Below is a list of restaurants and businesses that will be coming soon to Gaithersburg, MD.
Aloha Poke Co.
Chicago based Aloha Poke Co. has announced that it will be opening a Gaithersburg location. Aloha is a fast-casual style restaurant that serves “fresh-packed and tasty bowls filled with sushi-grade fish and Hawaiian-inspired raw ingredients.” Franchise operator Mary Grace Barnebey is currently considering several options for the location, according to a report by WTOP. Aloha has area locations at 1333 19th St and 50 Massachusetts Ave in NW, Washington, DC.
“Delicious and healthy are two things I aim to provide my family in every meal,” said Barnebey in a press release. “When I decided to bring Aloha Poke Co. to our community, I knew that the menu needed to be aligned with the way I think about taste and nutrition. I also like the franchise support system and the brand’s cornerstone belief of in fast, beautiful, sustainable foods. I am proud to that Aloha Poke Co. will dramatically expand our community’s access to health-minded food options.” An opening timeframe and location has not been announced.
The Container Store
The Container Store, which currently has one Montgomery County location at 1601 Rockville Pike in Congressional Plaza, will be opening a second Montgomery County location in Gaithersburg. The retailer specializes in storage, home office organizers and organization supplies, including custom closets and shelving systems. It provides an experience-driven shopping destination with more than 11,000 organizational products offered.
Representatives from the Rockville location were unable to provide us with any additional details about the exact location of the retailer, but we are told that the vacant space in Downtown Crown next to Woodhouse Day Spa is the likely lcoation. The Container Store recently announced that it will be opening six new small format stores in fiscal 2023 and three new stores in fiscal 2024, with Gaithersburg estimated to open in Winter 2023. The Rockville location is approximately 24,000 SF and the small format stores tend to be approximately 15,000 SF. Visit www.containerstore.com/locationsfor more information about store locations, the product collection, and the services offered. We will have an update with confirmation of the Gaithersburg location being in Downtown Crown as soon as we have it. Below is a list of the six new locations expected to open by the end of 2023.
dd’s DISCOUNTS
Permanent signage is up at dd’s DISCOUNTS (18236 Contour Rd) in the Montgomery Village Plaza shopping center in Gaithersburg. The store will be located in the former space of Marshall’s, which relocated to Gaithersburg Square in 2021. dd’s is owned and operated by Ross Stores, Inc and items for sale at its locations are similar to those found in other discount retailers. This will be the first dd’s location in Montgomery County. While no opening date has been announced, the store is now hiring and construction on interior appears to be complete.
About: dd’s DISCOUNTS opened its first store in 2004 as the place to shop and save in your neighborhood. We’re part of the Ross Family, so our buyers know all about delivering great deals every day on clothing shoes home decor fashions toys and much, much more. We have the looks and brands you love at prices well below other retailers.
EggMania
Opening soon signage is up at EggMania at 385 Muddy Branch Road (previously Curry Place) in Gaithersburg. While no opening date has been announced, representatives from the restaurant tell us they now plan to open this fall. The menu consists of egg-centric Indian street food, including a masala omelet, egg curry, and Goti Fry (sliced boiled eggs cooked with ginger, garlic and chili. Topped with American cheese and onion-tomato based gravy). The restaurant tells us, “There’s lots of misconception when it comes to “EggMania”. In American culture eggs based dishes are primarily used during breakfast whereas in popular Indian street food culture, eggs based dishes are made for entrees and served during lunch / dinner and full menu items, not just breakfast. EggMania is not breakfast place. Hope to serve the community and bring this delicious food options for our MoCo residents and surrounding very soon…!!”
F45
F45, which has been opening locations across Montgomery County with recent openings in Potomac and Olney, is coming to Gaithersburg with an upcoming Kentlands location. The company had pre-Covid plans to make a move into Gaithersburg’s Rio Lakefront, which fell through, but has signed on to take over the space that was recently closed for a few years and previously home to Subway (between Caspian House of Kabob and the recently closed Edible Arrangements). F45 offers consumers functional 45-minute workouts that are effective, fun and community-driven. F45 utilizes proprietary technologies including a fitness programming algorithm and a digitally-enabled delivery platform that leverages a rich content database of thousands of unique functional training movements to offer new workouts each day and provide a standardized experience across F45’s global franchise. Construction is currently ongoing and no opening date has been announced.
IKEA ‘Plan and Order’
IKEA will be opening a new urban-format concept, “which appear to be the first of their kind in the United States”, according to BizJournals. Per the report, IKEA will open “plan-and-order” points with pick-up at two locations in the DMV– Fairfax Corner in Fairfax and Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg. The Rio IKEA location will be taking over the space that was previously home to Charming Charlie at 101 Boardwalk Place #102 and could open by the end of the year.
Per IKEA, “Our Plan and Order points are smaller stores dedicated to kitchen, bedroom, and living room planning where you can find home furnishing advice and expertise to help design your ideal space.” You can book an appointment to start your design with a planning specialist, or use in-store, self-service tools to design your own solution. “Whilst there are no items to purchase in-store and take home on the day, for your convenience, purchases made at the Plan and Order points can be delivered to your home or picked up from one of our collection points.”
