Monday, December 16, 2019

7-Eleven still crawling toward opening at Montgomery Mall

It's been nearly a year since I first reported 7-Eleven would open a new Bethesda location at Westfield Montgomery Mall, and opening day doesn't seem much closer than it did back then. A peek inside the screens around the convenience store's future spot at the edge of the Dining Terrace finds little sign of any significant construction, aside from a 7-Eleven-esque bit of green paint near the ceiling.

All work done so far is still on the basic shell of the interior, as opposed to counters and shelving. At this point, I'm not expecting this store to open while they still have the Mountain Dew Merry Mash-up Slurpee for the Christmas season.

56 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not seeing how a 7/11 fits in that mall. I guess the WorldStar videos are coming soon. I know they've missed a few opportunities already.

Anonymous said...

The likely reason for the delay can be found in the comments on the article 11 months ago:

"This will be great for buying candy and drinks to smuggle in to ArcLight.

"Unfortunately that will mean that the theater will pressure Westfield to cancel their lease, as happened with the CVS that used to be there."

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why a misanthrope such as Dyer would want to go to a movie theater.

"Who the hell are all these annoying, sick people crowded around me every time I go to the movies?"

-Robert Dyer, February 6, 2018

http://robertdyer.blogspot.com/2018/02/apex-building-obliterated-in-bethesda.html?showComment=1518069029676#c3193134709279867733

Elm said...

MCPS closed... expect many weird "anonymous" comments.

Anonymous said...

Darn it. I'll have to wait even longer for your Slurpee video review.

Anonymous said...

6:17 - starting with your off topic post.

Elm said...

6:59 AM
I'm not Robert Dyer, but thanks for caring. No idea what you're talking about, but if you're printing out web pages for a neighbor, please consider giving them a smartphone or tablet for Christmas. Much easier that way and saves paper.

Anonymous said...

5:48 AM

I wonder if the candy at 7/11 will be any cheaper...

But for real, good point indeed. I'll make use of it for the kids.

Elm said...

Printing out web pages for neighbors must stop, I agree!

Woodmont said...

Looking forward to it

Anonymous said...

Tale as old as time...Dyer's troll thinks every comment is about him. Paranoia is not a good look.

Anna said...

Dyer's troll. Singular. hahahaha.

Elm said...

Looking forward to it Old Sport

Anonymous said...

9:20am Christ, give it a rest.

Anna said...

9:23A - I only post under my name. Why not say the same to "Elm"?

Anonymous said...

9:27 AM Just...stop. You've made your points, ok?

Anna said...

9:28AM - Why not say the same to "Elm"?

Anonymous said...

"[Responding to] 9:27 AM Just...stop. You've made your points, ok?

[posted] 9:28 AM

Anonymous said...

HEY! 5:31 AM You forgot to put your OKAY hand signal in your racist post. Nothing like a little rain to bring out the white snakes in the community.

Anonymous said...

Back on topic, for those not interested in blog wars, there are 7 Elevens at other local malls. So Montgomery Mall isn't the first. Of course, no alcohol sales for the Montgomery Mall edition.

Anonymous said...

The restrictions on sales of alcohol in grocery stores, convenience store chains and gas stations exist throughout the state of Maryland, not just in Montgomery County.

Fortunately, if you absolutely must, must, must buy your malt liquor or bumwine at a 7-11, you can always mosey on down to the 7-11 in Glen Echo, which is less than 2 miles from the Westbard Homestead, versus nearly 6 miles to Montgomery Mall.

Anonymous said...

10:17am grocery stores in northern Virginia have a great selection of wine and beer. It's not 'bum wine'.

It's almost like you have Stockholm Syndrome. You love these outdated laws that most people find ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

Little Helper bleats: "It's almost like you have Stockholm Syndrome. You love these outdated laws that most people find ridiculous."

It's almost as if you have Stupid Syndrome. Not everything is about the "MoCo Cartel". Acknowledging the reality that these laws exist, statewide, is hardly "loving" them. If Dyer is actually serious about changing these laws, he needs to lobby the state legislature.

The reason why these laws exist in the first place, is because of rent-seeking by small independent stores like Talbert's, because they would be wiped out if 7-11, Giant, Whole Foods, CVS, and all the gas stations along River Road were allowed to sell booze.

Anonymous said...

Our county executive, in the past, cited the need for the revenues and also that the government needed to serve as a moral authority against liquor stores popping up.

Anonymous said...

12:07 PM - You're referring to liquor, which is a completely different issue than beer and wine. Liquor is sold only in state dispensaries in Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Ohio, and wine in Pennsylvania.

Even in nearby states that allow private stores to sell hard liquor, there are none nearby where you can buy hard liquor in grocery stores, gas stations or convenience store chains, and in New York State, wine may only be sold in liquor stores.

