Miniso opens in Germantown

Miniso has opened at 19745 Frederick Road, in the Fox Chapel Center in Germantown. The Japanese-inspired Chinese lifestyle goods chain offers toys, health and organization products. Some characters are licensed, like Marvel and Coca-Cola, while others are original intellectual property of the growing international company. You may find stuffed animals or pillows in one aisle, kitchenware or fitness equipment in the next, and face masks and hand sanitizer in yet another.

Signage installed at Onekick Martial Arts in Gaithersburg

Permanent signage has been installed above the storefront of the newest Montgomery County location of Onekick Martial Arts in Gaithersburg. It is already connected and lit up at night. Onekick is located at 255 Kentlands Boulevard at Kentlands Market Square. To register for courses and learn more about the programs they offer, visit their Kentlands location website.

Rowan opening at Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg

Rowan is coming soon to Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg. The piercing studio will be located at 126 Crown Park Avenue, between Ideal Image and Bath & Body Works. All piercing procedures at Rowan are performed by "licensed nurses," and are hypoallergenic. Rowan has an existing Montgomery County location at The Shoppes of Bethesda.

Contents of former California Tortilla in Gaithersburg to be auctioned off

The contents of the former California Tortilla restaurant at 255 Spectrum Avenue at Spectrum Town Center in Gaithersburg will be auctioned off this November. According to the online auction listing, the auction will begin closing on Saturday, November 22, 2025. That's a lot farther in the future than these auctions are typically held. Also unlike most restaurant auctions, there isn't anything here for the prospective collector of branded items from the business in question. This auction will primarily appeal to the restaurateur seeking potential bargains on kitchen equipment and dining room furniture.

Koi Sushi update at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg

"Coming soon" signage appeared last fall at the future location of Koi Sushi at 201 Boardwalk Place at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg. With the fall of 2025 rapidly approaching, the interior fit-out has proceeded at a snail's pace over the last nine months. Despite having a liquor license hearing earlier this month, the progress inside suggests opening day is still quite a ways off. Check it out:

Virginia wins AstraZeneca megafactory over Maryland

"There's going to be so much losing, you'll get tired of losing." We're definitely tired of losing in Montgomery County and Maryland, but Virginia just handed us another big L. Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has announced it plans to build its largest global drug manufacturing facility yet in Virginia. The loss is even harder to take when you consider that AstraZeneca already has a substantial presence here in Montgomery County. How did we lose this one?

AstraZeneca's announcement is the latest victory for President Donald Trump's trade strategy, which is in part designed to bring jobs back to America. GE Appliances recently announced it would relocate some of its China manufacturing footprint to the massive factory complex at Appliance Park in Louisville, Kentucky. AstraZeneca's move is to avoid high tariffs Trump proposed for drug imports. 

Montgomery County isn't a total loser in the $50 billion investment AstraZeneca plans to make in the U.S. over the next five years: the company said it also plans to expand its Gaithersburg manufacturing facility, and to add a cell therapy manufacturing facility in Rockville. But it's simply cheaper to do business in Virginia, and the Commonwealth is quickly catching up in the regional biotech race, which has been the sole bright spot in Montgomery County's otherwise-moribund economy.

“I want to thank AstraZeneca for choosing Virginia as the cornerstone for this transformational investment in the United States,” Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. “This project will set the standard for the latest technological advancements in pharmaceutical manufacturing, creating hundreds of highly skilled jobs and helping further strengthen the nation's domestic supply chain. Advanced manufacturing is at the heart of Virginia's dynamic economy, so I am thrilled that AstraZeneca, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, plans to make their largest global manufacturing investment here in the Commonwealth.”  

“Today’s announcement underpins our belief in America’s innovation in biopharmaceuticals and our commitment to the millions of patients who need our medicines in America and globally,” AstraZeneca Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot said. “It will also support our ambition to reach $80 billion in revenue by 2030. I look forward to partnering with Governor Youngkin and his team to work on our largest single manufacturing investment ever. It reflects the Commonwealth of Virginia’s desire to create highly skilled jobs in science and technology, and will strengthen the country’s domestic supply chain for medicines.” 