Kabob N Karahi
Coming soon signage is up Kabob N Karahi at 18232 Flower Hill Way (Previously Aaron’s) in Gaithersburg. We’re told the restaurant should be opening “within the next month.” Kabob N Karahi is a Pakistani restaurant (that serves some Indian cuisine), and its menu consists of a variety of kabobs, curries, stews, and tandoori naan. The Cloverly Village Center location at 15521 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring., opened in 2008 and has become a staple in Cloverly. Per Kabob N Karahi: “Welcome to Kabob N Karahi, Maryland’s best family restaurant to find fresh, casual, authentic Pakistani-Indian kabob and curry cuisine. KNK is completely a Halal restaurant. We use only Halal meat, house sauces and salads are made fresh daily. We specialize in delicious chicken, beef, lamb, kofta kabobs and tikkas as well as Karahi. We provide catering for all the occasions (Birthday,Wedding and Engagement etc).”
Pho28 & Grill, a Vietnamese and Pho style restaurant is coming to 18222 Flower Hill Way (previously Kick’s Karate location). The owner has a sister fast food carry out place called Li’s BBQ located inside of Great Wall Supermarket in Rockville and will expand his Pho concept to a full service sit down restaurant in Gaithersburg. No opening date has been announced.
Pho NOM NOMPho Nom Nom at 18509 N Frederick Ave at Gaithersburg S.C. (that’s the name of the shopping center), at the former site of Pho Viet Saigon is planning on opening in the next few weeks. Pho Nom Nom has an additional location at 842 Rockville Pike. The restaurant specializes in authentic Vietnamese cuisine, including pho, banh mi, noodles and grilled dishes.
Poke Bros
In January we let you know that Poke Bros will be opening its first Maryland location in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood. The restaurant, which opened its first location in 2016 and has since expanded to over 75 restaurants across the country, will be taking over the space that was previously home to Next Day Blinds at 107 Market St W until 2020. Permanent signage was installed earlier this summer.
More bout Poke Bros: After the founders were introduced to the Hawaiian staple on a trip to California. The appeal of this fast and casual—while healthy—concept immediately inspired the founders to begin thinking how they could bring this unique dish to the midwest. From its inception, we were confident the foodies of Columbus would love the poké concept, but wanted to provide an inexpensive and accessible product in the larger market. After some intense research and trial and error, the Poké Bros founders developed their own brand of poké bowl flavor they are proud to share and call their own. Modeling similar assembly line casual dining concepts, we developed a unique way to build your “sushi in a bowl” and have fun doing so! As the poké movement has caught on, Poké Bros has rapidly expanded into multiple states across the Midwest and East Coast, offering the same fresh and authentic cuisine to a wider range of customers. We will continue to stick to our roots, as Poké Bros continues to grow, and offer only the best fresh ingredients that fill you up but don’t slow you down.
Le Macaron
Permenent signage recently went up for French pastry shop Le Macaron at 7 Grand Corner Ave (next to BurgerFi) in Rio. Menu items will include macarons (available in 20 flavors), gourmet chocolates, French gelato, specialty European style coffees, classic French pastries, and homemade candies. According to its website, “Founders, Rosalie Guillem, who was living in Florida and her daughter, Audrey Guillem-Saba, living in France, had a dream to share delectable French macarons with the world and to reunite their family. The family, originally hailing from France, were surprised to find that the American take on the “macaron” was often simply sugar spun into a cookie shape or confused with the familiar coconut cookie “macaroon”. They knew that with a little consumer education, and by treating the American palate to true French macarons, they could bring
Peter Chang
Peter Chang is coming to 637 N Frederick Ave in Gaithersburg, the former location of Ichiban Restaurant. Ichiban closed in September 2021 after 35 years in business. Chef Peter Chang’s signature dishes include Boneless Whole Fish, Dry Fried Eggplant, Crispy Pork Belly, Cilantro Lime Fish, Duck In Stone Pot, and Beef in Sichuan Chili. Peter Chang opened its Rockville location at 20A Maryland Ave in 2016, and Q by Peter Chang opened at 4500 East-West Hwy in Bethesda in 2017. The restaurant is hoping to open by the beginning of February 2024.
Potomac Cookie Co
Potomac Cookie Co is coming to 109A Market St in the Kentlands Square, near Moby Dick and the upcoming Poke Bros. Potomac Cookie is known for its “giant size” 4oz cookies. Flavors include Choco-delight, Da Fudge, Dorothy’s Slippers, Double Dutch, Peebee ‘n’ Yay!, and S’more Love. No opening date for Potomac Cookie Co has been announced. Feature photo courtesy of @potomaccookie on Instagram.
Sportrock Climbing Centers
Sportrock Climbing Centers is coming to Rio, taking over part of the space that was previously occupied by Sport & Health (Dave & Buster’s now occupies the other part of the space). Sportrock opened the first commercial climbing gym in the DC metro area approximately 28 years ago in 1994, when it opened its Rockville. That location closed in 2006, but Sportrock has continued to operate successfully in Alexandria, Virginia. Now, it’s bringing rock climbing back to Rio, where many remember the much smaller walls that were a part of Sportland in the 90s.
WaWa
After initially breaking ground at the site in March 2022, construction of MoCo’s first Wawa at 405 S Frederick Ave. in Gaithersburg finally began back in June. The convenience store/gas station will be located at the site of the old Becraft Antiques on 355, across from Gaithersburg High School. We first let you know the news of Wawa’s Gaithersburg location in May of 2019. Competitors Royal Farms and Sheetz have both opened nearby locations.
