Small Bites: Bethesda Row's Retail Shift

Plus: Two Rockville restaurants close; new chef at popular Silver Spring restaurant

August 14, 2014 11:18 a.m.

Bethesda Row making shift to women’s retailers? – The latest restaurant news from Bethesda Row was not an opening but two closings–Assaggi and Dunkin' Donuts. The development seems to be continuing to pursue clothing retailers over restaurants. This month, the beach fashion store Calypso St. Barth opened at the former location of Dunkin’ Donuts, and a Federal Realty spokeswoman also confirmed that Kate Spade has signed a lease on Bethesda Row, but said the store wouldn’t open until next year. The Gazette reported this week that Federal Realty is actively recruiting more nonfood retailers to the district, which has become more of a regional shopping destination filled with fast-casual restaurants such as Nando’s Peri Peri, Cava Mezze Grill, Five Guys and Boloco.

Two Rockville Town Square restaurants close – Pho & Rolls and Cosi, two restaurants at Federal Realty’s Rockville Town Square, closed last month, according to the Rockville Nights blog by Robert Dyer. The restaurants made no announcements about the reasons for the closures, but the departures leave more vacant space at the development. Pho & Rolls, a Vietnamese restaurant, was at 33 Maryland Ave., while Cosi, part of the fast casual lunch spot chain, was on the outskirts of the development at 201 N. Washington St.

In addition, there’s no activity at the space formerly occupied by Oro Pomodoro, which received an eviction notice in May after shutting down for “renovations” in April. The interior of the large restaurant near the Rockville Town Square green appeared to be gutted on Wednesday.

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8407 Kitchen Bar promotes chef – Justin Bittner is out as the executive chef at the popular 8407 Kitchen Bar in Silver Spring. The restaurant wrote on its Facebook page that it has promoted sous chef Oscar Jimenez to executive chef. Bittner came on board in the summer of 2013. He told Don Rockwell, an online dining forum, that he left due to overmanagement, but said Jimenez was well-qualified to take over the role. The restaurant is located at 8407 Ramsey Ave. in Silver Spring.

 

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