AROMA ESPRESSO BAR OPENING DELAYED

Aroma Espresso Bar, which finally acquired its liquor license last week, says its planned January 28 opening is being delayed.

A spokesperson said the new coffee bar and eatery - the Israeli equivalent of Starbucks - now plans to open on February 5 or 6.

Aroma is located in Bethesda at Westfield Montgomery Mall.

BETHESDA SIDEWALK REPAIR UPDATE (PHOTOS)

After belatedly restarting work on downtown Bethesda sidewalks, the MDSHA is finally making some progress.

Unfinished sidewalk construction has bedeviled pedestrians up and down Wisconsin Avenue since the summer.  Trip-and-fall surfaces abounded, and dangerous jaywalking was encouraged in spots.

Now, as these photos demonstrate, bricks have been laid at the corner of Fairmont and Wisconsin.  Other spots remain in shabby condition. Let's hope all of this is finished by the Inauguration, to spare us further embarrassment when tourists pour into our fair city.

DARK KNIGHT RISES POSTER VANISHES FROM BIG PLANET COMICS WINDOW FOLLOWING COLORADO TRAGEDY

Remember that Dark Knight Rises poster in the front window of Big Planet Comics on Cordell Avenue?

Gone.

After the Colorado shootings, the poster has been removed.  In related Big Planet news, the third issue of Batman Incorporated that had been scheduled to go on sale Wednesday was postponed until August 22.

Artist Chris Burnham said releasing the violent comic now would be "wholly inappropriate."

WOODMONT AVENUE CLOSURE POSTPONED UNTIL AUGUST

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Back in March, developers PN Hoffman and Stonebridge Carras had scheduled the closure of Woodmont Avenue, south of Bethesda Avenue, for mid-June.

Yesterday, it was announced that Woodmont will likely remain open to traffic until an unspecified date in early August.  This is mildly good news for patrons of shops and restaurants at Bethesda Row, as the closure is expected to only further snarl traffic in the area.  It could be good timing, if they hold off the closure until students return to college in August.  That would reduce at least a small amount of the high summer traffic volume.

What's the closure all about?  Well, in addition to The Darcy condos being constructed on former Lot 31, The Flats is going to be built across Woodmont on former Lot 31-A.

With over 160 apartments, The Flats - well - ain't gonna be flat enough to fit the current layout.  And excavation needs to be done for the massive, 940-space public parking garage that will be under there, too.  So Woodmont Avenue is going to slightly shift from its historic course, and the famous Barnes and Noble intersection is not going to be the same anymore, either.  Take pictures of it now, while it's still there, folks!

These delays come in bunches with this project, so I will be shocked, shocked if there is another postponement in August.

Happy driving.

BAGEL CITY

REPRIEVE?

ROCKVILLE WALMART

DELAYED UNTIL 2014?

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

There is a potentially shocking development regarding the proposed Walmart on Rockville Pike.

Stephanie Kavadoy of Bagel City - which would be forced to move if the Walmart goes forward - posted the following statement on Rockville Patch yesterday:

"The Walmart project is on hold right now...JBG is looking to renew all of the leases...at the Pike Shopping Center. Bagel City, David's, Cici's, the Office Depot, Goodyear and Catherine's will all remain at the Pike Shopping Center at least until 2014. JBG is also exercising options to plan other projects since so many people object to have (sic) a Walmart on Rockville Pike."

Wow. If this is true, what happened? The county council's "big box" bill failed to gain traction once business leaders heard about it. Council President Roger Berliner wrote an unprecedented letter asking for the project to be stopped.

I have not heard any local media outlet report that the Rockville Walmart proposal had been delayed. So this is certainly breaking news - if true.

Personally, I am in favor of Walmart coming to Rockville and Aspen Hill. The major reason is that I am a Walmart shopper, and currently have to drive up to Germantown (having said that, I do love the Milestone Shopping Center!). Also, Walmarts in both of these locations will help preserve the suburban nature of their respective areas. Rockville and Aspen Hill are not urban areas, despite developers' plans to urbanize them.

There is one simple reason both Walmarts would have traffic issues: the Rockville Freeway was never built. Building this long-delayed road would easily provide the necessary capacity, as both stores are sited about one-and-a-half blocks from planned interchanges of the Rockville Freeway at 355 and Connecticut Avenue.