Anyone see the BBB store in NYC described in the WP as the corp's "urban model"? I've shopped there many a time, and I would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between BBB in NYC and BBB anywhere else, except for size. But good for the marketing department--keeps them in coin.

I'm happy to have it, but I think that DC needs to be questioning what the interaction between smaller retailers and mega stores is going to be, going forward. There is room for both, but perhaps it would make sense to subsidize rent on a related type of locally-owned store nearby. As it is, people will come to BBB, and there could be foot traffic opps for smaller business, similarly themes businesses from the foot traffic. The city should look at that. I haven't really thought much about it, and there's a reason why they call these types of places "category killers," but there could be something there.

And now that the whole stadium lease and school modernization business has been ironed out, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams himself will be stopping by the store today at 11:30 a.m. for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Man, Martin, that is such a great point. Since Williams has these two items on his agenda, he should just sequester himself in his office until the stadium lease and school modernization are both completed. He shouldn't attend to any other mayoral duties and he should ignore any other issue, problem, or public appearance request that comes across his desk.

I hate that line of argument, just in case you can't tell. It's petty and short-sighted.

While I agree that we need to protect our local small businesses from being pushed out by big-box retailers, I question whether it's an issue at Gallery Place. Like many neighborhoods in DC, the area had little existing retail prior to the arrival of the national chains. I don't see Bed, Bath, & Beyond as a threat to anything else there.

I'm totally aware that BBB is not displacing anyone in that hood. In fact, it not competing with anyone at all in the city, except perhaps Hecht's and Home Rule, both to different degrees. The only competition is Target, which is exactly why they moved in. My point is just that now that non-clothing retailers are, amazingly, moving into the downtown core, how can we use that to encourage a mixture of shopping that will serve residents with more than generic shopping opps, will encourage suburbanites to come for things that they can't get in the burbs, and will make downtown more interesting? I find the entertainment and clothing opportunities throughout downtown underwhelming, and think the block of H just east of 7th is totally underused, Vote for Orange sign notwithstanding.

Just sayin'

You're lame. But, so am I, and most of the rest of us too.

I think this is a good step forward for central DC. Yes it's a suburban chain store. But it's something besides a clothing store or restaurant. Central DC is missing a lot of the basic stores that service everyday-type needs. There are how many hardware stores in central DC, like 3 or 4? I'm glad to see Balduccis is going in to 7th st. too, but a Safeway would be better (or even better still would be some bodegas with fresh produce like they have all over NYC).

I think a lot of this dearth comes from the fact that you can always just drive out to the suburbs if you have to (even the carless can get a Zip thingy). In other cities, that's not necessarily as easy as it is here, so the city core itself has to provide.

Yaaawwwnn. mmmmm 300 threadcount.

as a resident of chinatown, i welcome BB and B.
we still have the dirty bookstore on 6th and the smut store on 5th, the infamous BK at 10th and F and the street hooker transvestites at 4th and L.

"I thought I read that it was 50,000 square feet and employed 70 people. It looks like a tiny store from the outside. Is it below ground?"
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As you enter Bed Bath and Beyond at the 7th Street entrance, you immediately descend an escalator into the 50,000 square foot underground level of the store. Yes, it looks small from the outside, but this is a flagship urban store for the chain with upscale merchandise that is not offered at many of the surburban store!

I never understand why it takes so long for retailers to open up in DC. But as soon as they open, they immediately exceed sales projections. Then some of them go on to become top sales leaders for the entire country! Can´t the retailers forsee this happening? What is the slowdown?

Best Buy in Tenleytown is the perfect example of this! Whole Foods is another example! Home Depot in Northeast is yet another example!

As more residential units open up in the Gallery Place neighborhood, more retail choices are appearing. It is about time!

Went there today, it is huge. Has a lot to offer outside of 300 count sheets. I thought the drugstore area was pretty cool - only place you can find that kind of stuff downtown is at CVS.