Businesses’ Ins & Outs: Max’s Best Ice Cream Loses Lease, Kintaro, and CorePower Yoga Opens

Kintaro Japanese Restaurant Opens on 33rd Street

Kintaro, a 100-percent Japanense restaurant with sashimi, sushi, ramen noodles, bento boxes and more, has opened at 1039 33rd St., NW., in the former L. Chocolatier space. Run by Tetsuro Takanashi and Ken Yamamoto, Kintaro is open for lunch and dinner — 202-333-4649.

Cafe Capitol Prague Opens

While the restaurant Capitol Prague is yet to open, its companion cafe is open for business — with coffee and strudels — near the restaurant at M and Potomac Streets. The restaurant should be open in June, managers said.

Max’s Best Ice Cream Loses Lease to Rocklands

Glover Park is losing its beloved ice cream shop, according to Glover Park Hyperlocal: “The owner of Max’s Best Ice Cream (2416 Wisconsin Ave.) received verbal notice last fall that his lease would not be renewed, says Raymond Ruppert, Jr. president of the Ruppert Real Estate property management firm. The reason: ‘Basically, Rocklands wants to expand, and they’re an older tenant.’ Rocklands indicated that it always wanted to expand but expected to do so only when Max’s was about to retire.

Govinda Gallery Space to Become a Yoga Studio

According to discussions at the latest meeting of the 2E advisory neighborhood, the former Govinda Galley space at 1227 34th Street, NW, will become a yoga studio with another nearby shop to be used for selling yoga merchandise. The multi-shop complex at the corner of 34th and Prospect will continue to have a dry cleaner and a hair salon, as their leases run through a few years from now. (Owned by Chris Murray, Govinda Gallery continues as an online business, closing its 34th Street location two years ago after decades of groundbreaking exhibits, including rock ‘n roll photography, and noteworthy receptions.)

CorePower Yoga Opens on Jefferson Street

But, wait, there’s more: CorePower Yoga has opened at 1055 Thomas Jefferson Street. The company explains: “the two-room yoga studio features a range of amenities, including changing rooms with showers and private lockers. A full retail boutique will showcase men’s and women’s yoga active wear and accessories for all of your yoga and lifestyle needs.”

Shell Gas Station Opens With Watergate Prices

After a fire ruined and closed the Georgetown Auto Shop and Washingtonian gas station at 1576 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., the intersection now is home to a Shell gas station, operated by Roland Joun, who used to run the Watergate Exxon. The high gas prices at the Shell station at Q Street and Wisconsin Avenue reflect its Watergate heritage.