Business

Juliana Zovak • April 21, 2016

Zannchi, Georgetown’s new Korean restaurant, was a long time coming for owner Eunjung Kim, though she hadn’t always planned for it. Her family owns a chain of restaurants in Korea, and that experience helped her successfully launch Zannchi, which opened March 29.

Growing up with the family business — and having spent many years in New York with its rich food scene — Kim, an MBA student at Georgetown University, was surprised to find that Korean restaurants were scarce in the District, especially in the Georgetown neighborhood.

“I think there’s a high demand, but the supply of the food scene was not meeting expectations,” she said.

Kim realized that, given her family background, she was well equipped to fill that void. And so Zannchi was born. She partnered with fellow MBA student Brian Yu and received guidance from the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Club advisors, who answered the many questions she had about starting a business.

Located on Wisconsin Avenue between Volta and Q Streets, Zannchi definitely has the look of a Georgetown restaurant. Part of the wall is made up of exposed brick original to the building. The rest of the interior is a dark wood, with bright lanterns strung overhead. The combination gives the restaurant a rustic and natural feel with a modern twist.

Zannchi’s specialty is bibimbap bowls, rice topped with vegetables, meat and eggs, with the spicy pork the most popular dish so far. Tapas-style items like dumplings and bulgogi (barbecued beef) are also on the menu.

Everything is prepared fresh in the restaurant; Kim suggests that diners share the bachan (tapas) before ordering their own bibimbap bowls.

The food, and its freshness, is definitely a hit. Though the restaurant opened only recently, Kim said they have already seen neighbors returning and have had a line out the door for dinner.

It’s a nice addition to the Georgetown dining scene. One neighbor came in during lunch to grab a menu, expressing excitement about Zannchi and promising to return soon for a meal.

Kim looks forward to seeing Zannchi grow as people become familiar with it. She even hopes to expand in the future, though she is not looking too far ahead, preferring to focus for now on graduating from Georgetown with her MBA next month.

“It’s a lot of work. I’m glad it finally took off,” she said. [gallery ids="102406,122243,122247" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner • April 20, 2016

In: Carol Joynt Bounces to ‘Hardball’

Author, journalist, Georgetowner and businesswoman Carol Ross Joynt has landed on her feet yet again. Last month, she joined MSNBC’s “Hardball” as a guest producer for Chris Matthews. Joynt has worked for CBS News, NBC News, Larry King and other programs, as well as for Washingtonian magazine. She and Charlie Rose won an Emmy for an interview with murderer Charles Manson. Joynt currently writes a Washington column for New York Social Diary and since 2001 has hosted a TV interview program, “The Q&A Cafe.” She was the owner of the famed Nathans, now closed, after the sudden death of her husband, J. Howard Joynt III. Her restaurant experience and financial problems (due to her husband’s actions) led to her writing “Innocent Spouse.”

IN: Marriott Acquires Starwood, Finally

Following a last-minute bidding war with a consortium of investors led by Chinese-based Anbang, which pulled out at the end of March, Bethesda-based Marriott International finally sealed its deal to acquire Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, making it the world’s largest hotel chain with more than a million rooms.

Marriott had been in a tentative agreement to acquire Starwood for $12.2 billion when the consortium upped its offer to $14 billion, forcing Marriott to raise their bid to $13.6 billion before the consortium withdrew. The stock-based deal fluctuated from $13.6 billion, when struck, back to $12.2 billion. Marriott and Starwood shareholders voted on April 8 to approve the deal, in which Marriott will pay about $13.3 billion, or $77.94 per Starwood share.

Moved: Chichie’s Grooming Spa

Chichie’s Grooming Spa, hand-coiffing canine clients for over 35 years, has moved to 1742 Wisconsin Ave. NW from its longtime P Street location. Many Washington residents have taken their dogs there. Clients have included the Obamas’ Portuguese water dog, Bo. “Our canine clients are ethically groomed,” reports the spa. Look for an upcoming profile in The Georgetowner.

Out: After Peacock Room Shuttered

The little restaurant that seemed like it could — and even got a “good-to-excellent” review from the Washington Post’s food critic Tom Sietsema — could not. Opened in 2014, the local favorite at 2622 P St. NW, After Peacock Room, never reopened after its Christmas break. The restaurant was named after Whistler’s Peacock Room, now closed for renovations, at the Freer Gallery of Art. It remains available for small private events; email info@afterpeacockroom.com.

