Carol Joynt sent out a email blast last night announcing that Nathans has signed a leased to remain at the corner of Wisconsin and M. This comes after years of uncertainty for the restaurant. This is great news for the neighborhood.
If there are any gray clouds to this silver lining, it’s that the lease is not tied to a specific term. If the landlords find a purchaser for the property, the new owners could make Nathans leave. Joynt actually looks forward to having a new landlord so that she can deal with them directly. There have been ideas floated about turning the first floor into retail and moving the restaurant up to the second and third floor with a rooftop terrace. It would be a hell of a spot for dining (but GM doubts the Old Georgetown Board would be too inclined to approve such a design).
Lease or not; new owners or not: the only thing that can truly ensure the longevity of Nathans is if people start eating out more. Without an uptick in sales, Nathans may not last through the summer. So stop by there this weekend and raise a glass to a small victory of Georgetown tradition over genericism.
GM strongly recommends the buckwheat pancakes…
The Georgetown Metropolitan 
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