Bruce Variety Soft Opening Set For Friday

The beloved Bethesda variety store will re-open its doors on Woodmont Avenue March 29.

After a few delays, Bruce Variety is set to open its doors at its new location on Woodmont Avenue. The beloved variety store will have a "soft opening" on Friday, March 29, though some of the merchandise is still in transit, according to Linda Ridenour, wife of Bruce Variety owner Richard Dimock. "With the overwhelming positive response, we can open our doors and feel confident that our customers will be happy," Ridenour wrote in an email to Patch. Operators were "working like bees" and taking in freight daily to ready the new store, which Ridenour described as "colorful, brightly lit and chock full." After 60 years on Arlington Road, high rents forced the Bethesda fixture out of its Bradley Shopping Center space in January. The community …

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Owners: 'There's Only One Bruce Variety'

Bruce Variety owners say they're not concerned about a new store in their old space.

Owners of Bruce Variety say they're not worried about the prospect of losing business to a similar variety store opening in their former location. After 60 years on Arlington Road, high rents forced the Bethesda fixture out of its Bradley Shopping Center space in January. The community rallied for the store, and owners said the support inspired them to find a new location in Bethesda. Bruce Variety will open its doors at 8011 Woodmont Ave. by the end of March. But it's looking like Bruce's will have a little friendly competition when it opens in its new space. Bethesda blogger Robert Dyer broke the news that a store dubbed 'Bradley Party and Variety' is moving into the Arlington Road storefront, and Bethesda Now reported that Strosniders, …

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Jane Lee

12:26 pm on Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Bruce Variety was dirty, poorly lit, and poorly run in its most recent years. It was not the Bruce Variety it used to be in its prime and that was probably due to new management.   more ›

Getting Ready For Her First Sledding Trip

After two years without major snow, a Bethesda girl will try out sledding for the first time Wednesday.

Celia Capito, 2, picks out a sled Wednesday at Strosnider's Hardware in Bethesda. After two years without a major snowstorm, Capito will get the chance to go on her first sledding trip today, said her mother, Laura.  Stay with Patch for all your need-to-know updates on the "Snowquester."

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Green Around Town

Savenia Labs' Energy Ratings Launch at Strosniders

Savenia Labs launches their energy ratings system in the small appliances aisle at Strosniders.

Savenia Labs has officially launched their independent lab-tested energy rating system. Strosniders is offering the first opportunity for this Bethesda Green Incubator startup to present their ratings to the public starting with ratings of small appliances.  Patch wrote about Savenia Labs earlier this year as John Jabara, founder and CEO, was in the final stages of launching the company. Stop by the small appliances aisle of Strosniders in Bethesda and Silver Spring to take a look!  Support from Bethesda Green and Cooperation from Strosniders Jabara met with Patch in the small appliance aisle of Strosniders in Bethesda. With Savenia Labs’ rating tags displaying the lifetime cost of the energy required to run various brands of coffee makers…

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