Anonymous said...

HEY! 9:50AM

Can't find that emoji, does 14/88 works for you?

Anonymous said...

Hello Harry?

Anonymous said...

Looks like the moribund stillborn 7-11 is in the area right next to Macy's Home, which is rumored to be going the way of Sears. So no wonder they're dragging their feet.

Anonymous said...

Tysons has a 7-11. It has been pretty busy and there is a movie theatre there.

Robert Dyer said...

Reminder: The state has allowed many tiny changes to liquor laws that have been requested by the County Council. Here's the key point - the Council has NEVER asked the legislature to end the ban on sales in grocery/drug/convenience chain stores.

Why aren't they asking? We know why - to preserve the monopoly. They've tried to prop up the ossified DLC by renaming it and trying to give an image it's like a private business now.

Do you support the Council's efforts to preserve a monopoly that businesses hate, and keep people from buying Bud Light at Giant and CVS.

That would be Stockholm Syndrome, indeed.

Anonymous said...

So, are you just going to complain endlessly on your blog that nobody reads, accomplishing nothing, or are you going to take useful action to change the situation, as Robin Ficker has done on several issues, in spite of never having been elected to Dogcatcher?

Robert Dyer said...

7:47: I think you just dodged the question, understandably.

Anonymous said...

I would like to see the DLC abolished and beer and wine sales allowed at chain stores.

But I have asked you - given that you have written on this subject many times over the last several years - what do you propose to do to actually change the situation?

How do you propose to overcome the influence of the many private businesses that benefit from the current situation, and will lobby against any changes to it?

Robert Dyer said...

I'm proposing exactly what I did during the election - full privatization of alcohol sales. This is strongly supported by the business sector here, but the only way you "overcome" is when they financially back candidates like me who support their position. Not exactly rocket science.

Anonymous said...

You received less than $1,000 in campaign contributions in 2018.

Robert Dyer said...

5:13: No kidding! And guess what - everybody who withheld money is stuck with the same DLC, budget deficit, forced busing, congested roads and no corporate HQ relocation interest they had before the election.

If you want to change the system, you have to fund candidates who will change the system. Bob Ehrlich talked about this over a decade ago, but the business community still hasn't gotten it.

Anonymous said...

"Withheld money"? Or just never heard of you because you didn't make the effort to actually reach out to potential contributors?

Robert Dyer said...

5:41: Withheld money. The business community, community activists, media, elected officials and others are - sometimes painfully - well aware of who I am, and what my positions are.

Anonymous said...

Dyer, what you don't understand is that campaigning and fundraising are hard work. You can't just post articles on a free blog and hope that contributors and voters will fund or vote for you, let alone even see what you wrote.

I saw both Robin Ficker and you at the 2018 Taste of Bethesda. While Ficker was out there engaging the attendees, you were just standing in the middle of Norfolk Avenue in the same spot all afternoon, waiting for people to come to you. Guess what, no one did.

You've never done a hard day's worth of work in your life, and it showed in your "campaigns".

Anonymous said...

"Withheld money. The business community, community activists, media, elected officials and others are - sometimes painfully - well aware of who I am, and what my positions are."

So it sounds like those who have actually seen your opinions, want to have nothing to do with you. Why is that not YOUR problem?

Anonymous said...

Saith Dyer: "The Council has NEVER asked the legislature to end the ban on sales in grocery/drug/convenience chain stores...We know why - to preserve the monopoly. They've tried to prop up the ossified DLC by renaming it and trying to give an image it's like a private business now.

What does the ban on sales of beer and wine in chain stores have to do with the DLC monopoly? Beer and wine are already sold in private stores.

Robert Dyer said...

8:20: It has everything to with the DLC monopoly - the private mom-and-pop stores that can sell beer and wine are forced to buy it from the County at a price the County sets. Then they compete with the County liquor stores on those same products!

How do you not recognize the problem of even that point alone?!

You still also can't get around the fact that the Council has never asked the legislature to end the ban on chain stores beer and wine sales. Why haven't they? (We know the answer)

7:51: Nope - it has to do with people believing (quite correctly under the circumstances) that Republicans have no chance of winning. Hardly any GOP candidates other than Ficker were able to qualify for public funds. I knew that would happen, and so did the Council who set up the public funding system with that advantage for Democrats.

7:19: Once again you lie. Anybody at Taste of Bethesda knows that I was walking around the whole event. There were crowds of voters around me numerous times.

Fundraising requires either a Rolodex of free spenders, or money to fund and advertise fundraising events. Most Democrats also have friendly venues that offer their space at discount or free, often to the Councilmembers who they were forced to kiss the ring of to get the permits and law changes to open their venues. Some of us don't have the advantage of being corrupt criminals in a political machine.

