Popular Wheaton Thai restaurant Nava Thai at at 11301 Fern St. has closed. The restaurant, which was located in the old Sir Walter Raleigh building, has been open for approximately 16 years. The restaurant previously announced that it was closing back in September but decided to remain open for several more months “due to an outpouring of support” from the community.

The restaurant has been a local favorite that has been featured in various publications throughout the years. Below is an excerpt from a 2008 Washingtonian article, highlighting the fandom the restaurant quickly garnered soon after opening in Wheaton.

“every time I go—and I’m up to seven visits now—I’m reminded of what true fandom really looks like. Once it was a woman from Alexandria who said that every week she drives 45 minutes to Wheaton with her family to get her fix of pad Thai, a reminder of the flavors she grew up with in Bangkok. When I said I had yet to order the dish, I might as well have told her I hadn’t paid my income taxes. “Oh, you must,” she said with great seriousness. “You must.”

On January 17, WRS, Inc. officially announced that Lakeforest Mall would be closing at the end of March, after almost 45 years in Gaithersburg. While there are still a handful of businesses open inside of the mall, including a pro wrestling training school, the last remaining stores are beginning to close, including Bath & Body Works and Charley’s Cheesesteaks, which both closed this past week.

Bath & Body Works is expected to open its new Gaithersburg location at Downtown Crown sometime in the next month. The new store will be located at 130 Crown Park Ave, in the location that was formerly home to Hair Cuttery, in between ZAGG and Warby Parker. Employees from the Lakeforest location have been transferred to the Germantown store at 20934 Frederick Rd.

In September, Charley’s Cheesesteaks opened a new location that also serves wings and ice cream at 405 N Frederick Ave in Gaithersburg, in the shopping center anchored by Megamart and FedEx Office.  There are also two Charleys locations expected to open in Germantown this year; one inside of Walmart in the former McDonald’s location, and one at 19877 Century Blvd.

Regal Cinemas has announced plans to close 39  U.S. theaters, including its location at 199 E Montgomery Ave in Rockville, according to a report today by Business Insider. The Regal Rockville opened on November 6, 1998. Insider reports that Cineworld, the parent company of Regal that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021, plans to “reject the leases” of the 39 locations starting February 15.  The company expects the move to save them close to $22 million a year and “the debtors are hopeful that these negotiations will lead to lease concessions and modifications that will obviate the need for rejection and enable additional theater sites to remain open.”

The Regal locations at 20000 Century Blvd in Germantown and 900 Ellsworth Dr in Silver Spring were not listed in the article and are expected to remain open. Representatives at the Rockville theater could not provide any further information at this time and a closing date has not been announced. Other area local locations scheduled to close include Gallery Place Stadium 14 (Washington, DC), and Bowie Stadium 14 (Bowie, MD).
Feature photo courtesy of @adam_brockett on Instagram.

Clearance sales are underway at the Lakeforest Mall Macy’s (701 Russell Ave) in Gaithersburg. Last week Macy’s confirmed to Axios that it will be closing several locations in 2023. Currently everything in the store is between 10-40% off and discounts will increase as the store gets closer to its closing date.
Click here to see a list of what stores are still open inside of Lakeforest Mall.

This was one of the largest hurdles in order for WRS Inc. to reach its target date of 2024 for demolition of the mall and the start of new construction. A more specific date will be available after the approval of sketch plans. The City of Gaithersburg Joint Planning Commission/Mayor and City Council Hearing on the plan is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023 at at City Hall, 31 S. Summit Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

WRS purchased the core, ponds, and forest conservation of the mall back in 2019 and added the four anchor sites earlier this year, spending a total of $75 million to acquire Lakeforest Mall. At a meeting in October, WRS announced that they have worked with the City of Gaithersburg since March and plan to submit their zoning application and sketch plan in the next couple weeks. As mentioned above, the target date for demolition of the mall and the start of new construction is currently 2024, with a more specific date to come after the approval of sketch plans. The sketch plan requires at least 35% “green space” and WRS stated that initial sketches are currently at a little more than 35%. Green space is defined as trees, grass, walking/biking areas, etc.

The current retention pond will be “cleaned up” and a boardwalk is in the plans for a dining experience on the water  that was described as being similar to what is available at nearby Rio Lakefront. WRS has also heard from several different movie theaters that are geared towards adults with food offerings and a bar, mentioning one that has a very robust civic program that would allow community groups to use one theater per week for their own functions. No specific names were given and it was noted that a discussion “doesn’t mean it’ll happen”.

