Rumi Life is now open in Westfield Wheaton Mall. The name, Rumi, is intended to reflect the store’s goal to make your living space feel “roomy.” The store sells a variety of stuffed animals, fashion accessories, home décor, stationary, and toys.
SEE ALSO: Five Below is Coming to Wheaton Mall

According to their website, “Rumi is a team of visionaries, go-doers and initiators who wish to better the present for an improved future. We physically personify the concept of affordability and efficiency in all of our products. At Rumi, we preach a lifestyle filled with minimal, aesthetic, and well-designed products so our shoppers can enjoy life to the fullest. Rumi works with over a hundred multicultural and innovative designers from over twenty countries across the globe such as Germany, France, Korea, Japan and China to supply quality and cost-effective products. In addition, we work alongside our company’s personal manufacturers and designers to self-create our own products in accordance to current trends and demands.” There are Rumi locations in Hanover and Townson, MD, as well as Florida, New Jersey, and New York.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services responded to a vehicle fire inside of a parking garage at Westfield Wheaton Mall on Thursday morning.  According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the fire was located on the lower/ground level of a garage near JCPenney’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods. The vehicle was ‘well-involved’ when firefighters arrived and the fire has been extinguished.

The vehicle was unoccupied at the time and there were no injuries. Piringer noted that there were no fire sprinklers in the parking garage.  Some roads in the area were blocked and drivers should expect residual delays. Per @mcfrsPIO on twitter: Westfield Wheaton Plaza, 11100blk Veirs Mill Road, parking garage IAO Between JCPenney’s & Dicks Sporting Goods, vehicle fire, ground level, @mcfrs PE718, PE705, PE719, PE716, E754B, AT719, PT725, RS742B, A742B, BC701, BC702, SA700, C705 & others responding & on scene

Update – Wheaton Plaza, parking garage, ground/lower level, car fire, single vehicle involved, fire extinguished, vehicle unoccupied, no injuries, BTW No fire sprinklers in this garage https://t.co/HqaycMKThD pic.twitter.com/K2rzN7HA14

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) September 22, 2022

Per Montgomery County:
Residents 18-and-older who are interested in electric scooter lessons will have the opportunity to attend four free clinics in October and November sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. Participants will be able to take a test ride, learn safety tips and get details on basic scooter laws.

The clinics generally will last about two-to-four hours and e-scooters will be available at each site. Those interested in e-scooters can stop in at any time during the clinic.

Participants must have a valid driver’s license or ID. No registration is required to attend a clinic and walk-ups are welcome.

The schedule of clinics:

• Saturday, Oct. 1, Noon-2:30 p.m. Montgomery College (Parking Lot 13). 850 Hungerford Dr., Rockville.
• Sunday, Oct. 16. New Time: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Westfield Montgomery Mall. 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda (former Sears parking lot).
• Saturday, Nov. 5. 12:30-2:30 p.m. Wheaton Ice Arena. 11717 Orebaugh Dr., Wheaton (back left parking lot).

Per Montgomery County:
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, September 14, 2022
The Sixth Annual Wheaton Arts Parade & Festival returns to the streets of Wheaton on Sunday, Sept. 25, with activities on Marian Fryer Town Plaza in Downtown Wheaton following the unique parade. The free event celebrates the artistic and cultural diversity of the community and provides a showcase for local artists.

The Arts Parade starts at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Grandview and Ennalls avenues. It will move down Georgia Avenue, around the Wheaton Triangle Business District and will end at the festival site adjacent to the entrance of the Wheaton Metrorail Station.

Marian Fryer Town Plaza is located at 2424 Reedie Dr. in Wheaton.

Anyone can join the parade as long as they push, pull, carry, wear or perform art. On this day, everyone can be an artist. No motor vehicles are allowed in the parade. However, there will be more than 15 large, artist-designed floats—some old favorites and some new ones. The line of march will include a gold and silver double tetrahedron.

The parade will walk to the beat of marching bands, bagpipes, drums and dance companies. A map of the parade route can be found at https://www.wheatonartsparade.org/wapf2022.

The festival will have more than 50 tents of original art for sale and three stages of continuous performances from noon-5 p.m.

