The Papery Is No More

A couple of weeks ago I heard that The Papery in Rockville Town Square was closing. Whenever people discussed the vibrancy of the Square and the effect of the never-opened grocery store, The Papery always seemed to enter the discussion. Would you make a special trip to pick up a card? Maybe, but you’d be more likely to pop in for the purchase while completing your grocery or other shopping. The owner closed 3 of the 5 stores in the area. A couple of the staff are working at the Bethesda location.

New Wave Discount Hair Supply Is Moving

Across the street, the New Wave Discount Hair Supply shop is also closed but if you peek in the window of The Papery shop, you’ll find New Wave has relocated their merchandise to this location. I mentioned the shop in my recent style article for Rockville Living, Hair Treatments To Change Your Look And Lifestyle. Since people had often wished for discount stores in Town Square, this should be a welcome addition.

A sign in the former New Wave window announces a soon-to-be-opened art shop called Color Me Mine: The Art of Having Fun. The old Magruder strip mall on North Washington had a ceramic painting shop. I remember taking my little sons to paint gifts. This could be a good addition for families.

This week real estate research firm Reis Inc. released preliminary data for the second quarter of 2010 showing vacancy rates at community centers and regional malls continuing to set new records each quarter. Nationwide vacancy rates for shopping centers are at their highest point since 1991. At neighborhood and community centers, the vacancy rate rose to 10.9 percent in the second quarter of 2010.

The closing of The Papery has me thinking about how many of the original retail establishments, other than the restaurants, have survived the last three years and there are quite a few:

Aquanails: Nail salon offering services including manicures, pedicures, acrylic sets, waxing and more.

Chevy Chase Bank: Offers financial products and services.

Cloud 9 Clothing: Clothing store that carries great denim as well as handbags and accessories.

Cottage Monet: Offers Vera Bradley handbags, belts, and umbrellas; Italian Vietri ceramics;
Thymes lotions and Zutano’s children’s clothing.

CVS Pharmacy: Offers healthcare products and pharmaceutical needs.

Gold’s Gym: The largest co-ed gym chain in the world. Offers the latest equipment and services.

Hair Cuttery: A unisex salon whose services include haircuts and color to facial waxing and texturizing services.

HSBC Bank

Jouvence Aveda Lifestyle Salon and Spa: Offering complete relaxation for the body and total escape for the mind.

Pomegranate & Co.: A home furnishings and design store.

RTS Cleaners: A dry cleaning business.

Ten Thousand Villages: A company dealing with more than 100 artisan groups in more than 30 countries and offering fair trade jewelry, home décor, gifts and more.

Town Square Jewelers: Offers repair and engraving services, as well as the sale of fine jewelry and watches.

Toy Kingdom: Offers unique toys for boys and girls.

The Waygoose: This former Town Center tradition is returning to Rockville. A unique craft gallery and gift store with a wide variety of handcrafted items from jewelry, pottery, glass and wood.

We’ve been lucky to never have lingering vacancies in Town Square. Even in this struggling economy, Federal Realty brings new businesses into the mix in quick order which is very evident with the closing of The Papery.

Gordon Biersch Rockville
200 A East Middle Ln

Special: Gift Card Special. Buy $50 you get $5 — Buy 100 you get $15 — Buy $500 you get $100

Come in and buy a couple of gift card, and get a couple of free gift card in return as a gift from us!

That sounds great!

Ame Cosmetics (GRAND OPENING)
156 Gibbs Street (old Hollywood Tans location)
301-294-9090
www.amecosmetics.com

To celebrate EVERYTHING in the store will be 15% off until Christmas. We have Bath and Body gift packs, Spa Gift sets and much much more just in time for those special holiday gifts. Come out and join us as we celebrate this joyous occasion.

Bobby’s Crabcakes
101 Gibbs Street
www.bobbyscrabcakes.com

Monday through Friday lunch special – 2 courses for $10.00. AND: catering special – receive a $40.00 gift card when you or your employer places a catering order with Bobby’s Crabcakes – minimum order $200.

