Urban Outfitters debuting new store concept at Montgomery Mall this month

Urban Outfitters has closed its existing store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The apparel brand is preparing to open its new concept store, targeted at Gen Z shoppers, later this month in a different space at the mall. UO has so far rolled out the new store design in Houston, Texas, and Glendale, California. Maryland is third on the list, and the first on the East Coast. 

Old store

When UO examined retail trends, it found that Gen Z is driving a mall resurgence across the country. 72% of Gen Z shoppers surveyed stated that they do the majority of their apparel shopping at malls, and that this is their preferred shopping method. In designing a new store concept, UO also revamped its approaches to its men's and women's product mix.

New concept storefront 

The new store concept features more floor space dedicated to the best-selling UO brands, including BDG denim, OFU (Out from Under) and Standard Cloth. New modular and responsive fixtures and displays  will allow the store to more quickly and easily respond to trends and seasons. The new store's fitting rooms will feature a brighter, more spacious design. And warmer, more richly-textured decor will create a more immersive shopping experience.

New concept women's department 

“Our goal is to be the go-to brand and destination for the categories and brands that define our customer’s style, and a source of inspiration through our creativity,” Urban Outfitters President Shea Jensen said in a statement. “This new format gives us the freedom to shape our stores around our customers, their lifestyle, and the moments that matter most to them.”

New concept men's department 

UO plans to open an additional six locations of the new concept store this year. At Montgomery Mall, the new store will be found on Level 1, between Calzedonia and Kickz.

Police called after assault at grocery store in Potomac

Montgomery County police were called to a grocery store in Potomac on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, after someone reported having been assaulted there. The assault was reported at a supermarket in the 9800 block of Falls Road at 7:59 PM Tuesday. There is a Giant grocery store on that block, at the Potomac Promenade shopping center.

Montgomery Mall assault total surpasses 2024 with latest victim

A 2nd-degree assault reported at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda yesterday bumped the year's tally of assaults at the property past last year's total. Montgomery County police were summoned to the mall Tuesday afternoon at 2:33 PM, after someone was physically assaulted during a shoplifting incident. Yesterday's assault was the twelfth reported at the mall in 2025, officially surpassing 2024's total of eleven. Police have been more visibly patrolling the mall in recent months, working closely with mall security officers. But the permissive attitude of County elected officials regarding crime - including retail theft - has made it challenging, with a relentless parade of shoplifters ransacking stores countywide.

Samsung Biologics acquires GSK manufacturing facility in Montgomery County

 

Some rare good news out of Annapolis about the rare bright spot in the moribund Montgomery County economy: biotech. Samsung Biologics has just acquired the GlaxoSmithKline manufacturing facility in Rockville, Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced yesterday. GSK had announced earlier this year that it would be moving its vaccine research and development operations from that Rockville facility to Massachusetts. Samsung's acquisition will keep more than 500 existing jobs at the site, and add an unspecified number of additional jobs as Samsung adds potential production lines for other local biotech firms in the future.

Moore was hands-on in recruiting the South Korean firm. He personally met with Samsung Biologics executives earlier this year during an international trade and investment mission to Japan and South Korea to promote economic growth and workforce development. 

“We are thrilled that Samsung Biologics has selected Maryland for their first U.S. manufacturing facility, a testament to our state’s leadership in life sciences, our highly-skilled workforce and the commitment of our private and public sector to advance patient health around the globe,” Moore said in a statement Monday. “During our Asia trade mission, we were excited to share with Samsung Biologics executives the many reasons why Maryland is an ideal foothold from which the company can execute its long-term strategy to expand in the U.S. market.”

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, who has targeted life sciences in his efforts to attract high-wage jobs to the County, joined Moore in celebrating the win yesterday. “The acquisition of GSK’s Rockville manufacturing campus by Samsung Biologics represents a significant achievement for Montgomery County,” Elrich said in the statement released by Moore's office. “This $280 million investment brings the world's largest contract drug manufacturer to Montgomery County, ensuring U.S.-based manufacturing continues, safeguarding over 500 current jobs, and setting the stage for further growth as Samsung boosts production capacity. It serves as a robust endorsement of the ecosystem we have cultivated, which is founded on talent, diversity, and enduring partnerships. We proudly welcome Samsung Biologics to Montgomery County, Maryland, and anticipate their contribution in enhancing our economy, workforce, and status as a global life sciences hub.”

