GEICO moves into The Wilson in Bethesda (Photos)

Montgomery County hasn't attracted a single new major corporate headquarters in over 25 years, but there's a new corporate logo on the downtown Bethesda skyline. As usual, it is a rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic situation, with GEICO moving "up the Pike" from Friendship Heights to The Wilson, the Class A office tower at 7272 Wisconsin Avenue. It's great news for the property's landlord, but not so much for County revenue, as the insurance firm has downsized considerably from a campus of its own to a mere office.

Adding to the revenue hit is the moribund Montgomery County economy, amid which there is zippo demand for office space. No major corporations want to move here, so rather than welcome a giant new corporate tenant to the GEICO campus site at 5260 Western Avenue, the property will be redeveloped as all-residential. Developer EYA has proposed constructing 520 units in the form of apartments, condominiums, and townhomes. The Bethesda-based firm has extensive experience in constructing exactly this type of development on large sites throughout the Washington, D.C. region. 

Again, good news for wealthy people who want to live at the Friendship Heights Metro station. Not so good news for County revenue coffers, as we've seen that new housing generates more costs in services and infrastructure than it does in tax revenue. Ergo our structural County budget deficit, which was created and has persisted amid massive residential housing development countywide this century.

Montgomery County elected officials have known for years that GEICO would be vacating this prime property. Yet, even with a massive head start and time to develop a strategy, they were incapable of luring a domestic or international firm to the site. We have a County Council that cannot hit major league pitching when it comes to economic development, trying to compete with very smart leaders across the Potomac. Even now that Virginia has elected a Marxist governor, our own Marxist County Council is too wedded to their Communist ideals to take advantage of the four year break. Instead, MoCo continues to spin its wheels, while solidifying its collapse into a mere bedroom community for the booming job centers elsewhere in our region. Heckuva job, Brownie!

Copper wire stolen from construction site in North Bethesda

Montgomery County police are investigating the theft of copper wire from a construction site in North Bethesda that was reported yesterday, March 23, 2026. The theft was reported at the Strathmore View townhome construction site on Academy Park Drive at 6:00 AM Monday. Police believe the valuable copper material was stolen sometime over the weekend. It was removed from several individual townhomes under construction at the development.

Six Ways to Sunday aiming for April opening in Bethesda (Photos)

Almost two years after announcing its plans to open, Six Ways to Sunday is now hoping to debut next month at 8003 Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The Sino-Siamese gastropub leased the space back in May of 2024, and had planned to open that summer. Diners may find the wait to have been worth it, as the owners of the restaurant say they are aiming "to redefine the gastronomic landscape of the capital city."

Chefs Lekki Limvatana and Satang Ruangsangwatana bring a wealth of hospitality experience in the D.C area to their latest enterprise. They have collaborated on a Southeast Asian food truck in Kensington, and operated Thai Supperclub in Washington, D.C. Bar Chinois in Mount Vernon and SURA at Dupont Circle have both benefitted from their roles as consultants and skilled chefs. Six Ways to Sunday will be their next venue to showcase their fusion of Chinese and Thai cuisine.

Coffee Republic opens in Bethesda (Photos)

Coffee Republic opened yesterday, March 22, 2026, at 7629 Old Georgetown Road in the Bethesda Place apartments. Grand opening customers enjoyed giveaways, and a day of springlike weather. The bad news is that temperatures will plunge overnight to 33 degrees by sunrise Tuesday morning. The good news is that you can still get one free cup of hot drip coffee today, March 23, only at Coffee Republic.

Signage installed at Johnnie-O at Bethesda Row

The sign is up at Johnnie-O, opening this spring at 7243 Woodmont Avenue at Bethesda Row. Construction seems to be proceeding quickly toward that end, as it was only about 10 days earlier that coming-soon signage was posted in the storefront windows. The trend of California-inspired businesses popping up at the Row in recent years continues with Johnnie-O, which property owner Federal Realty describes as "a Southern California lifestyle brand for men, women and boys that combines 'East Coast preppy' with 'West Coast dude' to a create a lifestyle brand referred to as West Coast preppy." 

