Signs of the future at Spectrum in Gaithersburg

Signs of the future at the Spectrum development along Watkins Mill Road at MD 355 in Gaithersburg can be seen on the new community's digital sign. Eagerly-awaited businesses touted include Starbucks, Royal Farms and Ela Mesa Taste of Greece.

La Gula Mexicana closer to opening at Milestone Center in Germantown

The lighted sign is up at La Gula Mexicana at 21030 Frederick Road in Germantown, at the Milestone Center. There has been substantial progress on the interior construction, but there's still much to be done before the restaurant is ready to open. La Gula has an interesting spot at the center, right next to another Latin American restaurant, Don Pollo.

Bed Bath & Beyond closes in Gaithersburg

Bed Bath & Beyond has officially closed in Gaithersburg. You may recall I reported this store at 558 N. Frederick Avenue would be closing back in September, as the chain struggles with declining sales, despite Americans spending a record amount of time in their homes this year. The shopping center is going to get a major renovation after top tenants like BB&B and Chuck E. Cheese have abandoned ship this year.

Montgomery County judge won't end indoor dining ban

Parker Lewis can't lose. And neither can Montgomery County government in a Maryland courtroom, it can often seem. The recent decision by a judge in Anne Arundel County overturning that jurisdiction's ban on indoor and outdoor dining set up an excellent measuring stick for the Montgomery County decision that came last night in Montgomery County Circuit Court.

Judge James Bonifant declined to grant an injunction against Montgomery County's ban on indoor dining. Another hearing on the matter will be held after the Christmas holiday. Similar efforts to overturn bans were also rejected in Baltimore City and Prince George's County on Wednesday. 

Shots fired at Germantown trailer park

Montgomery County police detectives are investigating an incident of a firearm being discharged at the Middlebrook Mobile Home Park on Frederick Road in Germantown on December 13. That evening, police responded to calls reporting the sound of gunfire around 8:29 PM. Upon arriving on the scene, officers found a bullet had struck a trailer, and two other bullets had struck a vehicle in front of that trailer, which was occupied at the time of the shots being fired.

Detectives are asking anyone who has information about this incident to call the 5th District Investigative Section at 240-773-6237.  Those who wish to remain anonymous may contact Crime Solvers by phone: 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), online, or via the Crime Solvers app. Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information provided to them that leads to an arrest in this case.

 

Rape reported in Kentlands area of Gaithersburg

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a rape in Gaithersburg Saturday night. A forcible rape was reported in a residential parking lot in the 900 block of Beacon Square Court around 8:07 PM that evening. According to crime data, the suspect in the assault had a firearm.

YouTube star Mr. Beast, rapper Tyga open ghost kitchens in Montgomery County, D.C.

Ghost kitchens are the hot trend in the pandemic-stricken hospitality industry these days. But it's not just neighborhood restaurant owners and local entrepreneurs testing the increasingly-hot waters; celebrities now want into the game. Two names familiar to many young people have now entered the market in Montgomery County and the District: top YouTuber Mr. Beast, and rapper Tyga.

Mr. Beast has just launched MrBeast Burger, a ghost kitchen burger "restaurant" you can order from via most popular food delivery apps (or the official MrBeast Burger app), at 122 Kentlands Boulevard and 1825 Connecticut Avenue N.W. in the District. Tyga is selling delivery-only Tyga Bites from...those same two addresses.

What's going on here? Both men are taking a Jeff Bezos approach to these ventures. Just as Bezos used existing Whole Foods grocery stores to further his delivery and logistics goals, MrBeast Burger and TygaBites are using Buca di Beppo restaurants across the country to launch these ghost kitchens. Your burgers, chicken and other menu items will be prepared by the chefs at those restaurants, and Mr. Beast and Tyga get a cut of the profits. Using this method, Mr. Beast was able to open 300 locations nationwide.

Despite the two geographically-disparate locations, apps appear to allow a surprisingly large number of Montgomery County residents to qualify for delivery from one or the other sites. Just open your favorite delivery app, and see if you can get a delivery. Bethesda seems to work from the D.C. location, Rockville from Kentlands, etc. Expect to see more of these gimmicks in the near future, as it appears to be a business model that any celebrity can plug into for Trump-like naming rights, while boosting sales for the Buca di Beppo chain.

How long before Tarnation Bob's Tarnation Burger pops up on delivery apps nationwide?