May Day anti-Trump protest planned for Friendship Heights

Opponents of President Donald Trump are planning a May Day protest tomorrow, May 1, 2025, in Friendship Heights. According to an event announcement, participants will gather to demonstrate at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and Western Avenue from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own homemade signs. A larger protest is scheduled for 11:30 AM at Franklin Park in Washington, D.C. 

Bethesda Starbucks reopening TODAY

The reopening of the Starbucks at 7700 Norfolk Avenue has been moved up eight days. It will reopen this morning, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, according to a sign in the window. The store has been closed since January for major renovations. Today, we will see what the "exciting updates" are, besides the large custom couch that was flown in from California.

Muse Alley renovations advance at Pike & Rose

Extensive renovations on Muse Alley at Pike & Rose continue to advance at the Federal Realty development along Rockville Pike. The public space's primary function, aside from providing pedestrian access to several buildings and the Trade Street garage, is outdoor dining. It was essentially demolished, and now you can see the new overhead structure and lighting fixtures. Kusshi, Owen's Tavern and Garden, and Caruso's Grocery all remain open for business during the construction work.

Bethesda Starbucks expected to reopen next week

The Starbucks at 7700 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda has its third target reopening date since it closed for renovations on January 12, 2025. It is Thursday, May 8, 2025, and it appears the store may actually meet the deadline this time. Everything looks ready inside, where even the cups are stacked behind the counter. The store is still hiring baristas, if you are seeking a job and always wanted to wear a Starbucks uniform.

Rock Bottom closes in Bethesda (Photos)

Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery has permanently closed at 7900 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda, according to a sign posted in the window yesterday. Workers were unloading kitchen equipment out of the restaurant around lunchtime Sunday. The closure was not announced in advance, but it was also not a total shock, as their building's landlord has been marketing the Rock Bottom space as available for lease for six years now. Rock Bottom's exit likely means a new tenant has been found at last.

Operating for 29 years, Rock Bottom was a remnant of the last golden age of Bethesda in the 1990s, following 90s stalwarts like Pizzeria Uno, United Artists Bethesda, and Cooker into the ether. That golden age ended with the rise of the Montgomery County cartel, which seized a majority of seats on the Montgomery County Council in 2002. Since then, we have seen the total collapse of three major public gathering spots (Bethesda Metro Center, the Apex Building plaza, and the plaza outside of Barnes & Noble at Bethesda Row), the loss of the Regal Bethesda 10 movie theater (when the Council declined to require a replacement cineplex in the minor master plan amendment governing redevelopment of the Apex Building site), a drop in downtown customer traffic so steep that the County had to turn off the "spaces available" counters at the Bethesda Row garages out of sheer embarrassment, and the closure of about 25 nightspots following the Council's disastrous 2012 "Nighttime Economy" initiative. Over the last 23 years, the Council has discarded the 1980s-1990s agenda of growing a vibrant city of the future, in favor of developing a soulless Ballston downtown of ridiculously-overpriced, cookie-cutter "base-tower" luxury apartment buildings (which are sporting many, many vacant units as a result), while pocketing the generous donations of their developer sugar daddies. Rock Bottom is merely the latest casualty.

Rock Bottom workers unloading equipment
from the restaurant midday Sunday

Rock Bottom was also the only brewery in downtown Bethesda. The Council had boasted that its Nighttime Economy initiative would bring more breweries to downtown Bethesda, but it failed to attract even one. A small consolation for craft beer lovers is that BabyCat brewery of Kensington will be opening a taproom in Bethesda at 4800 Rugby Avenue, in the Gallery Bethesda II apartment tower, this summer.

The Rock Bottom chain had changed hands a couple of times in the last 15 years. It was most recently sold to Kelly Companies this past December. A number of Rock Bottom locations around the country had closed under previous owner SPB Hospitality since 2016.

Springfield Park under construction at Westbard Square in Bethesda (Photos)

Springfield Park is rapidly being constructed at the new Westbard Square development in Bethesda. The park is largely shaping up as a playground, though, with a variety of equipment aimed at younger children. It is located essentially where a parking lot once sat in front of the Kenwood Place condominiums, between Westbard Circle and the fence behind homes on Ridgefield Road. There was previously a bank ATM structure on this lot, and Westbard Citgo made use of many of the parking spaces over the decades. The houses on the other side of the fence were built on land that the 1982 Westbard sector plan had designated for a park.

Quartermaine Coffee Roasters to change Sunday hours at Bethesda Row

Quartermaine Coffee Roasters at 4817 Bethesda Avenue at Bethesda Row will be changing its Sunday operating hours next month. The new Sunday hours will be 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM. They take effect on May 4, 2025. The change is that the store will open half an hour later than it currently does on Sundays.