A national builder has signed on to build all the various type of housing that will be available at the new development (areas G-P in the map pictured below). The name has not been released yet because the builder wants to announce it in a future press release. MCDOT has would also like to see an enlarged transit corner that will likely be located in area F. Area C would be heavily retail. “A place you’d go once a week to fill up the car with things you’d bring home to fill up the pantry.” A few in the crowd began to discuss Costco possibly moving to the new development, but it was never mentioned by WRS. Area D would be designated for medical offices, a space for a business to move its headquarters, lab space, etc.

Updated on Saturday, January 7th to reflect the closing date has been pushed back.

The Bath & Body Works location inside of Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg was scheduled to close this Saturday, January 7, but that has been pushed back according to associates at the store. The new closing date is currently not available, but staff wanted customers to know that there are not any closing sales at the store at the moment. A new Bath & Body Works location will be opening in Gaithersburg’s Downtown Crown later this month. The new store will be located at 130 Crown Park Ave, in the location that was formerly home to Hair Cuttery, in between ZAGG and Warby Parker. Employees from this location will be transferred to the Germantown store at 20934 Frederick Rd.

Bath & Body Works offers its own brand of fragrances for the body and home. The brand is a consumer favorite for top-selling body products, including lotion, cream, wash, hand soap and hand sanitizer. The retailer is also known for its fragrance diffusers, fine fragrance mist and candles. Bath & Body Works will join Sweetgreen as an upcoming tenant in Downtown Crown.

Texas Parrillada at 9631 Lost Knife Rd in Gaithersburg has closed. The restaurant’s last day of service was on Sunday, January 1. Menu items included Tex-Mex staples like burritos, carne asada, enchiladas, and tacos. Texas Parrillada was located in the Montgomery Village Crossing shopping center, which is home to BLT Grill, Hook & Reel, and Roy Rogers.

In other restaurant news, on Saturday we reported that Mexicue at 4733 Elm St. in Bethesda had closed after only six months. In a voicemail for calling customers, Mexicue announced that the Bethesda location closed permanently as of Friday, December 30th. The DC location at 1720 14th St NW remains open. Per Mexicue: “It all started with a passion for real, made-from-scratch cooking in a food truck that traversed Manhattan and Brooklyn, embracing the vibrant culture of the city. Today, Mexicue has evolved into a restaurant — and lively bar scene — that does things a little differently than the other guys. A little more boldly, and with a lot more flavor and fun.

BGR, which stands for “Burgers Grilled Right,” at 4827 Fairmont Ave in Bethesda has closed. This was BGR’s original location and had been open since 2008.   According to signage on the front door, “We wish to thank the Bethesda community for your loyalty and support over the past almost fifteen years. It is with heartfelt sadness that we must close our doors, but would like for you to know how much we appreciated your business and support.”
The restaurant is also listed as “permanently closed” on Google.  BGR closed its Gaithersburg location at 229 Boardwalk Place in Rio back in June.  The Germantown franchise location at 20940-B Frederick Rd in the Neelsville Village Center remains open.  BGR currently has additional locations across Maryland, DC, Virginia, Georgia, New Jersey, and Utah.

“BGR: Burgers Grilled Right is a gourmet burger restaurant that started in Veteran’s Park – Bethesda, MD in 2008. It was a humble beginning in a small space off of Woodmont Avenue but we made it our own. We didn’t have all the answers, we just knew we would make food that didn’t have any compromises. Food that was thought out, fresh, and deserving of our guests.”

Photo courtesy of Josh B.

Office Depot at 11130 New Hampshire Ave in White Oak has announced it is closing. A representative from the store tells us that it will be closing “sometime in January”. Office Depot’s closest competitor Staples has MoCo locations in Chevy Chase, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Rockville, and Silver Spring.

The Office Depot that was located at 15790 Shady Grove Road in Gaithersburg closed back in November of 2020 and is the site of the upcoming Amazon Fresh, which will be opening in early 2023, according to signage on the door (exact date still not available). No word yet on what could be replacing the White Oak location.

About: “Office Depot, Inc. (NASDAQ:ODP) is a leading provider of business services and supplies, products and technology solutions through its fully integrated omni-channel platform of approximately 1,400 stores, online presence, and dedicated sales professionals and technicians to small, medium and enterprise businesses. Through its banner brands Office Depot®, OfficeMax®, CompuCom® and Grand&Toy®, the company offers its customers the tools and resources they need to focus on their passion of starting, growing and running their business. For more information, visit news.officedepot.com and follow @officedepot on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.”

Below you’ll find a list of restaurants that unfortunately closed in 2022. Please let us know of any restaurants we may have missed. On the flip side, make sure to read our list of Over 100 Restaurants That Have Opened in Montgomery County in 2022.

