Fashion Q returning to Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Red alert! Fashion Q is making a triumphant return to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The Los Angeles-based fashion wholesaler closed almost exactly one year ago at the mall, after less than a year in business, a victim of the moribund Montgomery County economy. Now they're giving it another go, this time in the former Forever 21 space on Level 1, across from Build-A-Bear. 

Fashion Q traces its roots back to the 1980s. It chose its "Q" logo because a one-letter sign was cheaper than using the whole brand name. The cost savings extend to its merchandise, which is purchased wholesale here and abroad.

Gorjana opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Gorjana has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. A midsummer opening is perfect timing for this Laguna Beach-inspired jewelry boutique, even if you're more likely to be sporting pieces from your Gorjana haul at O.C., rather than in The O.C. New additions for this summer include scallop earrings, the Scallop Padlock Bay Necklace, and the 18K gold plated Crab Single Stud earring, all at surprisingly reasonable prices. Look for Gorjana on Level 1 of the mall, next to Sunglass Hut in the Nordstrom wing.

Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too returning to Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

One of the signs that the holiday shopping season isn't as far away as it seems is here once again at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too is announcing its annual return to the mall for 2026. Coming soon signage for the seasonal apparel store has been posted at the former Sleep Number space on Level 1, between Arc'teryx and Lululemon. The holiday pop-up tends to open in September, but recently made an earlier exit in January than its typical March departure.

Squishable relocates in Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Squishable has relocated to a new spot at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. But you won't have to go far out of your way to find it. The collectible stuffed toy boutique moved directly across the corridor from its previous location. Look for Squishable on Level 1 of the mall in the Macy's wing, in the corner space between UnderArmour and Brow Art 23.

T-Mobile, Häagen-Dazs temporarily close for renovations at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

T-Mobile and Häagen-Dazs have temporarily closed for remodeling at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Neither has announced a timeline for reopening. T-Mobile does have a message posted reassuring customers that the closure is only temporary, while Häagen-Dazs has a generic Westfield "Something exciting is in the works" wall over its entrance that gives the false impression it has permanently closed. Only after going to the mall website do you see a message from Westfield stating the ice cream shop is being remodeled. This is the second time in a decade that this Häagen-Dazs has temporarily closed for renovations, while looking like it has closed for good. Holy fake-out, Batman!

Moleskine opens at Bethesda Row

Moleskine has opened at 4808 Bethesda Avenue at Bethesda Row. The boutique is a new destination for those who prefer writing the old-fashioned way. Would I read a newspaper or book on a screen? Not unless it was free and I had to! So, while I'm not so retro when it comes to writing, I can certainly understand the appeal. Moleskine carries the premium notebooks the brand is best known for, journals, planners, pens, writing tools and accessories, and travel bags. Operating hours are 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5:00 PM on Sundays.

Power outage at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda forces some businesses to close early

A power outage this evening inside Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda forced some tenants to close early. Nordstrom was pitch black and boutiques like Victoria's Secret and White House | Black Market decided to close for the night. Some of the affected businesses regained power by 8:30, but the Apple Store was still turning customers away and directing them to come back tomorrow, despite having its power restored. 

Westfield released a statement within the last hour: "Due to a power outage, some stores at Westfield Montgomery are closing early today. We’re sorry for the interruption and appreciate your patience as we work to get things back to normal." We're seeing the failure of the Maryland electrical grid in real time, folks.

Second assault in 8 days at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall Sunday night, June 28, 2026. The assault was reported at 7:51 PM. This was the second assault to take place at the retail center in eight days, with the last having occurred on June 20. Six assaults have been reported at the mall so far this year, a pace on par with last year's grand total of twelve. 2024 saw eleven assaults, and 2022 brought twelve. A low of five assaults was recorded in 2023, when the police department opened a "resource room" at the mall.

Police respond to assault at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda this past Saturday night, June 20, 2026. The assault was reported at the mall at 8:21 PM Saturday. This was the fifth assault recorded at the popular retail center so far this year. Last year saw a total of 12 assaults reported at the property. County police officers were visibly on patrol inside the mall this past weekend.

