Results tagged “business”

After a few months where we wondered if any business could maintain an open storefront in Cleveland Park, it looks like two of the most quizzically empty spaces in the neighborhood have plans to be filled. Posters to the neighborhood's ubiquitous listserv have passed on the information that the space at Connecticut Avenue and Porter Street which formerly held a 7-11 could house an urgent care office. (Urgent care next to the new Walgreens? Convenient!). Meanwhile, the former McDonalds at 3407 Connecticut -- which has literally been empty for years -- could potentially become a diner. A fun place to get some awesome breakfast before or after a weekend matinee at the Uptown sounds utterly delightful.

That's according to the Washington Business Journal, which reports that Madison Square Garden LP is looking for a space to open up a rather large new theater in the District. At least one source of the BizJo's puts the size the potential venue at "6,000 seats or more, requiring up to 100,000 square feet," which, just for comparison's sake, would make it almost twice the size of DAR Constitution Hall. Steve Moore, executive director of the Washington, D.C. Economic Partnership, told the paper that he has been pitching the company on sites near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and in the area around Nationals Park. Can you think of any other locations something that big would fit in, that's also close enough to Metro?

GA Cleaners, also known as Georgia Avenue Cleaners and commonly referred to as Q Street Cleaners, located at the corner of 14th and Q Streets NW, will close for good this Saturday.

Sidewalk signs and sandwich boards like the one pictured above are technically illegal in the District, but hundreds of local businesses have long ignored the law. Take a stroll along M Street in Georgetown, 18th Street in Adams Morgan, or U Street between 15th and 16th and you're likely to find dozens of signs enticing customers with specials and sales dotting the sidewalk along the way. They do it because sidewalk signs are effective, and because the city has rarely bothered to enforce the law. But it looks like that's about to change.

The Washington Post's Paul Schwartzman reports from the Old Georgetown Board meeting today, and says that the board has indeed rejected Apple's storefront design for a fourth time. While insisting they are eager for the store to open on Wisconsin Ave., the board expressed frustration with Apple for again submitting a design that included a wide, all-glass entryway. Deputy mayor for planning and economic development Neil Albert didn't mince words: "We're extremely disappointed with today's decision." For it's part, Apple says it is still committed to making the Georgetown location work and will once again go back to the drawing board.

We first learned last month that Hilton Hotels Corp. was planning to pick up and move from their Beverly Hills digs to the D.C. area; now the Washington Business Journal has the scoop again that Fairfax will officially be their new home. Both Maryland and Virginia had been vying for the business, which will create 300 new jobs in the area, but Fairfax and the state beat out Maryland by offering Hilton a $4.6 million incentive package. Not bad considering Hilton plans to invest about $17 million upon their arrival. The exact location of the headquarters isn't known yet.

Vox Populi reports that ANC 2E voted last night to approve a redesigned facade for the long-discussed Georgetown Apple store. The Northwest Current reported in December [PDF] that the Georgetown advisory neighborhood commission had rejected three consecutive design proposals for a facade for the Apple-owned property at 1229 Wisconsin Ave. NW. The approved design reportedly has a more Georgetown-friendly brick emphasis and the “Apple logo greatly diminished in size.” Apple retail news web site ifoAppleStore says the store could be open as early as late 2009.

Economists with the College of the Holy Cross have released a paper (PDF) analyzing the economic impact of presidential inaugurations on the local D.C. economy. And while the paper (written without the benefit of data from the most recent inauguration) caveats that this inauguration was certain to be larger than prior events from the outset, the authors note that analyses of other tourism "mega-events" find that the costs significantly outweigh the benefits.

By now you've all heard that Murky Coffee's Capitol Hill location has been shuttered after the city seized the coffee shop thanks to owner Nick Cho failing to pay more than $425,000 in sales tax to the city. The building's landlord has since evicted the coffee shop, so it won't be reopening. Today the Post's D.C. Wire blog brings word that the entire contents of the shop are being auctioned off by the D.C. government.

According to a legal notice published earlier this week, the tax office would like to sell all of Murky's assets as a whole and bids will start at $10,000. The highest bidder will have 24 hours to make out a certified or cashier's check payable to the D.C. Treasurer. No personal checks will be accepted, according to the notice.

