Retail

Update on Gregorio’s in Park Potomac

By Patrick Herron

Gregorio’s Trattoria will begin renovations on its newest location at the former home of Sugo (12505 Park Potomac Ave), this fall and is hoping to open in around January, according to Store Reporter. This will be Gregorio’s Trattoria third MoCo location, and fourth overall. Sugo closed its doors permanently last summer. Park Potomac is also home to Attman’s Deli, Founding Farmers, Gringos & Mariachis, King Street Oyster, and Yirisai Sushi.

Gregorio’s started out in Reston in 2008 and opened a second location in what’s now Cabin John Village in Potomac. The restaurant opened its second MoCo location in November 2020 at the Shops at Sumner Place in Bethesda, in the spot that was home to China Pavilion for over two decades until it closed almost three years ago.

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Miss Toya’s Southern Kitchen to Move In To Former BGR Space in Rio

By MCS Staff

Miss Toya’s Southern Kitchen will be moving in to the 2,741SF space recently occupied by BGR at 229 Boardwalk in Rio. The restaurant is part of Jeffeary Miskiri’s Miskiri Hospitality Group, which describes itself as a unique collective of Black, family and woman-owned products and restaurants in the DC area. The restaurant group will also be opening Miss Toya’s Creole House this summer in Downtown Silver Spring. The group’s restaurants include Creole on 14th (Miss Toya’s Creole Kitchen’s sister restaurant) and Po Boy Jim’s in DC, as well as Suga & Spice, listed as coming soon to Hyattsville.

BGR closed in June and the restaurant was almost immediately cleared out, so construction/renovations for Miss Toya’s could start very soon. An opening date, however, has not been provided. Per the BizJournals article that first reported this news, “The deal with Miskiri is Peterson’s second with the local restaurateur. The other is in Downtown Silver Spring, where Miskiri is close to opening another Miss Toya’s. That one has a special connection for Miskiri, a Takoma Park native who met his wife, Toya, at the Silver Spring Whole Foods Market, according to Weinschenk.” said Paul Weinschenk, president of retail for Peterson.“They’re very much a local story,” he said. “He grew up in the area, they live in Montgomery County, and as they’ve looked to branch out…Silver Spring made a lot of sense.”

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Sportrock Climbing Centers is Coming to Rio

By MCS Staff

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.

The Sportrock founders met while training together at Zich’s (pronounced Zeke’s) Garage, a handmade climbing gym in Washington, DC. When Zich was 19 he was looking for a place to train in the wintertime. Zich convinced his supportive parents to let me build a DIY climbing space in their freestanding car garage. When the demand outgrew the space, Sportrock founders broke off and formed Sportrock’s first location in Rockville (14708 Southlawn Ln) so they would continue to have a place to climb and train together.

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Rockville Town Square’s Èkó House Announces Grand Opening Weekend 

By MCS Staff

Èkó House, a modern Pan-African restaurant located in Rockville Town Square announces its grand opening weekend on July 29 and 30, 2022. Èkó House, which celebrates Nigerian culture with fusion cuisine, art, and entertainment, has been open since February, but will have its ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration next weekend. “With exquisite cuisine, carefully curated interior, and exciting ambiance, each moment transports you to the vibrant city of Lagos. “

Attending Friday’s ribbon cutting ceremony at 5 p.m. will be: Will Jawando, Montgomery County Council Member; Marji Graf, President & CEO, Rockville Chamber of Commerce; Ricky Barker, Director, Community Planning and Development Services; and Cindy Rivarde, Director, Rockville Economic Development Inc., among others. On Saturday, July 30, SIMI, the Afrobeats singer/songwriter, Isaac Gerald and the Ayo Band will perform from 7:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Tickets start at $75 and can be purchased in advance here.  “As one of the few Nigerian restaurants in the DMV, we are excited to share the richness of Nigeria’s culture and cuisine with the Rockville community,” said Yomi Ajao, co-founder, Èkó House. “We want the community and the greater region to experience Èkó (Lagos), here in Rockville, Maryland. Rockville Town Square offers an array of culinary offerings, and we are thrilled that Èkó House is now an option.”

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(July 2022 Edition) What’s Opening, Closing, and Coming Soon to Montgomery Mall

By Patrick Herron

Lazzaro’s confirmed its closing on Sunday morning when owner Larry Lazarro wrote the following in response to a post on the Support MoCo FB page: “Thank you for all you and everyone has done on this page. Business was great and so was the feedback. It was a personal family health matter. But this is not the end I’m looking to move into a brick/ mortar. This place fell into my lap. Goin into the mall was never my first choice. lol Thank you to everyone we’ll miss seeing your beautiful faces every day! We love you and appreciate what everyone has done for us in this group! And the family is doing fine now.” The restaurant featured imported cold cuts that are cut fresh daily, homemade meatballs, cannolis, and more. Owner Larry Lazzaro told us his family owned Lucia’s Deli on University Blvd in Wheaton back in the 80’s. The business was eventually sold and the company became what is now Mamma Lucia.

