Monday, March 18, 2024

Small Door Veterinary opens in Bethesda


Small Door Veterinary
, a "tech-enabled" veterinary practice, has opened at 10253 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda, at the Wildwood Shopping Center. This is Small Door's first clinic in Maryland, and the company says it will be the first of several to open in the future at other Federal Realty-owned properties. Leading the practice here will be Dr. Heidi Heller, and Senior Veterinarian Dr. Penny Coder. 

A Small Door membership costs $169 per pet, per year. That fee gives your pet one free exam, same or next-day appointments, 24/7 telemedicine, and state-of-the-art medical facilities equipped with the latest technology. “When our pets are healthy, comfortable and fit, they keep us healthy, active and fit too,” Dr. Heller said in a statement. “As a native of the DMV area, it’s personally gratifying to be helping foster a healthier community here in Bethesda.”

For more information, or to join or make an appointment, visit Small Door's website.

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Pink Chicken New York opens in Bethesda


Pink Chicken New York
has opened at 4925 Elm Street, at the Shoppes of Bethesda. This is the first Washington, D.C.-area location for the fashion label that celebrates mothers and daughters, and promotes durability and sustainability in an age of fast fashion. The block print mural created for the store is by Vermont artist Anne Meredith. Initial operating hours for this location are 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Sundays.

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Montgomery County police to conduct saturation patrols all St. Patrick's Day weekend


Montgomery County police will be conducting saturation patrols across the jurisdiction this weekend, in an attempt to deter and catch drunk drivers. Almost 50% of traffic-related deaths on St. Patrick's Day weekend historically have been caused by people driving while intoxicated, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Deployment of the full Alcohol Initiatives Unit, and overtime pay for the extra officers on the streets this weekend, are being partially-funded by grants from the Maryland Highway Safety Office. Joining County officers on patrol this weekend will be cruisers from the Maryland State Police - Rockville Barrack N, the Maryland Transportation Authority police, the County’s Sheriff’s Department, and the Maryland-National Capital Park police.


“If you plan to drink, do not drive,” Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones said in a statement. “Our officers will be conducting saturation patrols throughout the County and arresting intoxicated drivers. The tragedy that occurs when people get behind the wheel intoxicated is 100 percent preventable.”


County officials are urging those who plan to drink, and do not already have a plan to safely return home, to utilize the SoberRide program. The free ride-home program is offered through the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) in partnership with Lyft. Promotional codes for Lyft will be posted online at 11:00 AM on Sunday, March 17, on SoberRide.com. The codes are valid for up to $15-off on one ride home taken in Lyft’s Washington, D.C., coverage area from noon on Sunday, March 17, until midnight on Monday, March 18. The number of codes is limited, and participants must be 21 or older. Officials also suggest using the County's Ride On bus service.


“There are ample ride services that will get you home safety,” County Department of Transportation Director Chris Conklin said. “If you are choosing to celebrate with alcohol this St. Patrick’s Day, plan out your ride home ahead of time to keep our shared roadways safe for everyone.”



Cheesy Pizzi for sale in Bethesda


Your dream of owning your own pizza parlor can now come true. Cheesy Pizzi at 8021 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda is being offered for sale. The asking price for the business, which includes equipment but not inventory, is $80,000 according to the online sale listing. Cheesy Pizzi remains open for business.

Bethesda Row Nike store burglary suspect arrested


The Nike store at 7117 Arlington Road at Bethesda Row has been repeatedly victimized by thieves and robbers during operating hours since it opened last May. One suspect allegedly took a more-subtle approach to acquiring expensive Nike gear by breaking into the store oyutside of business hours. It did not pay off. 


At 6:17 AM on March 5, 2024, a burglar forced entry into the store. Montgomery County police have had a stepped-up presence around Bethesda Row in recent months, and arrested a suspect at the scene.


Jonathan Winfield, 34, of Laurel has been charged with 2nd-degree burglary, misdemeanor theft, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, and misdemeanor malicious destruction of property. A preliminary hearing in the case has been scheduled for March 29.

Friday, March 15, 2024

Corner Slice closes in Bethesda


The Corner Slice
has permanently closed at 7901 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda. It had been dark for a couple of weeks, but sporadic closures have been as much a part of the pizzeria's M.O. as New York-style pizza by-the-slice in recent times. A reader bumped into an employee who informed him that The Corner Slice was no more. The closure was confirmed last night when an Out-of-Business sign was posted on the restaurant's door. It's a sad day for pizza lovers in Bethesda, even as they celebrate the arrival of highly-rated competitors like Andy's Pizza and AP Pizza Shop.




