A change.org petition has been created to oppose a vape/tobacco shop that has signed a lease to take over the former bank space at 1101 Nelson St in the Woodley Gardens Shopping Center in Rockville. Woodley Gardens is home to Carmen’s Italian Ice, Hard Times Café, and Z&Z – Manoushe Bakery. According to the petition,  “a shop of this nature would have a direct and negative impact on the community that frequents the current businesses in the shopping center and family amenities in the park.” Full text from change.org/p/oppose-the-vape-tobacco-shop-in-woodley-gardens below:

“The Woodley Gardens Shopping Center has signed a lease with a “tobacco shop” to be the new tenant in the old bank location. This business will likely be selling tobacco products and vaping supplies (which are often targeted at minors) among family-friendly retailers and across from the Woodley Gardens park. It is highly concerning that a shop of this type could open in such close proximity to an ice cream store, playground, park, sports fields/courts, family swimming pool and future early childhood education center.


A new exhibit by the artists of the VisAbility Art Lab opens at The Seneca (55 West Gude Drive) in Rockville this Saturday.  The VisAbility Art Lab is a studio program that “provides artists with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities a place and the resources to create art and develop the skills necessary to work in the arts.” The exhibit will be open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM through Friday, April 26. Full details below courtesy of VisArts:

We are delighted to announce that more than 30 pieces of art will go on exhibit at The Seneca in Rockville on Saturday, March 25 – works created by the artists of VisArts’ VisAbility Art Lab. These highly talented painters, sketchers, and sculptors have two things in common: they are artists with autism or other intellectual and developmental disabilities and they are successfully pursuing careers in art.


Cuppa Tea has opened a Rockville location at 1112 Taft Street. The shop offers Hong Kong-style milk tea and is a popular brand with over 800 locations worldwide. Cuppa Tea made its U.S. debut when it opened in late 2021 in New York’s Flushing and Queens and Prince George’s County’s College Park.

In addition to Hong Kong-style milk tea, Cuppa Tea offers Taiwanese food like bento boxes, egg waffles, curry balls, and more. To order at the Rockville location, you can download Cuppa Tea app where you are accumulate reward points (for free drinks and more) or visit the Cuppa Tea website, select the Rockville location, and place your order. You can also order on delivery plate forms such as Chowbus and Fantuan (UberEats and DoorDash will be available soon). Cuppa Tea is currently offering Buy 3 get 1 drink free on its app. Currently, the shop is only accepting online phone orders only (no walk-ins). Their phone number is 301-201-5777, and business hours are Mon – Sun 11am until 7pm (closed on Tuesday).


The Rockville City Police Department’s (RCPD) Criminal Investigations Unit is currently investigating two separate incidents of assault in the King Farm community.

Per Rockville Police: On March 15, 2023 around 4:30 p.m. RCPD responded to the area of Redland Boulevard and Piccard Drive for the report of an assault. A female advised that an unknown man grabbed her buttocks and fled towards a nearby parking garage. The suspect in this incident was described as a black male, 5’10” 190lbs., with short black hair, wearing a dark colored sweatshirt and sweatpants.


Plans for the Shady Grove Innovation District (“SGID”) are expected to be submitted soon to the City of Rockville. SGID has been described as a “world-class, amenity-rich, mixed-use district catering to the dynamic life science industry in the heart of the Shady Grove cluster in Rockville, Maryland.” The first phase of SGID will feature a brand new 137,000 RSF lab building and 315 luxury apartments set in a new, walkable urban environment. Phase 1 will be located at 15815 Shady Grove Road and Choke Cherry Rd. Future phases will include an additional 1M SF+ of new lab space in new buildings. Below you will see a photo of what Phase 1 is expected to look like. A rendering of the completed project can be seen in our featured photo, courtesy of SGID:

Additional information can be found on the SGID website.


Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a fire at a single-family home in the 200 blk of Ashley Manor Dr in Rockville around 10:30pm on Wednesday, March 22. According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the cause of the fire was a bathroom ceiling exhaust fan that overheated. Around 60 firefighters responded to the scene and there were no injuries reported. Damage is estimated to be ~$275K and two adults have been displaced. We will post an update when additional information is available. Photo courtesy of @liem__s on Instagram.

