Tobacco Hub opens in downtown Bethesda

The great smoke shop swap has taken place at 7814 Old Georgetown Road. Gone is Funky Piece. In its place is Tobacco Hub, now celebrating its grand opening. The shop advertises cigars, vaping, kratom and CBD products as its specialties. Look for Tobacco Hub between Aden Pizzeria and Banana Leaves Asian Cafe.

Police respond to shoplifting incident at Tobacco & More Mart in Bethesda (Photos)

Two Montgomery County police cruisers pulled up in front of Tobacco & More Mart at 7809 Old Georgetown Road in downtown Bethesda Monday night, October 30, 2023, around 9:22 PM. It turns out there was a shoplifting incident at the convenience store, which opened earlier this year. Thefts of merchandise and burglaries at businesses have been a significant part of the current crime wave in Montgomery County, and smoke shops have been among those targeted. Smoke Island, located a few blocks away in the Woodmont Triangle, was broken into in August. Those burglars were caught by police a short time later.

Two arrested in burglary of Smoke Island in Bethesda

Nathan Stewart

Montgomery County police have arrested two suspects in the August 21, 2023 break-in at Smoke Island, a tobacco store 7913 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda. Detectives allege the pair forced entry into the shop around 3:50 AM that morning, stole property, and fled on foot. A witness provided a description of the two men to police, who were able to locate them nearby. They allegedly possessed items linking them to the burglary.

Donald Pevia III

Nathan Stewart and Donald Pevia III of Baltimore, both aged 20, have been charged with 2nd-degree burglary. Stewart is being held without bond; Pevia was released on a $3000 unsecured personal bond.

Tobacco & More Mart opening in downtown Bethesda (Photos)

It turns out the new store opening at 7809 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda is going to offer a lot more than CBD products, as shelves and displays begin being stocked. Tobacco & More Mart will sell tobacco and CBD products, and...more. "More" includes chips, bottled water, snacks and candy. And incense sticks and smoke odor "exterminator candles." So it will be a hybrid of smoke shop and convenience store.

W. Curtis Draper becomes Capitol Cigar & Tobacco in Bethesda

W. Curtis Draper Tobacconist at  4916 Del Ray Avenue in Bethesda is under new ownership. Renovations are underway to update the store, which will now be called Capitol Cigar & Tobacco. A veteran manager from Signature Cigars on Cordell Avenue has come aboard here. The downtown tobacco market continues to thrive, with the arrival of Capitol Cigar and Smoke Island.

Smoke Island opens in Bethesda (Photos)

Bethesdans can finally set sail for Smoke Island. The local tobacco store chain's newest location is at 7913 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda's Woodmont Triangle neighborhood. As you can see, the shelves are fully stocked with cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, pipe tobacco, e-cigarettes and liquids, vaporizers, hookah equipment and accessories, flavored wraps, and rolling papers. Smoke Island has existing locations in Wheaton, Silver Spring, Rockville and Tenleytown.

Signage installed at Smoke Island in Bethesda (Photos)

The sign is up at Smoke Island at 7913 Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Inside, clear shelving is being installed in a space that until recently was a dry cleaners. Smoke Island will carry cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, pipe tobacco, e-cigarettes and liquids, vaporizers, hookah equipment and accessories, flavored wraps, and rolling papers. The retail chain has existing locations in Wheaton, Silver Spring, Rockville and Tenleytown.

Smoke Island opening Bethesda location

Smoke Island is expanding to Bethesda. The local, family-owned tobacco shop chain has leased the former dry cleaners at 7913 Norfolk Avenue, next to Olazzo. It has existing locations in Wheaton, Silver Spring, Rockville and Tenleytown. Smoke Island will carry cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, pipe tobacco, e-cigarettes and liquids, vaporizers, hookah equipment and accessories, flavored wraps, and rolling papers.

7-ELEVEN SEIZES OPPORTUNITY AS CVS ENDS TOBACCO SALES IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

CVS Pharmacy's announcement that it was ending sales of tobacco products in its stores yesterday sent Bethesda smokers who frequent its area stores to convenience and grocery store competitors. 7-Eleven has posted a sign with warm-welcome vibes for smokers at its River Road store.

7-Eleven welcomes
smokers on River Road
in Bethesda

Obviously, if you're the CEO of 7-Eleven, you're probably an even bigger fan of CVS than you were already just days ago. I regularly shop at several Bethesda CVS stores, and there were always people coming in to buy cigarettes. I've noticed those customers often are there just for the cigarette purchase, meaning they are unlikely to enter the store otherwise. While CVS continues to have all of its other convenience products, and should remain profitable, there's little question its profits will decline in the short term without cigarette sales. As a non-smoker, the change at CVS has no effect on me.

By the way, if you're not a smoker either, there's still a 50¢ small coffee special at 7-Eleven right now, through September 14. The signs are up at River Road and the downtown Bethesda location (at Wisconsin and Fairmont Avenues). Why 50¢? Did you know that 7-Eleven was the first to sell "on-the-go" coffee in America? It launched self-service coffee sales in 1964 on Long Island.

A smoker and a java fiend? It sounds like it's time to celebrate at 7-Eleven.