Last week of Lord & Taylor, closing at Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg

The Lord & Taylor closing sale at Lakeforest Mall is in its final week. Signs at the store are counting down the final 7 days. Savings are now up to 90% on merchandise, and 50% on store fixtures, so it's a true liquidation. I particularly like the farewell sign that pays tribute to Lakeforest Mall, and also keeps the demolished White Flint Mall alive. It refers Gaithersburg customers to its "White Flint Mall" location. More bonus points earned for Lord & Taylor, which made every effort to prevent the greedy demolition of White Flint Mall, and won bigtime in court against the mall's owners.

Berries & Bowls opens in Gaithersburg

Berries & Bowls opened at Market Square in Gaithersburg this morning. The superfood cafe's main ingredient is acai, but you can check out the full menu in these photos. Berries & Bowls is located at 120 Market Street West.

Spirit Halloween prepares to haunt Gaithersburg, Germantown

Spirit Halloween is searching moribund Montgomery County's vacant retail spaces for the ideal haunts to sell their 2019 Halloween merchandise. In Gaithersburg, they will be haunting the former Performance Bike shop at 357 Muddy Branch Road. Tentative opening date there is September 14, 2019. In Germantown, they'll start scaring customers on September 19, in the shuttered Giant grocery store at 13060 Middlebrook Road. Touring a Spirit Halloween store is a Halloween event in itself!

Gaithersburg planning commission recommends approval of Wawa

The Gaithersburg Planning Commission voted unanimously last night to recommend the Mayor and Council approve construction of a Wawa convenience store and gas station at 405 South Frederick Avenue. Commissioners recommended two conditions be added to the approval, including additional green space being added to the parking area - even "an island with a tree on it" would suffice, they said. Connectivity of the sidewalk along the Holbrook Shopping Center side of the property was the other concern addressed with a recommended condition.

There was some discussion about requiring Wawa to install solar panels on the gas pump canopies, something Wawa hasn't been required to do anywhere else. A representative of Wawa said they will look at potential stores suitable for solar panels in the future, but could not promise anything. The idea was ultimately tabled as a condition.

If approved, this would be the first Wawa in Montgomery County. The Mayor and Council are expected to vote on the Wawa proposal next month.

Gaithersburg Mayor & Council refer 309 N. Frederick Ave. historic designation question to HDC

Gaithersburg's Mayor and Council voted last night to refer the request to remove historic designation from a house at 309 N. Frederick Avenue to the Historic District Commission. The current owner wants it removed so that the property will be more appealing to potential buyers.

Some who testified questioned if it should be so easy to remove historic status. One nearby resident said he thought the current state of the property wasn't contributing anything to the community or city as-is, suggesting it is mostly a parking lot at the moment. One intriguing point that came out was that Taco Bell had an interest in opening a restaurant on the site in the past.

After the HDC makes its determination, the Planning Commission and Mayor and Council will make their final decisions. A final vote should take place in November, and the records for public comment for all three bodies remain open.

Gaithersburg Sears closing, company spokesperson confirms

The Sears store in Gaithersburg will close by mid-December 2019, Sears/Kmart Public Relations Director Larry Costello confirmed to Suburban News Network, publisher of Sam Eig. Located at Lakeforest Mall, the Gaithersburg store appeared on a list making the rounds of national news organizations, Reddit and Facebook groups, but the impending closure had not been officially confirmed by Sears until now.

Costello said a liquidation sale will begin mid-September at the Gaithersburg Sears and Stevensville Kmart stores. One Sears store in White Oak, and a Sears appliance outlet in Wheaton, will remain in Montgomery County after the Gaithersburg store has closed.

Gaithersburg Wawa recommended for approval by planning staff

City of Gaithersburg planners are recommending the Planning Commission approve the Wawa gas station and convenience store proposed for 405 South Frederick Avenue, across from Gaithersburg High School. Planner I Jasmine Forbes found that the proposed use is compatible with the location and surroundings. There is sufficient infrastructure to handle both the expected automobile and pedestrian traffic, especially since the applicant has reached an agreement for use of an access easement across the Holbrook Shopping Center property next door, she determined.

A noise study found that existing traffic noise from MD 355, and "insect noise" from the rear of the property are the main sources of noise at the site today, and that existing city noise ordinances will restrict any additional noise from cars, such as illegal modified exhaust or loud music.

One Deer Park resident had expressed concern that it would be very difficult for neighborhood traffic to access 355 once the Wawa opens. The staff report suggests residents reroute to other signalized intersections north and south of the Wawa. A new "pork chop" median in front of the Wawa will provide adequate refuge for pedestrians who can't make it across on one light, Forbes wrote.

The report notes that the six gas pumps will be 239 feet from the closest home behind the site. They will be 1,353 feet from the Gaithersburg High School tennis court, 1,369 feet from the football field and 1,830 feet from the baseball field. Wawa says it will have double-walled fuel tanks below the site, with an automatic alert system that will report any leaks to Wawa corporate headquarters immediately. A Stage 1 Vapor Recovery System will limit the release of fuel vapors from gas station operations.

Staff noted that the Wawa store structure is actually smaller than the existing antiques shop on the site, which will be demolished. Light fixtures around the property will be shielded LEDs to prevent light pollution.

A final decision on the Wawa store is expected from the Mayor & Council on October 7. If approved, the store is expected to open in November or December 2020.