More than 40 individual artists, as well as art organizations and galleries, will sell their original art. There will be artists representing the Montgomery Art Association, the Washington Watercolor Association, the Capitol Hill Art League, Gallery 209 and the Wheaton Arts Parade Gallery.

Family fun will include balloon art, chalk art, face painting and various free art-making activities.

The lineup of music and dance performers will include Strathmore artists Taisha Estrada, Amadou Kouyate and Seán Heely; the Urban Artistry Dance Company, the Wheaton Studio of Dance, the Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance, Beijing Opera Dance. There also will be performances by the Albert Einstein High School and the Northwood High School band.

Carpe Diem is bringing a number of performers including Munit and Z Lovebugs, Mr. Lilo, Gabrielle Zwi & Friends, Christina Drapkin and the Glenn Pearson Band with Dick Kaufmann.

Also performing will be local musicians Roadside Attraction; Dir and the Howlers; Spencer J,; Cody as Always; and Tai the Bouffoon.

Food will be available to purchase from local award-winning restaurants. The festival will have a beer garden featuring Astro Lab Brewing and True Respite Brewing Company.

A map of the festival tents and the program of entertainment on each stage can be found at https://www.wheatonartsparade.org/wapf2022.

Wheaton is one of three Maryland Arts and Entertainment Districts in Montgomery County. The mission of the Wheaton Arts Parade organization is to bring the community together with art.

The parade and festival are sponsored in part by the Montgomery County Government, the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Montgomery Parks and Planning, the County Department of Environmental Protection, Montgomery County Recreation, Greenhill

Properties, Westfield Wheaton, the Maryland State Arts Council and numerous local businesses and community organizations.

For more information on the parade and festival visit: www.wheatonartsparade.org.

Per MCPD
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, September 6, 2022
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) on Sunday, Sept. 11, will begin its semi-annual interior washdown to degrease and clean 21 County-owned parking garages in Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton on nights and weekends. The cleanings will start with the Silver Spring garages and are scheduled to conclude with the Wheaton garages on Friday, Nov. 4.

Some garages will experience partial closures during the cleanings, including select entrance/exit areas and ramps. The full schedule of garage cleanings can be viewed here.

MCDOT performs spring and fall washdowns to keep garages clean and help keep grease, oil and debris out of local waterways. Regular cleanings prevent deterioration from prolonged exposure to salt, sand, oils, gas, dirt, pollen and leaves.

MCDOT contractors will do their best to perform work around garage traffic and parked vehicles and to post signs notifying customers of anticipated impacts to access.

For more information about parking in the County, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-parking/news/index.html.

For information on MCDOT programs and services visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.

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Filippo’s Italian Specialties at 1226 Triangle Ln in Wheaton has been listed for sale. The store tells us that the deli is in great standing and the reason for the sale is that “Filippo is just ready to retire.”   Filippo’s, which operated as Marchone’s until 2014, opened in 1955.  Current owner Filippo Leo has worked at the deli for over 35 years and took over ownership back in 2012, a year after founder Thomas Marchone passed away. In 2020, Filippo’s won the TasteMoCo tournament for “Best Deli” in Montgomery County, beating out 31 other delis that had all been nominated by readers of the MoCoShow to win the award.

From the listing:  “An Absolute gem in the Wheaton community! A well known sub shop/deli that has an amazing and loyal customer base. The deli has stood the test of time with their famous subs and grocery section. The winner of the “Best Deli in Montgomery County” in 2020 by the MoCo Show, they strive to have continual excellence and give the best service they can. With a sizable walk-in fridge and walk-in freezer there is plenty of space for supplies. The store is always left clean and is in good standing with all vendors.”

Per Montgomery County:
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, August 31, 2022
The ninth annual Montgomery County “Friendship Picnic” will again bring people of diverse cultures and faiths together to make new friends and discuss ways to build a stronger community. The free picnic will be held from noon-5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18, at Wheaton Regional Park.

Wheaton Regional Park is located at located at 2000 Shorefield Rd. in Wheaton. A free satellite parking shuttle service to and from the Wheaton Ice Rink and athletic fields will be available.

This free event is an initiative of the Montgomery County Committee Against Hate/Violence (CAHV), which works to eradicate acts of hate and intimidation through community education, advocacy, collaboration and legislation.