Anh-mazing Viet Kitchen- North Bethesda
Anh-mazing Viet Kitchen located inside The Block Food Hall (967 Rose Ave, North Bethesda) at Pike & Rose, closed on September 30. The restaurant was known for its short rib pho and selection of banh mi sandwiches. Anh-mazing’s location at 12250 Clarksville Pike in Clarksville will remain open. The restaurant posted the following Facebook message on September 20: “This is not a final goodbye! Hi banh mi lovers, Anh-mazing team at The Block wants to thank you from the bottom of our heart for your tremendous support in the past two years. We are open during covid and faced with lots of challenges. However, your love and support absolutely make the journey worth it. It is hard for us to announce that Anh-mazing Viet Kitchen inside the Block will permanently close our doors by September 30th. This is not a forever goodbye. We will be back when the right time and the good opportunity come. So come support us and get your favorite banh mi and short rib pho. Also, we are still open at the Clarksville location, and our team is happy to see you there.”

Bambu Cafe- Rockville
Bambu, a cafe in Rockville that specializes in bubble tea, coffee, tea, desserts, Chè, and Indonesian cuisine, closed on October 31st. The cafe, located at 12242 Rockville Pike, opened in 2019.

Baronessa- Rockville
Baronessa, located at 1302 E Gude Drive in Rockville, closed at the end of April. The full announcement from the restaurant can be seen below: “There is no easy way to put this. We are extremely sorry to announce that Baronessa Italian Restaurant will be permanently closing its doors. We would like to thank our loyal customers who have been patronizing Baronessa for their years of support. Also, we want to thank our landlord Promark Partners, but most of all. THANK YOU to our. wonderful staff. We would never be able to do this without you. Our last day will be Saturday, April 30th 2022.”

Berry Cup- Rockville
Berry Cup, a locally owned fro-yo shop at 36-B Maryland Ave in Rockville that served probiotic yogurt, Taiwanese shaved ice (also called snow cream), Hawaiian shaved ice, and boba tea closed in July. According to its bio on the Rockville Town website, “At Berrycup, each customer becomes a Yogurt Artist. By bringing together the finest premium yogurt, freshest fruits and the highest quality toppings, customers are able to create their own delightful treat, unique to their own taste. With a variety of healthy probiotic frozen yogurt, fresh fruits, and favorite cookie, cereal, and candy toppings, customers can mix and match their favorite yogurt flavors and toppings to their own liking.”

Bethesda Gourmet- Bethesda
Bethesda Gourmet, a small cafe/deli that has operated inside one of the Bethesda Towers at 4350 E W Hwy #100 for over a decade, closed in August. The restaurant offered traditional breakfast and lunch items, as well as daily specials that include a variety of Korean and Chinese dishes.

BGR- Gaithersburg
BGR, which stands for “Burgers Grilled Right,” closed its Rio location permanently on Saturday, June 11th. BGR opened in Rio approximately 10 years ago at 229 Boardwalk Place, next to Muse Paint Bar, just outside of the building that contains the movie theater. Competitor BurgerFi opened a couple hundred feet away in Rio in March of this year. There are still existing BGR locations in Montgomery County in Bethesda (4827 Fairmont Avenue) and Germantown (20940-B Frederick Road). It has been announced the Miss Toya’s will be opening in the space previously occupied by BGR.

Brazilian Bakery- Takoma Park
Brazilian Bakery at 7639 New Hampshire Ave in Takoma Park has closed in June. The Takoma Park location opened in August 2020 and offered baked goods and various ham and stuffed chicken specialties, while the location in Aspen Hill offers a buffet. Source of the Spring was first to report Brazilian Bakery’s closing. Feature photo courtesy of Brazilian Bakery on Facebook. “We are heartbroken to announce that yesterday was our last day in operation. 💔 We are so thankful for this community and all of your love and support. We will always remember you. We are looking forward to other future endeavors and hope to see you all in the future.” The original location at 13655 Georgia Ave in Aspen Hill remains open.”

Brickside- Bethesda
Brickside Food & Drink has announced its closure in July. The bar and restaurant opened with a prohibition-era them in 2013, by the owners of Adams Morgan’s Grand Central, at 4866 Cordell Ave. After nearly a decade operating in business, the following message was left on the restaurant website: “Thank you to all our patrons. We regret to inform you that we have decided to move on to new ventures and Brickside is officially closed for business. We hope to see you at one of our other sister restaurants.

Buffalo Wings and Beer- Cloverly 
Buffalo Wings and Beer in the Cloverly Village Center (15412 New Hamphire Ave) closed on January 4th. Buffalo Wings and Beer was founded and created in 1995 by the late Ira Levy, a Silver Spring native who was able to grow the local chain to 10 restaurants across the DMV at one point. The first restaurant opened in Gaithersburg after Levy saw a restaurant go out of business on Snouffer School Road, near the old Gentleman Jim’s location. The eventual expansion included locations in Cloverly, Baltimore, Eldersburg, Frederick, Germantown, Glen Burnie, Hagerstown, and Leesburg, VA among others, even becoming a sponsor of the Washington Football Team for a few years. A highlight for the local restaurant chain was winning the National Buffalo Wing Festival that is held every year in Buffalo, NY. Buffalo Wings and Beer was first selected to compete in 2008, earned a 2nd place finish in 2009, and won the competition of over 185 restaurants in 2010. The Cloverly location was the last remaining of the restaurants.

