Capitol Prague Opens in April
• March 12, 2013

Capitol Prague Restaurant Coming: A new restaurant will fill the void left by the departed Morso. Capitol Prague Restaurant will soon set up at M and Potomac Streets, part of the Eton Court complex.

Capitol Prague will operate a restaurant and a coffee shop two doors away, said manager Petra Foist, who added, “We hope to open in mid-April.” With Czech and Slovak cuisine—schnitzel, goulash, braised pork and dumplings—as well as various beers, “it will be down-home cooking,” Foist said. Capitol Prague will be the only restaurant in Washington, D.C., with Czechvar lager on draft, she said. That beer is made by the famed Budweiser Budvar Brewery (Bud?jovický Budvar) in the Czech Republic. (Capitol Prague is still constructing its website.)

BID Cheers 26 New Businesses in 2012
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Known as D.C.’s “Shopping Playground,” Georgetown saw 26 new national and independent merchant openings in 2012, with several exciting new openings planned for early 2013, the Georgetown Business Improvement District announced last week.

“Georgetown continues to be the Washington area’s premier retail destination and the leader in bringing exclusive local, national and international brands to shoppers,” said Joe Sternlieb, CEO of the Georgetown BID. “Not only do stores want to set up their business in Georgetown’s urban retail-friendly setting, but customers want to come here because it’s not your typical mall and is a beautiful, historic place to spend your time. It’s a ‘meeting place’ for Washingtonians, and we’re optimistic that the neighborhood will only continue to provide more choices in not only shopping, but food, hospitality and entertainment as well.”

2012 marked the opening of 26 new businesses in Georgetown: From Bandolero to Luigi Parasmo Salon, Luke’s Lobster and the Washington Harbour Ice Rink. This year will include Alex and Ani, Billy Reid, Bonobos, Capella Washington, Eno Wine Bar, the Graham and Malmaison — and more to come. Visit www.GeorgetownDC.com for details.

H.L Poling & Sons Closer to a Georgetown Reality
• February 28, 2013

More details have been revealed about the soon-to-be-opened Georgetown haber- dashery H.L. Poling & Sons, namely about
the individuals behind the retail concept. The duo, prep-revivalists Drew Poling and Scot Meacham Wood, now of San Francisco, Calif., were available for a few questions from the Georgetowner last Thursday. Drew Poling is an alumnus of Georgetown University who worked at the Georgetown University Shop from 1984 to 1986.

Since then, he worked as a buyer for Bloomingdale’s in New York City and in social media at UNICEF. His partner, Wood, is an interior decorator and has done visual work for Ralph Lauren. He boasts more than 500,000 followers on Pinterest. According to Poling, the two began developing the store about a year ago. The location of the Georgetown store has not been disclosed.

The concept of the store is that it is a contin- uation of the original “Poling’s” menswear shop in Ottumwa, Iowa, founded in 1910 by Poling’s grandfather. The shop was taken over by his father and closed in the mid-1990s. The two de- scribe the store as “old Ivy for modern times,” with customer service being a top priority. “We want it to be a welcoming place,” said Poling. H.L. Poling & Son’s website, hlpolingandsons. com, lists the store as “coming to Georgetown Fall 2013.” ?

Heating Plant Bid at $15.8 Million
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The West Heating Plant, the two-acre government property continues to get bids between two or three bidders. As of Feb. 26, the winning stood at $15.8 million, with bidding extended another 24 hours. Advised the General Services Administration: “We are now with the soft-close period. Bidders are encouraged to check back frequently to the remaining auction time.” If no one bids on the plant for more than 24 hours, the GSA will then decide if the auction is to be concluded.

Fiola Mare Signs 15-Year Lease with Washington Harbour
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Chef Fabio Trabocchi signed a 15-year lease last week with MRP Realty for a new restaurant in Georgetown, according to the real estate group, which owns Washington Harbour, the popular multi-use complex between K Street and the Potomac River. Trabocchi plans to open the 9,000-square-foot Fiola Mare by the end of 2013; he already operates Fiola in downtown D.C. To be located on the west side of Washington Harbour, the fish-happy eatery will have inside and outside dining along with a raw bar.

