Business Ins & Outs: Glover Park Whole Foods, Ike Behar, All About Burger and More
By • September 16, 2021 0 1628
Glover Park Whole Foods to Debut Just Walk Out Technology, Open Next Year
While Whole Foods lovers will have to wait a little longer for their Glover Park store to reopen, excitement is building that it is one of the first that will use Just Walk Out technology for check out.
“We are excited to announce that Whole Foods Market will open two stores featuring Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology as an option for customers. The stores, one in Washington, D.C.’s Glover Park neighborhood and one in Sherman Oaks, California, are expected to open next year,” said Jamie Forrest of Whole Foods Market in a statement last week.
Here’s how it works, according to Whole Foods: “Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology is made possible by a combination of computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning—similar to what you’d find in self-driving cars—and adds convenience to customers’ grocery shopping experience by giving them the option to come in, pick up what they want, and skip the checkout when they’re done.
“Anyone will be able to shop at these Whole Foods Market stores using self-checkout – customers do not need to be Amazon Prime members or have an Amazon account. …
“Once inside, customers can shop like normal. Anything they take off the shelf is automatically added to their virtual cart, and anything they put back on the shelf comes out of their virtual cart. …
“After customers leave the store, those who use the Just Walk Out experience will receive a digital receipt, which will be available in the Whole Foods Market app. Customers who use self-checkout will receive a paper receipt.”
The Whole Foods Market at 2323 Wisconsin Ave. NW will reopen next year with a 21,500 square foot sales floor, according to the company.
In: Ike Behar Adds Outlet on M
The Ike Behar shop at 2900 M St. NW has expanded next door to the former Hu’s Shoes (2906 M) and set up an outlet space for itself and other Georgetown businesses. The newly opened space already offers Ike Behar clothing, along some Hu’s Shoes inventory as well as garments from Amina Rubinacci on nearby Pennsylvania Avenue. “Consider it a warehouse sale with prices marked down 30 to 70 percent,” Alan Behar said. “We’re also looking for other businesses to get in on the action.” The outlet will be open through 2021.
In: Afghan Restaurant Planned
Taking over the former space of Don Lobo’s Mexican Grill which closed May 31, 2020, after 16 years, Afghania will be another restaurant by Omar Masroor at 2811 M St. NW. His Bistro Aracosia on MacArthur Boulevard gets high marks for serving the likes of sabzi turnovers, lamb chops and beef tenderloin, qabuli palou and veal ryehaan. The new restaurant is situated between Taj of India Cuisine and La Chaumiere. Masroor’s other spots are in McLean and Springfield.
In: All About Burger on Track
The folks who bought you the ill-fated Mono Diner at 1424 Wisconsin Ave. NW plan to reopen the space as an All About Burger, which has other locations in Glover Park, downtown and Arlington.
Coming: Buck Mason, Gorjana, Pressed … From Cali
Apparently, California loves Georgetown. The straightforward menswear store, Buck Mason, founded in 2013 by Sasha Koehn and Erik Allen Ford in Los Angeles, is setting up a store at 3128 M St. NW. Across the street and one block east, specialty jewelry store Gorjana — started in Laguna Beach by former models Gorjana Reidel and Jason Griffin Reidel in 2004 — is set to debut at 3029 M St. NW. Also coming is Pressed which says it began in 2010 as a 25 square-foot “juice closet” in Los Angeles and included a food truck in Malibu. Now expanding through the U.S., Pressed offers its signature cold-pressed juices along with plant-based foods. It will open in the former Papyrus card store location at 1300 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Out: 7-Eleven Shut by DC Health, Rats
The 7-Eleven at Wisconsin Avenue and O Street NW remains closed after being shut down by the DC Health Department because of “imminent health hazard(s)” on July 7. About to enter its third month, the long closure is due to a rodent problem, according to several sources familiar with the property. There’s a lot of work to do at the place.
Out: Police Close Charcoal Town
After several years of problems with DC Health and with nearby residents and businesses, Charcoal Town Hookah and Shawarma at 1027 31st St. NW was ordered shut by the Metropolitan Police Department on Aug. 21. The Mediterranean food and falafel spot is subject to a hearing by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. MPD wrote: “The Chief of Police finds that continued operation of this establishment will present an imminent danger to the health, safety and welfare of the public; that there is an additional danger to the health and welfare of the public by not closing this establishment; and that there is no immediately available measure to ameliorate these findings.” No further comment necessary.
Out: Ledo Pizza Done
Looks like the last slice has been eaten for Ledo Pizza at 1721 Wisconsin Ave. NW. However, whether you liked them or not, there are other Ledo locations in D.C. The property and adjacent space will be redeveloped into condominiums.