Montgomery County Council rams through ZTA to upzone SFH neighborhoods

The Montgomery County Council took the first major step toward realization of its radical, warmed-over Reaganomics "Thrive 2050" plan yesterday, by approving construction of duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, and apartment buildings up to four stories tall on lots currently restricted to single-family homes along multiple commuter corridors. True to its form of recent years, the Council simply blew off community opposition, and a crowded hearing room of angry residents. Taunting the crowd at times, the Council's sense of invincibility was hard to hide in both their microexpressions and tone of voice. The "More Housing N.O.W." zoning text amendment - like Thrive 2050 - had no grassroots support, and overwhelming opposition among residents.

Steamrolling ahead, the Council's willingness to outright lie about the intention of the ZTA was astonishing. From the beginning, they have attempted to sell Thrive and this ZTA as addressing housing affordability issues. Councilmember Andrew Friedson specifically cited middle-income "teachers, firefighters, police officers and nurses" as being able to afford the $2 million duplexes and $1 million apartments that the ZTA will produce. This is nothing more than pure, unadulterated malarkey. Incredibly, the reporter from The Washington Post accepted this farcical statement at face value, declining to fact check Friedson, ask tough follow-up questions, or outright declare Friedson's statements as false, as the paper regularly does for Donald Trump. The Post even used the term "missing middle," which doesn't remotely apply to the multimillion-dollar units that will be constructed under this ZTA. 

Eligible properties (in pink and yellow) in
Aspen Hill, Glenmont, and Wheaton

All this ZTA will do is increase the cost of housing in Montgomery County. If the townhome right next to the parking garage with no backyard at Westbard Square is $1.x million, then the future duplex with half a backyard and half a front yard in Springfield has to go for $2.x million. Now the colonial with the full front yard and backyard and Whitman school district is suddenly $3.x million, and the new-construction McMansion is $4.x million. Heckuva job, Brownie!

Urbanization of the suburbs is the primary goal of the ZTA. For example, the map of eligible properties shows how this ZTA is advancing the plan to urbanize River Road between the D.C. line and the Capital Beltway, which I have warned you about for many years. You can see the many churches, schools, country clubs, and other large properties the Council and their developer sugar daddies imagine will be demolished in the coming years. The speed limit on River Road has already been improperly reduced to 35 MPH, the exact opposite of sound traffic engineering, as the road is designed for speeds up to 55 MPH. Eventually, under the urbanization plan, River Road will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with bus/bike-only lanes seizing the other travel lanes heading east and west. A Purple Line extension to Westbard will be planned to juice density even further. As tall apartment buildings rise along the sides of River Road, the speed limit will drop to 25 MPH. Similar plans are in the works for Georgia Avenue between Olney and downtown Silver Spring, Old Georgetown Road, Veirs Mill Road, Route 29, MD 355, and other major commuter routes countywide.

Here is how each Councilmember voted on the ZTA yesterday. The names under "YES" are the people you will be voting AGAINST on your 2026 ballot, and the names under "NO" are the people you will be voting FOR in the 2026 Democratic primary election.

YES - to approve the ZTA

Gabe Albornoz

Marilyn Balcombe

Natali Fani-Gonzalez

Andrew Friedson

Evan Glass

Dawn Luedtke

Laurie-Anne Sayles

Kate Stewart

NO - to oppose the ZTA

Will Jawando

Sidney Katz

Kristin Mink

Did you bake the Lakeforest Mall 10th Anniversary Cake Mix?

