An amendment to the site plan was recently approved by the Gaithersburg Planning Commission. On February 21st the Planning Commission will vote on the final site plan.
Yard House has had meetings with staff regarding permits, but have not yet filed for them. Once they have their permits they will be able to start with the building demo and construction.
Regular movie theaters can have crying babies, loud teenagers, uncomfortable seats, and snack bars that charge restaurant prices for 7-11 quality products. iPic eliminates the distractions and replaces them with a comfortable recliner, a pillow and blanket combo, an adjustable table, and a call button that allows you to reach a server at any point during the movie. They take an ordinary movie experience and turn it into something you want to brag to your friends about. The Premium Plus seats also have free unlimited popcorn!
A few minutes into the movie, a server came around with complimentary popcorn. The servers seem to move around in stealth mode… I didn’t really notice them unless mine came to speak directly to me. About halfway through the movie, we ordered a seasonal dessert that consisted of two chocolate cookies with a peppermint cream filling (think whoopie pie, but much better). A great way to finish things up.
I called the Crown location in Gaithersburg to confirm and ask about their future. They were able to confirm the closing and told me there’s no plan to close the Gaithersburg location.
A water main break on Washingtonian Blvd. in Rio closed the road in one direction earlier today.
It looks like the shopping center’s addition of Trader Joe’s later this year is helping bring some solid names into the fold.
Herson Reyes, 25, was born in San Miguel, El Salvador. He moved to Silver Spring, MD with his mother, his two brothers, and his sister when he was 7 years old. He attended Glen Haven Elementary School and Parkland Middle School. His family moved to Wheaton and finally Gaithersburg, where Herson graduated from Quince Orchard High School.
Herson wanted to work from a young age. His older brother Ever, who was already working as a bar back at the Capitol Hill Cava Mezze location, told Herson and his twin brother Edward that there was one bussing position available at Cava Mezze in D.C. The twins played a game of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” to see who the opportunity would go to…Herson won.
Poki District, Gong Cha (bubble tea), and Cheers Cut (fried chicken and seafood) will all be involved with The Spot. The 6,200 square foot food hall is still looking for a few more vendors.
The Spot will open next summer at the Metropolitan, a mixed-use Development near Rockville Town Square.
Ike Grigoropoulos (Gaithersburg High School), Ted Xenochristos (Paint Branch High School), and Dimitri Moshovitis (Quince Orchard High School) founded Cava Mezze about a decade ago. Since then they’ve grown to 6 full-service Cava Mezze locations and 43 fast-casual Cava locations. They also have sister restaurant Sugo Osteria (Italian) in Potomac and Brusco luncheonette in Baltimore.
“We selected Pike & Rose for many reasons, particularly the tenant of mix of new, diverse brands– many exclusive to this community.” said Ted Xenochristos.
Yard House, which offers “great food, classic rock, and the worlds largest selection of draft beer” is working towards taking over the old Macaroni Grill location. There are still a few hoops left for Yard House to jump through, but it’s looking like a strong possibility.
More on Yard House at www.yardhouse.com
Poke District will be opening soon where the old Sprint store was over by the movie theater. Per their website: “Inspired by Hawaiian cuisine, Poki District brings you a bowl of freshest ingredients, from salmon and ahi tuna to chicken and tofu, to name a few, topped with the most colorful toppings such as avocado, seaweed salad, and mango, drizzled with the flavorful sauces. Whether you want to stay simple or go adventurous, you can create a bowl that perfect for you.” More on PokiDistrict at www.pokidistrict.com
Tree lighting ceremonies will take place at Pike & Rose (4pm-7pm) and Rio Washingtonian (6:30pm-8pm) on November 17th. Rockville Town Square will hold theirs on November 18th (5pm-8pm).
Damascus, Northwest, Paint Branch, and Quince Orchard High Schools will be playing in the regional football finals on Friday (NW and QO will be playing each other).
We’ve all heard of Montgomery Mall, Wheaton Plaza, Lakeforest, and even White Flint, but there’s one mall that always seems to be forgotten in these discussions. It was a mall with all the potential in the world that fell flat on its face…Rockville Mall.