While your belt may still be a few notches too tight from Thanksgiving, the ANC will still be back and open for business next Monday night. The agenda was released yesterday, and while it’s not quite the cornucopia that last month’s was, it’s still got some interesting topics.
Georgetown Theater Sign
Apparently there is an application pending with the Old Georgetown Board regarding the, well, old Georgetown Theater neon sign. Hopefully it means that the owners, the Heon family, are planning on restoring the iconic sign to its former glory. As reported here, the building was put up for sale this summer. GM wonders where this application fits into that plan.
High Noon for Philadelphia Pizza
As laid out in an opening argument in September, the ANC and neighbor’s approach to the troublesome Philadelphia Pizza. Essentially the approach is to demonstrate that the restaurant is violating the zoning regulations since they’re registered as a sit down restaurant yet the majority of their business is take-out or delivery.
The DCRA has already revoked the restaurant’s license; however, the BZA stayed that order until a hearing in January.
The Cupcake Bubble Inflates a Little More
Georgetown is ground zero for DC’s cupcake bubble. With old standby Baked and Wired and national phenomenon Georgetown Cupcake, it would seem that the village is full up of frosting and sprinkles.
That theory is about to get tested. National cupcake chain Sprinkles is moving into town. They’re taking over 3015 M St. (which used to be Mon Cheri Cafe) next to Paper Source and Fino restaurant.
The Georgetown Metropolitan 
…and Sprinkles will last for about a year, until this trend finally fades away. Sigh. Well, at least there will be something in that shop front.
I’m going to make a comment here for those of us who live in the Cherry Hill district of Georgetown, i.e. south of M and West of Wisconsin. The closest (in)convenience store for us used to be the one in Washington Harbour, which always felt like walking into some strange, back-alley 7-11 somewhere in the Ginza District. The selection of products was truly bizarre, things were often stale, and prices were astronomical. That place closed more than a year ago, and now if you want a bottle of milk and a newspaper, you have to schelp up to CVS.
On Grace Street, just off Wisconsin Avenue, the failed Chinese restaurant Grace & Bamboo has been sitting empty for a long time despite having a liquor license. I would love to see Anthony Lanier or someone buy or lease the space and put in a quality neighborhood grocer/convenience shop like Sara’s or Scheele’s for those of us who live along the harborfront. Between the condos on the canal, the Georgetown Ritz Carlton residences, the Papermill, the Flour Mill, Canal House, The Georgetown Park Residences, etc., you are looking at a significant number of well-to-do consumers, living in Georgetown’s only real condo/loft district, who would be more than happy to pick up some cheese and crackers, a bottle of wine, and some aspirin from a local grocer on Grace Street rather than having to head all the way to CVS on a rainy Tuesday night.
I like William’s suggestions a lot. He’s absolutely correct about the old Grace & Bamboo, which before that was a neat little French bistro and before that a marvelous little pastry shop. It’s a shame the space sits empty, especially with an available liquor license.
I agree also about the convenience store at Washington Harbour. I always wondered what was really going on there.
There should be an advisory committee that urges developers to consider the needs of pocket neighborhoods. Perhaps even requirements that dictate give back.
The waterfront is wonderful, especially with the new park, but it desperately needs businesses that serve the residents.
I too am surprised that that space has stayed empty for so long. It’s slightly off the beaten path, but Cady’s Alley shows that when you’re worth going to, the people will beat their own path to you.
As for whether more neighborhood stores can be “legislated”, I think Cleveland Park is a decent case study for that. I wrote something to that end a little while back:
https://georgetownmetropolitan.com/2009/09/15/there-but-for-the-grace-of-zoning/
Good gravy, the Patisserie Didier, I had completely forgotten about that incarnation of the space. Anyway, I think the idea is a goldmine, if I do say so myself. 😉 Just needs the right investor.
Another place I miss this time of year is Little Caledonia, which used to be in the same block of Wisconsin where the Christ Child Shop still is. LC was a great place to shop for Christmas gifts for ladies of a certain age.
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