Austrian life sciences firm chooses Virginia over Maryland for U.S. headquarters

Austrian life sciences firm Ringana has made the United States the target of its next international expansion push, but first it needed a U.S. corporate headquarters to operate from. It has found the perfect location, and you won't be surprised to hear it is not in Montgomery County, or even within the state of Maryland. You also won't be surprised to learn that Virginia is once again the winner in this latest corporate HQ sweepstakes. That's right: 435 jobs are on the way from the Österreich to 2797 Frontage Road NW in Roanoke, Virginia. The former Johnson & Johnson site will not only house corporate offices, but also a manufacturing facility and a distribution center.

The deal was apparently secured when Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger invited Ringana corporate leadership to meet with her personally this past February. In contrast, Maryland Governor Wes Moore has failed to turn his supposedly-massive Rolodex of Wall Street, Hamptons, and Martha's Vineyard business contacts into a single major corporate headquarters win. After an awkward few months dominated by divisive partisan politics, Spanberger seems to have found the blueprint left behind by her Democratic predecessors, who have typically been as successful in attracting corporate headquarters as their Republican counterparts.

“RINGANA’s decision to establish its first U.S. facility in Virginia underscores the Commonwealth’s reputation as a welcoming, premier destination for international investment,” Spanberger said in a statement. “With our world-class workforce, strong apprenticeship and career training programs, and unwavering commitment to supporting global companies in a global marketplace, Virginia offers the ideal environment for businesses to grow and succeed in the United States. We are excited to welcome RINGANA to Roanoke and look forward to the hundreds of career opportunities this partnership will create for Virginians.”

We should take note of the site chosen by Ringana. Look how close it is to Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport, which has connecting flights to Dulles International Airport. Also nearby is Interstate 81, a major freight trucking route connecting Tennessee and Canada. Once again, Virginia tax advantages join with infrastructure to hand Maryland and Montgomery County yet another economic development loss. MoCo and Maryland elected officials will tell you with clownish pride that "we don't do highways," and that they will never allow construction of the long-delayed new Potomac River crossing to the Dulles area.

Now before we get too carried away, I don't want to overhype Ringana. We should be focused on major corporations, especially on aerospace, biotech, defense, and technology firms. Ringana is not a Fortune 500 company. But it has enjoyed $245 million in annual revenue, and 30% year-over-year revenue growth. It will be investing $85 million in Virginia and its people and communities. The Roanoke Regional Partnership is already working to connect local businesses that can provide services to Ringana with the company's leadership.

Beggars can't be choosers. Montgomery County and Maryland once again are left holding their nearly-empty begging cups.

The Velvet Room opening June 17 in Bethesda

The Velvet Room will open at 8020 Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda this Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Reservations for an opening week table at the speakeasy are now being accepted online. You can also view the cocktail menu for opening night, which includes many drinks with hyperlocal names. Operating hours will be 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM Tuesday through Thursday, 4:00 PM to midnight Friday through Sunday, and closed on Mondays.

Miniso returning to Montgomery Mall for cage match with Pop Mart

Miniso operated a store at Westfield Montgomery Mall from 2021 to 2025. But the company appears to have realized it might have made a hasty decision to exit, now that Pop Mart is preparing to open a store at the Bethesda mall. And it looks like they're reclaiming their old haunt on Level 1 near Macy's. Of course, Miniso sells a much wider variety of products than toy retailer Pop Mart, such as kitchenware, home goods, and health and fitness items. But a significant portion of its Japanese-inspired (don't tell Chairman Xi!) Chinese merchandise is dedicated to blind bag and oversized plush toys, making this a high-stakes faceoff for the toy collector's dollar at Montgomery Mall.

Sleep Number closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Sleep Number has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The showroom has been cleared out. However, it's not the end for the famous adjustable bed retailer in the immediate area. The company says the store has relocated to Rockville, in the Montrose Crossing shopping center. This is unexpectedly good news for fans of the Sleep Number Bed, as the brand is in significant financial difficulty, and has said a bankruptcy filing is not out of the question.

Assault at Montgomery Mall

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda Wednesday night, June 10, 2026. The assault was reported at the mall at 9:14 PM Wednesday. This is the fourth known assault to take place at the popular retail center so far this year. A total of twelve assaults were reported at the mall last year, so they are currently on a pace to improve on those numbers.

Armand's Pizzeria latest victim of the moribund Montgomery County economy

Armand's Pizzeria and Grille is closing at 190 Halpine Road in Rockville. After over 51 years in business, the restaurant's co-owners announced on Instagram that they will permanently shut their doors after the close of business on June 20, 2026. This is your last chance to get a slice of Armand's pizza. But it's also another chance to see what the anti-business policies of the Montgomery County Council, and the resulting moribund Montgomery County economy, have wreaked on our business community and underfilled County revenue coffers.

WTOP reporter Luke Lukert wrote that "due to financial reasons and a struggling environment for small businesses, they will have to shut their doors." Lukert interviewed Armand's co-owner Chris Sappe, who told him,"Montgomery County is a tough place to have a family-owned business with minimum wage increasing." Along with recent hikes in ingredient and fuel costs, Sappe said, they had to make the difficult decision to close.