Which stories did DCist readers think merited the most attention this year?

You didn't think we could get through the last few days of 2007 without one more Smithsonian scandal, did you? The Post has a lengthy report today on National Museum of the American Indian's retiring director Rick West and the whopping $250,000 of Institution funds he spent on travel and luxuries.

>> The 1930s-era Hecht's building in Northeast has been bought by a Philadelphia developer who plans to incorporate the historic structure into a new retail hub off New York Avenue. [WaPo]

Living in the Nation's Capital, with so many free events going on year-round, it might seem silly to spend a princely sum of money for the privilege of becoming a Member of a local arts organization. But there are a number of good reasons to think about becoming a member -- maybe you're interested in a particular subject that's only shown at a pay-for museum, maybe you're an artist looking to grab a foothold in...

FRIDAY: >> Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are at the 9:30 Club with Kristeen Young and Partyline, $15, 9 p.m. Also Saturday with Kristeen Young and Ris Paul Ric. >> DC9's Liberation Dance Party hosts Brooklyn's Jaguar Club. $6, 9 p.m. SATURDAY: >> The Historic Sixth and I Synagogue hosts The Eight, D.C.'s part of a "worldwide Hannukah party" featuring the LeeVees, DeLeon and D.C.'s own Black and White JohnsonsJacksons. $12/$18, all ages, 9 p.m....

A Post business columnist and an independent music non-profit have joined the chorus questioning Live Nation's proposal for a Silver Spring music hall. Last Friday, Steven Pearlstein wrote that while I.M.P. boss Seth Hurwitz has fought against competition for his 9:30 Club before, and his alternative proposal to Live Nation is in his own best interest, "he's put forward a financial proposal attractive enough that county officials cannot ignore it."

>> Maryland police apprehended the prisoner who stole an officer's gun and escaped from custody from a Laurel hospital. [WTOP] >> Shortly after abandoning his run for the White House, Stephen Colbert ended up in a three-way tie for a seat on the Colonial Soil and Water Conservation District Board in Williamsburg. Sadly, he won't be able to serve if selected by a hat draw (seriously), because he's not a registered voter in the...

Written by DCist Contributor Josh Kramer The Hatchet — George Washington University >>The big news at GWU this week is that Freshman Sarah Marshak, who reported six swastikas being drawn on her dorm room door's whiteboard, actually drew five of them herself, which she has now said she did to bring attention to the first incident. Marshak, who is Jewish and a former reporter for the Hatchet, was informed she will most likely be expelled....

Zipcar and Flexcar, D.C.'s two most popular car-sharing companies, announced they are merging Wednesday. Emails to customers of both companies directed them to an announcement on Zipcar's website. "The combined company will provide our members with increased benefits and improve our ability to expand into new markets," said Zipcar CEO Scott Griffith in the statement. The new company will operate under the Zipcar name, and while the pricing plans are still being hammered out, they...

The Washington Business Journal reported yesterday that the Washington Convention Center will be officially renamed to honor D.C.'s first elected mayor, Walter E. Washington. Apparently the D.C. Council approved the name change last year, though we can't recall having heard about it at the time. The idea is a fine one though, and Washington is certainly worthy of having his legacy honored. So what's the problem? As of Nov. 5, the building will officially become...

We had heard rumors that Apple had settled on purchasing 1229 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Georgetown, but the Washington Business Journal confirmed the news on Friday. The building, sold on Sept. 27 to Apple Inc., is currently occupied by French Connection. The manager at French Connection had still not been told about the deal as of the middle of last week.

Many neighborhoods in the District tend to go through a rather predictable routine. They start as fringe areas, slowly attract residents and business owners looking for good deals on housing and commercial properties, see an influx of newcomers as word spreads, and soon become the city's next hot destination. And throughout the process the usual conflicts tend to emerge -- between old and new residents, between local and national businesses. Yesterday the rather tranquil Barracks...

