Business Ins & Outs 2024
By January 13, 2025 0 989
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The following is a summary of Business Ins and Outs for 2024.
In
Tesla Electrifies M St.
Last month, the nation’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer opened a 4,500-square-foot showroom at 3307 M St. NW, having relocated from CityCenterDC. Tesla moved — curiously enough — to the same M Street block in Georgetown that boasted a car dealership for decades.
Osteria Mozza
The highly anticipated Osteria Mozza DC opened Nov. 10. Restaurateur Stephen Starr partnered with Michelin star chef Nancy Silverton of Los Angeles to bring the East Coast version of her Italian restaurant to the former Dean & Deluca space at 3276 M St. NW.
Barnes & Noble
Gone from Georgetown since 2011, Barnes & Noble, the nation’s largest bookstore chain, returned Nov. 6 to its original location at 3040 M St. NW.
Billy Hicks
Yes, Brat Pack nostalgia is real. Billy Hicks restaurant made its October debut at the lively corner of M and Potomac Streets — and plans to be a youthful place to meet as well as dine. Some made recall the 1985 Georgetown-centric film, “St. Elmo’s Fire,” and the character Billy Hicks, played by Rob Lowe.
La Bonne Vache
La Bonne Vache, “The Good Cow,” held its grand opening on Jan. 31, at the corner that held the beloved Booeymonger for 50 years. The renovated interior is now a full-fledged French bistro.
Pure Sweat + Float Studio
Pure Sweat + Float Studio opened in May at 3345 Prospect St. NW, next to Down Dog Yoga, with infrared saunas and float therapy. Owner Liz Baker said: “With five full-spectrum infrared saunas and a deluxe float room, it will be a ‘corner store’ for wellness.”
Reverie
Chef Johnny Spero’s Reverie returned March 26 after a major reconstruction. An August 2022 fire shut down the Michelin-starred and intimate restaurant at 3201 Cherry Hill Lane NW.
Gold’s Gym
Gold’s Gym opened in September at Georgetown Park, just below the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles office at 3270 M St. NW.
Tilley’s Pet Supplies
Tilley’s Pet Supplies, owned by Drew and Megan Robitaille, opened a second location in Georgetown at 3216 O St. NW on Nov. 26.
Malbon Golf
Another hip brand chose Georgetown. Malbon golf apparel opened Nov. 9 in the former Hobo Bags shop at 1265 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Generation Tux
Generation Tux opened at 1517 Wisconsin Ave. NW. in November. The popular online rental brand moved onto brick-and-mortar reality.
Hunter & Huntress
An interior decorating company has arrived at 1665 Wisconsin Ave. NW, where the Bean Counter coffee and sandwich shop used to be.
Framebridge
Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, Framebridge opened a brand-new Georgetown shop at 1506 Wisconsin Ave. NW on Nov. 2 — its 29th store — just steps away from the company’s original offices.
Sweaty Betty
Sweat Betty — “a global activewear and lifestyle brand for women” — opened Nov. 15 at 3251 M St. NW, where Nisolo shoes used to be. Founded by Tamara Hill-Norton in Notting Hill in 1998, the business is named after a song by a British punk band.
Club Pilates
Club Pilates opened at 1065 Wisconsin Ave. NW — above South Moon Under and Baker’s Daughter.
Spot of Tea
A tea shop made its debut at 3210 Grace St. NW — inside the Grace Street Collective.
RM Wellness
RM Wellness is a new mini-spa specializing in massage therapy services and manual lymphatic drainage and plans opened Oct. 19, at 1228 1/2 31st St. NW.
Housebar
In 1934, Georgetown Wine & Spirits at 2701 P St. NW opened as a neighborhood market and has been run as a liquor store since the 1950s. Nate Smith — who renamed the liquor store “Housebar” — purchased the business in 2022 for about $400,000 from the Kapoor family.
Glowbar
Glowbar, the facial membership studio, opened its first D.C. location at 1533 Wisconsin Ave. NW on Aug. 2.
Monstera
Monstera, a West Coast-inspired burrito joint now operates inside Grace Street Coffee at 3299 K St. NW.
Rimtang
Thai street food eatery Rimtang opened at 1039 33rd St. NW. Chef Saran “Peter” Kannasute is known for sushi hotspots Yume in Arlington and Kyojin in Cady’s Alley.
Poliform
Poliform – a leading Italian company for contemporary and modern furniture – opened the doors of its Washington, D.C., store on June 5 at 3304 M St. NW in Cady’s Alley.