Update on Gorjana at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Here's a sneak peek at the construction progress inside the future Gorjana boutique at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The Laguna Beach-inspired jewelry retailer is appropriately expected to open this summer at the mall. A look inside the construction wall door that was hanging open reveals flooring, walls, and lighting fixtures in place. Now shelving and other displays are being installed, which means merchandise can't be far behind. When it opens, look for Gorjana on Level 1 of the mall, across from Lily Pulitzer in the Nordstrom wing.

Signature Cigars closes in Bethesda

Signature Cigars has closed at 4919 Cordell Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The shop's last day was Sunday, and there is already a for-lease sign in the window. Cigar aficionados seeking the traditional shopping experience still have the nearby Capitol Cigar & Tobacco at 4916 Del Ray Avenue. But the loss of another longtime Bethesda business still stings, as the moribund Montgomery County economy claims another victim. But, hell, let's go ahead and vote for the same people who did this to us again! "Smarter than the average bear!"

Elite Estate Antiques opens in Bethesda

Elite Estate Antiques is now open at 8121 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Founded in 1985, the business buys, sells, and appraises antiques, fine art, furniture, home decor, military collectibles and memorabilia, and estate purchases. Hours of operation are 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Saturday. They are closed on Sundays.

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.

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.

EUG Apparel closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

EUG Apparel has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The sportswear and streetwear boutique launched a thousand discussions about its name, which appeared as Embrace Ur Greatness on the storefront, but which Westfield listed as EUG Apparel in its directories. Was the latter simply 3 initials - and if so, what did they stand for? - or a Trumpesque "Yuuuuuuuuge"? But as Jesse Jackson once declared, "The question is moot." The signage is gone, the space is cleared out, and the storefront windows are now blacked out. EUG opened here for the holiday shopping season in November 2024, and that's a pretty impressive run to last almost two years in Montgomery County's anti-business climate and moribund economy.

Pop Mart "coming soon" to Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Pop Mart is "coming soon" to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, according to signage posted across its future storefront. Specifically, the massively hyped and viral Labubu and blind box toy retailer is coming this fall, the signage promises. It will be located on Level 1 of the mall, next to Bath & Body Works. And there's nothing Bono Vox's attorney can do about it!

Kokosh relocates at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Kokosh has moved within Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The cosmetics boutique debuted in the Macy's wing next to Purple back in December of 2023. It has stayed on Level 2, but now it is across from Uniqlo, next to LensCrafters. Carrying many of the top skincare products from South Korea has been a recipe for success for Kokosh at the mall, at a time when that country has become the standard for beauty and skincare across the globe. Kokosh also carries a line of jewelry reflecting the latest minimalist K-fashion trends in Seoul.

Collars & Co. to open flagship store at Bethesda Row

Collars & Co., the innovative menswear company whose investors include Mark Cuban, is opening its first flagship store very soon at 7126 Bethesda Lane at Bethesda Row. It will replace its original Montgomery County location, a successful pop-up shop in Rockville, the company announced in a press release yesterday. But as a 2000-square-foot flagship store, the Bethesda location will provide a fuller brand experience than has been possible at the label's initial bricks-and-mortar outposts. 

The company is best known for its patent-pending Dress Collar Polo shirts. A "buttery-soft" polo with a true English spread collar, the shirt was designed to provide a replacement for stuffier dress shirts worn under sweaters and jackets in the stifling heat of New York City summers. They are also simpler to clean and maintain than the typical expensive dress shirt. Of course, you can also find button-down shirts at Collars & Co., as well as trousers, shorts, outerwear, sweaters, blazers, and shoes.

Collars & Co. generated buzz at its Rockville pop-up by including an actual Porsche and an Instagram-ready private jet interior replica backdrop for selfies in the store. Expect such flourishes on a larger scale at the new Bethesda flagship location. "Opening our flagship store in Bethesda is a defining moment for Collars & Co. and a true homecoming for our brand," founder & CEO Justin Baer said in a statement yesterday. "As we continue to expand our retail footprint in the DC-region, we’re excited to create spaces where longtime customers and new shoppers can fully experience Collars & Co."