The Cottage Monet
36 Maryland Avenue
(301-279 2422)

We are a specialty retail store that carries a full line of distinctive gifts and home accessories. We have one of the largest selections of Vera Bradley in the area as well as Vietri ceramics from Italy. If you are looking for the perfect gift, come to The Cottage Monet! Currently we are offering 15% off all our fresh Magnolia Wreaths. (You can see the images of the wreaths here.) [UPDATE: Correct link here.]

Creative Jewelry Studio at VisArts
155 Gibbs Street, Second Floor
12:00 – 6:00, Mon. – Fri.
Contact info: JLGins@aol.com, mimi4july@yahoo.com

Mention this ad and receive 10% off. Shop our collection of one-of-a-kind jewelry handmade by three local artists.

Oro Pomodoro
Pizzeria Napoletana
33a Maryland Avenue
301-251-1111

10% off (monday through thursday, dinner time and dine in only, cannot combine with other in store promotion, must name Rockville Central to get discount). AND: New Year’s Eve Special — 4 course menu for $45 per person (call for details).

If you know of other specials, please send them our way and we will include them in later posts!

The Goldman Art Gallery at the JCC of Greater Washington has transformed into a wonderful world of arts, crafts, Chanukah gifts and Judaica from local artisans. Shop for decorative home items, jewelry, stained and fused glass, paintings, menorahs/chanukiot, quilting, textiles and fiber, challah covers, mezuzot, seder plates and more. The show is open now through December 23.

Gallery Hours:

Sundays 1-5 p.m.
Mondays 3:30-7:30 p.m.
Tuesdays 12-4 p.m.
Wednesdays 3:30-7:30 p.m.
Thursdays 3:30-7:30 p.m.

The JCCGW is located at 6125 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 20852. Contact 301-348-3770 for more information or visit www.jccgw.org.

We’re told that all of the items are handmade by local artists and are really unique pieces. Enjoy!

Throughout the United States in 2006, there were 25,430 family clothing stores, 6,417 children and infants clothing stores, 26,699 shoe stores, 9,425 office supply and stationery stores, 23,270 sporting goods stores, 10,989 bookstores and 9,969 department stores. Here’s Rockville Living’s Directory for comparison.

We set out with our school shopping lists and tried to Buy Rockville. We could easily purchase most of our elementary and middle school lists within the City limits, especially at Staples on Rockville Pike. We also needed to stop in Office Depot (which is right on the border), and if need be there’s always all the CVS stores for some of the school supplies. We couldn’t find backpacks to our liking on Rockville Pike so we needed to go to Target, which is also just outside the City limits or all the way up in Gaithersburg. While we were there, we bought socks. You can get sneakers at Pay Less but there really aren’t any other kid shoe stores in Rockville, so that requires a trip to a department store too.

I’m not sure I could purchase everything in Rockville but if I looked real hard in lots of locations, I might. We visited five stores in one day which was enough!

How did you do Buying Rockville for Back to School?

Penzeys bright lighting, hardwood floors, and mellow colors invite exploration. Since taste is so closely associated with smell, the shop has “smellevision”, large jars of the spices to sniff. As we know, when your nose is stuffed with a cold, you can’t taste very well. By taking a whiff of the spices, you’ll know whether you’ll like the taste instantly, and most likely find a new favorite.

You’ll never again simply say “pepper”. They sell six different kinds from coarse to fine, including white pepper. The array of cinnamons will have you running home to pull out a recipe in order to find the best use for either Karintje Cassia, Ceylon, China Cassia, or Vietamese Cassia (my favorite). The southwest chili section fills a corner and you won’t want to simmer a batch without these spices from mild to very hot.

The store goes beyond every imaginable spice and herb to sell dressing bases for Greek, salsa, & Italian salads, jerk mixes for chicken & fish, and spices for chips & dips. Sandwich sprinkles, cocoa powders, and popcorn toppings are tucked in the crates. The shop carries salt-free versions of standard blends.

Our Rockville Penzeys Spices turned two-years old yesterday. If you haven’t stopped by, I recommend a visit. Bill Penzey owns 41 stores across the country and hires knowledgeable managers who attend trainings to become “encyclopedias of food”, valuable resources for cooks. The free store catalogue overflows with recipes and spice descriptions. The store has a cute coloring station to keep the little ones busy (if you have one in tow).