A 10th Anniversary celebration of the September 12, 1978 opening of Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg was held in 1988. Along with a $10,000 gift certificate giveaway, a balloon drop, and even a trio of mimes, the then-safe-and-upscale mall had another special take-home prize for attendees. A pyramid of boxes was stacked outside of Johnston & Murphy. Each one was filled with "our special anniversary cake mix." Those upon whom this gift was bestowed were exhorted to "bake the cake and share it with your family and friends." 

Now that corporate greed and the Montgomery County cartel's anti-business, pro-crime policies have led to the closure of the once-popular shopping and leisure destination, we can only look back at a simpler and better time with nostalgia. Were you one of the lucky few to obtain a box of the cake mix? Did you bake the cake? What did it taste like?

RNC demands Maryland "clean up voter rolls"

Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley

The Republican National Committee has sent a letter to the Maryland State Board of Elections demanding it "clean up voter rolls." RNC Chair Michael Whatley said the notice letter informs the SBE that it is "violating federal law" in failing to do so previously. It's unclear what will happen if the SBE ignores the letter. A previous attempt by the conservative organization Judicial Watch to purge the names of dead or out-of-state voters from the Maryland rolls was unsuccessful. Judicial Watch's analysis at the time found there were more names registered to vote than actual voters in Maryland.

"Maryland is failing to maintain accurate and up-to-date voter rolls, in clear violation of federal law," Whatley said in a statement. "Citizens deserve to know their vote isn't being canceled out by duplicate or ineligible voters."

No Republican has won any office in Montgomery County since Maryland switched from punch card voting to electronic voting in 2006. Only four years earlier, County Republicans held at least two seats on the Montgomery County Council, several seats in the state legislature, and at least one Congressional seat. 

Indecent exposure in Montgomery Village

We return once again to one of the top crime addresses in Montgomery County, Lost Knife Circle in Montgomery Village. This time, they not only lost the knife, but clothing as well. Montgomery County police responded to a report of indecent exposure in the 18300 block of Lost Knife Circle on July 15, 2025. The incident was reported at an apartment complex at 12:00 AM.

Loudoun County wins ORBCOMM HQ over Montgomery County

Another economic development loss for Montgomery County and Maryland is in the books. Not surprisingly, the winner in the latest contest for a corporate headquarters is once again Northern Virginia. ORBCOMM, Inc., currently headquartered in New Rochelle, New Jersey, has announced it will locate its global HQ in Sterling, Virginia, in Loudoun County - not Montgomery County, Maryland. The "internet of things" company is focused on products and services that track, monitor, and control industrial assets around the world. It operates its own network of 31 low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites. ORBCOMM's clients include Walmart, Caterpillar, Hitachi, Target, Tropicana, Tyson, and Canadian National Railways.

"Virginia is proud to welcome ORBCOMM’s global headquarters to Virginia," Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. "This decision highlights our commitment to innovation, workforce development, and creating an environment where advanced industries can thrive. We look forward to the economic opportunities and technological leadership ORBCOMM will bring to the Commonwealth."

"As we welcome ORBCOMM's headquarters to Sterling, I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for the significant economic impact this expansion brings to Loudoun County and the Commonwealth," Virginia State Delegate Atoosa R. Reaser said. "The creation of new jobs is a welcome development and will undoubtedly contribute to the prosperity of our community," said Delegate Atoosa R. Reaser.

Montgomery County has failed to attract a single major corporate headquarters in over 25 years. The County, and Maryland as a whole, have forgone massive amounts of potential tax revenue rather than adopt more competitive, business-friendly policies and tax rates. They have also refused to construct a new Potomac River crossing to the Dulles area that has been on the books for decades, which would provide direct access to the only local airport with the frequency of flights and variety of international business destinations that corporate executives demand. Once an economic engine of the Washington, D.C. region, Montgomery County's economy today is moribund, and the County has become a bedroom community for booming job centers elsewhere in the region.

