Two of the biggest tenants on the Maryland side of Friendship Heights closed in the first half of 2026. Saks Fifth Avenue announced that its store at 5555 Wisconsin Avenue would close by the end of May, as part of the retailer's bankruptcy. Capital One planned to close its branch at 5459 Wisconsin Avenue, inside The Collection, after February 10. The new tenants are smaller, and most of them are places you could stop into on a Tuesday: an all-day café, a bakery, a toast-and-smoothie counter, two fitness concepts and a cookware boutique. The one large dining deal of the fall went to a restaurant group that had never opened in Maryland before.
Two restaurant spaces, empty for less than two weeks
Junction Bistro, Bar & Bakery planned its last service for Friday, August 28, at 5471 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 206B. The Hunter's Hound, the Irish pub around the corner, closed soon after with a sign promising that "a new concept is coming soon."
The new concept was announced on September 9, twelve days after Junction's last night. The MoCo Show reported that Metropolitan Hospitality Group will open two restaurants in the vacated spaces. One is Open Road, an American restaurant that will have a nautical twist at this location. The other is Cove, a new all-day café and wine bar. Both are expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, and the announcement gave no menus or exact opening dates. As of early October, The Collection's directory still lists both as coming soon.
If you know the group's other restaurants, the name will be familiar. MHG was founded in 2005 and opened CIRCA at Dupont in 2007. Its restaurants now include CIRCA, Open Road, Él Bebe, TRIO Grill, SALT, Heirloom and Open Road Distilling Co., all in D.C. and Northern Virginia until now. Matthew Carlin, the group's president, explained the choice of location in the group's own announcement:
"We have been thoughtful about where and how MHG would make its first move into Maryland, and Friendship Heights immediately stood out. It is an established community with a strong sense of place, excellent connectivity and residents who value quality dining and genuine hospitality."
Picking two concepts matters for daily use. MHG describes Open Road as an American restaurant and gathering place. Cove is built as an all-day café and wine bar, so it can fill a morning coffee or midday slot as well as the evening. John Ziegenhein, president and CEO of CCLC, the company that owns The Collection, said the pair would bring "more reasons for people to spend time at The Collection."
The Collection's tenant changes, in order
The restaurant deal makes more sense next to the rest of The Collection's past year. The center already had a core of longtime names. Bethesda Magazine describes it as home to Clyde's, Sushiko and Potomac Pizza. Most of the new arrivals since then are boutique, fitness and service businesses. None is a large-format store.
| When | Business | Change |
|---|---|---|
| By July 2025 | Sareh Nouri | Bridal and eveningwear boutique open at The Collection |
| December 2025 | Clyde's | Lease renewed, with a planned refresh |
| By March 2026 | Joy by Seven Reasons, 5471 Wisconsin | Reported closed |
| After Feb. 10, 2026 | Capital One, 5459 Wisconsin | Branch closing |
| Spring 2026 | Burn Boot Camp, 5425 Wisconsin, Suite 313 | Opened |
| Aug. 28, 2026 | Le Creuset, 5481 Wisconsin, Suite B | Opened |
| Aug. 28, 2026 | Junction Bistro, Bar & Bakery | Closed |
| September 2026 | The Hunter's Hound | Closed |
| Q4 2026, expected | Open Road and Cove, 5471 Wisconsin | Announced |
The Clyde's renewal shows that keeping a long-running tenant also means investing in its space. CCLC's December 2025 update described a new roof, updated dining rooms and a Race Bar redesigned as a live-event venue. Le Creuset held its grand-opening celebration from September 10 to 13, two weeks after it opened. The MoCo Show reported that Burn Boot Camp's opening event was scheduled for April 25, and CCLC later gave April 27 as the opening date.
Across Western Avenue, Wisconsin Place gets more places to eat
The same change is happening on a larger scale at The Shops at Wisconsin Place. On October 1, Bethesda Magazine reported that The Capital Grille is currently the only full-service restaurant and the only dining option open in the center. That will change soon.
- Toastique, the D.C.-based toast, juice and smoothie shop, has a "Coming Soon!" sign up in the space below The Capital Grille. It will be the company's first Montgomery County location. The center lists it for this fall. The company has not given an opening date. The menu includes avocado smash, smoked salmon and spicy crab toasts, protein waffles, cold-pressed juices and coffee, matcha and tea drinks. Fall items include a spiced pumpkin smoothie and a caramel apple chai latte.
- Kneads Bakery first projected a second-quarter 2026 opening in the former Peet's space. The center now lists it for fall 2026. PoPville reported "Opening Soon" signage at 5330G Western Avenue, near the Friendship Heights Metro, on September 24.
- My Gym is also listed for fall 2026.
Once Toastique and Kneads open, Wisconsin Place will have three places to eat instead of one. Both of the new ones serve breakfast and daytime food, the hours The Capital Grille does not cover. Across Western Avenue, Cove is planned as an all-day café. Taken together, the fall openings on both sides add more morning and midday options than dinner ones.
On the calendar this October
The Collection's own event schedule features its newer tenants. The Collection Couture Fall 2026 Fashion Show is set for Saturday, October 24, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. It features Sareh Nouri, the boutique that arrived in 2025, and Brooks Brothers. It is the only upcoming event on the center's events page right now. The first annual tree lighting at The Collection took place on December 5, 2025. A 2026 date has not been posted.
Elsewhere in Chevy Chase, these events are scheduled in the weeks ahead:
- Friday, October 9. Section 3's Halloween movie night at Gazebo Park, with a food truck from 4 to 7:30 p.m. and Hocus Pocus at 6:30 p.m.
- Saturdays, October 10 through November 28. The Taylor Street farmers market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., between Georgia Street and Brookville Road.
- Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18. Ch/Art's seventh annual Art Walk, noon to 5 p.m. both days, with 86 artists at 35 homes and studios across Chevy Chase, Maryland, and D.C. It is free.
- Saturday, October 17. Section 3's Oktoberfest and cornhole tournament at Gazebo Park, 5 to 7 p.m.
- Saturday, October 24. The Collection Couture Fall 2026 Fashion Show, 4 to 6:30 p.m.
- Saturday, October 31. Section 3's Halloween parade, starting at Gazebo Park at 5:45 p.m.
- Sunday, November 15. Section 3's second annual 3K and Lollipop Run, starting at Gazebo Park at 8:30 a.m.
By the time the 3K runs, Open Road, Cove, Toastique and Kneads may all have opening dates. None of the four has announced one as of October 4.
If you own a home near Wisconsin Avenue and are wondering how these changes might affect its value or how a future listing should describe the neighborhood, The DC Team at TTR Sotheby's International Realty can talk it through with you. Schedule a consultation to see how the new tenants on your stretch of Friendship Heights could fit into your plans.
