CAVA will be holding a community event on Thursday, November 17 from 10:45am-2pm at the new CAVA Digital Kitchen in Germantown. The restaurant will be giving free bowls and pitas to people who download the CAVA app and register at www.eventbrite.com/e/germantown-community-day-tickets-465741464257.  CAVA Digital Kitchen, which officially opens for business on Friday, November 18, differs from a traditional CAVA location in that there is no in-store ordering, all orders must be placed through the CAVA app. The restaurant does feature an indoor and outdoor dining area. Additional information courtesy of CAVA:

“A CAVA Digital Kitchen is headed to 19865 Century Blvd, Germantown, MD – and we’re celebrating with free Chef-Curated Bowls and Pitas before we officially open our doors. Not familiar with our Digital Kitchens? They’re exclusively for app & online orders, which means quick pickups and no waiting in line. Stop by for a free Chef-Curated Bowl or Pita (no build-your-owns until opening day). Just remember to download the CAVA app to order ahead and start earning app-exclusive rewards once we are open. To sign up, pick a 15-minute time slot and make sure to hold onto your digital ticket. Please try your best to arrive on time so we can keep the line (and the hummus) flowing. LUNCH: 10:45am–2pm”


Last month, a representative from Lotte Plaza Market in Germantown Plaza (13069 Wisteria Drive) confirmed that the grocery store will be closing permanently by the end of the year. The store has announced a “store closing clearance sale” that will take place until the store closes on November 27th. Montgomery County locations in Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Silver Spring will remain open.

Lotte Plaza Market is a grocery store that specializes in Asian groceries. Per its website, Lotte started with a single store on Veirs Mill Road in1989 and now has a dozen locations throughout Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Florida. “Our goal is to open 50 Lotte Plaza Market locations by 2030.” A sign advertising the sale is currently in the window at Lotte (as seen below, courtesy of Instagram user @f0restbean


Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division have arrested and charged 24-year-old Kevin Figueroa-Funez, of Germantown, with the Capital One Bank robbery that occurred on November 8, 2022, in the 10200 block of River Rd. in Potomac.  At approximately, 1:51 p.m., 2nd District officers responded to the location for the report of a bank robbery that just occurred.

The investigation by detectives has determined that Figueroa-Funez entered the bank armed with a nail gun, approached an employee behind the counter and passed a note announcing the robbery and demanding money. The employee complied and handed over an undisclosed amount of money to Figueroa-Funez, who then left the scene.


CAVA Digital Kitchen at 19865 Century Blvd in Germantown is scheduled to have its grand opening on Friday, November 18. CAVA Digital Kitchen differs from a traditional CAVA location in that there is no in-store ordering, all orders must be placed through the CAVA app. The restaurant does feature an indoor and outdoor dining area.

“CAVA Digital Kitchen has arrived… Just order ahead on our app or our site for easy pickup or delivery! Convenient *and* delicious. Build your bowl: order.cava.com” CAVA, the fast-casual restaurant that started in MoCo, acquired Zoe’s and its 200+ restaurants in 2018 for approximately $300 million


You can add Walmart to the list of retailers that are running promotions this holiday season by offering price discounts on Thanksgiving food staples.  Now through December 26, Walmart is offering “this year’s Thanksgiving meal at last year’s price.” According to a press release, “after all these years, we know what our customers put into their baskets for Thanksgiving. All the basics are there, like turkey, ham, potatoes and stuffing, but the convenience items are there too, like ready-to-heat mac and cheese or freshly made pumpkin pie, and we ensured that the price for the same basket of items does not cost more than it did last year. We’re proud to offer customers this year’s Thanksgiving meal at last year’s price so families don’t need to worry about how they’ll set their holiday table. We are currently rolling out the pricing, and customers can take advantage of the savings for all their holiday meals through December 26, 2022. You can shop the baskets here.” Walmart’s lone MoCo location is at 20910 Frederick Rd in Germantown.

Earlier today we reported that ALDI is running a “Thanksgiving Price Rewind”  where the grocery chain will be matching 2019 prices on holiday food items marked with a red sticker.  Aldi has MoCo locations in Gaithersburg, Germantown, Kensington, Montgomery Village, Rockville, Silver Spring, and Takoma Park.


Planet Fitness at 13031 Wisteria Dr in the Germantown Plaza shopping center has temporarily closed as renovations are currently being made to the location. Signage on the door reads: “We are working on an upgraded and expanded club! We temporarily close on 10/30 at 9pm and plan to re-open the gym floor tentatively on 11/12. Further communication will be sent out! -Planet Fitness Management

Part of the renovations include expanding next door into the former site of Eye to Eye, which relocated to 19520 Waters Rd in Germantown over a year ago.  The nearby Gaithersburg Planet Fitness, which is also currently undergoing renovations, is open for business. The company will also be opening a new location at 5520 Randolph Rd in Rockville (Montrose Shopping Center) in the space that was formerly occupied by Gold’s Gym.


On February 10, 2022, 5th District officers responded to the location of Cinnamon Drive and Mustard Seed Court for the report of a shooting that just occurred. Officers arrived at the scene and located an adult male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Officers provided life saving measures until fire rescue arrived and transported Jones to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Jones, of Germantown, subsequently succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital on February 11, 2022.

Through the course of the investigation, detectives were able to identify Mcroy as a suspect. On October 27, 2022, Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office indicted Mcroy with first-degree murder in reference to the homicide of Keon Jones. This is an active and ongoing investigation. Detectives from the Major Crimes Division are asking anyone who has information about this homicide to call the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070 or contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Callers can remain anonymous.


The preliminary investigation has determined that a male victim was grazed on the leg by a projectile from a pellet gun. The victim was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries. The suspect(s) have not been apprehended.”


Permanent signage is up for Cava Digital Kitchen at 19865 Century Blvd in Germantown, which is replacing Zoe’s Kitchen. We’re told the restaurant is hoping to open in November, but no date has been announced. CAVA opened their first Digital Kitchen in Sandy Spring, GA back in March. According to a social media posts by CAVA,  “CAVA Digital Kitchen has arrived… Just order ahead on our app or our site for easy pickup or delivery! Convenient *and* delicious. Build your bowl: order.cava.com”

CAVA, the fast-casual restaurant that started in MoCo, acquired Zoe’s and its 200+ restaurants in 2018 for approximately $300 million


At about 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, troopers from the Rockville Barrack conducted a traffic stop on Piney Branch Road south of Ray Drive in Silver Spring, Maryland for a vehicle with suspected illegally tinted windows. Troopers observed suspected illegal drugs in the vehicle. This led to a probable cause search, which yielded a handgun that had been reported stolen in South Carolina.The driver of the vehicle, Robel Habtu, 20, of Silver Spring, Maryland was arrested at the scene. He is charged with possession of a stolen firearm, illegal possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition and possession of a firearm while underage. Habtu was transported to the Montgomery County Detention Center. He was released after posting $7,500 bond. The cases remain under investigation.


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