Old Hertz rental car office in Silver Spring to become convenience store

A former Hertz rental car office at 8203 Georgia Avenue is about to get new life. The space is being taken over by a new convenience store retail business selling groceries and tobacco products, among other general merchandise. This spot was most recently home to a wig store, which closed last fall.

Tobacco Hut coming to Burtonsville

Tobacco Hut is coming to Burtonsville. Workers were busy constructing the interior of the store yesterday at the Burtonsville Town Center. Tobacco Hut appears to have several Northern Virginia locations.

Kensington bank building for sale

Want to buy a bank? For real estate investors, the question might be, want to buy a prominent crossroads property with redevelopment potential? The property at 10707 Connecticut Avenue in Kensington currently leased by Capital One bank is now for sale for $3,500,000.

Capital One has eight years and two months remaining on its lease. There are some lease extension options - two 10-year options, and one 5-year, according to the brochure prepared by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty.

Obviously, you have location, location, location at this site, which is passed by thousands of commuters in the Connecticut Avenue and University Boulevard corridors twice daily. It is only 0.4 miles from the Kensington MARC station. The 2012 Kensington sector plan recommends a maximum building height of 45' at this location.

Wayne Avenue utility relocation scheduled for Thursday in Silver Spring

Heads-up for drivers traveling Wayne Avenue in Silver Spring later this week: On or about Thursday, February 25, 2021, Purple Line-related utility relocation will take place at the intersection of Wayne and Cloverfield Road. The work is expected to take place over one night, from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM. Watch for lane closures in that area.

Jollibee opening next week at Wheaton Plaza

The delayed opening of Filipino fast-food favorite Jollibee at Wheaton Plaza is finally nearing. Wheaton Plaza owner Westfield has announced that the restaurant will open in about 10 days. Jollibee is located at 2800-B University Boulevard W.

Glenmont Lidl sets opening date

German grocery chain Lidl has announced the official opening date for their long-awaited store in the Glenmont Shopping Center, at 2201-A Randolph Road. The grand opening is now scheduled for Wednesday, February 24, 2021. It will start with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:15 AM.

The first 100 customers will receive a gift card randomly worth anywhere from $5 to $100. All customers will have a chance to win a $500 gift card. If you download the myLidl app, you'll also receive a free Lidl tote bag. Music will provided by a local DJ. The store's doors will officially open at 8:00 AM.

Initial hours for the store after opening day will be 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Lidl is officially calling this the Wheaton Lidl, but you and I know this is Glenmont!

Signage installed at Central Nail Bar in Silver Spring

The sign is up on the facade of Central Nail Bar. As you might guess from the name, the nail spa is located in the Central apartments in downtown Silver Spring, at 8455 Fenton Street.

Purple Line-related lane closures ahead in Silver Spring

Plymouth Tunnel under construction
in Long Branch

Construction of the Purple Line is ramping back up, and the increasing volume of work means some lane closures are ahead in two spots along the future light rail route. Starting on or about March 1, 2021, watch for temporary lane closures along Wayne Avenue between Manchester Road and the E. Wayne Avenue entrance to the Plymouth Tunnel in Long Branch. 

Utility relocations will be the cause there, taking about two months between the hours of 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM on weekdays. Night and weekend work will be scheduled, if necessary.

Starting on or about March 3, the westbound right lane of University Boulevard will be closed between Riggs Road and Guilford Road. This long-term closure is also related to utility relocations that are expected to take three months to complete, barring significant weather delays. Work there will take place between 7:00 AM and 4:00 PM weekdays, and on weekends if necessary. Access to businesses and private driveways along that stretch of University will be maintained throughout the project.

Photo via MTA

Peeping Tom in White Oak

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a peeping Tom at a recreation center in White Oak early last Friday morning. The incident was reported at an unspecified "recreation center" in the 11100 block of New Hampshire Avenue around 4:00 AM, according to crime data.

Glenmont Lidl sneak peek (Video+Photos)

The Lidl grocery store opening soon at the Glenmont Shopping Center goes by many names. Most longtime residents would consider this location as Glenmont, but some promotional materials describe the store as being in Silver Spring (which is the technical USPS designation), and signage inside the store identifies it as Wheaton. I'm firmly on #TeamGlenmont in this case. But whatever you prefer to call the store's location, it's going to be a great Lidl store, so let's take a sneak peek!

Beltsville man accused of trying to break into cars in Glenmont

Montgomery County police arrested a man they say was trying to break into vehicles in Glenmont last Sunday night. A resident in the 12500 block of Winexburg Manor Drive called police around 10:55 PM that night, after hearing his car alarm go off. Looking out his window, he said he saw a man trying to open the door to his car, and took a photo of the suspect with his cellphone.

