Photo by William Boncher
Remember the excitement that built ahead of the opening of D.C.’s first Shake Shack last year? Remember the sole figure that appeared outside the Dupont Circle Shake Shack on opening day—with chair in tow? Remember how exciting, how new it all was?
Well, get excited again! OK, maybe a little less excited. Union Square Hospitality Group, the hamburger and shake purveyor’s parent company, was mum when we asked about the rumored expansion last month. But no more subterfuge: Shake Shack announced today that it will open its third D.C. location next year inside the International Spy Museum at Ninth and F Streets NW.
Shake Shack’s first two D.C. locations—Dupont Circle and Nationals Park—have been nothing short of jammed since opening. (The Nationals Park location often features a two-inning wait for those tasty Shack Burgers and concretes.) The Spy Museum location will put a third venue within shouting distance of Chinatown, Penn Quarter and the National Mall.
“We’ve been amazed by the warm reception we’ve been given over the past year, and
our team is proud to grow our roots even deeper in the Washington community,” Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti said in a press release.
Until recently, the Spy Museum housed Zola, a French concept owned by the Stir Food Group, which shuttered the espionage-themed bistro along with several more of its restaurants in May. From Shake Shack’s press release, it appears the burger joint will be taking over Zola’s hulking storefront at 800 F Street NW.
Update, 3:50 p.m.: Actually, Shake Shack is going in at the corner storefront currently occupied by the museum’s ground-floor Spy Café, according to Edwin Bragg, a spokesman for the burger chain. The space is currently configured for fast-casual dining, so spatially, it makes a lot more sense than demolishing Zola’s fancy dining room. The address is still 800 F Street.
