Saints Row Brewery reopens in Gaithersburg

Saints Row Brewery is now open at 15 Fulks Corner Avenue in Gaithersburg. The brewery temporarily closed for renovations. It is also under new ownership, which decided to make the upgrades to the establishment. They've also got new merch for sale.

Sweat Houz to open Kentlands location

Sweat Houz is coming soon to Kentlands Market Square in Gaithersburg. It will be located at 107 Market Street. Sweat Houz is a contrast therapy studio offering treatments like an infrared sauna, cold plunge, and something they call a "Vitamin C Shower." If you can't wait to find out what that is, Sweat Houz has an existing location at Pike & Rose in Rockville.

Strong-arm rape inside "abandoned/condemned structure" reported in Gaithersburg

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a strong-arm rape in Gaithersburg Monday evening, September 28, 2026. The sexual assault was reported in the 900 block of Russell Avenue at 7:50 PM. According to police records, the reported incident took place in an "abandoned/condemned structure." No further information is available at this time.

WSSC asks Maryland customers to limit water use due to power outage at filtration plant

Water utility WSSC has issued an Essential Water Use Only request to its customers in Montgomery County and Prince George's County, Maryland. A power outage at the utility's Potomac filtration plant has led to concerns that the supply of processed water could run out before Pepco can restore power. However, WSSC says water is currently safe to use and drink at this time, and that no Boil Water Advisory has been issued yet. Customers are asked to limit shower time and toilet flushes, and to postpone outdoor uses and running of clothes washers and dishwashers until the emergency is over.

Back Nine indoor golf simulator opening in Germantown

What is it about golf and Germantown? You would think golf companies would be after the country club champions of Bethesda and Chevy Chase. But Topgolf chose Germantown as its first Montgomery County location. Now the Germantown golf action is moving indoors, with Back Nine. The indoor golf simulator chain has leased a space at 13052 Middlebrook Road, at the Germantown Commons shopping center. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall.

Starbucks closing six stores in Maryland

Starbucks announced a new round of downsizing nationwide, and the closure list includes six stores in Maryland. Montgomery County stores at Pike & Rose in Rockville, and 12255 Prosperity Drive in the White Oak area of Silver Spring are among those getting the axe. That's particularly devastating for residents of the buildings at Pike & Rose, as having an on-site Starbucks was among the amenities of living there. Also shuttering will be Starbucks stores in Chester, Easton, Frederick, and Pocomoke City.

UK quantum computing firm chooses Virginia over Maryland for U.S. HQ

It's Groundhog Day once again for economic development in the Washington, D.C. region, as yet another firm has chosen Virginia over Maryland, and Arlington County over Montgomery County for its corporate headquarters. This time it's British quantum computing firm Phasecraft. The company announced that Virginia is the winner in the sweepstakes for its new U.S. headquarters. Phasecraft will open the HQ at a not-yet-announced address in Ballston.

The announcement has to particularly sting Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who has repeatedly claimed that he wants to make his state a leader in quantum computing. It certainly didn't help Maryland's bid that Moore declared four days prior to the company's decision that he would sign a total ban on data centers, if the legislature sent one to his desk. This forehead-smacking faux pas is reminiscent of the Montgomery County Council announcing it was canceling the biggest infrastructure project in the White Flint sector plan on the very day that Amazon's HQ2 search team was touring the County's suggested site in White Flint. Whoops!

Just as the Council's transportation infrastructure cancellation cost it the HQ2 of a logistics company, Amazon, announcing you are going to possibly totally ban data centers would almost certainly terminate the consideration of any quantum computing firm to locate in our state. Doh! A decade later, we continue to be led by very stupid people.

A smarter governor, Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, found herself once again taking a victory lap. "Virginia continues to grow as a global hub for cutting-edge companies and groundbreaking technologies," Spanberger said in a statement. "I’m thrilled to welcome Phasecraft to the Commonwealth and look forward to seeing all they accomplish as they grow and build on Virginia’s world-class innovation ecosystem. This investment will create new high-tech jobs, attract other leading companies to Virginia, and strengthen the Commonwealth’s growing role in bringing next-generation technologies to market."

Virginia, in contrast to Maryland, is known as the data center capital of America. How Maryland will become "a leader in quantum computing and cybersecurity" without data centers is indeed a puzzling and even humorous dilemma for observers of Governor Moore, who has proven so far that he's far from the sharpest tool in the drawer. What we already do know is that Maryland and Montgomery County haven't attracted a single major new corporate headquarters in over 25 years. Will voters quintuple down on futility on Election Day in November?