The Georgetown Metropolitan

This week for Georgetown Time Machine, GM is taking a slightly different approach. He’s highlighting an ad in the 1871 Boyd’s Directory. The establishment was the Union Bottling Depot, run by Riley A. Shinn.

It was, in effect, a soda factory, producing soft and hard drinks, like ginger ale or porter beer. It was located on the corner of what is now 29th and Olive:

The company started at this location in 1843 as Rother’s Vinegar Depot. It passed through several hands until Shinn joined in ownership with a Charles Arny. Shinn bought him out in 1863. He renamed the company as the Union Bottling Depot. It was probably named that because Shinn also owned the famous Union Hotel on the same block:

The Streets of Washington wrote a fantastic article about the proliferation of soda dealers like this one, but the relevant part is this:

For Christmas, GM’s neighbor gave him a lovely jar of honey. But it was not just any honey, it was honey made right here in Georgetown.

The honey is made by a small family-run company called Heritage Honey. It was started in 2011. As described on their website:

We’ve lived in Georgetown for many years and only started beekeeping quite recently + unexpectedly when we learned about the success of beekeepers in urban areas. Our family has always been passionate about bees, beekeeping, gardening and nature. 

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• GU sued for collusion and anti-trust activity.
• Speaking of GU, their Covid numbers are pretty much as bad as everyone else’s. Their positivity rate jumped from 3% to 12% between December and January.

A handful of new restaurants are on the horizon for Georgetown. Although GM has few details about them, he can at least give you a brief list!

The first is called Afghania and it set to take over the former Don Lobos location at 2811 M St. The cuisine will obviously be Afghan.

The second is Georgetown Seafood, taking over the former Luke’s Lobster’s location at 1211 Potomac St. It’s unclear whether this will be another lobster roll shack, or have a different focus. The space is so small that it can’t really accommodate anything but a prepared food operation.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Sticx is finally open! (They were originally going to open right as the pandemic hit. D’oh!)
• Great photo of the old Jelleff pool from the 70s.

A fancy new liquor store will soon be replacing the Covid testing site at 3237 M St. Depending on whether you’re a glass half-full person or a glass half-empty person, this is either a sign of optimism or one of grim resignation.

The new store will be a location for a small national chain called Spirits and Spice. The company was started in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and has five locations, mostly in the west and around Chicago. The theme of the store is that it offers a try-before-you-buy approach and sells specially blended non-name brand liquors. The experience appears to be similar to the olive oil stores you may have seen pop up everywhere over the last ten years (including in Georgetown). They even sell olive oil, actually. Here’s the spunky owner and Harry Potter her colleague showing off their Sedona, AZ store:

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• The BID has made some great new hires recently.
• Halcyon House shifts away from arts funding and will transfer the former Filmore School property to its sister organization, the S & R Foundation.