Monday, April 13, 2026

Padel Social applies for liquor license in Bethesda


Padel Social
has applied for a liquor license from Montgomery County. The padel sports, training and event facility is expected to open before summer at 5455 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda. Capitalizing on one of the world's fastest-growing sports, Padel Social enjoyed a successful initial run on the other side of Westbard Avenue at Westbard Square. Their liquor license hearing is scheduled for May 7, 2026 at 12:00 PM.

Sunday, April 12, 2026

Parking-less apartment building rebranded as The Dax in Bethesda


The Cheltenham apartments, now under construction at 4725 Cheltenham Drive in downtown Bethesda, have been rebranded as The Dax. Remarkable for containing no surface or construction parking, the building is anticipated by the developer and Montgomery County planning authorities to attract tenants who will either be car-free, or will park in the County public parking garage across the street. About 90' tall, the building will contain 100 units - 17 of which will be Moderately-Priced Dwelling Units - and no retail. The project received an $8 million subordinated loan from the Montgomery County Government Green Bank. 


A crew completed a scheduled disassembly of the tower crane at the site last week, as you can see in these photos. The Dax replaces the Midas auto repair facility on this property next to a CVS Pharmacy. Community Three is the developer, Eric Colbert & Associates is the architecture firm, and the lead construction contractor is Eichberg Construction. A Q4 2026 delivery is anticipated.






Saturday, April 11, 2026

Mayflower Chinese Food closing in Bethesda


Mayflower Chinese Food
at 7925 Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda will close by the end of the month. The owner says the restaurant's lease is up, and a renewal agreement could not be reached with the landlord. However, he is hopeful to find a new location nearby where it can reopen. Fans of the restaurant would be wise to drop by soon for a meal.



Friday, April 10, 2026

Sugared + Bronzed opening in Bethesda


Sugared + Bronzed
is coming soon to 4939 Elm Street, in the Shoppes of Bethesda. The hair removal and spray tan salon will fill the space vacated by Chip City. What started in a Santa Monica apartment in 2010 has grown into a nationwide chain with celebrity endorsers and over 40 locations. 

"S+B is a one-stop shop to prepare for any vacation, wedding, red carpet event — or to simply feel like your best self," the company says on its website. "We’re extremely passionate about providing exceptional services in beautiful, upbeat, and welcoming spaces that make your appointment something to look forward to. No matter the occasion, S+B promises that you’ll leave with immaculately smooth skin and a natural faux glow."

Thursday, April 09, 2026

Vandal damages Purple Line construction site in downtown Bethesda


Montgomery County police were called to the Purple Line construction site at Wisconsin Avenue and Elm Street Monday morning, April 6, 2026, after workers discovered a vandal had carried out an attack at the site. Police say the suspect poured a container of oil into a shaft at the site, causing unspecified damage. Detectives believe the incident took place sometime between 12:00 PM on Sunday, and 4:00 AM on Monday. They have not released a description of the suspect.

Copper thieves strike again in North Bethesda


Copper thieves continue to mine a rich vein of the valuable metal at a townhome construction site near the Holy Cross School along Strathmore Avenue. Workers called Montgomery County police yesterday morning to report the latest theft. Police say the copper thieves removed copper pipes from multiple townhomes under construction at the site on Dulcet Drive and Academy Park Drive. It is believed that the theft took place between 4:00 PM on April 7, 2026 and 8:30 AM on April 8.

Wednesday, April 08, 2026

Sense of Thai applies for liquor license in Bethesda


Sense of Thai
, opening soon at 5314 Zenith Overlook at Westbard Square in Bethesda, has applied for a liquor license from Montgomery County. A hearing on the application has been scheduled for May 7, 2026 at 10:00 AM, which means the Thai restaurant is unlikely to open before then. Signature Southern Thai dishes will include Chumphon Pad Thai, Crispy Whole Fish, Seafood Volcano, and Chili Soft-Shell Crab.



Pop Mart opening store at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda


Pop Mart
will soon be opening a full-blown store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The Chinese toymaker first entered the property with a vending machine in February of last year. Pop Mart is most famous for its Labubu dolls. That has become a double-edged sword for the company recently. Revenue remains strong, but the stock price has suffered drops as investors fret that Pop Mart doesn't have a second act if the Labubu fad wanes.

Tuesday, April 07, 2026

Maryland Governor candidate Ed Hale puts skyrocketing electric bills in spotlight

Maryland gubernatorial candidate Ed Hale speaks with
supporters about their high electricity bills in Baltimore 

Baltimore businessman Ed Hale, a Republican candidate for governor of Maryland, used the backdrop of Geresbeck's Food Market at the Hawthorne Plaza shopping center in Charm City today to demonstrate the devastating impact of the state's skyrocketing energy bills on businesses and residents. During a press conference, he noted the grocery store's electric bill had nearly doubled in only the last 30 days. Its latest monthly electric bill? A whopping $57,000.

"I don't know how you survive this," Hale said of the crushing additional cost burden on businesses. Such costs will inevitably be passed on to consumers, adding to the already absurdly high prices that are pummeling Americans from coast to coast. Hale warned that demand for electricity will only increase during the heat of summer, and that will come with enormous cost to every consumer.

Hale showed a second electric bill, this one from his own grandson. His grandson's monthly bill increased from $185.80 to $528.51. "This is a huge, huge, huge issue affecting everybody in our state," Hale said.

Alluding to current Maryland Governor Wes Moore's non-stop national TV appearances, as Moore pursues a presidential campaign, Hale asked why Moore isn't answering questions from his constituents instead of from TV personalities. "Who's in charge here? He's on Meet the Press or Face the Nation, but who's facing Marylanders, you know? Where is he? And he's just not here. He's running for president of the United States."

"People are moving out of the state," Hale continued. "Businesses are moving out of the state. And we're going to have fewer people retiring in our state." He again cited a recent poll that found that over 60% of Marylanders are either in the process of leaving the state, or are seriously considering such a move.

"We just can't stand this," Hale said. "We need to replace this man as fast as possible." Arguing that Moore sees the state as a mere stepping stone for his national and world power aspirations, Hale drew a comparison with his own campaign's political goals. "Maryland is not a stepping stone for us. Maryland is where we all live, and we can't stand to have this anymore."

Moore and Democrats who control the state legislature have recently tried to divert attention away from the policies and laws they passed that are largely responsible for the spike in energy costs. They ordered the closure of eight power plants across the state, mandated expensive purchases of "clean" power, and implemented a literally-Communist EmPOWER Maryland surcharge on electric bills, an extra tax that Moore hiked further last year. Now they are attempting to seize on the astroturf anti-data-center movement, by falsely blaming AI for the financial destruction they themselves have wrought on communities and businesses statewide.

"I'm going to make sure that we reopen the plants that have been closed," Hale vowed. "We need to get this state reopen for jobs."

Signage installed at The Velvet Room speakeasy in Bethesda


The sign is up at The Velvet Room at 8020 Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda. It's another "sign" of work on the speakeasy now proceeding at a much faster pace, after over a year of delays. There is now a website for the establishment, where you can get on their mailing list ahead of the opening. With the demise of Turncoat in the ongoing Friendship Heights crashout at the hands of our bumbling, stumbling Montgomery County Council, The Velvet Room will be the only dedicated speakeasy in Montgomery County.