Business Ins & Outs: Martin’s 1933 Prices, Clyde’s 60th, Bitty & Beau’s Reopening
By • October 2, 2023 0 1774
In: 1933 Prices at Martin’s Tavern, Oct. 5 to 8
Today through through Thursday, as Martin’s Tavern continues its 90th anniversary celebration, it is rolling back the prices on selected dishes to their original prices from the restaurant’s 1933 menu. These specials will be offered exclusively during lunch service. Choices include a Cup of Clam Chowder for $.20, and Sandwich choices of Ham and Egg, Ham and Cheese, Bacon and Egg, or Corn Beef, all priced at $.20. Chicken Ala King will also be offered at $.85, and 3 Fried Oysters, Coleslaw and French Fries for $.35.
Through October, Martin’s Tavern will feature three 90th-anniversary cocktails, which will be a proprietary reset of 1933 drinks with 2023 sensibilities: French 75, Sidecar, and the Last Word. These cocktails at Martin’s Tavern are priced from $13 to $17, and 100 percent of the proceeds raised from their sale will benefit the Georgetown Ministry Center.
Mayor Muriel Bowser presided over the anniversary kickoff event with Billy Martin on Sept. 12 to celebrate the iconic tavern with more than 600 guests. The mayor roused the crowd with her support for small business and presentation to Billy Martin of a letter of declaration from the city honoring the restaurant’s 90 years of service in the community.
“Martin’s Tavern is a place that, no matter where you go, people know about it,” Bowser said. “There’s only one D.C., and we are proud to have places like Martin’s Tavern in our city. For 90 years, the Martin family has served our community, bringing D.C. and American history to life within the tavern’s walls.”
Clyde’s Celebrating Its 60th Anniversary
The original Clyde’s on M Street in Georgetown opened in 1963. Georgetowner photo.
Another famous Georgetown restaurant and bar at 3236 M St. NW is celebrating a big birthday: Clyde’s is celebrating its 60th anniversary. That’s right: 60 years, and 14 restaurants and counting — and, for years now, a Washington legend.
Sally Davidson, widow of the late, founder Stuart Davidson, once recounted, “My husband turned a biker bar into a Georgetown fixture. This is where it all started in 1963.” He added John Laytham to the team, and Clyde’s expanded across the region.
Since 2019, Clyde’s Restaurant Group has been owned by Graham Holdings Company, an Arlington, Virginia-based company, headed by Donald Graham, a former publisher of the Washington Post.
In: Bitty & Beau’s Oct. 4 Ribbon Cutting
After temporarily closing in March, Bitty & Beau’s Coffee, the North Carolina-based company that “reinvented the coffee experience,” has reopened at 3207 M Street NW. The official grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 4. Named after their two children with Down syndrome, the brand was launched by the Wright family in 2016 and adds that it is “human rights movement disguised as a coffee shop.”
In: Away on M St. Celebrates Opening
Away, the original disruptor of the travel goods industry, opened its first retail storefront in Georgetown at 3237 M St. NW on Sept. 28. The company told us: “With this opening, Away is the first travel brand to have a retail presence in Georgetown. The brand was eager to invest in the market not only for its rich history, culture, and a strong sense of community, but also because Georgetown serves as a major travel hub for residents, students, and visitors alike. In the new store, visitors will be able to shop the brand’s beloved line-up of travel and everyday essentials, including its recently redesigned iconic Classic suitcases, its popular Flex assortment of expandable luggage, the new Transit Bags with luxe leather & canvas components, and much more.”
Away has scheduled several events to celebrate its opening.
= Neighborhood welcome, 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 6.
= Georgetown photo tour by local photographers Albert Ting and Austin Graff, noon and 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7; tours depart from the store.
= College Community Appreciation Day, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 14 — snacks and drinks and free Away totes (while supplies last) with purchase with college ID.
Away will be giving away custom gifts with select purchases through Oct. 15. College students will get 10 percent off all purchases that include luggage through Oct. 28 — with valid college ID; terms apply.
Out: Kelley Drye & Warren to Depart Washington Harbour in 2025
National law firm Kelley Drye & Warren will be relocate its Washington, D.C., office from Georgetown to the Wharf, according to Commercial Observer, which added: “The firm inked a 65,000-square-foot lease at 670 Maine Avenue SW, an 11-story building at the mile-long, $3.6 billion development along D.C.’s waterfront, developed by a joint venture between Hoffman & Associates and Madison Marquette. The move represents a significant downsize from the Kelley Drye & Warren’s current 107,000-square-foot home at 3050 K Street NW.”
The firm will occupy the entire fifth and sixth floors, plus half of the seventh floor at 670 Maine when it relocates in 2025, as first reported by the Washington Business Journal. Famed Washington law firm Williams & Connolly relocated to the Wharf earlier this year.