Margarita Bar & Grill property for sale in Germantown

You could become Margarita Bar & Grill's landlord, if you purchase the 1.026-acre property the popular Mexican restaurant is situated on in Germantown. The lot at 19201 Frederick Road (MD 355) includes the 3000-square-foot restaurant building and a 70-space parking lot, along with high visibility on one of Maryland's busiest commuter routes. Constructed in 1940, the building was previously home to Captain Mori's and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, until Margarita Bar & Grill moved in almost two years ago. The asking price for the property is $6,500,000, according to the online listing.

David Trone endorses Evan Glass for Montgomery County Executive

Evan Glass

Businessman and former Maryland Congressman David Trone has endorsed Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass in the 2026 Democratic County Executive primary race. It's a significant development in the contest for two reasons. One is that Trone's endorsement is valuable politically, as Glass is running in the same "pragmatic centrist" lane as rival Democratic Councilmember Andrew Friedson. Backing from one of the most successful business owners in the county will be a signal to others in the business community.

The second, and most valuable, benefit of Trone's endorsement is even simpler: money. Friedson has plenty of it in his campaign chest. If Trone is willing to spend, and coach others in his Rolodex of powerful local and national Democrats, that will help Glass stay afloat amid the big developer bucks funding Friedson. The most shocking part of the endorsement is that Trone has hired Friedson in the past, and knows him well. To then choose Glass over Friedson says a lot, and certainly gives Glass something to crow about. If nothing else, it shows very skilled political maneuvering on the part of Glass.

Also shocking: the lack of Democrats filing to run for an open executive seat, the highest office in Montgomery County. Is this now a job that few want, as the County faces tough financial times ahead, a structural deficit, heavy debt, and a taxpayer base our leaders have already bled dry with yearly tax hikes? Is the next generation of progressive leadership in Montgomery County privately being told to stay on the sidelines for another 8 years?

Only Councilmember Will Jawando is running in the Marc Elrich progressive lane so far. He is unlikely to match Glass and Friedson in dollars. But he has a chance over the next 11 months to campaign to retain as much of the winning Elrich primary coalition as possible, while Glass and Friedson split the centrist vote. And while Trone is only a multimillionaire, Jawando may also have gained some stump material about the strong support his opponents have from the billionaire oligarchy.

Buffalo Wild Wings GO signage installed in Gaithersburg

Permanent signage has been installed above the future storefront of Buffalo Wild Wings GO at 16256 Frederick Road at the Rock Grove shopping center, on the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg. The logo for the express version of Buffalo Wild Wings has been added to the roster on the shopping center's monument signage, as well. Things aren't quite as far along inside, however, as you can see in the photos below. Rockville and Gaithersburg each already have full-scale Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants, which are more like sports bars, competing with sit-down competitors like Hooters.

Andy's Pizza expanding to Gaithersburg

Andy's Pizza's first venture into Montgomery County in Bethesda has been so successful, the local pizzeria chain is expanding to Gaithersburg. It will be located at 145 Commerce Square Place at Kentlands Market Square, next to CHOPT. Andy's serves New York-style pizza in whole pies, or by the slice, making it an upgrade from previous tenant MOD Pizza. No opening date has been announced, and this location does not yet appear on the chain's website.

Montgomery Village McDonald's to add 2nd drive-thru lane

The menu items at McDonald's keep getting smaller, but the drive-thru at the Montgomery Village location is about to get bigger. A second lane will be added to the drive-thru later this summer. This will bring the fast food restaurant in line with current McDonald's drive-thru standards, and with the dual-lane capacity of rivals like Chick-fil-A. McDonald's is located at 19388 Montgomery Village Avenue, and is one of the few 24-hour drive-thru fast food restaurants in Montgomery County. Don't tell the County Council!

One Kick Martial Arts to open at Kentlands Market Square

One kick, everybody knows the rules! One Kick Martial Arts is expanding to Kentlands Market Square in Gaithersburg. It will be located at 255 Kentlands Boulevard. The City of Gaithersburg has issued a demolition permit for the interior of One Kick's future space, which is posted in the storefront window. This space was previously home to Charm City Run.