It does our geeky hearts good to see the Post paying some attention to Comcast's unpleasant, unhelpful and generally evil behavior. To be specific, they're covering the issue of the bandwidth caps that Comcast customers can find themselves subject to at the cable giant's whim. Every month the network's heaviest users receive warning letters. If they don't curtail their net use (and sometimes even if they do), their account is terminated. Simple enough — except the service is advertised as being unlimited, and Comcast won't disclose what the bandwidth caps are. If you're the type to hang around BroadbandReports.com, where nerds discuss download speeds and packet loss with the meticulous dedication of performance car tuners, you may have some idea why this is. The site is rife with speculation (including some from Comcast employees) that hard limits don't actually exist, and that Comcast actually just prunes the top users from the network every month to improve their bottom line and forestall network upgrades. If your neighbors are heavy downloaders your monthly bandwidth limit may be much lower than if they weren't — but there's no way to know. That seems like dirty pool. And combined with Comcast's recent steps to cripple P2P use (whether illicit or not), users are increasingly getting less than they paid for. Comcast says that affected users can upgrade to business cable service, but that option is priced to reflect uptime and service guarantees that most home users can't afford. There's always DSL, but in most cases it's much slower. Some lucky area residents can get FiOS service, but that may have downsides of its own. What about you? Has anyone received one of these warning letters? If so, what'd you do?

Good morning, Washington, and welcome to a world of omnipresent peril. That's what it seems like, anyway, given the constant stream of recalls that we've been facing lately. This morning's additions to the list of things that are trying to kill you and your family: children's cribs and Mattel toys. Oh, and microwave popcorn — but then, that stuff's so delicious that you probably already suspected its deadliness. Firefighter Sex Ring Press Conference: WUSA...

Rockville based chain California Tortilla has reached a milestone. According to Washington Business Journal, the chain has sold 5 million burritos. 5 million! I prefer to say they've sold 5 megaburritos, but whatever floats your boat. The big winner of a year's worth of indigestion, er, delicious goodness, was college student John Baroody of Herndon, Virginia, who purchased number V at the Ashburn Village store. Congratulations, John! I'm sure your feelings at the moment of...

We kid. Kind of. According to the Washington Business Journal, the Uline Ice Arena and the surrounding area may be the next frontier in development in the District. The arena, which is just north of Union Station and hosted the first Beatles concert in the U.S. in 1964, is being looked at by developer Douglas Jemal as the anchor for a new entertainment district along the lines of the popular East End/Verizon Center area. While...

There seems to be no end to the drama playing out at the Smithsonian Institution. The story so far: Former Secretary Lawrence M. Small resigned back in March amidst allegations of gross financial expenditures and poor management decisions. He was replaced by acting Secretary Cristián Samper, and the Board then began an overhaul of the Institution based on a scathing report on the state of museums issued earlier this year. Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating...

More grist for the mill of discontent among some Adams Morgan residents over the state of 18th Street, right on the heels of D.C. Council action that could limit the number of tavern licenses in the neighborhood. The Washington Business Journal reports that an unholy trifecta of daiquiris, skin and chicken wings is moving in to the space formerly occupied by the controversial after hours spot, Santa Rosa. The new bar, to be named Splash,...

One more report was released today letting us know what we already knew: The Washington, D.C. metro area is the richest, most-educated city in the country. Washington Business Journal reports on the Greater Washington Initiative annual report (you can download the whole thing here if you're willing to part with a little bit of personal information). Our region had the highest median household income in 2006 among metro areas, at $74,600, and nearly 46 percent...

We couldn't help but notice these odd signs popping up on the windows of businesses all along the U Street Corridor in the last month. "This Business is Being Monitored by the U Street Sheriff's Department" sounds a bit like a smart-alecky joke. Obviously the District has no sheriff's department at all, let alone one that only serves U Street. So what exactly are these signs? We could imagine a business version of "Beware of...

Former Editor-in-Chief Ryan Avent writes a weekly column about neighborhood and development issues. You have to love the really idiosyncratic corners of a city. The hundred year-old oddities with rich histories and lovely faces that look wholly out of place amid more recent arrivals. The Warehouse Theater is just such a place. Sitting quiet and unassuming on a small stretch of 7th Street NW near the hulking new Washington Convention Center, the Warehouse has been...