Bun’d Up- North Bethesda
Bun’d Up closed its location in The Block at Pike & Rose after a little over a year and a half back in September. Bun’d Up opened it’s Pike & Rose location in January of 2021and is known for putting a “modern, Korean twist on the original Taiwanese “gua bao” with handmade buns, local produce, and sustainably raised meat from Springfield Farm.” The location closed a earlier in September, according to a representative from The Block. We were told a replacement hasn’t been named yet, but one is likely to take over in the coming weeks. Bun’d Up is still available in the DMV at Pentagon Row in Arlington and Union Station in DC. You can also still get your buns in MoCo on Saturdays between 9am and 1:30pm at the Pike Central Farm Market in Pike & Rose and at the Bethesda Central Farm Market on Sundays between 9am and 1:30pm at 7600 Arlington Rd.

Cesco Osteria- Bethesda
Acclaimed Chef Francesco Ricchi announced his retirement after over 30 years in the Washington, DC area back in January. His restaurant, Cesco Osteria at 7401 Woodmont Ave in Bethesda, closed on January 29th. The restaurant had been named “Most Popular Italian Restaurant” by Washingtonian Magazine and “Best New Restaurant in the United States” by Esquire Magazine.

China King – Gaithersburg
China King at 8035 Snouffer School Rd in Gaithersburg closed in April. The most recent owners took over the restaurant in 2001 and tell us that difficulty staffing and pandemic woes helped them to decide it was time to retire. China King was known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes and for using high quality fresh ingredients. The restaurant was located between 7-Eleven and El Salvadoran restaurant El Encanto.

Crown Fried Chicken and Waffle- Montgomery Village
Crown Fried Chicken Homemade Waffle & Breakfast at 9120 Rothbury Dr. in Montgomery Village (next to Athens Grill) closed in February. Signage on the front door read, “This Store is Permanently Close, Sorry?”  The restaurant opened in March 2021 and sold a wide variety of items, including waffles, cheesesteaks, fried chicken, omelets, and subs. Crown Fried Chicken opened a new location at 1909 Seminary Rd in Silver Spring back in June.

Duck Donuts- Gaithersburg
Duck Donuts closed its Gaithersburg location after operating for just over five years.  A Roaming Rooster will be moving into the location in 2023. Duck Donuts opened in April 2017 at 511 Quince Orchard Rd in Gaithersburg. It was the second Montgomery County location, opening a little more than a year after the Rockville location opened in early 2016 at 1327 Rockville Pike. We are told there are no plans to close the Rockville location.

Gelato Galaxy- Bethesda
Gelato Galaxy closed in January after less than six months in the Montgomery Mall food court. Gelato Galaxy opened in August of 2021 in the location that was previously home to Coldstone Creamery in the middle of the Westfield Montgomery food court.  The dessert spot offered gelato, soft-serve custard, Italian ice, and gelati (which is a combination of custard and Italian ice). HalfSmoke replaced Gelato Galaxy in July. 

Goldberg’s New York Bagels- Potomac
Goldberg’s Bagels closed its Cabin John Village back in the spring. Established in 1998 and serving the DC Metro area since 2004, Goldberg’s New York Bagels offers award winning bagels and deli style cuisine. Management told Store Reporter, who was one of the first to report the news, that “the rent has gotten too high and they won’t be back after the Passover holiday.” The Potomac location has been at 7731 Tuckerman Ave in Cabin John Village for approximately a decade. The Rockville and Silver Spring locations will remain open.

Flower Coffee- Silver Spring
Flower Coffee Collective had its last day of service on June 25. The mobile coffee shop opened at 8805 Flower Ave in Silver Spring (in front of El Gavilan Restaurant) in August of last year and sold specialty coffee, espresso, agua fresca and pastries out of a vintage camper.  Flower Coffee posted the following message on their social media pages: “It’s with a heavy heart that I tell you Flower Coffee is closing. Our final day of operation will be Saturday, June 25th. While this iteration of my coffee journey is coming to a close, it is not the end of coffee in the Long Branch neighborhood. Your individual and community support has made this particular coffee venture a success, and as we move forward I can’t wait to share what the future holds. More soon!”

Hickory Bar & Grill- Burtonsville
We first reported that Hickory Bar & Grill, located at 15420 Columbia Pike B in Burtonsville, had closed back in April, although the restaurant had not been active for sometime. The restaurant, which has been in Burtonsville since 1992 operating as Old Hickory Grille, reopened after a change in ownership and management in October 2020 and announced a new menu via social media as recently as November 2021.

