Business

Robert Devaney • May 10, 2015

Founded in 2005, Bank of Georgetown is celebrating 10 years in business. Chartered in D.C., the bank was cofounded by the late Curtin Winsor III and Mike Fitzgerald, chairman, president and CEO.

“When Curt Winsor III and I conceived of Bank of Georgetown, we envisioned it as an integral part of the Washington metropolitan area,” Fitzgerald says. “Our mission was, and is, for our customers to experience the true meaning of a community bank. Locally owned. Locally run. Locally involved.”

Bank of Georgetown has 11 branches in Washington, D.C., Montgomery County and Northern Virginia. It has more than $1 billion in assets and 108 employees.

In his column in December, John Girouard observed, “Community banks include Bank of Georgetown . . . which provide services to small businesses, including construction loans, and contribute to local charities. They are known in the community, and they know us, too.”

The bank’s corporate headquarters at 1115 30th St. NW includes its 11th branch, named after Winsor, who died in December 2012.

Happy 10th to a hometown favorite.

Caitlin Franz • May 7, 2015

D.C. experienced a record-breaking year in tourism for the fifth year in a row, the city’s tourism agency, Destination D.C., announced May 5. Domestic visitation to the District was up 5.7 percent in 2013, to 18.34 million visitors, according to McLean-based D.K. Shifflet.

All visitors to D.C. contributed a total of $6.8 billion to the local economy, a year-over-year increase of 1.9 percent, per IHS Global, Inc., The city’s retail sector saw 2.5-percent growth. There was a 4-percent increase in spending on food and beverage and a 2-percent increase in entertainment spending.

It is believed that these increases in tourism and spending were the result of several Destination D.C.-sponsored campaigns, like D.C. Cool. Campaigns of a similar nature are in the works for the coming year.

Caitlin Franz •

New legislation that went into effect May 3 gives bakeries the opportunity to apply for a license allowing them to sell baked goods with up to 5-percent alcohol content. Infused pastries and sweets with alcohol content of between .5 and 5 percent can only be sold to individuals 21 years old or older.

The law is also changing the way distilleries and festival organizers provide alcoholic beverages to their customers.

Distilleries are now eligible for licenses that would allow them to curate drinks made with their own products and sell them onsite.

Festival organizers are now able to get a temporary liquor license lasting up to 15 days. This appears to be a significant improvement from the current model, which requires organizers to obtain a one-day permit for each day of a festival.

Georgetowner • May 6, 2015

A kitchen fire at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 2, shut down Good Stuff Eatery at 3291 M St. NW. The hamburger restaurant will be closed for several days. The fire was quickly contained. There were no injuries and minimal damage. During the fire, traffic in the 3100 and 3300 block of M Street NW was diverted.

Owner and chef Spike Mendelsohn tweeted, “#GoodStuffEatery Gtown will be closed for several days due to a small fire. Sorry for any inconvenience.”

Linnea Kristiansson • April 23, 2015

The trendy spin studio SoulCycle will take over a former Georgetown restaurant and hookah bar later this year. The company has been growing in and around D.C. over the past few months, most recently opening locations in the West End in 2014 and Bethesda earlier this year.

Two new locations are in the works for the Washington area this year, according to SoulCycle, and the company has signed a lease for 1024 Wisconsin Ave. NW, where the poorly regarded Prince Cafe closed last fall. The Georgetown SoulCycle will have a 56-bike studio to host its signature classes. SoulCycle’s classes combine spinning on stationary bikes with upper-body workouts. The new location will include a SoulCycle lifestyle boutique.

Robert Devaney •

“There will be no changes,” said Vanussa Mendes, who with her husband purchased Georgetown Hairstyling, the century-old barber shop business on 35th Street. Most of the staffers are women, who cut men’s hair only.

“It will be operated in the same way as before for our clients,” Mendes said. The men’s haircut spot has been a favorite of Georgetown residents and students for decades. Mendes bought the business from retired barber Rigo Landa, who sold it to his stepson Ed Lara a few years ago. The 55-year-old Lara died suddenly last June of a heart attack, leaving the future of the shop uncertain.

New owner Mendes takes over the barber shop with employees Veronica Corado, who has worked there for more than 20 years, Orathai Jaran and Nguyen Kha. Previously, Mendes worked at Aveda in Bethesda. She hails from Brazil and lives in Falls Church with her husband and 13-year-old daughter. [gallery ids="102054,134559" nav="thumbs"]

Caitlin Franz •

The Georgetown gas station at 2715 Pennsylvania Ave N.W. is under new management.

The former Lukoil/Georgetown Getty has become a Valero gas station.

Abe Sayyad, station manager, said the change took place at the beginning of April.

“We provide the lowest gas prices of any station in the area,” Sayyad said.

In addition to offering low price fuel and affordable automobile repair services, the gas station is working to bring more convenience store elements to the location, including snacks and drinks.

Valero is currently in the process of incorporating the store. The transition should be completed within the next few weeks, according to Sayyad.

“We’re happy to be in the area,” Sayyad said.

The D.C. council prohibited the sale of property containing a gas station for a use of any other kind without prior approval from the Gas Station Advisory Board.

Robert Devaney •

Carolyn Papetti is set to become the new general manager of the George Town Club by June 1. She will replace Christian Broder, who will depart by the end of this month. Both Broder and Papetti are working at the club during the transition. Papetti arrives from Nick & Toni’s in East Hampton, New York.