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After plumbing woes extended the closure of restaurants in Rockville’s Woodley Gardens shopping center past an anticipated Halloween reopening, some businesses are beginning to reopen this week, according to social media posts.
Carmen’s Italian Ice & Café at 1115 Nelson St. posted on social media Wednesday that the shop would be open from 2 to 9 p.m. Wednesday.
“Looks like the plumbing issues in Rockville are fixed and water will be back on by noon today!” the shop’s Instagram post said, noting the parking lot still had a “mess” from construction work on it.
Another business at the center, Z&Z Manoushe Bakery at 1111 Nelson St., posted on social media Wednesday that it would open Thursday, but did not say what its hours would be.
Drew Briscoe, the leasing agent for Woodley Gardens and chief operating officer of the company that owns the shopping center, did not immediately respond to MoCo360’s call Wednesday requesting more information regarding repair work and openings.
He previously told MoCo360 on Oct. 30 that the center’s management company was working to resolve the plumbing issues as quickly as possible.
In late October, several food businesses in the center including Carmen’s Italian Ice & Café, Z&Z Manoushe Bakery, Hard Times Café and Shanghai Taste were forced to close due to the plumbing repairs. Businesses were told that they would be able to reopen potentially by Halloween.
However, as the repair work continued at the shopping center, which involved digging up and excavating a portion of the parking lot in front of the businesses, hopes dimmed for an Oct. 31 opening.
Carmen’s Italian Ice owner Jason Mandler told MoCo360 on Oct. 30 that a Nov. 4 reopening looked more likely. While the shop was shuttered, Carmen’s utilized its food truck to continue selling ices and custards to the community, according to the shop’s posts on social media.
Mandler said the neighborhood was very supportive during the closure. “We’re making the most of it, doing the best we can to provide for the neighborhood,” he said.
Other restaurants in the center that have been closed since late October, such as Hard Times Café at 1117 Nelson St. and Shanghai Taste at 1121 Nelson St., could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon. Woodley Gardens Veterinary Care remained open during the repairs.
