Montgomery Pearl development back on in downtown Bethesda

The Montgomery Pearl project is back on in downtown Bethesda. A proposed redevelopment of several adjoining properties on Montgomery Avenue and Pearl Street, it was previously floated around 2018. Promark Development, LLC, has now revived the project. Comprised of 4540, 4424, 4400, 4340 and 4338 Montgomery Avenue, and 7300 Pearl Street, the new development would include residential buildings with ground floor retail. A "health and wellness club" would also be part of the project.

Promark has also proposed to create a connection between the Capital Crescent Trail and the public space in the new development, and to convert the portion of Pearl Street adjacent to the site into a shared street for pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles. A four-level underground parking garage would serve residential, retail, and health club uses. The maximum building height of 145' would step down at the rear of the property, where it approaches the Purple Line and East Bethesda residential neighborhood.

Images courtesy Promark Development

Frankie's on the Park pop-up open for 2 more days only at Bethesda Row

Frankie's on the Park has opened a pop-up shop at 4808 Bethesda Avenue at Bethesda Row. But hurry, because tomorrow, October 13, 2025 is apparently the last day. So you have 48 hours to join the "not-so-secret style sisterhood." Frankie's touts the "ultimate boutique shopping experience" for women and girls of all ages. Operating hours today will be 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Monday, which is the Columbus Day holiday. You can check out the full Frankie's product line on their website.

Warby Parker opening next week at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda (Photos)

Warby Parker is aiming to open this coming Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, according to Google. The eyewear boutique looks just about ready inside, except for the empty shelves still awaiting glasses. This is Warby Parker's second Bethesda location. A Bethesda Row store has been in business since May 2017. Here's a sneak peek inside the Montgomery Mall store:

Assault in downtown Bethesda

Montgomery County police were called to investigate a 2nd-degree assault in downtown Bethesda late yesterday afternoon, October 10, 2025. The assault was reported in the 7700 block of Woodmont Avenue at 5:04 PM Friday. 

Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings holding soft opening at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The restaurant is currently operating under special soft opening hours. It is open 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM seven days a week. Look for Nan Xiang right by the main outdoor entrance to the Dining Terrace food court on Level 2 of the mall.

Armed robbery at Bethesda restaurant

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery at a restaurant in Bethesda Wednesday night, October 8, 2025. The robbery was reported at a restaurant in the 8100 block of Woodmont Avenue at 10:30 PM Wednesday. A firearm was the weapon utilized in the robbery. This is at least the third downtown Bethesda restaurant to be held up since September 23.

Auto parts theft spree in Edgemoor neighborhood of Bethesda

One or more auto thieves went on a theft spree in the Edgemoor neighborhood of Bethesda over the night between October 6 and October 7, 2025. Auto parts were stolen from vehicles parked in the 6600 block of Fairfax Road, the 6700 block of Fairfax Road, and the 7100 block Exfair Road. Montgomery County police have not made a public statement about this theft spree yet. Typically, these thieves are seeking airbags and catalytic converters.

Coach reopening Friday at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The Coach store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda is expected to reopen tomorrow, October 10, 2025. That's very appropriate, as Friday is also National Handbag Day, for those who celebrate. Many handbags from Coach's fall collection will be in stock, as will large Kisslock bags. The store had to close briefly this week to complete renovations on the space. 

Robbery at Domino's Pizza in Bethesda

Montgomery County police are searching for two suspects who held up the Domino's Pizza store at 4817 St. Elmo Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The robbery took place on September 23, 2025 at 10:41 PM. Coincidentally - or not, Papa John's in downtown Bethesda was robbed eight days later.

Police describe the Domino's robbery suspects only as two Black males, and have not released any surveillance camera images of them as of this writing. The two alleged robbers escaped with cash from the store. If you have any information about the suspects or this incident, call police at (301) 279-8000.

ATM installed at new Citibank branch in Bethesda

Workers installed the ATM machine outside of the future Citibank branch at 4760 Bethesda Avenue yesterday. The bank is filling the space that was vacated by Paul Bakery several years ago in the ground floor of the Flats at Bethesda Avenue apartments. Citibank is the new Chase and TD Bank, two other banking giants who made aggressive moves into Bethesda over the last decade. Their other new branch will be at 8101 Wisconsin Avenue, only a few blocks away from this one. Sound familiar?

By the way, did you know BlackRock now owns the Flats at Bethesda? They acquired it back in 2018. So the next time someone tells you it's only a conspiracy theory that BlackRock has been buying up a large percentage of housing across America, and are thereby helping to drive up prices...yep, they are just gaslighting you.

Heven AeroTech chooses Virginia over Maryland for new corporate HQ

Montgomery County and Maryland have failed yet again to win another corporate headquarters competition. The winner in the contest is a familiar one: Northern Virginia. Heven AeroTech is moving its U.S. headquarters from Miami to Sterling, Virginia. The firm specializes in the design, manufacture, and deployment hydrogen-powered, runway-independent drones around the world. Needless to say, this is a booming field, as drones are the future of warfare, and are also being utilized in a growing number of non-military sectors of the economy.

A quick look at the map shows once again the critical importance of having direct access to Dulles International Airport for economic development. Heven AeroTech's new HQ address, 45240 Business Court, is 4 minutes from the airport. It's also right adjacent to VA 28, in which the state has invested greatly to bring it up to interstate highway standards, by constructing numerous interchanges. That's the same VA 28 that Montgomery County and Maryland could have made a direct highway connection to via a new Potomac River crossing many years ago, but have defiantly chosen not to.

The results continue to speak for themselves. We are falling further and further behind in the game, at an accelerating pace. According to Business Facilities magazine, in Fairfax County alone, 75 of that county's 125 aerospace firms have moved or expanded there in just the last three years. Montgomery County hasn't attracted a single major new corporate headquarters - of any type - in over 25 years. 

Our "leaders" have made the deliberate decision to not give ourselves the Dulles advantage, and to continue to follow a tax-and-spend blueprint that is not only not competitive with rival jurisdictions, but now represents the greatest tax and fee burden in the entire region. Heckuva job, Brownie!

Assault at hotel in Bethesda

Montgomery County police were called to a hotel in downtown Bethesda late Friday afternoon, October 3, 2025, after someone reported having been the victim of a 2nd-degree assault there. The assault was reported at a hotel in the 8100 block of Wisconsin Avenue at 5:45 PM Friday. There are two hotels on that block of Wisconsin: The Bethesdan Hotel, and the American Inn.