plans to expand to the Eastern seaboard earlier this year. The Rockville location will be at 12238 Rockville Pike at Towne Plaza.

True to its name, grilled seafood meals are the specialty of the house at California Fish Grill. Those selections appeal to health-conscious diners, with grilled fish atop rice with a side of vegetables. But scrolling further down the menu, more decadent entrees await, such as fish-and-chips and fried catfish. Like many fast-casual concepts, California Fish Grill offers bowls (including its trademark Cali Bowls), wraps, and salads. But it also sells tacos, and is one of the rare fast-casual restaurants serving calamari.

Towne Plaza faces heavy competition, surrounded by major retail centers like Montrose Crossing and Federal Plaza. It continues to add interesting dining tenants, even if some of them have been short-lived. They had Chef Geoff's last decade, and even tried to bring back Boston Market at one point. Fine dining is a tradition at Towne Plaza, which was home to Rockville's most-popular restaurant in the 1990s and early 21st-century, Houston's.

Tonieh Boutique closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Tonieh Boutique has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. All of the merchandise has been cleared out of the space, which is on Level 2 of the mall by Beauty Frizz, but the sign is still lit over the storefront. The store opened in February 2024. Tonieh Boutique still has locations across the river in Tysons and Dulles Town Center.

Embrace Ur Greatness opening at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Embrace Ur Greatness is opening at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. It is a sportswear/streetwear boutique that is "looking to spark self-belief through the form of merchandise." An online storefront is also open for business. Look for Embrace Ur Greatness on Level 1 in the Old Navy wing of the mall, between T-Mobile and Windsor.

Virginia beats Maryland again, wins $1.3 billion manufacturing facility & 2015 jobs

Could Maryland and Montgomery County use a $1.3 billion corporate investment, 2015 high-wage jobs, and a major infusion of tax revenue? Yes! Did we win the 500,000-square-foot Microporous manufacturing facility? No! But Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin will give you three guesses as to who did. Yet again, our rival across the Potomac River has bested us in the economic development sweepstates.

Microporous, a leading manufacturer of battery separators, will construct the $1.3 billion facility in Berry Hill, Virginia. The factory will create 2015 new, high-wage jobs, and will provide more freight traffic for the Port of Virginia. Tennessee-based Microporous was founded as the American Rubber Company, which patented the first rubber battery separator in 1934. Today, their products are in high demand, as adoption of electric vehicles explodes in many countries around the world, even if demand for EVs still lags in the United States. Virginia's port will indeed see a boost in outbound traffic as a result, as Microporous is the only manufacturer of rubber battery separators used in electric automobiles and mobility devices.

“This historic $1.35 billion investment by Microporous in Pittsylvania County marks a new chapter in Virginia's incredible advanced manufacturing story,” Youngkin said in a statement yesterday. “This project not only brings over 2,000 new jobs to Southside Virginia, but also positions the Commonwealth at the forefront of our nation’s resurgence in manufacturing. Microporous' decision to establish their new facility here underscores Virginia's competitive advantages and our commitment to leading the way in innovative industries.” Youngkin's office identified North Carolina as the other finalist for the facility; it's unclear if Maryland even attempted to pursue the opportunity, or was once again asleep at the switch.

“It is with great pleasure and excitement that we welcome Microporous to the Southern Virginia Megasite and Pittsylvania County," Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors Chairman Darrell Dalton said Wednesday. “Microporous brings a new level of technological advancement to our business community as well as high paying jobs that offer another opportunity for our young people to remain and raise families in and near their hometowns. Microporous will also provide the County with added revenue to better serve our citizens. We look forward to many years of Microporous’ growth and success and Pittsylvania County is honored to be part of that journey.” 

Photos courtesy Office of Gov. Glenn Youngkin

Bus driver assaulted by passenger in Rockville

A bus driver was assaulted by a passenger in Rockville on the afternoon of November 4, 2024, Rockville City police report. The bus was in the vicinity of the intersection of Hungerford Drive (MD 355) and Frederick Avenue at 2:15 PM, when a passenger allegedly approached the bus driver and spat on him. Police describe the suspect as a Black male, aged 20 to 29, wearing a plaid and black jacket. If you can identify this suspect, call police at 240-314-8900.

Woman assaulted, robbed in Shady Grove Professional Park

A woman was the victim of three robbers at Shady Grove Professional Park in the early morning hours of November 2, 2024, Montgomery County police report. The woman was in the commercial townhome development in the 9000 block of Shady Grove Court on the border of Gaithersburg and Rockville when she was approached by three suspects. They allegedly assaulted her, and stole money and unspecified property from her. Police describe the suspects only as a Black male, and two Black females. If you can identify any of these suspects, or have any information about this incident, call police at (301) 279-8000.

Rockville Mayor & Council to hold public hearing on Lincoln Park design guidelines

The Lincoln Park of the future is up for public discussion next week. Rockville's Mayor and Council will hold a public hearing on new design guidelines for residential development in the historic neighborhood at its Monday, November 18, 2024 meeting at 6:30 PM at City Hall. Several potential amendments have been drafted, which include input collected from residents. The amendments under consideration "seek to update existing building standards to provide greater clarity and predictability for residential development in the Lincoln Park neighborhood," a statement from the City Department of Community Planning and Development services says.

You can read the latest draft of the proposed guidelines update here. If the Mayor and Council reach a consensus to approve the new guidelines, and public comment trends favorably, they could be adopted at their December 9 meeting. Should the public raise strong objections at Monday's hearing, the calendar might be extended for further revisions.