Firepan Korean BBQ signage installed, opening date set in Silver Spring (Photos)

The permanent sign is up over the future storefront of Firepan Korean BBQ at 962 Wayne Avenue in downtown Silver Spring. Firepan has been named the highest rated Korean BBQ restaurant in the D.C. area, and has an existing location in Falls Church. It offers an all-you-can-eat menu, with grill options that include marinated and unmarinated meats, seafood, kimchi pancakes and other vegetarian selections, and "more adventurous options" for the daring diners in your party. Firepan is scheduled to open August 1, 2022.

American Freight closes in Wheaton (Photos)

Well, that was about as successful as any other venture associated with the "Fast" Eddie Lampert-era of Sears Roebuck and Kmart. American Freight has closed at 11060 Veirs Mill Road at Wheaton Plaza. The Ohio-based furniture and mattress retailer had bought up the Sears Outlet portfolio when Lampert liquidated it for yet more money into his own pocket. But the store has ended up lasting less than two years at this particular location in Wheaton. American Freight's stores in Woodbridge, Baltimore and Hagerstown remain open in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Wheaton Plaza mall owner extends deadline for sale of property to 2023

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield stunned many in the retail and real estate field last year, when it announced it planned to sell all of the U.S. malls it had just obtained when it acquired Westfield, including Montgomery Mall and Wheaton Plaza. It set a target date of December 31, 2022 for unloading the properties, so it could focus again on its European holdings. With buyers so far not making offers Unibail finds acceptable, its CEO informed investors last week that the deadline for completing the selloff is now the end of 2023.

Getting the full value of that portfolio was already going to be a challenge amidst the pandemic. But at least one expert is now questioning the wisdom of Unibail's openness in publicly announcing it wanted to quickly divest itself of the malls, and setting a relatively short deadline in the first place. "Who is the buyer in the U.S.?" Green Street senior analyst Rob Virdee asked the Wall Street Journal. "If the bidder knows you're on the run and you have to make a sale, they're not going to offer you a good price."

How did Unibail end up having to switch gears so quickly, and in the position of essentially announcing a fire sale? The Wall Street Journal explains that the firm took on tremendous debt to acquire the Westfield properties. Activist investors who seized control of Unibail's board two years after the Westfield deal were angered about that debt, and once in charge, abruptly directed that the company sell the malls to reduce it.

Gotera Market grand opening date set in Long Branch

You're invited to the ribbon-cutting celebrating the newest business in Long Branch this Friday, April 8, 2022 at 10:00 AM. Gotera Market at 8709 Flower Avenue is a supermarket offering Ethiopian groceries, goods and coffee. Join owner Endale Habtemarim and public officials for the celebration - and some free Ethiopian baked goods and coffee, if you need another reason to attend! The event is being sponsored by Montgomery Housing Partnership and Discover Long Branch.

Spicy Chicken McNuggets return to McDonald's

Spicy McNuggets drive-thru
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How do you make America's favorite chicken nugget better? Make it hot and spicy, of course. McDonald's has brought back Spicy Chicken McNuggets for a limited-time. A six-piece is $2.50 - not bad, considering what you pay for a four-piece McNuggets. Ranch is probably the best sauce for this McNugget variation.

Peeping Tom in Forest Glen

Montgomery County police investigated a report of a peeping Tom in the Forest Glen area of Silver Spring early Saturday morning. The alleged peeper was seen in the 1600 block of Sanford Road at 2:00 AM, according to crime data. That is a residential street between Georgia Avenue and Sligo Creek. In fact, a tributary of the creek emerges from under Sanford Road at Dameron Drive.

Warren St. Deli for sale in Silver Spring

Warren St. Deli at 9226 Warren Street, in the Forest Glen/Montgomery Hills area of Silver Spring, is for sale. The asking price is $330,000, and includes all equipment, but not the building. An existing lease expires on May 31, 2023. The reason for the sale is that the owner plans to retire, but the deli remains open for business.