Montgomery County cracks down on owner of vacant Bethesda properties

Montgomery County code enforcement officials have taken action on several eyesore properties in downtown Bethesda associated with the long-delayed Artena Bethesda development. Inspectors issued a violation notice to Artena Equities, LLC of Manassas, Virginia, in regard to the trash-strewn premises at 8000-8011 Wisconsin Avenue. A fine of $1000 per day was threatened if the garbage, plastic bags, bottles, food containers, and metal debris were not removed within 10 days. It appears an effort was then made to clean up the mess, although the dilapidated, boarded up site remains an eyesore and favorite haunt of vagrants and mischief makers.

Bethesda construction update - The Charles apartment tower (Photos)

Here's a look at the lobby entrance at The Charles, the new apartment tower at 7342 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Marble baseboard can be seen on the interior walls of the lobby. The Greystar development is now leasing. According to the Greystar website, most units will be available for move-in by January or February, with a smaller number coming online in December.

Dinner-and-a-movie deal at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Here's something you used to see in downtown Bethesda, before the Montgomery County Council stupidly but intentionally allowed the demolition of the Regal Bethesda 10 cineplex at 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, without mandating a replacement movie theater be part of the redevelopment of the property. Dinner and a movie! Today it's happening where there is a 16-screen cineplex in walking distance to restaurants in Bethesda, and that is at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Order any entree at California Pizza Kitchen on Level 2 in the Nordstrom wing of the mall, and your movie ticket at the AMC Montgomery Mall 16 cineplex on Level 3 will be only $11. This is a great deal to take advantage of while doing your holiday shopping, for a date night, or when going to see any of the big holiday movie releases.

Bethesda construction update: Cheltenham apartments (Photos)

Construction is advancing quickly at the site of the Cheltenham apartments at 4725 Cheltenham Drive in downtown Bethesda. Work only began in September, and the building is already one story above street level. Of course, much time was saved by the ommision of underground parking. The first story also appears shorter in height than most other buildings, where the ground floor tends to be the tallest, to allow for the higher ceilings of the lobby and retail spaces. 

Nordstrom upholds Christmas display tradition at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Nordstrom's exterior display windows are covered at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. A sign notes that the displays won't be revealed until Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. This is not inspired by the backlash of recent years against Thanksgiving Day sales, but continues a 124-year tradition by the department store chain. Nordstrom does not put up Christmas decor or play Christmas music in its stores until the day after Thanksgiving. "One holiday at a time" is the chain's motto for its policy.

Sign installed at BabyCat Brewery in Bethesda

Permanent signage has been installed at the new BabyCat Brewery taproom at 4850 Rugby Avenue in the Gallery Bethesda II apartment tower. Last night, it was lit. The brewery has been open for a couple of weeks, and reviews of the beer and premises have been positive. This is BabyCat's second Montgomery County location; the original is in Kensington, but the Bethesda taproom has a dedicated kitchen for food.

QToys opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Toys are one of the biggest shopping categories during the holiday season, and there's a new toy store this year at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. QToys is a leading collectible toy brand from China. What that means is lots of blind bags, trendy Chinese stuffed toys, and other collectibles. Operating hours for the store are 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Sundays. Look for QToys on Level 2 of the mall in the Macy's Home wing, between Perfume World and Laderach.

Update on Dave's Hot Chicken in White Flint (Photos)

Dave knows Nashville Hot Chicken. Rapid construction? Not so much. The former McDonald's building is now getting a fresh coat of paint, inside and out. A new "coming soon" sign has been placed on what appears to be a permanent signpost near the roadway. Dave's Hot Chicken will be located at 11564 Rockville Pike, across from the White Flint Metro station.

Signage installed at Gold Bunny Donut in Bethesda

The sign is up at Gold Bunny Donut at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. They are also hiring baristas, donut bakers, and cashiers. Gold Bunny's selling point is donuts with rich fillings. Look for Gold Bunny Donut on Level 2 of the mall in the Dining Terrace food court, in the former Donutchew spot.

Citibank "Bethesda Row" branch opening "Winter 2025"

The new Citibank branch at 4760 Bethesda Avenue looked as if it was on the verge of opening in recent days. However, the windows have now been covered with signage that announces a "Winter 2025" opening. That's a fairly narrow window between December 21 and December 31 about a month from now. The branch is referred to officially by Citibank as "Bethesda Row," but it is not located in the Bethesda Row development.

Casa Oaxaca closes in Bethesda

The shocking restaurant closures just keep on coming in downtown Bethesda. Barely three weeks after Woodmont Grill closed its doors, Casa Oaxaca announced yesterday that it, too, is now permanently closed. Both restaurants were quite successful and appeared to be doing good business. Woodmont Grill has publicly given nonsensical reasons for its closure, and Casa Oaxaca has not yet stated a reason for its demise. Located at 4905 Fairmont Avenue, Casa Oaxaca opened in May of 2019. Their closure was first reported by The MoCo Show.

PopUp Bagels opening in Bethesda

PopUp Bagels, the viral bagel sensation, is coming soon to downtown Bethesda. Their shop will be located in the ground floor of the Solaire 7607 Old Georgetown apartment tower at 7607 Old Georgetown Road. Founded as a side hobby during the pandemic by Adam Goldberg and Jeff Lewis in Westport, Connecticut, PopUp Bagels has grown into a chain of bricks-and-mortar bakery shops with locations in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, North Carolina, and California. Bethesda will be the chain's first D.C.-area location.

Bagels are served hot and fresh out of the oven every 3-4 minutes, and they are the main attraction on a very simple menu - not the bagel sandwiches you typically see on social media. Smaller than the typical bagel, PopUp Bagels are served unsliced, to keep them warm. They are crisp on the outside, while their interiors are characterized as pillowy and fluffy. Customers are encouraged to "grip, rip, and dip" their hot bagels in a selection of schmears. Cream cheese, scallion cream cheese, butter, and vegan scallion butter are always on the menu, but a rotating list of limited-time-only schmears changes weekly, ensuring there will always be a new flavor to try.

PopUp Bagels have become a viral phenomenon on TikTok and Instagram. That has caught the attention of bigger enterprises like Kraft, which just partnered with PopUp Bagels to create a Kraft Mac and Cheese schmear. With Bethesda Bagels and Georgetown Bagelry, and Call Your Mother Deli and PopUp Bagels arriving soon, Bethesda may be about to reach peak bagel. With bank branches filling so many new spaces downtown, Solaire owner Washington Property Company has really hit one out of the park with PopUp Bagels.