Business Ins & Outs: B&B Italia, Sports & Social, Prince & Princess, Manse
By • October 16, 2023 0 1786
In: B&B Italia Opens Oct. 26
To be or not to be B&B … B&B Italia, the global contemporary design furniture group, will bring its iconic, timeless furniture to its first Washington, D.C., three-story flagship in Georgetown at 3330 M St NW on Oct. 26 in the former Baker Furniture store. Part of the luxe design stores in Cady’s Alley, the 12,809-square-foot space, designed by the brand’s artistic director, Piero Lissoni, has a very contemporary feel that provides a striking contrast with the exterior brownstone building.
This marks B&B Italia’s fifth brick and mortar location in the U.S. Designer lovers will be able to experience B&B Italia’s designs from its four brands: B&B Italia, Maxalto, Azucena and Arclinea. The space will offer customers full-home design services, ranging from custom kitchens to closets and lighting that goes beyond furniture.
In: Manse on O
Opened last week: Manse, “a housewares and lifestyle store focused on carrying unique and artisan-made products” from Old Town Alexandria, now occupies the former Arlandia Floors space — and, before that, the esteemed Antiques of Georgetown at 3210 O St. NW.
In: Frame on M
Frame has opened its store at 3105 M St. NW, after renovations, in the space left by Michael Kors during the pandemic. Founded in 2010, Frame is an American fashion-retail company that designs and sells high-end clothing for men and women. The company is known for its denim jeans and hand bags sold at retail outlets in the U.S. and has been patronized by models Karlie Kloss, Miranda Kerr and Emily Ratajkowski.
Coming: Sports & Social
The former Ri Ra space at 3125 M St. NW is slated to become a Sports & Social, a sports restaurant that’s big on wide-screen TVs, burgers, tacos, salads — and betting. As the Bethesda version tells it: “Big Screens. Big Eats. Big Bets. Enjoy the exciting addition of FanDuel Sportsbook to enhance your sports watch experience. Make in-person bets and Game Day with us. Open during restaurant hours.”
Meanwhile, Sports & Social will open its first Washington, D.C., location at 1314 U St. NW on Friday afternoon, Oct. 27, just in time for the first game of the World Series, with a weekend-long grand opening celebration. The U Street spot does not yet offer onsite gambling as the Bethesda location does. The upcoming Georgetown plans to offer sports betting as well.
Coming: New Balance in Old Glory Space
A New Balance store is coming to 3139 M St. NW, the former space for the short-lived America Eats Tavern, which shut down during the pandemic, and Old Glory for 26 years before that.
As first noticed by Topher Mathews, “This is a bit of a shame. Not for any fashionable reasons, but because it means yet another restaurant building on M St. is being converted to fashion retail. While the decline has been less steep in recent years, the aggregate loss of dining options on M St. over the past 10-15 years has been significant. True, Old Glory itself closed way back in 2018. But the relatively short-lived Americas Eats Tavern maintained a lot of the same casual dining spirit (although not quite at the same prices). The two restaurants combined for nearly 30 years of food being served at this address. Now it will be only dad shoes served instead.”
No word for the fate of the faded mural on the side of the restaurant exterior that faces the PNC Bank parking lot.
Meanwhile, speaking of a former restaurant owned by Capitol Restaurant Concepts, we hear that the former J. Paul’s space at 3218 M St. NW is about to be leased. We’ll let readers know what things are firmed up.
Moved: Prince & Princess
For years at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and O Street, Prince & Princess, the classic sneakers and sportswear store, has moved next door to 1406 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Steve Madden — which used to be at 3109 M St. NW but closed five years ago — will reopen in Georgetown at that corner. The global shoes and fashion accessories company reported sales in excess of $2 billion last year.
Prince & Princess is co-owned by siblings Parviz Mizrahi and Lida Solmen. Meanwhile, the top floors on the corner building are being converted into apartments.
Out: Legal Services to Downtown
Legal Services Corporation, a longtime tenant at 3333 K St. NW, will leave Georgetown next year.
According to Commercial Observer, “Legal Services Corporation, a nonprofit that provides financial support for civil legal aid to lower-income Americans, has inked a 15.5-year, 37,000-square-foot lease at International Square, a 1.1 million-square-foot, three-tower complex in Washington, D.C. LSC, established by Congress in 1974, will occupy the entire eighth floor of the 12-story property beginning in November 2024.”
Out: Wells Fargo on Wisconsin Ave.
The small Wells Fargo Express Center at 1329 Wisconsin Ave. NW will be closing next year, according to retail sources. Larger Wells Fargo banks remain at 2901 M St. NW and 3700 Calvert St. NW.
