Updated to reflect Tutti Frutti as the frozen yogurt that will be available.
Last November we let you know that Kung Fu Tea signed on to take over the location that’s as recently home to Yogi Berry, next to Starbucks in the same shopping center as Cava Mezze, CVS, and Cafe Rio at 3128 Olney Sandy Spring Road. There were initial hopes to open prior to the summer, but there have been a few delays. Management has told us they know plan to open next month, in October.
Last November we let you know that Shear Thairapy, a salon that is owned by MoCo residents Amanda Burton and Staci Graeves, will take over the old Hallmark location next to TJ Maxx at 18305 Olney Center Drive in the Olney Village Center. The salon will host a Grand Opening party on Saturday, September 24th from 5pm-8pm. Per Shear Thairapy, the party will offer “appetizers, cocktails, and lots of fun giveaways.”
Burton and Graeves met at Sherwood High School and have remained friends through the years. Both are mothers to young children and started the salon in Graeves’ basement. It all started with the two moms and has now expanded to include a staff of 16.
In July, former Washington Commander safety Deshazor Everett plead guilty to misdemeanor reckless driving in the collision that resulted in the death of his girlfriend, Olivia Peters– a native of Montgomery County (Rockville) and 2010 graduate of Good Counsel in Olney. Everett was sentenced on Thursday in Loudoun County General District Court. He was given 12 months of house arrest, with nine months suspended. Everett also had his driver license suspended for six months.
The crash occurred on December 23, 2021 on Gum Spring Road near Ticonderoga Road in Loudoun County, VA. According to the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office, Everett was driving his 2010 Nissan GT-R more well above the speed limit at the time of the incident. Peters was taken to StoneSprings Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, evidence was presented during sentencing that data from his car’s black box led Loudoun officials to estimate Everett was driving between 65-69 miles an hour and that he did not have drugs or alcohol in his system.
Smoothie King will be opening an Olney location at the Olney Village Center, according to the First Washington Realty site plan and directory. It will be taking over the 980 SF space that was previously home to Party USA at 18151 Village Center Drive, between IHOP and Pho & Grill.
Olney Village Center, where Smoothie King will be located, is anchored by Giant, TJ Maxx, and Gold’s Gym. Smoothie King will compete directly with nearby Playa Bowls, which opened at the Fair Hill shopping center at the beginning of 2021. CB Acai, which also offered smoothies, closed its only storefront in November 2021. Carmen’s, an Italian ice and sweet treats spot, opened in Olney in April 2020, and Kung Fu Tea, which offers bubble tea, slushies, and other cold and warm beverages, is expected to open soon at the Shoppes of Olney.
A large house party that had sold over 600 tickets and was scheduled to take place Sunday night in Laytonsville was cancelled after the owners of the home became aware of the event and alerted Montgomery County Police. According to a Tiktok video that was promoting the event, it promised to be the “DMV’s Biggest Mansion Pool Party” and was taking place on over “3+ acres of land” with “10+ security guards.” MCPD sent out a notice to the community on Sunday afternoon, stating “An event scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 4 in the 5900 block of Sundown Rd. in Laytonsville, has been cancelled. Montgomery County Police will be present and are advising attendees to stay away from the area and contact event organizers for a refund.”
According to MCPD. “the event organizers had rented the house for what was supposed to be a private party, but they posted on social media and sold tickets to the party. Over 600 people purchased tickets. The owners of the home became aware of it, cancelled the event and made police aware of what was happening.”
Winter City Lights is described as “a magical holiday experience of 1 million twinkling lights spread across 18-acres of an outdoor winter wonderland where it is guaranteed to Winter City snow every night.” It’s coming to 4501 Olney Laytonsville Road in Olney starting November 19th, a couple weeks after Field of Screams.
This will be the largest light show in the Washington DC and Baltimore area. Winter City Lights is one of the most technologically advanced Christmas light experiences in the country. Complete with 14 bonfires, Winter City Lights includes an enchanted 1.5-mile long trail of Christmas lights and displays through the woods, a 52-foot high programmable Christmas lights tree and light show, a 200-foot diameter canopy of Christmas lights, an 8 lane Snow Tubing Ride, s’mores, funnel cakes & more.