Hunan Manor- White Oak
Hunan Manor, which was located at 11237 New Hampshire Avenue in the White Oak shopping center for the last twenty years, closed on February 21.

Jerry’s Subs & Pizza- Aspen Hill
Jerry’s Subs and Pizza closed its Aspen Hill location at 13645 Connecticut Ave, leaving Jerry’s with just one location left in Montgomery County (8517 Colesville Rd in Silver Spring), where the first Jerry’s opened on University Blvd in Wheaton back in 1954. Last year, the door dash account for Jerry’s in Aspen Hill was changed to “Jay’s Subs and Pizza.” We gave the restaurant a call at that time and were told that the restaurant would be undergoing a name change soon and that it will remain “almost the same as Jerry’s.” It doesn’t seem like the restaurant ever went though with the rebranding, as it returned to Jerry’s Subs and Pizza.

K Town Bistro- Chevy Chase
K Town Bistro, located at 3784 Howard Ave in Kensington, has been listed as “permanently closed” for a few weeks. We hav been told the restaurant closed at the beginning of December and the website has been updated to include only the following message: “Thank you for the support these past 12 years. It was a pleasure serving you all. The bistro will be passed on to a new ownership“ There is no confirmation on what kind of restaurant will be taking over, but we have received messages from neighbors stating that they’ve heard Italian could be the cuisine the new owners will be serving. K Town Bistro opened in 2010, taking over the space that was home to K-Town Grill for a short period of time. The bistro was opened by former Watergate Hotel restaurant manager Gonzalo Barba and served casual international cuisine.In the last 2.5 years, a GoFundMe fundraiser has raised nearly $15,000 by over 150 donors in support of the restaurant and its staff. Featured photo courtesy of the GoFundMe page.

Lahinch Tavern and Grill- Potomac
Lahinch Tavern at 7747 Tuckerman Ln (Cabin John Village) in Potomac closed in May. The restaurant opened in April 2016, replacing Benny’s Bar, and is owned by the same family that has operated The Irish Inn at Glen Echo since 2003. According to its website, Lahinch offered American regional cuisine along with a unique twist on traditional Irish dishes by Chef Ted Hughes. Menu items include fish & chips, Shepherd’s Pie, corned beef, lamb chops, and steak.

La Limeña- Rockville
La Limeña Peruvian Restaurant announced its closure after 15 years at 765 Rockville Pike in Rockville in January. It’s sister restaurant La Limeña Grill will remain open at 1093 Rockville Pike in Rockville. The locations were approximately one mile apart. La Limeña Grill opened because of the long waits at the original, 60 seat restaurant and offers more than  double the seats.

Lazzaro’s Authentic Italian Deli- Bethesda
Lazzaro’s Authentic Italian Deli opened in the Montgomery Mall Food Court in May and closed in July. The restaurant opened in the space previously occupied by Big Al’s Sub Shop and is currently Malia’s Kitchen. 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.

Lilly Magilly’s- Gaithersburg (relocating)
Lilly Magilly’s Cupcakery, located at 220 Boardwalk Place at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg for over a decade closed on November 20th. A new storefront has been announced, but the exact location of where it will be is not yet available. The full message from Lilly Magilly’s can be seen below: “Big news! We’re Moving!! After 12 years, Lilly Magilly’s last day at 220 Boardwalk Place will be November 20, 2022. To the customers, staff, friends, family, and neighbors, we offer a heartfelt “thank you”for supporting our small family bakery, helping us grow, and creating a lifetime of unforgettable memories with us! We wouldn’t be where we are today without you! We’re excited for our next adventure and our new storefront, opening in 2023, that will allow us to offer even more Sweet Treats. Be sure to follow us here for sneak-peaks of our new location build-out and special announcements. We can’t wait to share it with you.
We hope you will stop by for a visit during our last few weeks here! After November 20th, we’ll operate as an online bakery for pick-up and delivery, until the new location opens. Email us at [email protected] or call us at 301-208-2828 to place an order.”
It has been announced that a Cinnabon/Auntie Anne’s combination store will be taking over the location. 

Little Beet Table- Chevy Chase
Little Beet Table in Chevy Chase closed permanently in March. The restaurant was located in The Collection at Chevy Chase (5471 Wisconsin Ave.) and opened in November of 2020. Little Beet Table, which still has a location on Park Avenue in New York, served brunch, lunch, dinner and drinks with a vegetable-forward, seasonal approach. They have a 100% gluten-free menu packed with nourishing, wholesome dishes.