Farm Rio
A Mexican restaurant has given way to a colorful Brazilian clothing store for women at 3057 M St. NW. The building, once also home to Miss Saigon Restaurant for years, now boasts Farm Rio.
Tatte Bakery & Café
Tatte Bakery & Café opened at 1545 Wisconsin Ave. NW in July in the former Capital One Bank building at Wisconsin Avenue and Q Street. The American-Mediterranean gourmet fast casual bakery and café was founded by Israeli-born Tzurit Or in 2007 and has 35 locations.
The River Club
An old Georgetown restaurant name is back on K Street. The River Club — by David Nammour and Farid Azouri of Residents Cafe & Bar which boasts a Bib Gourmand — opened July 6 at Washington Harbour, replacing Bangkok Joe’s at 3000 K St. NW.
Skims
Skims opened its first permanent location at 3300 M St. NW on June 13. The shapewear and clothing store, co-founded by Kim Kardashian, sells loungewear, undergarments and other clothes for women as well as men.
7th Street Burger
NYC-based 7th Street Burger opened in the former Mono Diner location at 1424 Wisconsin Ave. NW in June. The menu features, exclusively, burgers and fries.
Sézane
The ladies are impressed. Sézane opened in May at 1211 Wisconsin Ave. NW, in the former Tory Burch store. The 10-year-old French fashion brand is known for its timeless, elegant designs.
M.M. LaFleur
Opened in May at 1344 Wisconsin Ave. NW — on the corner that once held “Doc” Dalinsky’s legendary Georgetown Pharmacy — women’s clothing store M.M. LaFleur is home of the “Power Casual” look.
Wingo’s
Wingo’s reopened in its original location at 3207 O St. NW. The popular chicken carry-out — known for buffalo and hot wings, burgers, along with spicy French fries — was shuttered for years after a June 2018 fire.
Olfactory NYC
Olfactory NYC opened at 3242 M St. NW, in the space which once held Marine Layer (which moved across the street) and, before that, Godiva Chocolates. Its first retail boutique in Washington, D.C., Olfactory NYC has three spots in New York City and one in Boston.
New Balance
New Balance, the sports footwear and apparel manufacturer, opened at 3139 M St. NW — in the former Old Glory BBQ and, more recently, José Andrés’s restaurant, America Eats Tavern.
Brompton Bikes
Brompton Bikes opened its Georgetown shop at 1214 Wisconsin Ave. NW in the former Scotch & Soda clothing store on April 1.
Ice Cream Jubilee
Ice Cream Jubilee opened March 21 at 3333 M Street (in the old Sweetgreen location) last week — offering “ultra-premium ice cream, vegan sorbets and vegan soft serve.”
Molteni&C
Molteni&C, a luxury furniture and kitchen group, opened a 7,149-square-foot showroom at 3306 M St. NW. The March opening marked the sixth “Flagship Store,” directly operated by Molteni&C around the world.
Afghania
Taking over the former space of Don Lobo’s Mexican Grill which closed May 31, 2020, after 16 years, Afghania — at 2811 M St. NW — is another restaurant by Omar Masroor. The new restaurant is situated between Taj of India Cuisine and La Chaumiere.
Outerknown
Another cool, sustainable clothing store has opened at 1240 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Argent
Yes, another women’s clothing store arrived on the avenue. This one is Argent at 1250 Wisconsin Ave. NW with the slogan: “Successful separate, stronger together. It’s not uniformity, it’s unity.”
Clare V.
Clare V.’s new Georgetown store at 1238 Wisconsin Ave NW threw a February opener in the space that once held (decades ago) Billy Martin’s Carriage House and Tramps Discotheque. Founded by Clare Vivier, Clare V. is a handbag, clothing and accessories brand based in Los Angeles.
Rails
Another retailer of West Coast apparel for women and men has set up shop in Georgetown at 3239 M St. NW.
Smoothie King
Smoothie King opened its first location in Georgetown, D.C., on Jan. 25.
Greco
The first Greco location in Washington, D.C, opened on Jan. 15 in Georgetown at 1335 Wisconsin Ave. NW. The Greco Truly Greek concept debuted in 2017 on Newbury Street in Boston’s Back Bay.
Catbird
Catbird, a 20-year-old jewelry business in New York, opened Feb. 8 in the former space of Lush at 3066 M St. NW.
Ornare
Ornare, a high-end Brazilian furniture brand, opened at 3340 Cady’s Alley NW. The luxe brand occupies a 2,100-square-foot space and joins the other stores of Georgetown’s Design District which includes B&B Italia, Boffi, Bo Concept, Thos Moser — along with Kafe Leopold and Kyojin Sushi.