Auto thieves casing Massachusetts Avenue corridor in Bethesda again

Auto thieves are on the prowl again in one of their favorite haunts in Bethesda, the neighborhoods along the Massachusetts Avenue corridor. Two cars have been stolen from homes there in recent days. The first was taken from the driveway of a house in the 6000 block of Massachusetts Avenue itself in the early morning hours of December 26, 2025. A second vehicle was stolen from along the street in the 4800 block of Bayard Boulevard in the Crestview neighborhood at 1:30 AM on Sunday, December 28. 

Take advantage of this warning to ensure your vehicle is locked, and that your keys are in the house, not in the glove compartment or ignition(!!). If possible, park in a garage or in a well-lit spot. Remove all valuables from the interior of the vehicle. When in doubt, invest in The Club or a similar steering wheel anti-theft device.

Bethesda Row Giant makes early switch to paper bags

The Giant grocery store at 7142 Arlington Road at Bethesda Row is ahead of the game, stocking self-checkout stations with paper bags days ahead of the Montgomery County Council plastic bag ban, which takes effect on January 1, 2026. You will also have to pay a 10-cent tax on each paper bag, half of which is paid to the business, and the other half goes into the County Water Quality Protection Fund. The bags at Giant are the retro kind, missing the convenient handles found on paper bags at Trader Joe's and Harris Teeter. You can thank the obscenely overpaid County Council, while struggling with your obscenely overpriced groceries. Heckuva job, Brownie!

Osteria Divina "coming soon" to Chevy Chase Lake

Osteria Divina is "coming soon" to Chevy Chase Lake, according to signage posted at the development. It will be located in the ground floor of The Claude at 3820 Chaplin Place. Led by the team behind Osteria177 and Carpaccio Tuscan Kitchen in Annapolis, Osteria Divina "will combine traditional regional Italian dishes with the modern style of an Osteria," development partner Bozzuto said in a press release. "The restaurant will feature fresh artisanal pasta, seafood, prime meats, and fresh daily local produce, along with a curated wine list and expertly crafted cocktails."

Former Limon's retail space in Bethesda now available for lease

The investor who recently purchased the former Limon's Gems & Jewels building at 7909 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda has wasted no time in getting the property on the market for lease. A sign advertising the availability of the building, and the contact phone number, has been posted in the storefront window. The property was sold a couple of weeks ago for $1.1 million. Limon's closed last fall after 105 years in business.

Credit cards stolen from car in Bethesda church parking lot

How low will criminals go? Breaking into cars parked outside of sunrise services on Christmas, for one. Montgomery County police responded to a report of theft from a vehicle parked in a church parking lot in Bethesda on Christmas morning. The theft was reported in the Our Lady of Lourdes Church parking lot in the 7500 block of Pearl Street at 7:25 AM last Thursday. A property damage report indicates the vehicle was broken into, rather than left unlocked. The thief later attempted to use one of the stolen credit cards at a restaurant.

See's Candies closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

 

Lucky gift recipients have barely opened their See's Candies boxes, and the candymaker has already departed Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. They seem to close their seasonal holiday store earlier each year, and it doesn't get much earlier than Boxing Day. The curtain has fallen at See's Candies - literally, as you can see below - but the beloved California candy brand will almost certainly be back for the 2026 holiday season.

Maman Joon Real Persian Kabob opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Maman Joon Real Persian Kabob has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. It is located right by the parking deck entrance on Level 2 of the mall, the same garage level that California Pizza Kitchen fronts onto. That spot has seen some turnover since Tara Thai departed, so keep your skewers crossed that Maman Joon can make it work.

"We take pride in creating authentic Persian food that reflects our heritage," Maman Joon says on its website. "Our ingredients are always fresh, most of our spices come from Iran, and our menu is lovingly prepared using our treasured family recipes."

Christmas Eve assault at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda on Christmas Eve. The assault was reported at the mall at 11:17 AM Wednesday. This was the eleventh assault to take place at the popular retail center this year. That ties the eleven reported at the property in 2024.

Rare single-family home near Bethesda Row, Metro comes on the market for sale

A property in downtown Bethesda that held out against redevelopment for decades is holding out no more. 4829 West Lane is a 2000-square-foot single-family home that was converted into a two-level office space. The property owner declined to sell the .115 acre lot to the developer of The Chase condos, forcing the condominium complex to be built around it. MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate Services is listing the property at an asking price of $2.8 million.