Janie and Jack's new storefront ready at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Janie and Jack could be making the switch any day now at Westfield Montgomery Mall. In fact, the children's clothing boutique's new location - next to California Pizza Kitchen on Level 2 - has already been updated on the mall website. If the usual location is closed when you arrive, just look across the corridor for the new spot. Signage has been installed above the new storefront. Inside, inventory is visible on the shelves.

Westbard shooting suspect(s) still on the lam a month later

The suspect(s) in the March 29, 2025 shooting on Westbard Avenue in Bethesda remain at large four weeks after the incident. Two people were wounded outside of Bowlero at 5353 Westbard Avenue at 12:13 AM that morning. Montgomery County police and Montgomery County elected officials remain silent on the shooting and investigation. We haven't even heard from Moms Demand Action! 

While no information is being provided by official sources, this past week another unofficial tidbit was provided by a patron of the bowling alley, who visited on the Monday following the shooting. They reported seeing bullet holes in the main entrance doors, and that glass panels were boarded up. 

We've seen every effort made to reduce the 2nd Amendment rights of law abiding citizens in Montgomery County. Tackling the criminals who are actually opening fire in public places? There doesn't seem to be the same energy, to say the least. Can our officials summon the same fury and contempt they have for the law-abiding gun owner for the criminals on our streets? A mass shooting left two people wounded in the 20816 zip code, and the action is not matching the rhetoric, folks.

"Maryland has made bold efforts to reduce gun violence...Montgomery County has continued to take action by appropriately exercising its granted legislative authority to pass laws to address gun violence." - Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown

"Our goal is to move closer to ending gun violence in Montgomery County.” - Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart

"We have had enough of thoughts and prayers. We need to act." - Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass

"We don't have to accept gun violence as an inevitability...Montgomery County continues to push the envelope as much as we possibly can within the legal parameters that we have." - Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson

"Maryland is leading the way...We passed an assault rifle ban. Since then, we've banned ghost guns, passed universal background checks, red flag laws, and just this past session...we ended gun immunity - gun industry immunity in Maryland." - State Senator Jeff Waldstreicher (D - District 18)

WMATA replacing Metrobus signs in Bethesda (Photos)

Washington, D.C. regional transit authority WMATA is now in the process of replacing Metrobus signs throughout Montgomery County, including the ones you see here in Bethesda and Silver Spring. The new signs sport the new route designations for Metrobus lines. Every Metrobus route in Montgomery County will now be an "M" route, instead of T, Q, or J, for example. The M stands for...Montgomery County.

Fairfax County routes will start with an "F." Prince George's County gets "P." Arlington and Alexandria have to share "A." D.C. routes will be "D" for downtown, or "C" for crosstown. Express routes will start with an "X."

It seems the famously-impoverished WMATA that is always extending its hat for Oliver Twist's proverbial "more" is suddenly flush with cash it doesn't know what to do with. That has spurred it to go in search of a solution in search of a problem. Nobody was confused about the existing route numbers; they're going to be really confused by the new route numbers. 

Two sets of new bus stop signs will be manufactured - one temporary, and one permanent after June 29, the day of the official switchover. The cost of replacing all of the signage is massive, and is being drawn from WMATA's Better Bus Network budget. A "better" use of our tax money is to refund the amount being spent on the name changes to the taxpayers of the D.C. region.

Turns out, WMATA is "really, really rich"

Final 3 days for Forever 21 at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

If you want to go on one last shopping spree at Forever 21 at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, you'd better hurry. There are only three days left to shop. As you can see from the photos here, inventory is being snapped up at 60-80% off. Shelves near the front door that held store fixtures for sale are bare. Forever 21 has filed for bankruptcy, and all of its stores nationwide are expected to close by May 1, 2025.

Brandy Melville opens at Pike & Rose

Brandy Melville has opened at Pike & Rose on Rockville Pike. The women's fast fashion boutique is located at 11804 Grand Park Avenue. Brandy Melville was founded in Italy, but gained success after taking inspiration from California designs rather than Italian fashions. The label's target audience is comprised of teens and young adults.

Another reason for Brandy Melville's popularity is that their pricing is very reasonable. They're still looking for full-time and weekend employees, if you are seeking a retail fashion position. Scan the QR code pictured in the bottom photo below.

Pizza oven installed at Piccoli Piatti Pizzeria at Westbard Square in Bethesda

The pizza oven has arrived at the future Piccoli Piatti Pizzeria at 5306 Zenith Overlook at Westbard Square in Bethesda. Manufactured by Marra Forni, the Neapolitan pizza oven is customized with the name of the restaurant across the front. "Italian inspired American craftsmanship" utilizes MarraStone, a refractory brick composed of volcanic material. Best of all, Marra Forni is based right here in Beltsville, Maryland. Stay tuned for an opening date, but you can get an advance taste at their Wildwood Shopping Center location in Bethesda.

The pizza oven!