The Subway restaurant on Wisconsin just south of O St. has been abandoned. GM learned that the operator simply left the shop. Apparently his business has plummeted since the new 7-11 opened across the street. The suspicion is that they both offer similar food, it’s just that 7-11 offers even more. (GM doesn’t eat at either, but would probably settle for a Subway sandwich way before eating the junk from 7-11).
Restaurant tenants that just walk away are more common than you’d think. Just down the block, the family running the Pink Smile frozen yogurt shop simply abandoned the property last year. They had already broken away from the IceBerry franchise to become Pink Smile. Avoiding the franchise fees helped, but it didn’t stave closure.
The Subway space is part of the stretch of Wisconsin that is often lamented for its tacky offerings. But if you pay attention, there’s a possibility that we’re near a turning point. Robert Bell is restoring the Georgetown theater, hopefully a new exciting market will come to the old Marvelous Market space, and two buildings across from the Subway are newly renovated, empty, and actively offered. If the Subway comes open too, there’s a window for a critical mass of stores to move in that could move the strip beyond the cheap suit market. Give it two years and these blocks might be completely different.
Or not. There’s a lot of momentum behind the status quo, and it will take some vision from the building owners and retail brokers to break from that.
The Georgetown Metropolitan 
Has there been any more discussion about bringing Politics and Prose to the area?
It always had a shabby look and never really fit in….sadly, like too many other shops in this part of Georgetown.
One can only hope. That Subway was a disaster from the get-go.
The owner was a real character – very protective of his bathroom. I witnessed at least a couple shouting matches between him and customers who tried to use it before ordering. Maybe he didn’t want to take any risk that a non-customer would use his bathroom but it left a pretty poor impression on the other customers.
I talked to some of his employees when he wasn’t around after that as well. This was years ago but if I recall right they said he took their tips. Immigrants (I think Bangladeshi) who didn’t have much opportunity to work anywhere else or push back. Good riddance to this guy.