Several upcoming retail openings across Montgomery County have generated significant buzz, ranging from long awaited grocery and hardware stores to creative local businesses expanding their footprint. Here are five of the most talked about projects currently on the horizon (based on our social media and website stats).
One of the most anticipated openings is the new Rockville Ace Hardware, which is now targeting a mid January 2026 debut based on the latest update provided by the Cool Hardware Company. The 11,000 square foot store will be located at 835 Rockville Pike in Wintergreen Plaza, roughly a mile from the Rockville Metro station. Operated by the Cool Hardware Company, the store will sit alongside Food Lion and several popular dining options, bringing a neighborhood focused hardware option to one of Rockville’s busiest corridors.
Another retail opening drawing attention is a new Dollar Tree coming to Germantown. Signage is now up at 20906 Frederick Road, Suite A, in the former Staples space, which closed in August. The store is expected to open in January and reflects Dollar Tree’s continued expansion into larger retail footprints that allow for a broader mix of merchandise. In recent years, Dollar Tree has opened or expanded locations throughout Montgomery County, including stores in White Oak, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Montgomery Village, Rockville, Silver Spring, and Wheaton.
In Rockville’s Montrose Shopping Center, Goodwill is preparing to take over the space most recently occupied by Planet Aid at 5520 Randolph Road, near the longtime home of MOM’s Organic Market. Planet Aid closed the thrift store and donation center in September, with the organization saying at the time that it planned to relocate nearby. No new Planet Aid location has been announced since, clearing the way for Goodwill to move into the well known retail center.
White Oak Town Center will soon welcome a creative local favorite, as The Amazing Art Studio prepares to open its second location. The woman owned, family and veteran operated business confirmed that the new White Oak site will be an expansion rather than a relocation, with the existing Downtown Crown location in Gaithersburg remaining open. Known as the largest do it yourself art studio in the Washington, DC metro area, The Amazing Art Studio offers pottery painting, mosaics, fused glass, board art, and other hands on projects for artists of all ages. The ownership team shared with The MoCo Show that the lease has been signed and planning and architectural drawings are complete, with the project now entering the permit process. An opening timeline has not yet been announced.
Finally, momentum is building again at the long awaited Weis Markets project in Clarksburg Town Center. According to a new update from Elm Street Development, gas pumps for the future Weis have been approved and building permits for most of the retail buildings are moving forward. Weis Markets is expected to receive its own permit approvals in early 2026. Ahead of construction, Washington Gas will relocate a gas line at Clarksburg Square Road and St. Clair Road later this year, a necessary step before land development can begin. Site work is expected to start in the first half of 2026, followed by vertical construction soon after. Elm Street also noted that leasing for additional retail spaces could begin as early as late this year or early next year as timelines become clearer.
