Sheepskin Gifts and Alpaca Too returning to Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for 2025

Sheepskin Gifts and Alpaca Too is returning to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for its annual extended seasonal run. Few people are thinking about warm clothing as thermometers float between 90 and 100 degrees, but alpaca wool is known for its ability to wick moisture away from the skin during the summer season. The store's prime time is still the holiday shopping season, and the frostier months of the year - and believe it or not, we're less than four months from the start of the Christmas season at 12:00 AM on November 1. Look for Sheepskin Gifts and Alpaca Too on Level 1 of the mall, in the former Tesla space.

Hobby Lobby to open first Montgomery County store in Gaithersburg

Hobby Lobby is planning to open its first store in Montgomery County. It will be at 15750 Shady Grove Road in the 270 Center, on the border of Gaithersburg and Rockville. That is the former Best Buy space. Hobby Lobby will take advantage of the big box building dimensions, and the immediate access to I-270 just west of the shopping center.

Hobby Lobby was founded by David Green in 1972, initially operating out of a garage with a $600 loan to create miniature picture frames. The success of these frames, which could be sold to larger retailers, allowed Green to open the first Hobby Lobby store in Oklahoma City in 1972. The company's growth was fueled by its focus on providing a wide array of craft and hobby supplies at competitive prices, coupled with a strong emphasis on customer service. Similar to Chick-fil-A, Hobby Lobby followed a practice of closing its stores on Sundays. Their strategy resonated with a broad customer base, enabling steady expansion across the United States.

The Hobby Lobby concept centers on offering a vast selection of arts, crafts, and home decor items under one roof, catering to a diverse range of creative interests and decorating styles. Their merchandise typically includes framing supplies, floral and wedding décor, fabric, jewelry making components, scrapbooking materials, and various craft supplies for painting, drawing, and needlework. Beyond crafts, Hobby Lobby also stocks a significant amount of seasonal decorations, party supplies, and general home furnishings, all curated to appeal to a family-friendly demographic interested in DIY projects and affordable home embellishments.

IT'SUGAR closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

IT'SUGAR has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The candy store's windows have been covered, and signage has been removed from above the entrance. Montgomery County's moribund economy and the County Council's anti-business policies, have turned the shop's sweet profit margin sour. Heckuva job, Brownie! IT'SUGAR's Rockville location closed several years ago.

In contrast to the closures here, IT'SUGAR is currently in a major expansion mode elsewhere, opening "15 to 20 stores a year," according to a U.S. Chamber of Commerce article touting the chain's success. Openings so far in 2025 include Poughkeepsie and Middletown in New York; Salem, New Hampshire; Mercedes, Texas; and Braintree, Massachusetts. Something for the County Council to ponder: what are we doing wrong, that Braintree is doing right?

Rockville library assault ends in arrest

Rockville City police were called to a public library on July 25, 2025, after someone was reported to have been the victim of a 2nd-degree assault there. The assault was reported at the Rockville Memorial Library at 21 Maryland Avenue at 4:38 PM. That is located at The Square at Rockville. Police arrested an unidentified male, 30, at the library. He has been charged with assault and theft.

MWBC Shop Local to host opening party 4-8 PM today at The Square in Rockville

MWBC Shop Local at 36-D Maryland Avenue at The Square in Rockville will host an Opening Party today, August 1, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. There will be a "sip and shop experience," face painting, and giveaways every hour. Attendees will also have a chance to meet the six local artisans whose products are sold at the store. A retail storefront initiative of the Maryland Women's Business Center designed to provide an incubator opportunity for local artisans and small-scale manufacturers, MWBC Shop Local provides program participants with mentoring, practical experience, and access to capital. Once open, the store's operating hours will be 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Sundays.

Pepco substation broken into in Gaithersburg

Montgomery County police report that a Pepco electrical substation in Gaithersburg was broken into earlier this month. The break-in occurred sometime between 3:14 PM on July 11, 2025 and 6:00 AM on July 14. Officers responding to the scene found evidence of forced entry at Pepco Substation 56, which is located in the 19400 block of Watkins Mill Road. 

Police said nothing appeared to have been stolen from inside the facility. However, this is an event that draws scrutiny from law enforcement, as the U.S. Department of Energy reports that there were 175 attacks, or threats of attacks, on electrical infrastructure in the United States in 2023 alone. If you have any information about this incident, call police at (301) 279-8000.

Police called after assault at hotel in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of an assault at a hotel on July 25, 2025. The assault was reported at the Red Roof Inn at 16001 Shady Grove Road at 5:50 PM. Police say the victim was assaulted by an individual known to him, after he asked that person to leave the hotel room.