The witness reported that the suspect then tried the door handles of at least two other cars on the block. Officers responded to the scene, and located the suspect using the cellphone photo. Police say the man refused to identify himself when confronted by officers.

Rony Zaldivar, 24, of Beltsville was arrested and charged with "attempted rogue and vagabond," and failing to identify himself to the officers. He is now free after posting a $5,000 bond.

Renovations planned for Silver Spring Metro Plaza II office building lobby

Significant renovations are planned for the lobby of a high-visibility office building across from the Silver Spring Transit Station. Silver Spring Metro Plaza II is located at 8403 Colesville Road. The lobby remodeling will include new lighting fixtures, a boost in electrical power, and a new reception and seating area. "Abandoned" fountains will also be demolished at the property.

Dollar City & More coming to Glenmont

Dollar City & More is expanding to Glenmont. It will be located at 12337-AB Georgia Avenue, in the Glenmont Shopping Center, and will replace Magic Dollar. 

Every item at Dollar City & More is $1 or less, and they carry household items, beauty products, school supplies and more. Dollar City has existing locations in White Oak and at the Beltway Plaza Mall in Greenbelt.

America's Best Wings opens in Wheaton (Photos+Menu)

America's Best Wings has opened at 11242 Georgia Avenue, in the Wheaton Triangle strip mall. They've not only got America's best chicken wings, but an expansive menu of seafood, pasta, subs, salads, hush puppies, onion rings, fries, fried okra and even crab stick. They're not just wings - they're America's best!

Thai at Silver Spring open during renovations

With all of the construction and renovation going on at Downtown Silver Spring some businesses risk getting lost amid the signs and construction walls. Thai at Silver Spring wants you know they are open during the renovations at 921-E Ellsworth Drive.

Aspen Hill Kmart closing sale underway

The venerable Kmart at 14014 Connecticut Avenue in Aspen Hill is closing this spring, as I reported last month. At the time, the store's management announced a closing sale would begin soon. That sale is now underway. Kmart is open daily from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Club Pilates Silver Spring soft opening

The new Club Pilates at 956 Thayer Avenue in downtown Silver Spring is having a soft opening, You can sign up for classes on their website as of this morning. They're also offering a New Member bundle for $60, that includes a Silver Spring Club Pilates t-shirt, two pairs of Tavi Noir, a Club Pilates water bottle and a member tote bag to haul it all around in.

Flower Avenue Montgomery County liquor store reopens

The Montgomery County government liquor monopoly-run liquor store at 8706-B Flower Avenue in the Long Branch area of Silver Spring has reopened. It closed January 20, after an employee tested positive for Covid-19. During the closure, a specialized unit performed a deep cleaning and sanitization of the store, which included cleaning all surfaces and products, and fogging with specialized machines.

Takoma Park KFC/Taco Bell to get makeover

The KFC/Taco Bell restaurant at 7720 Blair Road in Takoma Park will be getting a makeover in the coming months. Plans include renovation of the dining room, and new paint and exterior branding details for the building facade.

Wheaton Tile Center building for sale

The old Wheaton Tile Center building has hit the market for sale at 2670 University Boulevard W. In recent years, it was home to Doña Bessy Pupuseria, and then Casa de Dios y Puerta del Cielo (God's House and Heaven's Door) Church. Nice, high-visibility location on a major highway.

Wheaton-Glenmont area MVA office now in Kemp Mill

The MVA office that was previously located at the Glenmont Shopping Center has moved south to Kemp Mill. It is now located at 1327 Lamberton Drive, in the Kemp Mill Shopping Center, off of Arcola Avenue in Wheaton. The new location is over 2000 square feet larger than the old Glenmont space. Law test appointments for Learner's Permits are now available at this location; they were previously not offered at Glenmont.

Currently, the new Kemp Mill office is only open by appointment, not for walk-ins. The office is outfitted with plexiglass dividers at workstations, social-distancing floor markers and all of the other safety measures now found at MVA branches statewide. Masks and health screenings, including a temperature scan, are required upon entry for all customers and staff.

From one classic East MoCo shopping
center to another

Hours of operation will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Self-service kiosks will be available 24-hours in the lobby for use without an appointment.

Armed robbery in Takoma Park

Takoma Park police responded to the report of an armed robbery on Saturday afternoon. The robbery was reported in the 7200 block of Hilton Avenue around 4:26 PM. A firearm was the weapon used in the robbery, according to crime data.