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.

The Goldsmiths to close at Bethesda Place

The owner of The Goldsmiths in Bethesda is retiring, and the jewelry design and sales boutique is holding a retirement sale. Located at 7700-N Wisconsin Avenue in the Bethesda Place apartments, The Goldsmiths has been a "dealer in dreams" for over 50 years, and in Bethesda since 1977. The boutique has offered custom jewelry design services, as well as redesigning of estate jewelry pieces. Prices on inventory are 40-60%-off. Please note that the business will be closed from today through January 1, 2026, and will reopen on Friday, January 2.

Burglary at Westland Middle School in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a burglary at Westland Middle School in Bethesda late Monday morning, December 22, 2025. The burglary was reported at the school, which is located at 5511 Massachusetts Avenue, at 11:48 AM Monday. Officers arriving at the scene found evidence of forced entry at the school. The timing is quite odd, as the Christmas break for Montgomery County Public Schools did not begin until yesterday.

PopUp Bagels "coming soon" to Bethesda (Photos)

PopUp Bagels, has posted coming-soon signage across its future storefront in the ground floor of the Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown apartment tower at 7607 Old Georgetown Road in downtown Bethesda. The upstart New York bagel chain has made its social media virality central to its branding and marketing. Construction is now getting underway on the shop, a refreshing change from the many banks typically opening around town in recent times. Hot and fresh bagels with a rotating selection of schmears - and a required minimum order - are the focus at PopUp Bagels, not bagel sandwiches, nor non-bagel menu items.

Colonial Opticians fire in Bethesda under investigation by private firm

NEFCO, a top private investigation firm, has been hired to investigate the recent fire at Colonial Opticians at 4942 St. Elmo Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The fire, which Montgomery County fire officials said was likely caused by a power strip in the store's laboratory area, resulted in the permanent closure of the business. NEFCO uses high-tech methods to determine the cause of fires, and has its own labs for forensic examination of evidence. The building that houses the store is expected to be demolished in the near future to make way for a new apartment tower.

NEFCO is typically brought in to determine the cause of a fire, identify or rule out arson, and identify the responsible parties to recover losses for insurers. The company has never failed a Daubert challenge, a legal motion in U.S. courts made with the aim of excluding unreliable or irrelevant expert witness testimony, based on the Supreme Court case Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals (1993). Judges use the Daubert standard to assess if expert testimony is based on sound scientific methodology, and relevant to the case, in an effort to ensure a jury only receives credible evidence from "expert" testimony.