Delayed: EagleBank Relocation to N Street

The Georgetown branch of EagleBank at 1050 Wisconsin Ave. NW, near Grace Street, will close at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 29. The new Georgetown location at 3143 N St. NW, set to open the following Monday, has been delayed. The nearest EagleBank is at 2001 K St. NW. Check EagleBankCorp.com for updates about the new N Street location. Branch Manager Philomina Gomes can be reached at 202-481-7012 or PGomes@EagleBankCorp.com.

Richard Selden •

Urban Pace, a D.C.-based firm that provides real estate developers with sales, marketing and advisory services on new residential projects, will become part of the Long & Foster group.

The partnership, representing an investment in Urban Pace by the Long & Foster Companies — the parent of Long & Foster Real Estate, the nation’s largest privately owned real estate firm — was announced today.

“In regions like Washington, D.C., urban developments — whether they’re high-rise or townhouse-style condos — are thriving, and our team at Long & Foster recognized the opportunities for our company’s and our agents’ growth by partnering with a firm like Urban Pace,” said Jeffrey S. Detwiler, president and COO of the Long & Foster Companies.

“In addition to our base office in Washington, D.C., we now operate in New York City and Philadelphia as well,” said newly appointed CEO of Urban Pace Lynn Hackney, previously the firm’s president. “We’ve noticed that several successful firms using our business model — working directly with real estate developers — have been strengthened substantially by their affiliations with large residential real estate brokerage firms.”

Urban Pace will continue to operate under its same brand and team at the current office location at 1919 14th St. NW.

Nicole Cusick • April 11, 2016

A lifelong love of flowers turned into a career opportunity for former international relations consultant Tobie Whitman.
Whitman recently launched Little Acre Flowers, D.C.’s first and only locally sourced, online based florist. All bouquets and arrangements come from farms in the D.C., Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland area, bringing the ever popular “farm to fork” experience from the garden to vase. Every order is unique to whatever is freshest that day to guarantee a more fragrant, natural arrangement than other commercial offerings.

“A lot people don’t think about where their flowers come from– it’s an extension of the local food movement,” Whitman said. “People are thinking about where their food is grown and we are making them aware of where their flowers come from now.”
During her her part-time policy work she found time to work in the floral industry and realized how much she enjoyed working with her hands in a more creative and colorful profession.

After reading “Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful” and the “Fast Food Nation” of the floral industry, Whitman learned the history of flowers, what goes into importing them and how it affects the quality of the product. The books served as part of her inspiration for pursuing local products. She also has a personal connection to flowers. As a child she loved to visit her grandmother’s garden and one of her first memories is visiting the Kunkenhof tulip garden in Holland.

Before launching Little Acres, Whitman visited farmer markets in search of partnering with local farmers in her new business venture. She also plans to return to markets like the DuPont Farmers Market and conduct floral arrangement demonstrations to make more of a presence in the community. Little Acre Flowers does not have a brick and mortar store, but is a thriving web-based shop.

Little Acre Flowers’ web-based business has been booming since its launch in the last month. According to Whitman, Valentine’s Day orders were rolling in and this time of year is a busy one. Currently, Little Acre delivers to the area they source from. Exact zip codes of delivery can be found on their website.

Each arrangement is one of a kind and comes wrapped in reused burlap from Mayorga coffee or reusable glass vases. The arrangements come in a variety of sizes and price points.

A great amount of detail at Little Acre is put into sustainability, an effort Whitman feels passionate about. Her husband owns Opower, an energy efficient software company and has made her very aware of the options a company has to be green. One example is the personal notes that can be added to arrangements written with soy based ink on recycled paper. Not having a store front also saves a lot of energy since the floral industry is conveniently online based.

“There’s so much growing in the Mid-Atlantic region as a whole and it seems like there is a need for a locally grown and sourced florist,” Whitman said.

Little Acre Flowers provides flowers for events and weddings and is looking to be represented at local wedding expos soon.
Learn more about the company and their products at littleacreflowers.com or call 202-524-0812. [gallery ids="101634,146073" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney •

Olivia Macarons celebrated its grand-opening this weekend. It is across Dean and Deluca’s and along the west side of Georgetown Park.

