MAGGIE'S CLOSED IN BETHESDA (PHOTO)

Just before the biggest day of the year for sports bars, Maggie's has closed at 4914 Cordell Avenue in downtown Bethesda. I noticed Maggie's had been dark for a few nights, and now it is confirmed that they have closed.

While Maggie's had not been in Bethesda that long, the location and name have a history. The restaurant space was formerly Wing Hub, and Maggie's kept a good selection of wings and sauces on the menu, to retain wing fans from the old business. But Maggie's goes back further than that. Phil Magenello opened the original Maggie's in Tenleytown, DC, in 1950. In 1964, Magenello sold the business to Joe Trilling. Maggie's closed in DC around the turn of the century. It was Joe's son, Jeff Trilling, who decided to bring back the Maggie's tradition in Bethesda.

Bethesda is a tough market, with rising rents and many sports bars to compete with. But I suspect we'll hear of another location or concept from the owner in the future. I thought the outdoor Tiki Bar was a great concept, even if things have not worked out as planned in the end.