Olde Towne Cafe temporarily closed for renovations in Gaithersburg

Olde Towne Cafe at 226 E. Diamond Avenue in Olde Towne Gaithersburg is temporarily closed for renovations. They hope to reopen in the next week or so, but there is no set date yet. Olde Towne Cafe has been family-owned and operated since 2000.

Armed robbery in Gaithersburg

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery at a Gaithersburg shopping center on Sunday, February 6, 2022. The robbery was reported in a commercial parking lot in the 18200 block of Flower Hill Way at 4:13 PM. A firearm was the weapon employed in the robbery, according to crime data.

Grog Beer Wine & Deli moves out of Gaithersburg Square

Grog Beer Wine & Deli has moved out of Gaithersburg Square. But they're not closing. The store's new location is 513 Quince Orchard Road, next to Duck Donuts.

Lapu Lapu to open at Kentlands Market Square

Lapu Lapu is one of several new restaurants opening this year at Kentlands Market Square. The Filipino restaurant will be located at 216 Market Street West. As you can see, opening day is still a ways off. 

Chicken Basket "opening soon" in Olde Towne Gaithersburg

It's deja vu all over again at Chicken Basket at 30 N. Summit Avenue in Olde Towne Gaithersburg. After making a comeback in 2013, the restaurant is going to do it again "soon" in 2022. A 2019 fire damaged the building, but now, juicy chicken and crinkle cut fries are in the wings for an encore.

Montgomery Village Starbucks update (Photos)

The walls are up at the future Starbucks at 19290 Montgomery Village Avenue in the Montgomery Village Center. So is the Tyvek. Starbucks is filling about half of the former Denny's footprint here. Real estate firm KNLB has been marketing the remaining square footage for prospective tenants - hopefully a fast food restaurant with drive-thru!

Rio Lakefront seeks permission for new sign on I-270 in Gaithersburg

The Peterson Cos. is asking the City of Gaithersburg for permission to erect a new sign for its Rio Lakefront development along I-270. It is requesting a special exception allowing it to be a bit closer to the highway than current city rules allow, due to the existing vegetation and a sewer line on the strip of land where the sign is to be placed. The sign will be lit at night, and will feature several of the property's retail and restaurant tenant names - and presumably include the AMC Dine-In Rio Cinemas 18, as well. 

Peterson Cos.'s request will be taken up by the Planning Commission at its February 2, 2022 meeting tomorrow night. Planning staff recommends approval of the sign request and exceptions. In its comments, staff notes that competing developments along I-270 have similar prominent signage by the highway, and that Rio should therefore be granted the necessary exceptions.