Christopher Boutlier Interiors
Interior designer Christopher Boutlier moved to Georgetown — both his residence and his interior design business. His interior design and art consultancy firm is at 3214 O St. NW.
Out
Wawa Flies the Coop
Wawa, the Pennsylvania-based convenience store empire with more than 800 locations, closed its Georgetown store at 1222 Wisconsin Ave. NW on Dec. 17. Lori Bruce, Wawa’s Senior Manager for Media Relations, told The Georgetowner on Dec. 9: “… We appreciate the support of the community over the past few years, but at this point, our long-term plans for this store are no longer viable. The decision at this location was a business decision and included many factors which we apply to all our stores on an ongoing basis. … ” The store opened to great fanfare on Dec. 20, 2018.
Dixie Liquor Goes to Pot
Another end of an era: After more than 90 years in business, Dixie Liquor on M Street, close to Georgetown University, closed in December to become a pot shop. JKEntity, LLC, owned by Rabbi James Kahn, has obtained a medical cannabis retail license to operate at 3429 M St NW.
Frequented by generations of Hoyas and the likes of John Kennedy and Redskins running back John Riggins, Dixie was considered the oldest liquor store in Washington, D.C. It was at the intersection of M Street and Key Bridge, at the bottom of the cobblestone hill of 35th Street.
Marcel’s
After celebrating the 25th anniversary of his flagship restaurant at 2401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — three blocks from Georgetown — in March, Robert Wiedmaier closed Marcel’s, his fine-dining standout, on May 12.
Foxtrot
Foxtrot, coffee shop and convenience store, suddenly announced midday April 23 that it was permanently closing all its locations — including the store at Wisconsin Avenue and N Street NW. Employees and customers were stunned by the abrupt closures. Founded in 2014 in Chicago, Foxtrot had 33 locations across the Chicago, Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C., areas.
Tory Burch
Tory Burch departed Georgetown in January. The store opened its doors at 1211 Wisconsin Ave. NW in November 2013. American designer Burch started her label in 2004 and has since expanded to more than 350 locations worldwide.
District Doughnut
District Doughnut closed its location at 3333 M St. NW. The shop opened at this location in June 2023 after years of occupying a spot in Cady’s Alley.
Hobo Bags
The female-founded, family-run bags and accessories company opened in late September 2022 but is now closed. Hobo was located at 1265 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Big Wheel Bikes
Serving D.C., Maryland and Virginia since 1971, Big Wheel Bikes has been family-owned and -operated for more than 50 years — and known for bike rentals, sales and mechanical service. The Georgetown shop at 1034 33rd St. NW, next to the C&O Canal, closed in April.
Jaco Juice & Taco Bar
The juice bar at 1614 Wisconsin Ave. NW that served health-minded breakfasts — along with tacos and burritos, of course, and smoothies — has closed.
Storie Collective
Founded by Sara Swabb in 2020, Storie Collective is “a full-service interior design firm based in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., although we serve clients nationwide.” In January, Swabb closed her shop at 1506 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
High Road Cycling
High Road Cycling — the high-end cycling shop and cafe across from Chaia at 3210 Grace St. NW — closed earlier in the year.
Outdoor Voices
Outdoor Voices at 3025 M St. NW — which opened in 2018 — closed during summer. The athletic leisure brand remains as an online business.
Mono by All About Burger
Mono Diner at 1424 Wisconsin Ave. NW, which opened in 2019, closed in the spring.
City Sliders
City Sliders — home of fusion cuisine sliders — at 1529 Wisconsin Ave. NW has closed.
Alkova
Alkova at 1510 Wisconsin Ave. NW, which opened in 2023, has closed. It offered yoga in a calm, co-working setting.
Showfields
Showfields closed its doors at 3077 M St. NW. Opening around Christmas 2022 in the former Brooks Brothers space as well as retail incubator, Concept 31/M space, Showfields called itself “a lifestyle discovery store” and “the most interesting store in the world.
Smoke Island
The cannabis and vape shop, Smoke Island, at 1326 Wisconsin Ave. NW, next to the Georgetown Inn, has left the neighborhood.
Oakberry
Oakberry — smoothies and açai bowls — closed at 1560 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Nisolo
Started in 2011, Nisolo is an eco-friendly, sustainable, living-wage shoe brand. Nisolo’s second-ever store, which opened at 3251 M St. NW, has closed.