Mangu Delight Food Truck
Dominican food truck Mangu Delight, which was parked daily at 14300 New Hampshire Ave in Silver Spring,  closed on March 26. In a message on their Instagram page, Mangu Delight thanked its customers for all of their support and said, “this is not goodybye, you will still be able to reach out for catering.” Mangu Delight’s menu includes empanadas, chicharron, ribs, steak, toastones, burgers, and soups.

Max’s Kosher Cafe- Wheaton 
Max’s Kosher Cafe at 2319 University Blvd W in Wheaton closed on July 28. The restaurant, known for their falafel, shawarma, fried chicken, and deli sandwiches, has been a Wheaton staple for nearly three decades. According to a Bethesda Beat report, the cafe hopes to open again in the Kemp Mill shopping center, which is the home of Shalom Kosher- a supermarket owned by The Shalom Group (owners of Max’s). “We hope that people will voice their opinions and voice their feelings and hopefully we’ll be able to get it into the shopping center here,” he said in the interview.
The restaurant released the following statement: “We have had the privilege to serve the community since 1994 when we opened Max’s. Our falafel and shawarma turned us into a popular destination and gave us opportunities at FedEx Field and Nat’s Park. With much sadness, we are closing Max’s and our last day of business will be July 28, 2022. We want to thank everyone for their patronage over the last 28 years. We have been extremely lucky to have such a long history of serving the community and very grateful for the opportunity. We have worked tirelessly over the past few years to move Max’s. We were given the opportunity to move closer to the community however, due to conditions beyond our control, we are not able to relocate. If the right opportunity arose, we would welcome the idea of reopening.
Max, Larry, and Justin Dekelbaum”

Miller’s Ale House- Rockville
Miller’s Ale House closed permanently on Sunday, September 25th, after approximately a decade at 1471 Rockville Pike in Rockville.  The location was previously home to Hooters before it moved across the Pike (and later closed) and Shakey’s before that. Miller’s Ale House is a Florida-based American restaurant and sports bar chain that was founded in 1988. The restaurant serves steaks, chicken, burgers, salads, seafood, and more. Though most of their locations are in Florida (over 50), there are over 30 other locations open across the east coast. Miller’s Ale House has nearby locations in Hyattsville and Sterling, VA locations. In what was one of our most popular articles of the summer, over 500 readers chimed in with comments on the impending closure. Comments, which were mostly positive, included:

• “As a restaurant owner I understand their decision based on new building owners rent increase and an expiring lease. Rockville needs an Outback and this might be a perfect location with good parking and an ever increasing business population in the area.”
• “We went with friends quite often. Always had a good meal. Their ribs were delicious.”
• “Only went there about once a year, but I like it. Beer was cold food good.”
• “Had it really been 10 years?! I still refer to it as “that new bar that replaced Hooters.”  I feel old.”
• “I am so bummed. This was our go to spot…”

Moorenko’s- Bethesda 
Moorenko’s in Montgomery Mall closed over the summer. The ice cream shop, which opened in 2020, was located in a kiosk (previously home to Cookie Dough & Co.) on the lower level of the mall.  All signage and equipment has been removed.  Moorenko’s still has scoop shops in Silver Spring (8030 Georgia Ave) and Capital Hill, DC, and their ice cream is also served at Henry’s Sweet Retreat at 4823 St Elmo Ave in Bethesda. Ice cream flavors the company makes includes Bittersweet Chocolate, Blackberry Chocolate Chip, Cherry Stracciatella, Cinnamon Cappuccino, Cotton Candy Gummy Bear, Honey Lavender, and White Chocolate Mint.

Mr. Smoothie- Rockville
Mr. Smoothie, located at 33 Maryland Ave G in Rockville Town Square, has closed permanently in January.  Mr. Smoothie, a smoothie and frozen yogurt bar chain, has most of its locations in New York with additional locations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and North Carolina.

Mussel Bar- Bethesda
Robert Wiedmaier’s Mussel Bar & Grille in Bethesda (7262 Woodmont Ave) closed permanently on April 9th. It was the first of multiple locations that opened in Bethesda in July of 2010. A second location opened in Atlantic City, N.J, and a third opened in Ballston. The Atlantic City location has since closed and the Ballston location remains open. Per its website, “inspiration for Mussel Bar is an old-world Belgian roadhouse serving Bière, Moules & Frites, the kind of place where Chef in his youth would head late night to unwind with kitchen colleagues, eat simple food and listen to good music. He’s one of the first to ‘muscle’ the craze and honor his Belgian roots in the DC area with bringing the savory mollusks to the forefront of his own gastro-pubs with the original location in Bethesda, MD that opened in July, 2010.”

