Polestar EV on display at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda (Photos)

Tesla has been a prominent presence at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for many years now. Competitor Polestar, which counts Volvo among its ownership team, is muscling in on Elon with a holiday display. The Polestar 3 (sounds a lot like Model 3) is described as "the SUV that drives like a sports car" (sounds a lot like Model X and Y). Depending which variant you buy, the Polestar 3 comes with up to 517 horsepower, and 350 miles of range. You can arrange a test drive by using a QR code at the display, but you can also use this link.

Chateau de Rockville "coming soon" to Rockville Pike

Chateau de Rockville is "coming soon" to The Shops at Congressional Village at 1701 Rockville Pike. Signage posted in its future storefront describes the business as a bakery, and a dessert and coffee shop. Property owner IVEA had promised a new focus on attracting overseas restaurant chains to the shopping center, with the initial group largely representing Asian cuisines. Now Francophiles may also find themselves lured to the retail center, to visit the Chateau de Rockville. Incroyable!

Will last-minute Big Lots deal save Montgomery Village store?

All Big Lots stores across America were anticipated to close in the near future, after the company filed for bankruptcy and a potential sale of the chain fell through. However, last Friday, Big Lots reached a tentative agreement to transfer between 200 and 400 of its stores to a firm called Variety Wholesalers, via a sale to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners. Neither party has yet announced which specific stores will be saved in the deal, including the Big Lots at the Montgomery Village Center, the last one remaining in Montgomery County.

There is reason for optimism, though. The other chain stores operated by Variety Wholesalers are concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern states. It would be logical for Variety to focus on acquiring Big Lots stores located in those regions, with the Montgomery Village location being one.

The sale agreement will still have to be approved by the bankruptcy court."We are pleased to reach this strategic agreement with Big Lots and partner with Variety Wholesalers to achieve a path forward that allows Big Lots to continue to serve customers with extreme bargains and an outstanding shopping experience," Gordon Brothers Head of North America Retail Rick Edwards said in a statement.

Rockville Town Square drops "Rockville" from name

Rockville Town Square property owner Morguard announced that it is dropping the "Rockville" part of its name. From this point on, the mixed-use development will simply be called "The Square." Ouch. What an insult to the City of Rockville, that the city name is seen as a marketing problem. We were always told by the evangelists of urbanization that 15-minute-city town centers would create "a sense of place."

Does "The Square" represent a geographical place in any sense? No. How would anyone know where "The Square" is, especially when so many retail centers utilize "Square" in one fashion or another. "The transition to The Square marks just the beginning of a reimagined and revitalized experience at this well-loved community epicenter," a Morguard rebranding announcement declares. "Get ready for a fresh perspective on shopping, dining, and entertainment. Coming 2025!"

The struggling Rockville Town Square, like much of the Rockville Town Center area, has been through a difficult decade. There are many ideas among residents, patrons, and business owners about what should be done. Dropping "Rockville" from the name is not one I have heard before!

Armed carjacking in Rockville parking garage

Rockville City police responded to a report of an armed carjacking Friday afternoon, December 27, 2024, near the Twinbrook Metro station. The carjacking was reported in a residential parking garage in the 1100 block of Higgins Place at 3:01 PM Friday. That is in the area of the Alaire apartments.

Nothing Bundt Cakes sets opening date in Rockville

Signage has been installed over the future storefront of Nothing Bundt Cakes at 1032 Rockville Pike in Rockville. The bakery is now scheduled to open on January 6, 2024, according to Google. Nothing Bundt Cakes is currently featuring a candy-inspired Andes Peppermint Chocolate Chip cake for the holiday season. The shop will be located next to Uptown Cheapskate at the Edmonston Crossing shopping center.

Rockville homeowner victimized during kitchen makeover

A Rockville homeowner having his kitchen remodeled was victimized by one or more thieves during the project between December 8 and December 15, 2024. Rockville City police report that several appliance components left unsecured outside the home were damaged or stolen. The incidents took place at a home in the 5900 block of Holland Road. If you have any information about these incidents, or can identify any suspect(s) involved, call police at 240-314-8900.