Title Boxing Club to open at White Flint Plaza

A new boxing gym is coming to the Pike District of Montgomery County. Title Boxing Club, which has an existing Rockville facility at 10028 Darnestown Road, will soon open a new location at 5268-R Nicholson Lane. This will be in the White Flint Plaza shopping center.

Syd's Cakes + Bakes celebrates grand opening at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Syd's Cakes + Bakes has arrived at the Dining Terrace at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. In addition to baked goods on the sweeter end of the spectrum, they have sandwiches and bubble tea. They're also giving away a free month of bubble tea as part of their grand opening celebration, if you enter the raffle at the bakery with your first purchase. There will be four lucky winners.

First look: Neuhaus Chocolate at Bethesda Row (Photos)

The construction wall has come down at the eagerly-awaited Neuhaus Chocolate boutique at 7123 Bethesda Lane at Bethesda Row. Neuhaus counts the invention of the Belgian Praline among its claims to fame.

Why is Papa Smurf prominently displayed in the shop window? The Brussels-area-based Neuhaus has teamed with another Belgian icon, Pierre Culliford, who invented the Smurfs in 1958. In that same year, coincidentally, Neuhaus gained its first national Belgian and worldwide prominence after its chocolates appeared at the Expo 58 in Brussels. Neuhaus has been manufacturing chocolate Smurf characters and Smurf gift collections since 2015.

Here's an exclusive sneak peek inside the new shop. They've certainly made the most of a very small retail space, which residents of Upstairs at Bethesda Row will have a hard time resisting as they use their Bethesda Lane entrance.

DoubleTree Bethesda transforming into The Bethesdan Hotel (Video+Photos)

The long-expected conversion of the DoubleTree Bethesda hotel into The Bethesdan hotel officially began Monday. Workers began removing the DoubleTree by Hilton signage from the facade, including the sign near the front entrance. A crew of painters then began repainting the exterior of the hotel, including the Woodmont Avenue side above the former Yacht Club of Bethesda space.

While the name is changing, the hotel is remaining a Hilton property. It is simply moving from the DoubleTree brand into Hilton's new Tapestry Collection, which emphasizes unique standalone properties with local character, rather than finding the same uniform design at every location worldwide. Leo & Liv will be a new restaurant at the hotel, which hopes to add at least one other tenant, possibly a coffee shop. The hotel is owned by the Bernstein Companies.

Fuse Taco space for lease in Bethesda

Looking for a prime restaurant space in downtown Bethesda? The recently-vacated Fuse Taco space at 4903 Cordell Avenue is now officially for lease. Smashburger, Bold Bite and Fuse Taco all failed at this location, but tenants Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins and Tommy Joe's continue to survive in this fairly new building with excellent window views of the Woodmont Triangle neighborhood. Best not to have a concept that competes with the longtime California Tortilla, which remains very popular right across Norfolk Avenue.

More signs of Escape Quest in Bethesda

More signs of the long-delayed Escape Quest escape room are visible at 4936 Fairmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. New signage has been stenciled on to a brick wall at the entrance, and a knight chess piece is on display.

Bethesda construction update: More Than Java Cafe, Vivant Salon (Photos)

The Brightview Bethesda assisted-living apartment building's ground floor retail spaces leased up quickly, even more rapidly than many other post-Great Recession luxury apartment buildings in town. Vivant Salon looks like it's about to open. More Than Java Cafe has made significant progress, including installation of its main coffee bar counter, and counter.

More Than Java Cafe

Vivant Salon

Destruction on Arlington Road in Bethesda (Video + Photos)

A demolition crew made short work of a set of single-family homes in the 7500 block of Arlington Road on Friday. It's the end of an era for that remnant of what used to be a single-family home neighborhood, but has been redeveloped over time due to its close proximity to the Bethesda Metro station. Yesterday's demolition was to make way for the future Maizon Bethesda apartments.

Windsor opens at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Windsor Fashions, a new women's apparel boutique, has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The opening was delayed from their scheduled spring arrival by several months, so it's too late for prom and wedding season, but in good time for homecoming this fall. Best known for their special-occasion dress line, Windsor is located on Level 1 by GNC.

909 Rose tops out at Pike & Rose (Video+Photos)

909 Rose, the future Class A office building at Rose Avenue and Rockville Pike at Pike & Rose, has topped out. Delivery of the 200000 SF building is anticipated for the spring of 2020. In a weak Montgomery County office market that hasn't attracted a major corporate headquarters in over twenty years, property owner Federal Realty has taken the same practical tack as JBG Smith - they will move their own headquarters down Rockville Pike into this building.