Robert Devaney •

Designer Tory Burch will open an accessories boutique Nov. 21 at 1211 Wisconsin Ave., NW.

Robert Devaney •

The Georgetown Improvement District held its annual meeting June 11 at the Powerhouse building on Grace Street. Georgetown BID board president Crystal Sullivan welcomed the group and touted the BID’s “new era” under CEO Joe Sternlieb. Also recognized were new employees Jonathon Kass as the BID’s first ever transportation  director and Joshua Hermias as its first ever economic development  director.

The BID’s Clean Team under Bill Baker was applauded as well as “employee of the year” Andrew Gill. For its part in revitalizing Washington Harbour and establishing the popular ice skating rink, MRP Realty received the first-ever Community Leadership Award, accepted by MRP’s Bob Murphy. The rink, which opened to the public in November, was “transformative,” Sternlieb said. MRP’s work made a big impact on Georgetown and has attracted new visitors.

Mayor Vincent Gray complimented the BID for its 2028 plan and talked about the District’s own five-year plan, which includes 100,000 new jobs and $1 billion in new tax revenue. Gray cited the ending of “retail leakage,” bringing businesses like Costco to the city, as well as regulation streamlining to make D.C. more business-friendly and adding new high-tech jobs — perhaps even Microsoft in Anacostia, he mused — thus allowing D.C. to be less dependent on the federal government for jobs. Gray also cited the medical industry and tourism as big employees, while he added that D.C. was going after foreign investors, too.

The BID continues to conduct its 15-year plan discussions on Georgetown with the community and any interested party. Visit Plan.Georgetown2028.com to continue the dialogue. The next Community Engagement Meeting on Georgetown 2028 will be in September. The final Georgetown 2028 action plan is scheduled to completed by November.

Robert Devaney •

One of Georgetown Park’s biggest businesses is set to open in November, according to the neighborhood newcomer. The following is from a press release from Pinstripes:

Pinstripes, Inc., today announced it has signed a lease with the Shops at Georgetown Park with the intent to begin construction on the interior and exterior build-out in July. Located on Wisconsin Avenue and overlooking the historic C & O Georgetown Canal, Pinstripes will occupy 34,000 square feet of combined space on the first and second floors and is anticipating a November 2013 opening.

Pinstripes offers a unique dining and entertainment experience featuring Italian and American cuisine, combined with bowling and bocce. The Georgetown location will include 14 bowling lanes, six bocce courts, a bistro and wine cellar, outdoor patios and event space accommodating 20 to 600 persons.

Pinstripes will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner and is currently taking reservations for private events and parties. In celebration of its opening, Pinstripes is sponsoring a Grand Opening Community Art Contest, with prizes for various age groups.

Robert Devaney •

The neighborhood seems quiet now, but on May 17 Georgetown University began its commencement weekend with post-graduate and special programs on Friday and the main events of its College and School of Foreign Service on Saturday and its Law Center on Sunday. Add to those happy occasions a win for the university on “Jeopardy!” Friday and the recent installation of a John Dreyfuss lyre on its Doha, Qatar, campus of the School of Foreign Service, and you’ve something of an academic trifecta.

Sculptor John Dreyfuss installed his lyre, commissioned by the university two years ago. It was “in our gratitude to Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and the Royal Family of Qatar,” said university president John DeGioia at the 2011 opening of the new building of Georgetown’s Foreign Service School in Education City. “We hoped to capture the essence of what you have made possible for this campus.” A image of a lyre is on the university’s seal and symbolizes learning and harmony and was invented by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia, next to Qatar.

Georgetown’s Jim Coury won the “Jeopardy!” College Championship tournament for the Hoyas. A Foreign Service undergraduate, he claimed the $100,000 grand prize.

As for the commencement ceremonies, neighbors smiled at happy parents and graduates, who listened to Greta van Susteren of Fox News at the law school, where she studied, and saw Walter Pincus of the Washington Post given an honorary degree. Even Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskatie was there on Healy Lawn to speak to the Foreign Service School graduates.
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Robert Devaney •

Mike Copperthite and his family held a pie reception May 11 and donated a 1913 landmark photograph to the Georgetown Public Library’s Peabody Room on the occasion the 125th anniversary of the Connecticut-Copperthite Pie Baking Company. For his birthday, Jerry McCoy, director of the special collections at the library, got a strawberry rhubarb pie.