Tea Spa to relocate at Kentlands Market Square in Gaithersburg

Tea Spa Wellness Center is preparing to relocate within Kentlands Market Square in Gaithersburg. Currently located at 209 Market Street W., the day spa will be moving over to 621 Center Point Way. That space - as you can see in the photo below - was most recently home to Pacifica Cafe. It faces the parking lot on the far end of the Cinepolis movie theater building. Massages, facials, Reiki energy healing, acupuncture, and waxing are among the services offered by Tea Spa.

Vine Alley, Brews & Barrels spaces marketed for lease at Kentlands Market Square

Kimco Realty is marketing the spaces currently occupied by Vine Alley and Brews & Barrels at Kentlands Market Square in Gaithersburg as "available" for lease. Both spaces have a notation that parties interested in leasing either storefront "do not disturb" the current tenants, who are still open for business. In addition, both businesses have been removed from the tenant roster in Kimco leasing materials for the property. Brews & Barrels opened at 625 Center Point Way in 2020, and Vine Alley opened two years later at 114 Market Street.

LuminoCity Winter Lights Festival returning to Gaithersburg for 2025

The LuminoCity Winter Lights Festival is returning to Gaithersburg for 2025, from November 14 to January 1, 2026. It will again be held at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, located at 501 Perry Parkway. "Super Early Bird" tickets are already on sale on the LuminoCity website. VIP Tickets include a Skip-the-Line Pass for fast entry, and a Lumi Goodie Bag with a Lumi Night Light and tote bag. Tickets for children three-and-under are free.

Jurassic World Rebirth specials at AMC DINE-IN Rio Cinemas 18 in Gaithersburg

AMC Theatres continues to be the top cineplex chain to see blockbuster movies at. They've been on a roll since before the pandemic, when they offered cocktails and free collectibles for moviegoers screening Spider-Man: Far from Home in 2019. Starting today, July 2, 2025, the AMC DINE-IN Rio Cinemas 18 theater in Gaithersburg will enhance your Jurassic World Rebirth cinema experience with a free InGen ID badge and lanyard (while supplies last with ticket purchase), a dino-size Sriracha Bavarian Legend Pretzel, and a Menacing Mix cocktail made with tropical fruit, Kraken spiced rum and a "gold dusted dehydrated pineapple slice" garnish.

Montgomery County police bust up Germantown crack ring

The 5th District Community Action Team of the Montgomery County Police Department has busted up an alleged crack ring operating in Germantown. Many citizen complaints have been received by the department about the sale of illegal narcotics in the 19500 block of Gunners Branch Road. In response, DCAT, in coordination with the department's Special Investigations Division and the 5th District Special Assignment Team, launched an investigation into this last fall. The work of many months culminated on June 25, 2025, when County officers raided three residences, and recovered a cache of firearms, money, and drugs.

Police arrested Duane Shelton, 46, of Germantown; Kevin Patton, 44, of Germantown; Anre Russell, 39, of Takoma Park; Michael Marshall, 37, of Gaithersburg; and Alexander Burch, 48, of Petersburg, Virginia. Shelton, Patton, and Russell are all being held without bond; Marshall was released on bond, and Burch was released on his own recognizance. All five have been charged with multiple controlled-dangerous-substance charges; police did not specify if firearms charges are pending.

Officers seized five vehicles; four firearms; distribution amounts of crack, PCP, and MDMA; and $43,000 in cash. One evidence photo appears to show a bulletproof vest. Detectives say that their investigation into this ring and activity are not over, however. The criminal activity alleged is on a level sophisticated enough that the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN) and the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy are involved, and providing inter-agency data and support.

Duane Shelton

Kevin Patton

Anre Russell

Michael Marshall

Alexander Burch

Photos courtesy MCPD