Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings holding soft opening at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The restaurant is currently operating under special soft opening hours. It is open 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM seven days a week. Look for Nan Xiang right by the main outdoor entrance to the Dining Terrace food court on Level 2 of the mall.

Ice rink under construction at The Square at Rockville (Photos)

It's almost that time again at The Square at Rockville in Rockville Town Center. Time to strap on a pair of ice skates and glide into the holiday season. The ice rink is under construction in the Town Square. While the plunge in temperatures has been well-timed for the debut of the rink, property owner Morguard reports that the official opening date of the rink for 2025 will be Sunday, October 19. 

Armed robbery on residential street in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of an armed robbery in the Twinbrook area late Tuesday afternoon, October 7, 2025. The robbery was reported in the 1600 block of Lewis Avenue, a residential street that backs up to the CSX/Metro tracks, at 5:00 PM Tuesday. A firearm was the weapon employed in the robbery.

Charley: A Chesapeake Chophouse & Bar opening today in Gaithersburg

Charley: A Chesapeake Chophouse & Bar is opening today, Thursday, October 9, 2025 in Gaithersburg. It is located at 9811 Washingtonian Boulevard at Rio Lakefront. The restaurant has dropped its original name, Charley Prime Foods, and has switched concepts from American cuisine to steaks and seafood. At the bar, the headliner is now the Orange Crush, to fit the restaurant's new mantra that "Summer never ends at Charley."

Coach reopening Friday at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The Coach store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda is expected to reopen tomorrow, October 10, 2025. That's very appropriate, as Friday is also National Handbag Day, for those who celebrate. Many handbags from Coach's fall collection will be in stock, as will large Kisslock bags. The store had to close briefly this week to complete renovations on the space. 

Spirit Halloween ghostbusted by government red tape in Rockville

The second week of October is well underway, and the Rockville Spirit Halloween store has yet to open at Congressional Plaza. In a world where Pumpkin Spice lattes go on sale in August, and most Spirit Halloween locations open shortly thereafter, the sight of a shuttered Spirit store in October is, well, downright spooky. An explanation has now surfaced in the form of a sign on the front doors at 1683 Rockville Pike.

"We are awaiting legal permits to operate," the sign states. "We apologize for the inconvenience. This will hopefully be resolved by next week." Why the permits are allegedly being held up is not disclosed, but it is a very costly delay for the store, as it has now lost over 50% of its operating season. That is quite a financial blow, and an unexpected boon for other stores in Rockville that carry costumes, props, and animatronics. An opening next week would give this Spirit store less than two weeks of prime Halloween sales time.

Attempted burglary at laboratory in Rockville

One or more burglars attempted to force their way into a laboratory facility in Rockville last month, Montgomery County police report. Police believe the attempt was made sometime between 12:00 PM on September 19, 2025, and 11:00 AM on September 22. The building in question was Twinlabs, which is located at 12441 Parklawn Drive. 

Police have not released any surveillance camera images of the suspect(s), and state that they currently have no descriptions of the suspect(s). If you have any information about the suspects or this incident, call police at (301) 279-8000.