The menu consists of the best selling sausages and sides from their DC location, as well as boozy milkshakes and a funnel cake bar. HalfSmokes sister restaurant Butter Me Up opened its Montgomery Mall location last week. Butter Me Up is located in the old Aroma Espresso Bar location, which is downstairs near the Old Navy entrance and features “instagrammable” decor, will offer a menu that consists of a variety of breakfast sandwiches, toasts, sides, bowls, smoothies, and juices.

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Update on Charley Prime Foods in Rio

By Patrick Herron

Coming soon signage is now up around the exterior of Charley Prime Foods, the new restaurant from Jackie Greenbaum & Gordon Banks (Little Coco’s, El Chucho, Bar Charley, Quarry House Tavern) that will be replacing Tara Thai on the Rio boardwalk at 9811 Washington Blvd in Gaithersburg.  The restaurant is also scheduled to have its Class B: Beer, Wine, & Liquor license hearing on August 4. The restaurant scheduled to open “late 2022”.

According to a press release, the team envisions the restaurant as a mature version of their popular DC restaurant Bar Charley, with an expanded menu, but keeping its lively cocktail forward energy. The broader menu will remain steak focused, but will also feature house made pastas (a la Little Coco’s) as well as other items unique to just this location. The group has tapped Editlab@Streetsense to design the space. Explains Greenbaum, “We can’t wait to do our first suburban project and think the timing is perfect. We’ve always done restaurants that are near and dear to our hearts and that we feel are right or needed in the particular neighborhood. My partners both have young families and Rio has been a frequent destination for them for years, as it is for tons of people in north Montgomery county. This is especially true for our chef and partner in this project, Adam Harvey, who lives nearby. We’re really thrilled to bring something unique to the mix out there.”

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Corner Bakery in Rio Temporarily Closes

By Patrick Herron

Update: Corner Bakery at 1 Grand Corner Ave in Gaithersburg has reopened

Corner Bakery at 1 Grand Corner Ave in Gaithersburg has temporarily closed. A representative from the Corner Bakery location at 10327 Westlake Dr. in Bethesda tells us that the reason for the closure is due to a broken air-conditioning unit, and the store is working to reopen as soon as possible.

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Warby Parker Will Hold Pike & Rose Grand Opening on July 9

By MCS Staff

Back in January we let you know that eyewear brand Warby Parker, which does most of its business online, will be opening its third  brick and mortar location in MoCo this summer. It will be located on Grand Park Avenue, taking over two different locations that have since moved – Olive & Loom and the neighboring storefront that was home to Evoluxxy. Warby Parker has posted signage stating that the grand opening will be on Saturday, July 9.

Warby Parker opened its first MoCo location at Bethesda Row in 2017, and its second this past November in Downtown Crown (Gaithersburg). The stores carry the brand’s full optical and sun eyewear offerings including its first brand of daily contact lenses. The store will offer eye exams and children’s glasses that are only available in store.

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Caruso’s Grocery Coming to Pike & Rose, Owen’s Ordinary to Rebrand

By Patrick Herron

Caruso’s Grocery will be taking over the dining room portion of Owen’s Ordinary in Pike & Rose, according to a report by Washingtonian Magazine.  The bar and patio at Owen’s Ordinary will then be rebranding as Owen’s Tavern and Garden.  Both Caruso’s and Owen’s are operated by Neighborhood Restaurant Group.  Chef Matt Adler told Washingtonian that Owen’s dining room was never as busy as its  bar and patio so it made sense to repurpose the underutilized space.

Caruso’s Grocery opened its first location at The Roost food hall in Capital Hill DC back in May 2021.  According to their website, “Caruso’s Grocery is modeled after the classic, Italian-American ‘red sauce joint. You know the one: red banquettes, a killer chicken Parm, Sinatra pouring through the speakers. If you’re looking for modern interpretations of a chef’s take on the classics, you won’t find them here. Caruso’s Grocery will be home to traditional Italian-American fare focused on execution and high quality ingredients – menu items include Chicken Parmesan, Penne alla Vodka, Mozzarella en Carozza, Sole Francaise, Garlic Bread with Four Cheese Sauce, and more old school hits. A joint venture from Neighborhood Restaurant Group and Partner Matthew Adler.”

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Three MoCo Restaurants Make it to Eater DC’s ‘Hottest New Brunches to Try Around DC’ List

By MCS Staff

Three MoCo restaurants have made it onto Eater DC’s “Hottest New Brunches to Try Around D.C.” list that includes some of the most popular new restaurants that offer “D.C.’s most cherished meal.” The restaurants are listed geographically, which puts the three Montgomery County restaurants in the top 3 spots.

Listed first is Melina in Pike & Rose:

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