As repair work continues on plumbing issues that have kept shops in Rockville’s Woodley Gardens shopping center closed, hopes for a Friday reopening are dimming, according to one eatery owner.
Carmen’s Italian Ice & Cafe along with Hard Times Cafe and Z&Z Manoushe Bakery shared on social media that the businesses were forced to close Friday.
Now, according to Carmen’s Italian Ice owner Jason Mandler, hopes for a Friday reopening are dimming and reopening Monday is looking more likely. Shanghai Taste, another restaurant in the shopping center is also closed, according to the eatery’s voicemail.
On Friday, Carmen’s Italian Ice wrote that the shopping center “has been having major plumbing issues outside the shopping center and they are finally trying to fix it properly.”
Drew Briscoe, the leasing agent for Woodley Gardens and chief operating officer of the company that owns the shopping center, told MoCo360 in a text message Wednesday that the company is working to resolve the plumbing issues as quickly as possible.
With its shop shuttered, Carmen’s Italian Ice & café at 1115 Nelson St. was planning to serve customers from its food truck at the shopping center until about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to a social media post from the business.
“If it goes well today, you may see the truck out there over the next few days as well?” the post said.
Mandler told MoCo360 that the truck, which offers the eatery’s basic flavors including vanilla and chocolate custard and eight Italian ice flavors, will be open in the former bank parking lot attached to the shopping center. The food truck is closed on Halloween, Mandler said, but depending on the weather and how Wednesday’s sales go, it may open the food truck again.
Mandler said the neighborhood has been very supportive.
“We’re making the most of it, doing the best we can to provide for the neighborhood,” Mandler told MoCo360.
Hard Times Cafe and Z&Z Manoushe Bakery haven’t posted an update on social media and couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon. Shanghai Taste also couldn’t be reached for comment.
While Woodley Gardens Veterinary Care remains open, other businesses in the shopping center couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.
