Robeks Fresh Juices & Smoothies has permanently closed its location at 1403 Research Boulevard, Suite A7, in Rockville's Research Row development, ending a run of roughly seven years at the site. The shop had operated between Chick-fil-A and OneLife Fitness, not far from Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant, since opening in 2019.
The closure was first reported by The MoCo Show, which noted the Rockville store had been run by franchisee Eion Callwood, a Montgomery Village resident. Robeks specializes in freshly made smoothies, juices, açaí bowls, protein shakes and other health-focused menu items, a lineup that drew customers to the Research Row storefront for approximately seven years.
A Local Fixture Since 2019
When the Rockville shop first opened, it was part of a smoothie chain with more than 80 locations nationwide, according to Restaurant Magazine, which also reported that Callwood served as the store's franchisee and detailed its spot between Chick-fil-A and One Life Fitness at 1403 Research Blvd. Robeks itself traces back to 1996, when it was founded in Southern California, per Bethesda Magazine, which covered the Rockville location's opening in 2019.
The brand has kept growing well beyond its Rockville roots in the years since. The International Franchise Association reported in February that Robeks had 106 locations in operation and 40 more in development across 13 states and the District of Columbia.
Research Row's Full House
The Robeks space sat inside Research Row, a 108,000-square-foot retail property at 1403 Research Boulevard. The MoCo Show reported last October that leasing activity in the months following the property's sale had pushed occupancy at the development to 100 percent, a milestone that came less than a year after the site changed hands for $35.3 million.
Robeks is not the only Montgomery County-area food business to close recently. The MoCo Show also reported this week that Bistro 64, a District Heights restaurant that opened in early 2023, has permanently closed, adding to a string of closures hitting local food establishments even as larger chains like Robeks continue to add locations elsewhere.