The employees of the Olney Starbucks location at 18606 Georgia Avenue, next to Roots Market, have been on strike since Friday, August 19th for a planned “worker’s strike weekend” that will last through Sunday, August 21st with the store reopening on Monday, August 22nd.
Per the employees, the goal of the strike is to pressure Starbucks to the bargaining table, support fellow union workers, connect with the community, and enact change in the workplace. “Our voices have remained unheard. Our need for adequate staffing, living, and to be respected as the partners, whom Starbucks both praises for marketing and exploits labor for their exploding profits.”
Scratch Kitchen is now in holding a soft opening at 18062 Georgia Ave in Olney. The restaurant is open from 10am-3pm on Friday, August 19th and from 7am-3pm every other day it’s open (it is currently closed on Mondays and Tuesdays). For now, Scratch Kitchen is offering a limited menu that consists of breakfast sandwiches made with eggs from nearby Bella Vita Farm (soft opening menu available below).
At the start of 2022, owner Bernie Rousseau decided she would lease the space formerly occupied by CB Acai for her daughter, who shared Bernie’s passion of cooking, to operate starting April– when the restaurant initially hoped to open. Tragedy struck, as Bernie’s daughter passed away on February 1st– the same day Bernie got the keys to the new location.The decision was made to push forward and continue with the plans to open the the restaurant to create a legacy for her daughter and two younger children. Bernie was planning a funeral and putting a restaurant together. She continued to forge ahead while grieving– ordering signage and restaurant equipment. “It was like so arrived at my destination and lost my why.”, she told us. She decided she was going to make the most of this tragic situation– creating jobs, bringing healthier food to the community, using local products, and opening a place the community is proud of.
Last week we reported on the Montgomery County man, Jeremy Duffie, who claimed the world record top prize at The White Marlin Open. The total winnings have increased and Duffie, along with Sandy Spring’s Bill Britt, have claimed over $5.7 million in prize money. The White Marlin Open is a 48-year-old deep-sea fishing tournament held annually in Ocean City, Maryland. The tournament awards prize money for catches of white marlin, blue marlin, tuna, wahoo, dolphin and swordfish. This year, a Bethesda resident, Jeremy Duffie, caught a white marlin and claimed the billfish tournament’s top prize., which is a world record payout. Duffie, fishing off Ocean City boat Billfisher, reeled in a 77.5-pound white marlin and claimed $4.536 million prize. Sandy Spring’s Bill Britt (seen in photo below) received a $1.208 Million payout for reeling in a 511 pound blue marlin.
About The White Marlin Open: The first tournament, held in 1974, drew 57 boats, 150 anglers and paid $20,000 in prize money with the top award of $5,000. The 2021 event drew 444 boats, over 3,500 contestants, and paid out over $9.2 million dollars in prize money including the top individual awards of $3.2 million. Long known as “World’s Largest Billfishing Tournament,” the White Marlin Open has awarded over $86 million dollars since 1974 to the lucky winners among more than 110,000 anglers aboard over 15,000 registered boats. Along the way, the WMO became not just the largest billfish tournament, but also holds the world record for prize money payouts for any type of fishing tournament.
Updated to reflect earnings now exceeding $4.5 million and $1.2 million for MoCo residents
The White Marlin Open is a 48-year-old deep-sea fishing tournament held annually in Ocean City, Maryland. The tournament awards prize money for catches of white marlin, blue marlin, tuna, wahoo, dolphin and swordfish. This year, a Bethesda resident, Jeremy Duffie, caught a white marlin and claimed the billfish tournament’s top prize., which is a world record payout. Duffie, fishing off Ocean City boat Billfisher, reeled in a 77.5-pound white marlin and claimed $4.536 million prize (photos below by @ryanwlackey). Sandy Spring’s Bill Britt received a $1.208 Million payout for reeling in a 511 pound blue marlin.
“We wanted to create a COOL collaboration with a great, long-standing local business – and chose Carmen’s for the fabulous products there, as well as the owner’s (Jason Mandler) dedication to the community.” a representative from the brewery told us.
Carmen’s Italian Ice started when New Jersey native Jason Mandela wanted to introduce homemade gourmet Italian Ice to the Washington DC area. It has operated in Montgomery County for over 20 years, opening its Rockville location at 1115 Nelson St. in 2001. A second location opened in Olney in 2021 at the former Rita’s location at 3233 Spartan Rd.