Credit cards stolen from vehicle in Mohican Hills in Bethesda

Thieves are afoot again in the Massachusetts Avenue corridor of Bethesda. Credit cards were taken from inside a vehicle parked in the 5600 block of Mohican Road in Mohican Hills on Friday, March 20, 2026. The thief later attempted to use at least one card. Remember to lock your vehicle and remove all valuables from the interior, and do not leave your car keys in the glove compartment or the ignition(!!). 

Robbery at knifepoint in Bethesda

Montgomery County police were called after someone was robbed at knifepoint in Bethesda in broad daylight on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The robbery was reported in a commercial parking lot in the 10200 block of Old Georgetown Road at 2:44 PM Wednesday. That is the Wildwood Shopping Center. The incident continues the shocking recent trend of violent crime during daytime hours.

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 March 19, 2026. The assault was reported at the mall at 5:00 PM Thursday. This is the third assault reported at the mall this year, with the first having taken place on January 10, and the second on January 26. The mall is now on-pace for 12 assaults this year at this rate, the same number that took place at the property in 2025.

Bethesda Coffee Republic opening Sunday, March 22

Coffee Republic will open at 7629 Old Georgetown Road in the Bethesda Place apartments this Sunday, March 22, 2026 at 7:00 AM. The first 100 customers in line will receive a free drink of their choice, and the first 300 will get a swag bag. Every customer Sunday and Monday will enjoy one free hot-drip coffee all day long, if they download the Coffee Republic app. According to a new sign in the window, the coffee shop's menu includes all-day breakfast. Outdoor patio seating is in place; all that's needed is for the weather to cooperate.

Assault at bus stop in Bethesda

Montgomery County police were called after someone was assaulted at a bus stop in the Westbard area of Bethesda Tuesday morning, March 17, 2026. The assault was reported at 7:30 AM in the 5500 block of Massachusetts Avenue, a shocking turn of events in broad daylight in a quiet residential area, continuing a recent trend of violent crimes being brazenly committed during daylight hours. It took place at a bus stop near Little Falls Library, Westland Middle School, Little Flower School, and Pilgrim Lutheran Church. What is happening to our community?

Assault at Bethesda Row

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Bethesda Row Tuesday night, March 17, 2026. The assault was reported at 10:36 PM Tuesday. It took place on Bethesda Lane, a pedestrian-only street lined with shops and restaurants. 

Prato Italian restaurant to replace Matchbox at Bethesda Row

Prato, an Italian restaurant concept with one existing Florida location, is gearing up to expand across the country. The first place parent company Park Lights Hospitality looked to was Maryland, where Prato will replace Matchbox at 7278 Woodmont Avenue at Bethesda Row this fall, property owner Federal Realty announced in a press release on Tuesday. Nashville will follow next year. Despite the disparate markets, Park Lights will try to import the interior design elements that worked in Winter Park - "rich textures, brick, and warm wood - highlighted by that thoughtful, perfect lighting," to Bethesda and Music City.

The press announcement focused more on the hospitality, "energy," and welcoming atmosphere of the restaurant than the menu. But with Prato having achieved Michelin-recognized status in the Sunshine State, the cuisine is unlikely to be a mere afterthought. For now, they're promising dishes from multiple regions of Italy, a fusion of "Italian classics with modern techniques and seasonal ingredients."

"We’re a very busy restaurant, and that long-term success has allowed us to explore expansion opportunities in multiple markets," Park Lights CEO Scott Bowman said in a statement Tuesday. "We couldn’t think of a better or more vibrant community than Bethesda to open our second Prato." While the prominent corner Prato has leased has been home to three different restaurants over the years, each one has lasted long enough to be considered successful by the standards of the volatile dining industry, in a town where some eateries have shuttered after only a few months in recent years. Montgomery County elected officials are much more hostile to business than those in Florida, and MoCo's high taxes and wages and government monopoly on liquor sales mean thinner profit margins, so Prato will have to bring its A-game to Bethesda Row this fall.

Top photos courtesy Prato; bottom photo by Robert Dyer