L&L Hawaiian Barbecue opens in Rockville

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue is now open at 785-G Rockville Pike, at the Ritchie Center shopping center. "Hawaii's Favorite Plate Lunch" invites you to "slither into 2025" here during the Year of the Snake. In 1999, the founders of L&L called their restaurant "Hawaiian Barbecue," assuming their future patrons on the mainland United States would be unfamiliar with the culinary history of the Hawaiian Plate Lunch. You, dear readers, won't suffer that ignorance, as you will be armed with this knowledge before visiting.

The Hawaiian Plate Lunch was an improvised invention of the islands' plantation workers during the 1800s, using leftovers packed into tins that had multiple compartments. Because the workers were of a diverse background, and tended to share their midday meals with their colleagues, the Plate Lunch evolved into a meal that usually contained the following elements: Rice, macaroni salad, and fish or chicken. 

Other dishes available on the menu include an L&L House Special BBQ Cheeseburger, the aptly-named Loco Moco with fried egg-topped beef burger patties, and a BBQ Beef Bowl. Hawaiians' love for SPAM is also well-represented, with the sushi-like SPAM Musabi and hearty SPAM Saimin noodle soup. Perfect for this weekend's weather. Another great addition to the dining lineup at Ritchie Center!

7-Eleven closes in Rockville

7-Eleven has closed at 1701 A-16 Rockville Pike, at The Shops at Congressional Village in Rockville. Windows are covered, and signage has been removed from the storefront. 7-Eleven opened at this location ten years ago. Can we blame this closure on Montgomery County's moribund economy? Yes. 

This past fall, 7-Eleven announced it would be closing 444 stores nationwide. However, it also stated that the locations getting the axe would be "underperforming" stores. So business at this location must have been below expectations, which would certainly reflect Montgomery County's stagnant economy and declining income levels. 

Inflation continues to hit those of lower incomes the hardest, and that is now the fastest-growing demographic in Montgomery County. The combination of moribundity and inflation has created stagflation in MoCo, and a longer drive to the remaining 7-Elevens north and south of here on the Pike.

Regal Germantown signage removed (Photos)

Signage has been stripped from the facade of the former Regal Germantown cineplex at 20000 Century Boulevard. It closed about a month ago. The building is for sale, and is likely to be redeveloped as housing unless another theater chain takes it over. Regal Germantown started this century as a Hoyts Cinema. One of the newest theaters in Montgomery County at that time, it stagnated into obsolesence over the next two decades, failing to add the upgrades and amenities like recliners that are standard circa 2024.

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!