The space at 212 Boardwalk Place used to be Bach to Rock. By early September it was open as Kareem's Lebanese Kitchen, serving hummus, shawarma, flatbreads and pistachio ice cream. Farther along the boardwalk, at 229 Boardwalk Place, Miss Toya's Southern Kitchen has closed for good. On Grand Corner Avenue, a former wine shop is being rebuilt as a J.Crew Factory.
This is what change at RIO looks like in 2026. It happens one lease at a time, inside buildings that are already there. A far larger plan would replace the Kohl's, add hundreds of apartments and stretch the boardwalk. In July, the Mayor and Council sent that plan back for revisions, and its review will start over once a revised version is filed. So for now, the swaps along the lake are the only changes anyone can actually visit.
The storefront swaps since spring
| Address | Previous tenant | New or incoming tenant | Status as of mid-October |
|---|---|---|---|
| 212 Boardwalk Place | Bach to Rock | Kareem's Lebanese Kitchen | Reported open by Sept. 6 |
| Near the carousel and playground | None reported | Sip | Open, reported in early September |
| 229 Boardwalk Place | Miss Toya's Southern Kitchen | No replacement announced | Closure reported Sept. 16 |
| 30 Grand Corner Ave. | None reported | Orange Pocket | Opening announced for Sept. 19, not confirmed |
| 20 Grand Corner Ave., Suite A | FineWine.com | J.Crew Factory | Under construction, fall or winter 2026 |
Each row is a single tenant decision.
Kareem's and Sip both filled spaces that were already built
Kareem's took a space that had housed a music school and turned it into a full-service restaurant. Bethesda Today reported on Aug. 21 that the restaurant planned to open the following Monday, and The MoCo Show listed it as open by Sept. 6. According to The MoCo Show's September RIO roundup, Chef Rachid's culinary roots trace back to Beirut. The menu covers mezze, falafel and grilled entrées, plus Lebanese wines, cocktails, zero-proof drinks and baklava.
Sip is even smaller. It's a family-owned dirty soda and mocktail stand next to Bear's Shaved Ice, close to the carousel and playground. The menu runs to customizable dirty sodas, mocktails, energy drink mixes and sparkling water refreshers. A stand like this works because the carousel and playground already bring people to that edge of the lake.
Both openings show how RIO's tenant mix turns over. A restaurant can replace a music school, and a drink stand can set up beside an ice stand. Neither needed new square footage.
The space that hasn't refilled yet
That same churn leaves gaps. The MoCo Show reported on Sept. 16 that Miss Toya's Southern Kitchen at 229 Boardwalk Place had permanently closed. The report didn't name a replacement.
RIO's own online directory hasn't caught up. The September version still listed Miss Toya's at 229 Boardwalk Place and still showed Orange Pocket as coming soon. When the center's site and the local news disagree, the dated news report is the better record of what's actually open on a given weekend.
Grand Corner Avenue is getting the retail additions
The Boardwalk Place changes are mostly about food. The two retail arrivals are both on Grand Corner Avenue.
Orange Pocket, 30 Grand Corner Ave. This Japanese and Korean-inspired pop culture and lifestyle store plans to carry gashapon machines, claw machines, blind boxes, snacks, beauty products, collectibles, stationery and home goods. Its date has moved more than once. A July MoCo Show report said it expected to open in mid-August. On Sept. 6 it was still listed as coming soon. Then The MoCo Show reported on Sept. 10 that the store had set a Sept. 19 opening. We haven't found a post-opening report confirming it opened on that date.
J.Crew Factory, 20 Grand Corner Ave., Suite A. This is the former FineWine.com space. The MoCo Show's June roundup reported that FineWine.com had closed in May. By Sept. 17, construction was underway, with a fall 2026 opening expected and no exact date given. RIO's own store page says "Opening Winter 2026," so the timing could fall on either side of the holidays.
These two stores are the biggest retail changes at RIO this year. Both are moving into existing storefronts on an existing street.
Why the bigger plan isn't arriving anytime soon
The plan that would actually reshape RIO is application SDP-10104-2025. The City of Gaithersburg describes it as up to 500 multifamily units and 43,000 square feet of retail in four buildings across Washingtonian Center. In its July coverage, The MoCo Show described 463 rental apartments and more than 41,000 square feet of retail. Its version includes replacing the existing Kohl's with a mixed-use building, a relocated playground, a dog park, an outdoor fitness area, lakeside pocket parks, public art and an expanded boardwalk. The difference likely reflects the gap between the application's maximum and the specific plan reviewed this year. The city's project page has the official figures.
Here's how the review has gone so far, based on Montgomery Community Media's account and the city's record:
- May 2025: Washingtonian Associates, LLC, the owner and developer of Rio Washingtonian Center, submits the application.
- Jan. 5, 2026: At a public hearing, 28 residents testify. Concerns include traffic, pedestrian safety, parking access, building design and the amount of open space.
- July 1, 2026: The Planning Commission reviews the proposal. More than 300 exhibits are now in the record, including more than 200 public comments.
- July 20, 2026: The Mayor and Council vote to reopen the record indefinitely. The developer had asked for more time to revise the plan.
That fourth step matters most. According to the City of Gaithersburg, as reported by The MoCo Show, review effectively starts over once revised plans are submitted. That means a new joint public hearing with all required notices, a new Planning Commission recommendation, and then a final vote by the Mayor and Council. As of mid-October, our research hasn't found a revised submission or a new hearing date.
So the bigger amenities in that plan, like the dog park, the pocket parks and the longer boardwalk, will have to go through every one of those steps again. Until then, any change at RIO comes from tenants moving into and out of the current buildings. The city's Rio Residential Project page is the place to watch for the next hearing notice.
The calendar from here through December
RIO's events run on a separate track from both the tenant changes and the redevelopment review. September showed how big they can get: Taste of Rio grew into a 10-day event in its fourth year, running Sept. 18 through 27 and ending with a lakefront tasting. Here's what's confirmed for the rest of the year, at RIO and at the city's biggest seasonal event a short drive away:
- Oct. 15, 10 a.m.: Tickets go on sale for the City of Gaithersburg's Winter Lights Festival. Every Winter Lights event requires advance tickets. Tickets are for a specific date and daily quantities are limited.
- Oct. 24 and 25, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: RIO's Fall Artisan Market brings more than 50 local makers each day.
- Nov. 20 through 23: Winter Lights holds four companion events at Seneca Creek State Park: S'more Lights, the MCRRC Run Under the Lights, Sip & Sparkle, and Walk & Wag.
- Nov. 27 through Dec. 31, closed Dec. 25: The 31st season of Winter Lights at Seneca Creek State Park, 11950 Clopper Road. It's a 3.5-mile drive with more than 450 illuminated displays.
- Date not yet announced: RIO's 2026 holiday page mentions Light Up the Lakefront but doesn't give a date. The event page still shows last year's calendar data.
The next changes to watch for at RIO are the J.Crew Factory opening, confirmation that Orange Pocket is open, a new tenant at 229 Boardwalk Place, and a revised redevelopment plan filed with the city.
If you own near RIO, a pending plan that could add hundreds of apartments, replace the Kohl's and expand the boardwalk is worth factoring into your timing. Peter Maser follows the city's review of SDP-10104-2025, along with the tenant changes on Boardwalk Place and Grand Corner Avenue, and can show you how comparable homes nearby are pricing while the plan is still undecided. Request a Private Home Valuation to see where your home stands this fall.