Penzeys can add some pizzazz to your home-cooked meals. Your best dishes might taste even better with these fresh and potent spices.

1048 Rockville Pike, in the strip mall just south of Edmonston Drive.
301) 738-8707
Mon-Sat: 10 AM – 6 PM, Sun: 11 AM – 5 PM

After ten years in Ritchie Center, Sam has moved his homemade gelato to this new location on Rockville Pike (844 Rockville Pike) across from Wintergreen Plaza. Although at a new location, he continues to prepare up to 84 flavors of gelato, many without dairy and eggs.

Although my taste of the lemon gelato creamily melted in my mouth, I wanted to try the bubble tea with tapioca balls sinking to the bottom of every flavor. Before sipping through the large straw, I wondered how to avoid swallowing the beads whole but this wasn’t a problem as I carefully sipped my “chewy” Café Latte and wandered around the shop.

You can’t help but notice the beautifully-colored smoking devices called hookahs. I had to ask if you smoked with them and of course you do. Sam joked that everything sold at the shop was legal. He insisted a hookah’s comparable to smoking cigarettes but much better. When I saw the selection of shisha tobaccos flavored with mint, banana, mango, fruit, and cocktails, I started to wish that I did smoke, so I could try the exotic piece of equipment.

In addition to a grocery store with dry goods, pickles, beans, bulgar, barley, and nuts from Iran, Turkey, Israel and Lebanon, the café serves salads, sandwiches, and kabobs with chicken, beef, and lamb. Sam pointed out that their method of cooking the meats removes the fats making the dishes quite healthy. The Café goes light on the spices. Aash, a thick fortifying peasant soup of lentils, red kidney beans and vermicelli noodles, tops the menu. Even on a chilly winter day, the sun pouring in the walls of windows created a bright spot to eat lunch. The bakery had trays of baklava and almond cookies.

When I looked at the bottled water, I couldn’t help but notice this wasn’t your ordinary selection. The waters were flavored with fenugreek, cumin seeds, rose, chicory, and orange blossoms. In one refrigerator I found bottles of Coca-Cola and PEPSI along with cans of yogurt soda and coconut juice. Large pots of coffee and tea were available for refills.

After eating in the Café, s few researchers from NIH enjoyed some gelato cones. They clued me into a couple of other markets on Rockville Pike. We wound up discussing how unfortunate it would be to if we redeveloped the Pike in such a way that these small, privately-owned shops were pushed out, unable to afford the higher rents.

For now, I’m going to continue to enjoy little excursions to unique places tucked away on Rockville Pike.

Ruth Hanessian has been a knowledgeable shop owner in Rockville for 28 years. Located in the row of stores next to Giant, her shop is filled with everything you could need for a pet. For many years Ruth has been encouraging a cottage industry in local homes to supply her store with birds and small animals. Although Animal Exchange doesn’t sell cats or dogs, it does sell supplies, healthy food, and treats for them.

Even though we have allergies, I thought we might still be able to get a furry friend so we were directed to the back of the store. Although I was glad the mice and rats were in the tanks, the hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and chinchillas looked adorable. My family had been thinking about a rabbit and we found one with dark fur and blue eyes. We each took a turn holding this irresistible pet. However one of my sons was having trouble breathing. Ruth explained about pet allergies. Rabbits can cause asthmatic reactions even if you aren’t allergic to them.

At the Animal Exchange they are not just selling pets, but rather they are matching them to homes with people who want to learn proper pet care and have a good experience as a pet owner. This takes honesty and sound advice. Ruth has both in abundance.

The Animal Exchange specializes in exotic birds and people travel from all over Maryland and beyond to purchase them. The birds form a rainbow of blue, green, yellow, orange, and red as you gaze at cockatiels, parakeets, parrots, and cockatoos. The tiny finches are so quick and delightful. Ruth explained that the parrots, and even the parakeets, can learn to talk. It you get only one and spend time interacting with it, you can have an excellent companion. Someday I would like to have a bird fluttering around making cheerful sounds, but with such a selection it will be difficult to decide on just one.