All are welcome to the celebration, which will include traditional, Kosher, Halal and vegetarian lunch options. There will be a wide range of activities for children and adults including music, dancing, moon bounce, face painting, a petting zoo, the carousel and rides on the park’s miniature train.

Attendees do not need to bring food or drink to the event. All will be provided. There is no need to register in advance to attend.

“Our Friendship Picnic is a wonderful opportunity to come together, in the same space and place, and look at ways we can stem the tide on hate and violence, said Montgomery County Human Rights Director James Stowe.  “There will be wonderful activities for children and the entire family. It will be a marvelous day for all residents and visitors alike to be in Montgomery County.”

In addition to the recreation activities, there will be opportunities for small group conversations to discuss how to peaceably and respectfully move toward a nonviolent community. Everyone’s thoughts are valued and all will be heard.

The Friendship Picnic is endorsed and supported by the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights, the Montgomery County Human Rights Commission, the Montgomery County Office of Community Partnerships, the Faith Community Advisory Group, Montgomery Parks, Montgomery County Police and the County Fire and Rescue Service.

For more information about the Friendship Picnic, call 240-777-8450.

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Five Below is coming to Westfield Wheaton Mall at 11160 Veirs Mill Rd in Wheaton. The new store will be located in the upper level center court, in the space that is currently occupied by Gussini Fashion & Shoes. Gussini is expected to relocate to the former Panera Bread location, which closed in 2020. We’re told construction on the new Five Below is scheduled to begin in a few months.

Five Below opened its most recent MoCo location at 516 N Frederick Ave in Gaithersburg, the former location of Chuck E. Cheese, back in July.  Five Below has additional MoCo locations in Gaithersburg (Kentlands), Germantown, Rockville, and Silver Spring.

In other Westfield Wheaton news, the Macy’s the at mall is expected to begin the buildout of its Toys “R” Us section soon. Macy’s is adding the Toys”R”Us store-in-store shops to all of its U.S. locations over the next few months. The shops will range from 1,000-10,000 sq. feet, depending on the size of the Macy’s and will expand during the holiday season to offer a wider assortment of products.

Rumi Life is also coming to mall. The name, Rumi, is intended to reflect the store’s goal to make your living space feel “roomy.” The store sells a variety of fashion accessories, home décor, stationary, and toys.   There are Rumi locations in Hanover and Townson, MD, as well as Florida, New Jersey, and New York.  No opening date for the Wheaton location has been announced.

Toys “R” Us store-in-store shops are now open inside the Macy’s locations at both Lakeforest and Montgomery Malls. The Macy’s at Wheaton Mall is expected to begin the buildout of its Toys “R” Us soon.

Macy’s is adding the Toys “R” Us store-in-store shops to all of its U.S. locations over the next few months. The shops will range from 1,000-10,000 sq. feet, depending on the size of the Macy’s and will expand during the holiday season to offer a wider assortment of products. Photos of the Lakeforest Macy’s below:

Depending on the success of the Macy’s version of Toys “R” Us, the company could consider bringing back standalone stores. The former Toy “R” Us location at 600 Frederick Rd in Gaithersburg has remained vacant since the company closed all its stores in 2018. Did you know the first ever Toys “R” Us opened in Rockville? 

Back in June, Silver Spring Wings announced it will be opening up a new location this year in the Wheaton Urban District. The restaurant tells us that they are now in the final inspection/licensing stages and are hoping to open in the first week of September. The menu will feature chicken wings, chicken tenders, boneless wings, fried rice, potato wedges, coleslaw, fresh lemonade, strawberry shortcake, double fudge brownies.

According to owner Evan Walton, Silver Spring Wings will also be sharing a space with its sister brand, District Teriyaki. He plans to announce more information, including the exact location and opening date, in the the next couple of weeks. Walton tells us, “I’m super excited to serve Moco again. It’s been a long stressful year and a half but I’m committed to my work and this community.”

Walton started Silver Spring Wings in 2020 around the start of the pandemic after all of his catering business events were suddenly cancelled. He decided to launch several food concepts out of his catering kitchen to  attempt to make up for the loss and keep his employees.

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