Mussel Bar returning to Bethesda in new location


Mussel Bar & Grille
is making good on its promise to return in downtown Bethesda, even if it took a couple of years longer than expected. Local chef-owner Robert Wiedmaier vowed to reopen the Belgian restaurant at a new location "in the near future," when its Bethesda Row outpost shuttered in April 2022. He's found the spot at 4903 Cordell Avenue, below Tommy Joe's, and next to Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins.

The new location is one that has suffered from frequent turnover, from maiden voyager Smashburger to the recent échec of Paris in Town. Wiedmaier's name recognition in the D.C. area could be just the thing needed to lure diners here. Mussel Bar's arrival means the Woodmont Triangle is now stacked with local celebrity chefs, with Wiedmaier joining Jeff Black and Yannick Cam.

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Bethesda construction update: 4909 Auburn apartments (Photos)


Here's an update on the 4909 Auburn apartments on the former site of the Auburn Professional Building at 4909 Auburn Avenue in Bethesda. The development finally has a marketing website. It touts the apartment units' Scandinavian-inspired interiors, a glass-wrapped fitness studio, a yoga studio, and "private steam and sauna rooms." The 11-story building houses 167 apartments, 6408-square-feet of ground-level retail/restaurant space, 3 levels of underground parking, and a pass-through that creates a new pedestrian connection between Imagination Stage and Battery Lane Urban Park. Developer Greystar, which took the lead on the project from Potomac Development Group, forecasts a mid-2024 delivery for 4909 Auburn.














Montgomery County rolling out rat-resistant trash cans in downtown Bethesda


New, rat-resistant trash cans have begun appearing in downtown Bethesda. The first I have seen are on Cordell Avenue in the Woodmont Triangle - you can see an existing can to the left of the new one in the photo above for a comparison. Rodents are not a new phenomenon in Bethesda, but seemed to get a noticeable population boost with the increase in outdoor dining during the pandemic. There are two issues beyond the food, rubbish and dog waste that attract rats: the furry devils getting into open-top cans from above, and gnawing their way in from underneath.


The new cans address both weaknesses. They seem to be cutting-edge, as I don't see these pop up when I search for a similar product online, and they aren't shown in news reports about new trash cans being deployed in other cities. The cans are sealed, and are opened to receive refuse via a pedal or handle. Secondly, the material appears to be chew-proof. For the final test, we fly in Pizza Rat from New York.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Hanaro is now Kusshi Sushi in Bethesda


Hanaro has been rebranded as Kusshi Sushi at 7820 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda. The ownership is still the same, so there won't be any reduction in the quality or service you have come to expect from Hanaro, or from the original Kusshi at Pike & Rose. New operating hours here are 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM Sunday through Thursday, and 11:00 AM to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. See the menu below, and their website for delivery orders.





Norfolk Ave. Starbucks temporarily closes again in Bethesda


The Starbucks at 7700 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda has temporarily closed again due to construction. It is expected to reopen for normal business hours tomorrow, Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 4:30 AM. Renovations in the Woodmont Crescent building have impacted operations at Starbucks in recent months. The renovations include the installation of an elevator and elevator lobby, which have taken space from the interior of the Starbucks, as shown in the diagram at bottom.




Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Wind storm causes partial power outage at Bethesda auto dealership


The wind storm that buffeted the area on Sunday and Monday caused a partial power outage at a downtown Bethesda auto dealership. Chevy Chase Cars' Pre-Owned Supercenter had to temporarily close yesterday, after the building lost power. Operations were able to continue elsewhere on the property. Customers were directed to the facility's adjacent Acura showroom, which still had power.

Pink Chicken New York opening in Bethesda


Pink Chicken New York
is opening a Bethesda location at 4925 Elm Street, at the Shoppes of Bethesda. Signage has been installed over the storefront, which was recently vacated by Claire de Lune. Pink Chicken sells vintage-inspired apparel for women and children. It's the latest arrival in the Gotham-to-Bethesda pipeline that has brought many NYC brands to the area in recent years, and from Levain Bakery to Tacombi, they've generally done extraordinarily well. Employees were stocking the store last night, and it appears just about ready to open.


Founded by Stacey Fraser, Pink Chicken celebrates the relationship between mothers and daughters. With a focus on sustainability, the clothing is designed to last so that pieces can be handed down from one child in the family to the next. Excess inventory is donated to clothing banks. 


This will be Pink Chicken's first Washington, D.C.-area location. The brand has boutiques in the Hamptons, Raleigh, Charleston, and Santa Monica, in addition to its namesake Big Apple locations. We'll soon find out if the latest arrival from the City That Never Sleeps also does well in the Town That Goes To Bed At 9:30.