Per @mcfrsPIO on Twitter: “200blk Ashley Manor Dr,(3/22 initial dispatch 1030p); single family house; fire contained to attic/roof; Origin/Cause, bathroom ceiling exhaust fan, probable fan motor overheated (fire extended to attic); Damage ~$275K; 2 adults displaced; no injury; ~60 FFs responded”


Bonchon, located at 107 Gibbs Street in Rockville, will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in Rockville Town Square by hosting a wing-eating competition on Saturday,  March 25th. The Korean fried chicken chain will be choosing five contestants for spicy and five  contestants for soy garlic wings to “see who can eat 15 wings the fastest in under 1 minute (bones must be clean).”

This competitive food eating contest is for amateurs that are 18+ only. The first place winner in each group will receive a $100 gift certificate and t-shirt. The competition will take place March 25th at 4pm, and any contestants selected would need to arrive thirty mins prior. Aspiring competitors can register for the competition using this formFeatured photo courtesy of Bonchon.


Gym & Tonic, a boutique featuring “the best in luxury athletic and casual wear” has closed after approximately 4.5 years in Park Potomac. The 1,000 SF boutique opened in September 2018 at 12435 Park Potomac Ave. According to Store Reporter, the brand is hoping to reopen at a different shopping center, likely in Potomac or Bethesda, but decided not to renew its lease due to a lack of foot traffic in Park Potomac.

Per a previous press release, Gym & Tonic offered a unique blend of high-end athleisure apparel. It’s the brainchild and labor of love of two retail veterans and good friends – Amy Block and Wendy Abelman. Block, a Miami native turned Bethesda-ite, wanted to open a store that she felt was lacking in the DC Metro area.“We created Gym & Tonic to feature the kinds of fashionable, top-of-the-line clothes that we all love to wear,” Block said. “Everything we offer is stylish whether you’re at the gym in the morning or out on the town at night.”


Per Montgomery County: National Bike to Work Day will be held on Friday, May 19, and the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will sponsor seven pit stops throughout the County as part of the Washington Region’s participation in the event. Registration for the free event is now open. The first 15,000 bicyclists to register and participate will get a free t-shirt and will be automatically entered into a raffle for a chance to win a new bike.

“Today, we offer more bike paths, dedicated lanes, as well as opportunities to transport a bike on RideOn, MetroBus and Metrorail, than ever before,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Biking to your job or to run errands is a healthy form of transportation that does not produce pollution or add cars to the road. I encourage everyone to join us on Bike to Work Day and consider biking as a transportation alternative this summer.”


The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck, a traveling food truck selling Hello Kitty-themed treats, will make a stop at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda on Saturday, April 8th from 10am-7pm. The truck will be located near The Gap on Grand Park Avenue. Treats like cookies, madeleines, macarons, clothing, bags, all decorated with Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters, will be available while supplies last. The truck will make nearby stops in Tyson’s Corner from 10am-7pm on Saturday, March 25th and at The Mall in Columbia on Saturday, April 1 from 10am-7pm.

The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck has been making annual trips to MoCo with its last one being almost a year ago at Bethesda Row. There are two Hello Kitty Cafe Trucks in the US, one that travels up and down the East coast, and one that travels the West coast. Additionally, there are two Hello Kitty Cafes in the US, one in Las Vegas and one in California. You can learn more about the traveling trucks here.


Charlie’s Pizza and Subs will be taking over the current Sam’s Pizza & Subs location at 15855 Redland Rd (off of Frederick Rd) in Derwood. The sale became official as of Wednesday March 14, 2023, but the restaurant will continue to operate as Sam’s until March 29, 2023 when the name officially changes to Charlie’s Pizza and Subs.

The change will come with a new name and new hours. Charlie’s will be open daily and will serve beer and wine for dine-in and carry out. The restaurant is currently working on delivery of beer and wine as well. The new menu, which will be available next week, will offer many of the selections currently on the Sam’s menu as well as fresh wraps (chicken, shrimp, Caeser), Maryland crab cakes, and more.


View More Stories