Hot Brands, Like Tesla, Keep Georgetown Hot
By • January 25, 2024 0 1453
Last month, the widely read news was that Barnes & Noble will return to Georgetown, which it left in 2011. Amazingly, the United States’s largest national bookstore chain will return to its original location at 3040 M St. NW. “We couldn’t be more pleased to return to Georgetown,” said James Daunt, Barnes & Noble’s CEO.
This week, there was more electrifying news: Tesla is coming to M Street — curiously enough, to the same block in Georgetown that boasted a car dealership for decades. (The more things change … except those cars in the past had internal combustion engines.)
Alan Kline of the Washington Business Journal wrote on Jan. 24 : “Electric vehicle producer Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) is shuttering its showroom at CityCenterDC and relocating it to larger space in the heart of Georgetown.
“Plans have been filed with the Old Georgetown Board for the nation’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer to open a 4,500-square-foot showroom in the EastBanc-owned 3307 M St. NW. Anthony Lanier, EastBanc’s CEO, said he expects the space to be ready for occupancy within 120 days, pending the OGB’s approval of proposed modifications to the building’s storefront.
“… Tesla’s pending move is a big win for Georgetown, which has snagged a number of big-name tenants in recent months, including another — luxury retailer Zadig & Voltaire — that relocated from CityCenterDC.”
While we may not see Elon Musk hanging out at the corner of 33rd & M — nor Kim Kardashian at her planned store for shapewear brand Skims across the street at 3300 M St. NW — we’re well aware that top brands are loving Georgetown right now.
By the way, Smoothie King celebrated the opening of its first location in Georgetown with a grand opening today, featuring an appearance from “Bachelor” star, Jason Tartick — along with a ribbon cutting, prize and gift card giveaways, free smoothies, photo opportunities and more. We hope you didn’t miss the free smoothies at 1 p.m.
It is abundantly clearly that Georgetown’s commercial recovery is well under way — outperforming other neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. Click to read “2023 Retail in Review” by the Georgetown Business Improvement District.
New places are in the pipeline, as previously reported. Other places, such as a liquor store or veterinary hospital, are either renovating or moving within Georgetown.
More on such matters in Monday’s Business Ins & Outs.
