Batman Day sale at Big Planet Comics in Bethesda

Today is Batman Day 2026, Saturday, September 19. Big Planet Comics at 7939 Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda is celebrating by putting all Batman books on sale for 20% off. DC Comics has several promotions to coincide with Batman Day this year. Batman of Two Worlds is a special edition comic book with two stories by the writers of the current runs of Batman (Matt Fraction) and Absolute Batman (Scott Snyder), available today for $2.99. Four paper masks of iconic Batman cowls are also being given away (one per customer, while supplies last). There are also five hardcover releases of new and classic Dark Knight adventures with Batman Day 2026 cover art. Product availability may vary by store.

A "trashy" look for Lilly Pulitzer at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

A major renovation project is getting underway at the Lilly Pulitzer store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The store is temporarily closed, and is expected to reopen before the end of the year. How much of the holiday shopping season it will be open for is not yet known. But Lilly Pulitzer herself would likely be aghast at the trash bag material covering her namesake boutique's windows. You might expect a major label targeting upscale clientele would offer some sort of branded window screens to its stores to hide construction work, rather than Hefty specials. Mon Dieu!

Police take suspect into custody at CVS Pharmacy in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a trespassing incident at a CVS Pharmacy in downtown Bethesda early Thursday evening, September 10, 2026. Officers were dispatched to the CVS at 7809 Wisconsin Avenue at 6:32 PM. Multiple cruisers responded to the call. Three officers eventually emerged with an individual in custody. It's unclear what charges, if any, the suspect ultimately faces. The suspect's face is obscured in these photos, as they appeared to be a juvenile.

Lilly Pulitzer "temporarily closed" at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

UPDATE: The reason for the temporary closure is a renovation project. The store is expected to reopen by the end of the year.

Lilly Pulitzer is closed today at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The apparel boutique's sales floor has largely been cleared out, and packing boxes are stacked inside the space. There is no message to customers on the storefront explaining why it is closed, or what the purpose is. The corporate website notes only that the mall location is "temporarily closed." Lilly Pulitzer opened at the mall in 2014.

PJ's Soccer/Lacrosse moves in Bethesda

PJ's Soccer/Lacrosse has relocated in Bethesda. It didn't move far. The new location is only two doors down from the old one, at 10438 Auto Park Avenue, at the Home Depot Square shopping center near Montgomery Mall. PJ's Soccer/Lacrosse is a family owned and operated sporting goods business specializing in soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey. Founded in 1986, PJ's has two locations - this one, and another in Falls Church.

Le Creuset opens in Friendship Heights

Le Creuset has arrived in Friendship Heights. It is located at 5481-B Wisconsin Avenue, in the Collection at Chevy Chase development. The store will host a grand opening celebration from September 10-13, 2026. There will be free refreshments, and a free Le Creuset apron for the first 10 customers each of those days. A purchase of $250 or more will get you a free pumpkin butter dish, while supplies last.

PacSun returning to Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

When I reported nearly a year ago that PacSun would be returning to Westfield Montgomery Mall, there were some doubting Thomases who could not believe it. After all, the California-inspired surf and skate-wear retailer had just closed at the mall two years earlier. But PacSun has now made its return to the popular retail center official with coming-soon signage. PacSun will be located between Carter's and T-Mobile on Level 1 of the Old Navy/Cheesecake Factory wing.

Pop Mart opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Pop Mart has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The blind bag and stuffed-labubu toymaker previously tested a vending machine at the mall to gauge interest. That experiment was clearly a success, as the Chinese brand is now returning with a permanent storefront. Look for Pop Mart on Level 1 of the mall, next to Bath & Body Works.

Windsor closing at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Windsor is closing at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, according to a sign posted in the store's display window. The sign indicates their final day of operation will be this coming Sunday, August 16, 2026. Customers are being directed to Windsor locations at Wheaton Plaza, Tysons Corner Center, and Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. Windsor arrived at Montgomery Mall in 2019. The brand was founded 89 years ago, and has more than 200 locations. I see no evidence it is closing stores elsewhere, so this location appears to be the latest victim of the moribund Montgomery County economy, and the anti-business policies of the County Council.

Fashion Q opening August 14 at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Fashion Q's triumphant return to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda now has an opening date. The women's apparel boutique will begin soft opening hours starting this Friday, August 14, 2026. Wholesale purchasing is the Los Angeles-based chain's secret to lower prices. Look for Fashion Q this Friday on Level 1 of the mall, across from Build-A-Bear.

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.