Even though there were betta fish and hermit crabs, I knew that with two boys it was inevitable that we would wind up with a reptile. During our first visit, they held a bearded dragon while we learned about habitat, feeding, heat lamps, and basic care. Some leopard geckos were soon to arrive and we decided we would come back. This resulted in two more visits filled with enough information to know that we would do a good job of taking care of the new baby gecko, which came home with us on Sunday.

Whenever I put my hand in the tank, he comes over and places his hand onto mine like he’s holding it. He’s so cute and has a permanent smile on his face. I’m not really sure how it happened but I’m terribly fond of the little guy. He seems to have a predilection for me and climbs all the way up my arm into my long hair. Besides some fish, this is my first pet too.

He’s perfect for our family and we have Ruth to thank! Stop by with your questions about pets. She’ll help you find just the right one and teach you how to take the best care of it. Now when someone asks about a pet, I say “Go to the Animal Exchange!”

Webkinz can be purchased at three stores in Rockville.

Banner’s Hallmark in Congressional Plaza

When this craze started the only place you could buy Webkinz was at Hallmark stores. The one in Congressional Plaza carries the largest selection in Rockville. The store also carries all of the accessories, such as the mouse pads, School Essentialz, trading cards, card albums, magnetic bookmarks, figures, and carrier bags. My son wanted to give “the bag” with his last birthday present but I didn’t know what he was talking about until I went to Hallmark a week later. The carrier bags feature the logo and are just the right size for the little pet. Think Paris Hilton. (Webkinz $14.99, Lil’Kinz $10.99)

Barston’s Child’s Play in Congressional Plaza

Child’s Play is located two doors down from the Hallmark store. Although listed as a distributor, it takes a while to find the two small shelves with just a few Webkinz. Even though this isn’t a good place to purchase them, the store is packed with a diverse selection of toys and books. If you are uncertain of exactly what you want to purchase for a child, there’s a whimsical variety of knights, dragons, sports, costumes, trains, experiments, and board games. You will not leave empty handed after discovering such an appealing hodgepodge of playthings.

Toy Kingdom in Rockville Town Square

Update: July 2008 – Webkinz are out of stock. New supply on order.

This is my favorite place to buy Webkinz because they have a great selection amid a wonderful assortment of quality toys. They carry a sizeable amount of each kind of Webkinz and until the end of March 2008, you can buy two Webkinz and get one free. This is a real bargain because they already price their Webkinz cheaper than Hallmark. (Webkinz $12.99, Lil’Kinz $9.99)

You can’t go wrong with any purchase from Toy Kingdom. For little ones they carry fine wooden and bath toys. The selection of craft kits is extensive. Building toys are also plentiful. There are large stuffed animals, traditional gifts, and unique interactive toys. You’ll always find something special on the counter, such as a talking parrot pen or a hand-held version of Guitar Hero, which I definitely have my eye on — for me!

Webkinz are special to children because they can hold them while they embark on an adventure together. They love this distinctive quality, which seems to carry over to the stores that sell them. These friendly shops with their helpful staffs can make shopping a pleasant experience as you find a meaningful gift for a child.

The Waygoose is not simply a gift shop but rather a gallery bursting with crafts from North American artisans. It’s filled with unusual and wonderful creations and inventions. True artists take their handcrafts to a new level. This unusual graphite pen looks like a branch and it will write for 7-10 years!

I must admit that at both the old and the new locations in Rockville, I have had friends working as shopkeepers. Because everyone is friendly and knowledgeable, you will feel as if you do too.

It’s the perfect place to find something special for someone special. My family and friends have received many gifts from The Waygoose. Truthfully I don’t enjoy shopping. When I have to buy a gift, I want to know that I will find something at the one place I go with the limited amount of time I have.

The Waygoose has pottery, jewelry, baby items, crystals, salad hands, clocks, cards, cutting boards, bird houses, ornaments, wall art, and many things I never dreamed existed. You can even “Give ‘em the Boot” (It’s a bird house made out of a real old boot!). Since I love these crafts, my time is spent figuring out who should receive them as gifts, but really I want them for myself. It’s not every day that you will hear a shop referred to as a gallery!