“Fiola Mare will be exceptional complement to the restaurant tenant mix we have at Washington Harbour,” said Bob Murphy, managing principal of MRP Realty. “Having recently completed a significant renovation project at Washington Harbour, Fiola Mare will add to the level of sophistication that we are bringing to our tenants, residents and the community.”

District board of directors vice president, John Asadoorian of Asadoorian Retail Solutions, represented MRP Realty during the transaction, according to MRP.

Powerhouse: Latest Event Venue
• February 15, 2013

The Powerhouse at 3255 Grace St., NW, along the C&O Canal, is the newest event venue in town, fit for fundraisers or weddings. With bay windows and a smoke stack, the 6,500-square foot interior once was part of a real powerhouse; it was also the site of a high-power public relations firm in the 1980s. The business touts its proximity to the M Street shopping corridor as well as the town’s hotels, such as the Four Season and the Ritz-Carlton, and the new entries, the Graham and the Capella. Visit thepowerhou. se for more info.

DSW Coming to M Street; J. Crew Expands
• February 14, 2013

As DSW, a discount shoe store, prepares to moves into the former Georgetown Park Mall, a long-time tenant of the Shops at Georgetown Park is moving down the street a bit to the corner, once occupied by Intermix, alongside Dean & DeLuca. J. Crew plans to open in its new, larger space in April. Other new tenants coming to the shopping complex at 3222 M St., NW, include HomeGoods, T.J. Maxx and Pinstripes.

New Boutique Hotels, the Graham and Capella, to Open Early April
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Following a multi-million dollar makeover, the Hotel Monticello reopens its doors in early April as the Graham Georgetown. The 57-room hotel, owned by Mast Capital of Miami, at 1075 Thomas Jefferson St., NW, takes its inspiration from Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, who had a laboratory on Volta Place in Georgetown and who, according to the new hotel, “personified the intersection of modern ingenuity with historical significance – a fine-tuned blend of old and new that will define guests’ experience at the Graham Georgetown and distinguish it from the Hotel Monticello.” The hotel will have a rooftop bar, the Observatory, and a cocktail lounge, the Alex, as well as a fitness center.

On 31st Street at the C&O Canal, the Capella is also set to open in April. Its five-story building is the former Trial Lawyers Association headquarters. The 49-room Capella will boast a restaurant and bar overlooking the canal. The Grill Room seats 70 and will be headed by chef Jacob Esko, who hails from Sweden and arrives from Capella Singapore. It will also have a rooftop bar — along with a swimming pool.

Homegrown Business Using Kickstarter to Grow
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Georgetown architect Marilyn Stern, who has patents on such things as balancing place cards and a pleat-pin drapery system, has branched out to personalized prescriptions as party favors. The product developer’s new small business division is called Scrip Tease Rx, and each container can have a label made personally for each individual at an event.

At a birthday party last summer, the creative Stern first decided to give each party-goer an individualized prescription label that played on their personalities. She wanted to keep things light and casual and make parties funnier, she said.

Now, the humorous labels just keep coming and include “Boost-a-cillin,” improved outlook, “Multitask-eral,” help for multitasks, and “Sinbalta,” cure for bad behavior. What’s inside the small containers? Something better than hard drugs: simple M&Ms or other candies.

Stern finds her small business at a crossroads: how to grow it faster to meet demand? For increased funding, she has turned to Kickstarter. com, where she wrote: “We can help you and your friends with your issues and make all your events fun and memorable. So, we’re hoping that you help us with our one small issue. In order to produce the Scrip Tease Rx labels in an efficient and reasonable way, we are in need of a real pharmaceutical label printer.” Stern’s deadline for funding is Feb. 24. Check www. Kickstarter.com — “Funny, personalized, fake prescriptions for modern life” — and also visit Stern’s own site, www.Sternscape.com. [gallery ids="101162,141668" nav="thumbs"]

Beasley Real Estate Celebrates First Anniversary
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Beasley Real Estate founder Jim Bell celebrated the firm’s first anniversary with a gathering to benefit Georgetown Ministry Center at one of Beasley’s best listings: a first-floor residence at the Residences at the Ritz-Carlton on South Street. The $4.65-million property is at a top-drawer location near all of Georgetown’s action and overlooks the Potomac River, Whitehurst Freeway and Washington Harbour.