The Georgetown Metropolitan

(Sorry for the thumb.)

Capital One Cafe has arrived to Georgetown. But what exactly is it?

In short, it’s basically a decently fancy Peet’s Coffee (just a block or so from another decently fancy Peet’s Coffee) inside of an elegant building filled with couches and conference rooms. The former Nathans has truly been transformed:

It is, of course, also sort of a bank. Not a traditional one with tellers and safes and little jars of lollipops. But there are a c0uple ATMs:

And more noticeably, there are roving bands a guys in suits trying to make eye contact with you and strike up a conversation, presumably about a home equity loan or a high yield savings account.

By Sunday afternoon the coffee bar was packed (again proving the rule that demand for coffee shops in Georgetown is bottomless). Were any mortgages bought alongside the macchiatos? Probably not. There really is no way that Capital One will recoup the $50 million is spent for this property (on top of the additional finishing work is performed). And it’s unlikely the bank even thought it would. Ultimately this expenditure is about advertising, and splashing the brand all over one of DC’s iconic intersections.

The space would make more sense as a consumer product if it were presented primarily as a luxurious coffee shop that simply was sponsored by Capital One, like the way Capital One sponsors the former MCI Center. But that would limit the branding, which is the primary objective.

So we’re left with a pretty object that is neither really a true coffee shop nor a bank. A total less than the sum of its parts.

GM would still rather just have Nathans back.

Photo by Mike Maguire.

Good morning Georgetown! Welcome back! Here are a couple stories GM missed during his break:

• Burglary and sexual assault on 30th St.
• The history of street renaming in Georgetown.
• Tugooh Toys moved up the block to 1426 Wisconsin.
• English Rose Garden closed.
• Capital One Cafe opened (more on that later).

GM’s off to the beach, and will be knocking off until September. Enjoy the last gasp of summer!

Oh, and here’s a recording of the Kojo Nnamdi Show from yesterday, with GM, Zachary Schrag and Rick Murphy.

1000 block of 31st St.

Tune in to WAMU, 88.5 FM, today at 12:00 pm for the Kojo Nnamdi Show. GM, along with Prof. Zachary Schrag and ANC 2E Chair Rick Murphy, will be guests.

The topic will be drawn from GM’s recent article on the history of the “Georgetowners Blocked Metro Legend”. But the discussion will likely cover more broadly the question of how welcoming Georgetown is.

As a longtime listener, it is a major dream come true for GM to be invited on the show. Hopefully he won’t say anything stupid! Tune in to find out!

Photo by BeyondDC.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Great review for La Jolie Bleue. The food’s great, the family is super nice, and THEY NOW HAVE GELATO! Repeat THEY NOW HAVE GELATO!
• GM will give a little more info later, but he’ll be on the Kojo Nnamdi Show on 88.5 FM today at noon. Tune in!

Georgetown Waterfront Park

Photo by BKL Art.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Profile of a show at Artist’s Proof gallery.
• Uh, what is this slime on 31st St.?

1600 block of 31st St.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Nice profile of the art galleries of Book Hill.
• There’s a house plant hospital in Georgetown called the Sad Lab.