Not Your Average Joe’s- Gaithersburg
Not Your Average Joe’s at 245 Kentlands Blvd in Gaithersburg closed on July 27.  ‪ The Massachusetts-based creative casual cuisine concept made its way to Montgomery County in the summer of 2012. The company then opened Bethesda in the summer of 2015 and in Silver Spring in July 2016. The Silver spring announced its permanent closure in July 2020. About NYAJ’s: “Stephen Silverstein opened the first Not Your Average Joe’s in pursuit of the uncommon. In 1994, he worked to give his hometown of Dartmouth, Massachusetts a unique neighborhood place with great food and better company. Today, we have 19 restaurants spread throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland. We’re building incredible spaces with every nail, and striving to be better with every opening. In doing this, we’ve created a culture where our people are our foundation – making the sky the limit where we go next.“

Peet’s Coffee- Silver Spring 
Peet’s Coffee, located at 1316 East-West Highway in Silver Spring closed at the end of October. The Berkeley, California born coffee chain planned to open 23 locations in the DC area in 2014/2015, with the first debuting today at 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. MoCo locations included the Silver Spring location and two Bethesda locations– one in Montgomery Mall that closed in 2017 and one at 7629 Old Georgetown Rd that closed in 2020 after 6 years.

Philz Coffee- Bethesda
Philz Coffee, located at 7247 Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda, closed permanently in June. Philz Coffee opened its Bethesda location in December of 2018 and has DC Area locations in Adams Morgan, Navy Yard, and Ballston. More on Philz Coffee: Founded more than 25 years ago by Phil Jaber, Philz Coffee has more than 55 stores across California and the Washington, DC region. With more than 20 unique, customized blends created by Phil, there are four million ways to enjoy Philz Coffee, each handcraft to the customer’s request. A full service-coffee bar, Philz grinds the coffee beans and upon request mixes in the cream and sugar, making the drinks true “cups of love.” There aren’t lattes, cappuccinos, espressos, or pre-brews and the recommended first cup is “Philz Way” – medium sweet with cream.

Pollo-Mex- Colesville
Pollo-Mex Chicken and Mexican Grill closed after 12 years in the Colesville Center. The windows at the restaurant have been papered and a notice is posted on its door stating that July 31 was its last day of business. The website offers the following message:  “Dear Amigos, After over a decade of being a part of this community and your families, it is with immense sadness in our hearts but hopes of a much brighter future to come, that unfortunately Pollo Mex has closed its doors. We wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who have supported us throughout these 12 amazing years. We have so many great memories that we will always keep in our hearts, and it has been a pleasure to be part of your memories all these years. Thanks to you we built an amazing space to share food, long lasting friendships, laughs and love. We realize how lucky we are to have been graced by your love and support. From our families to yours “Thank you” and we will be sure to let you know where our new adventures take us.”

Provisions Cafe- Germantown
Provisions Cafe closed in January after three years in Germantown. The Cafe opened in 2018 at 19520 Waters Road in Germantown and offered baked goods, breakfast, smoothies, salads, sandwiches, and more. Per the announcement, Provisions was unable to renegotiate a new lease that would make sense for the cafe. The cafe will continue to cater and deliver baked goods.

Republic- Takoma Park
Popular Takoma Park restaurant Republic, located at 6939 Laurel Ave, closed its doors on September 4th, after operating for a decade at the location. The full statement can be seen below:
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the closing of Republic. Our last day of service will be Sunday, September 4th. The last 2 ½ years of the pandemic have been merciless, unforgiving, and ultimately a hardship from which we could not recover. At the same time, our lease is set to expire and we have been unable to come to an agreement with the landlord on how to move forward. We are immensely grateful for the last 10 years. Thank you to our wonderful guests for their continued support. Thank you to the town of Takoma Park for embracing us as part of the community. Thank you to our amazing employees, past and present, for supporting the vision of Republic. Fortunately we are able to move the staff from Republic to our other restaurants where they hope to see you soon! Small businesses are struggling every day. Please continue to support your favorite restaurants and local shops.”

Saffron Indian Cuisine- Rockville
Saffron Indian Cuisine closed permanently in May. Saffron was located at 1321 C, Rockville Pike, in Rockville’s Woodmont Station (the shopping center that is also home to Ledo Pizza). According to LoopNet, the 3,210 SF that was home to Saffron until last week is now available to lease with restaurant equipment in place. The restaurant opened in 2014 and gained popularity in Rockville, often participating in local events like Taste of Rockville/Hometown Holidays and other food festivals.

Sam’s Cafe/Hookah
Sam’s Cafe & Market, also known as Sam’s Hookah, closed permanently at the end of March. The cafe/market/hookah bar had been open in Rockville at 844 Rockville Pike for over a decade and at a previous location across Rockville Pike before that for a combined 24 years. A representative from the store told us that the closure is due to the owners retiring.