Fundraising also requires a free press that covers the campaign. We all know that there was not a single article written about the general election council races. Facts.

Anonymous said...

"There were crowds of attendees in my general vicinity numerous times."

Anonymous said...

"It has everything to with the DLC monopoly - the private mom-and-pop stores that can sell beer and wine are forced to buy it from the County at a price the County sets. Then they compete with the County liquor stores on those same products!"

I don't understand what point you are trying to make here. I am fully aware that private beer and wine stores in Montgomery County must buy their beer and wine from the DLC. But what does this have to do with permitting chain stores to sell beer and wine? Assuming that this prohibition were lifted but the DLC remained, the chains would necessarily buy their beer and wine through the DLC.

Anonymous said...

"Fundraising requires either a Rolodex of free spenders"

Yes, and assembling that "Rolodex" requires hard work, which you do not seem to be willing to do.

Robert Dyer said...

9:04: LOL - do you understand what my proposal of full privatization means? No more DLC. No more ban on sales of beer and wine in any private store, including chain stores. The grocery/drug chain store issue is in the hands of Council to ask the state to end the ban. The Council does not want to. Period.

9:05: Nope. The Rolodex comes from being a corrupt elected official or other position of power from which you set up a patronage system of people who are indebted to you, from whom you extract campaign checks. Nobody worked harder than Ed Amatetti, and he lost by a large margin. You know this to be true.

8:58: Nope - around me, and asking me directly about my positions on issues. I know you're still butthurt about it, while you were cowering behind a trash can that day.

Anonymous said...

"Nobody worked harder than Ed Amatetti, and he lost by a large margin. You know this to be true."

LMAO, I had to look that one up. "Challenger" to Craig Rice in the 2nd District.

As hard-working as the MoCoGOP candidates for the 3rd, 4th and 5th Districts, no doubt.

Anonymous said...

Montgomery County has several grocery stores that are permitted to sell beer and wine.

None are allowed in Allegheny, Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Calvert, Carroll, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Kent, and Queen Anne's Counties.

Anonymous said...

Of course there we crowds all around you it was a well attended event. These crowds of voters weren’t paying any attention to you.

Anonymous said...

"Do you understand what my proposal of full privatization means? No more DLC. No more ban on sales of beer and wine in any private store, including chain stores."

Going back to the original question - how do you plan to accomplish this?

Anonymous said...

Using the term "privatization" is appropriate for your proposal to abolish the DLC. However using that word creates confusion when it is applied to the proposal to allow chain stores to sell beer and wine, given that independent private stores already are allowed to sell beer and wine.

Robert Dyer said...

If you're trying to hide the fact that you are a shill for the MoCo cartel and its liquor monopoly, you're doing a horrible job of it.

Your language is total pablum designed to deceive -

* Privatization applies 100% to the idea of allowing chain grocery/drug/convenience stores to sell beer and wine, because if they were allowed to without full privatization, they would still be forced to buy the beer/wine from the County DLC.

* You do realize that we can't "accomplish this" privatization without replacing the current Council members, meaning that the local restaurant/bar/business community will have to "get dangerous" in Bob Ehrlich's words, and financially back candidates like me who oppose the liquor monopoly. There is literally no other way to "accomplish this."

They foolishly missed that opportunity in 2018. Are they really ready for change yet?

Your reference to grocery stores selling beer and wine now is #FakeNews - ONE store in any chain can sell, just as an independent business can. ONE IN EACH CHAIN.

Only someone who opposes privatization would contort themselves so painfully with these deceptive statements.

Robert Dyer said...

10:26: No, dumbass. The voters were around me, speaking directly to me. You saw it while spying on me all day from behind trash cans, creep. In fact, I never saw crowds of people surrounding any other candidate the whole time I was there. Probably because I was the only person on the ballot who was actually engaged and active in the Bethesda community before election season.

9:45: You obviously didn't follow the Council races in 2018. Amatetti was at every event, community meeting, parade, and went door-to-door extensively. Nobody worked harder in 2018, and yet the result was the same. Classic example of a rigged system and election fraud.

Anonymous said...

Working the hardest means you win an election or else it’s a rigged system or fraud?

Anonymous said...

Robert said - “Nobody worked harder in 2018, and yet the result was the same. Classic example of a rigged system and election fraud.“

So if someone works the hardest and doesn’t win at something, does that instantly mean rigged system and fraud?

Anonymous said...

"In fact, I never saw crowds of people surrounding any other candidate the whole time I was there."

How long were you actually at Taste of Bethesda, and how many other candidates did you encounter during that time?

I also saw Richard Friedson, and he was definitely surrounded by interested/curious voters.