Let's again spin one of the greatest hits recorded by Peter Gragnano of the Suburban Washington Franchise Owners Association, when he and many other business owners and advocates pleaded with the Council not to move forward with their massive minimum wage hike in June of 2016. "That's a lot of extra Slurpees to sell," Gragnano said in the quote of the night. Did the Council heed these warnings? Nope.

Remember the Council's brilliant idea to index the minimum wage to inflation beginning in 2021? Yep, that one hasn't aged well, either. One businessman warned the Council that if inflation spiked as it did in the late 1970s and early 1980s, "there won't be a way to wash a dish in a restaurant." This is the man you should now be asking to generate your lottery numbers! Inflation spike? In America? The County Council clearly does not share that businessman's Kenny Kingston-esque foresight.

Another one of the brilliant minds in the business realm of Maryland is Maddy Voytek, who in 2016 was working at the Maryland Retailers Association. She noted that Montgomery County had already lost 2141 retail jobs between 2000 and 2016. Voytek told the Council that adoption of the $15 wage would "devastate our economy."

What we've seen most recently, as all of these dire predictions came true, are more closings of older businesses. Community institutions. Businesses like Armand's or Flanagan's in Bethesda. Businesses that have survived wars, recessions, and the 2008 "Great Recession," only to be felled now by the incompetents on our County Council. Something is rotten in the County of Montgomery. Have the smelling salts reached your nostrils yet?

Bradley Liberty gas station to reopen Friday in Bethesda

The Bradley Liberty gas station at 5001 Bradley Boulevard at the Bradley Shopping Center in downtown Bethesda will reopen tomorrow, Friday, June 12, 2026. It has been temporarily closed for major renovations. However, construction fencing has finally been taken down at the family-owned service station. Just in time for summer travel!

Assault at Westbard Giant in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at the Giant grocery store at 5320 Zenith Overlook at Westbard Square Monday afternoon, June 8, 2026. The assault was reported at the store at 4:50 PM Monday. This is the third known assault to take place at the supermarket this year, with the first two taking place in January.

Virtual meeting on Cheltenham Bikeway in Bethesda tonight at 6:30 PM

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation will host a virtual public meeting regarding the proposed Cheltenham Drive Bikeway project in downtown Bethesda tonight, June 10, 2026, at 6:30 PM. MCDOT will present the project design, estimated cost, and timeline. The agency will also provide an opportunity for public testimony and questions. In its meeting announcement, MCDOT stresses that the final project design can still be altered based upon the feedback it receives from the public tonight. 

Residents and other stakeholders who cannot participate tonight may still submit written testimony by this Friday, June 12. Written testimony will be given the same weight as oral testimony. To find out how to join tonight's meeting, or to submit written comments, visit the meeting announcement website online.

On second thought...Woodmont Avenue closure postponed in Bethesda

A potentially devastating street closure near Bethesda Row has been postponed. Cryptic signs referring to an unidentified segment of Woodmont Avenue closing appeared last week. Eventually, the segment was identified as being located between Strathmore Street and Wisconsin Avenue, and it was to remain closed from June 8 through August 31, 2026. Now the electronic sign boards are advising "Work Delayed" and "Road Open."

2 the 9s to reopen July 15 at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

2 the 9s has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. However, the owner says the fashion boutique is changing hands, and is being remodeled by the new owner. The shop will reopen July 15 "with a fresh look." 2 the 9s opened here on Level 2 of the mall in the spring of 2023.

Montgomery County Republican Club endorses Ed Hale for Maryland governor

Baltimore businessman Ed Hale has received the endorsement of the Montgomery County Republican Club in the GOP primary race for Maryland governor. The club was founded in 1970, and counts former Governor Bob Ehrlich among its Advisory Board members. This morning, the club's Board of Directors announced its endorsements in County and State contests, headlined by its backing of Hale for governor. 

"At the top of the ticket, the Club has thrown its support behind Ed Hale for Governor of Maryland," the Board said in a statement this morning. "A businessman and entrepreneur, Hale has built his campaign around lowering the state’s tax burden, reducing regulatory obstacles to commerce, and restoring an economic climate in which job creators can thrive. The Club presents Hale’s real-world experience as a decisive credential for Maryland’s executive office."

The Board's argument in favor of Hale centers on his business resume, which includes having been a major employer and catalyst for growth at the Port of Baltimore. He served as president of the Bank of Baltimore, and was the founder of 1st Mariner Bank, credentials that Hale has pointed to as evidence he is well-positioned to tackle the state's mounting fiscal crisis. Hale was also the successful developer of Canton Crossing, which transformed a severely-contaminated oil refinery site in Baltimore into a vibrant mixed-use development.

"Honored and grateful to receive the official endorsement of the Montgomery County Republican Club!" Hale wrote on social media this morning. "Maryland is ready for a leader with real-world business experience who knows what it takes to lower the tax burden, cut through regulatory red tape, and restore a thriving economic climate where job creators and families can truly flourish. Thank you to the Club and all of its members for throwing your support behind our mission to bring decisive leadership to Annapolis. Together, we are going to build a stronger, more prosperous Maryland!"