Saphire Cafe- Bethesda
Saphire, located at 7940 Wisconsin Ave, closed in June. The popular Bethesda nightlife location posted the following message on its Facebook page: “Ok friends, the time has finally come… The official last day for Saph is Monday but tomorrow will be the last Saturday for your favorite bar/bartenders! Jason and I (Brendan) thank you ALL for being with us for for so long and making our nights so enjoyable. I know Will, Julian, Matty Lew, William and everyone else before me deeply appreciates your patronage over the years! We love you all, and let’s make this weekend until they ‘pull the plug’, EPIC!”

Slapfish- Rockville
Slapfish closed its only MoCo location (12033 Rockville Pike in the Montrose Crossing shopping center) in July. The restaurant opened in July 2018, when it gave away 107 lobster rolls as part of its grand opening celebration. The “modern seafood shack” is a fast casual restaurant with locations primarily on the west coast and Southwestern United States, but has recently opened location across the country. It has been called “the Chipotle of Seafood.” The Rockville location was their first on the east coast, as it joined Cava, Honeygrow, and MOD Pizza at Montrose Crossing. The strip where the restaurant is located was constructed over the previous home of Timpano Italian Chophouse, the restaurant that was demolished to make way for the current structure that was home to Slapfish and is currently home to other fast-casual eateries and stores.

Snow Bots- Rockville
Snow Bots, one of the first places to make snow cream relatively popular in Montgomery County, announced that it closed permanently via social media at the beginning of June. Located at 1701 Rockville Pike, near Congressional Plaza, since 2014, the snow cream and bubble tea shop was one of the first to bring egg waffles to the area (called puffles). Snow Bots also introduced larger bubble tea cups that were more like soup containers.

Tara Thai- Gaithersburg
We received official word that Tara Thai at 9811 Washingtonian Blvd L9 in Gaithersburg’s Rio Lakefront had permanently closed and would not be reopening back in April. Tara Thai has additional Montgomery County locations at Bethesda’s Montgomery Mall and in Rockville’s Montrose Crossing, and other locations in neighboring counties. The Rio restaurant has been open for over 20 years. The location, which has a patio overlooking the lake and offers one of the few places in Montgomery County you can “eat on the water”, is going to be replaced by Charley Prime Foods early next year.

Teriyaki Express- Gaithersburg
Teriyaki Express, located at 405 N Frederick Ave in Gaithersburg closed after less than two years at the location. Another Teriyaki Express remains open at 9128 Rothbury Drive in Goshen Plaza (Montgomery Village). Charleys Cheesesteaks and Wings has already moved in as the replacement at the location.

Woodside Deli- Rockville
Woodside Deli, located at 4 N Washington Street in Rockville, closed permanently after nearly 12 years in Rockville.  The Silver Spring location closed in 2019 after operating for more than 70 years. While there is a Woodside Deli in Germantown, we have been told that the location is no longer connected to the original Woodside Deli. Full statement from the owners available below: “Dear Woodside Deli Rockville family and friends, It is with a heavy heart that we announce closing our doors for the final time. This was not an easy decision, especially after closing our flagship location in Silver Spring in Oct. 2019, a staple in the community for over 70 years. We opened our doors here on North Washington Street in Dec. 2010, and in that time you have welcomed us with open arms. We are proud to have become a staple here too.  When the pandemic began, Woodside like many other restaurants, was hit hard with countless obstacles. Although the pandemic is no longer what it once was, many of the impacts have since lingered. Such as supply chain related issues, drastic price increases for goods, rent increases, and staffing shortages, to name a few. We fought hard to stay open for our community, to remain a place you could rely on for great food and superior service. But unfortunately, we could not overcome the impacts. To the all the loyal Woodside Deli customers over the years, we appreciate your patronage and support. You are the reason for our success over many years. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We will be holding a yard sale for anyone who may be interested in any of the memorabilia and photos we have collected over the years. We will be posting further details and dates on our Facebook.
With  and best wishes,
The Woodside Deli Family”

Quizno’s- Rockville
The last remaining Quizno’s in MoCo closed at the beginning of March. The restaurant was located at 1611 E Gude Dr. Back in April of 2021, the Bethesda location closed. It was the second to last remaining Quizno’s in the county.

Zoe’s Kitchen- Germantown
Zoe’s Kitchen, located at 19865 Century Blvd in Germantown, closed July 6th. Serving a Mediterranean inspired menu with different varieties of salads, pitas and sandwiches; Zoe’s, by 2014 grew, to include over 200 locations across 17 states with plans to expand further. However, the acquisition by CAVA has resulted in a dramatic reduction in Zoe’s locations (some replaced by CAVA restaurants). As of June 22, 2022 there were 90 locations remaining in 15 states, with previous Montgomery County locations in Park Potomac and Gaithersburg closing in recent years. The restaurant has since been replaced by CAVA Digital Kitchen.