Kneipp closes at Montgomery Mall, EJJI Ramen reopens

Kneipp, a German retailer of natural, vegan bath and body products, has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The shop was the latest victim of the moribund Montgomery County economy, which has suffered a net loss of over 2100 retail jobs since 2000, according to the Maryland Retailers Association. Kneipp's storefront is now blacked out, but inside it has been cleared out.

Another closure at the mall earlier this week was temporary. EJJI Ramen was closed at the beginning of the week. But the company, which has another location in Baltimore, says they had to close due to a mechanical problem. EJJI Ramen is now open again in the Dining Terrace.

Chase Bank coming to Rockville?

Chase Bank is aggressively expanding across the country, having already opened two branches in downtown Bethesda alone, with a third Bethesda location in the works. But they don't yet have a Rockville branch. Now I'm hearing they will open a future branch at Pike & Rose, on a pad site along Prose Street.

Rockville Mayor & Council TV debate schedule set

Before Rockville residents vote by mail on who will become the next Mayor and Council, three live, televised candidate forums will be held. The public can attend in person, or watch live on Channel 11 or on a livestream on the City website. They will also later be uploaded to YouTube.

Here is the debate schedule, with more community and organization-hosted non-televised debates likely to be added in the coming weeks:

• 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24 at the Rockville Senior Center, 1150 Carnation Drive. Presented by the League of Women Voters.
• 1-2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2 at Thomas Farm Community Center, 700 Fallsgrove Drive. Presented by the Rockville Chamber of Commerce.
• 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15 at the Twinbrook Community Recreation Center, 12920 Twinbrook Parkway. Presented by Twinbrook Village in association withTwinbrook Community Association. 

Escher apartments under new management in Rockville

The Escher apartments have been open for fourteen months at 1900 Chapman Avenue in Rockville. Owner Compatriot Capital has just announced the building is now under new management. Village Green, a property management firm based in Detroit, will now be in charge. The company has been around since 1919, which is pretty impressive.

"By partnering with Village Green, we know we're getting a team with a proven track record for delivering the personal touches and prioritizing the needs of residents that will enhance their living experience beyond the walls of their apartment," Compatriot President Mark Van Kirk this morning. "With more than 100 years of experience creating homes and over 50 years in apartment management, we're thrilled to leverage that expertise to provide Escher residents with a truly meaningful living experience and sense of community," Village Green CEO Diane Batayeh added.

The management of the property changed hands August 1, according to Village Green.

Partial power outage last night at Rockville Town Square

Power appeared to be out to several businesses on the west side of Gibbs Street early last night at Rockville Town Square. The businesses impacted were those between SunTrust Bank and Five Guys.

Five Guys Rockville Town Square closes for renovations

You'll have to head north or south on Rockville Pike to satisfy your appetite for Five Guys in the coming days. Their Rockville Town Square location has temporarily closed for renovations. It will reopen September 23, 2019 at 11:00 AM.

MOD Pizza Rockville opening date set

Last week, I showed you a preview of the interior of MOD Pizza at the Montrose Crossing shopping center on Rockville Pike. Now they have announced their opening date - next Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at 10:30 AM. The first 50 people through the doors when they open will get free pizza.