As GM mentioned last week, Carol Joynt has the scoop on yet another revamp of Georgetown’s Marvelous Market. She writes:
The Georgetown location of Marvelous Market will be “revamped,” [store-owner] Thompson says, adding that there are 10 to 15 years remaining on the lease. “We plan to do some different things with the menu. We’re looking at bringing in a salad station, a pizza station.” The location already has a wine license, and Thompson mentions also procuring a liquor license. “We’ve got some good ideas about what we could do with that property,” he says, including a “wine garden,” but “we are constrained by local ordinances.”
Marvelous Market seems to undergo these sorts of revamps every few years. GM distinctly remembers them having pizza some ways back. And a retread is probably not what this space needs.
But it is true that the space has a ton of potential if they could just find the right operator, which they are seeking. GM would love (love) to see Jamie Stachowski expand his butcher shop here. A true farmers market, like Smuckers Farms on 14th St., would also be welcome. So too would a wider selection of craft beer.
The point is, there are a lot of great models (and operators) out there. GM hopes they can quickly settle on one and forget about the pizza stations and salad bars.
One more thing: no matter what they do, it’s critical that the store preserve and enhance its gathering-place character. It is one of the few “third places” left in Georgetown (i.e. a place you can come and linger). The store recently sought permission to eliminate some parking spots to expand the outdoor seating. This is great news. GM has long thought that that parking lot was a huge lost opportunity. For the cost of a few spots–which serve only a handful of people–the store can double its outdoor seating. Ultimately GM would like to see the whole lot turned over to seating (and maybe a Capital Bikeshare station). This is a good first step.
The Georgetown Metropolitan 