Shocking news from Auto Park Avenue in Bethesda - Vince & Dominic's Pizzeria has closed after 31 years in business. The restaurant closed yesterday, after Home Depot declined to renew its lease, according to the owners. It certainly didn't close because of a lack of popularity. Many people set on a pizza feast for dinner were in disbelief as they approached the shuttered pizzeria last evening. One family exiting Five Guys mentioned that they had originally come for pizza, but had gone into the burger restaurant upon finding Vince & Dominic's closed.
Known best for its giant slices of pizza, Vince & Dominic's is the latest Bethesda institution to get the boot from its longtime home, joining Ranger Surplus, Bruce Variety and Eastham's Servicenter in the 18 months alone.
Really sad to see this place go. Lots of vacancies at this mall, I am guessing it will get bulldozed for a mixed use project right?
ReplyDeleteGetting rid of a restaurant with a regular customer base is always a clear sign of redevelopment. Ourisman was already approved for redevelopment nearby. The BRT plan is designed to up the density allowed, and that's why they're dead set on running it past Wildwood, Georgetown Square, and the various Westlake properties.
Delete"The BRT plan is designed to up the density allowed"
ReplyDeleteNot true. There's no rezoning involved in the master plan that includes BRT.
There's a lot that isn't in the Transit Corridors Master Plan that will shock and surprise residents down the road. Developers wouldn't be backing BRT over highways like mad if it wasn't going to allow more development. BRT is rapid transit, and will factor into the county's new, totally-biased way of calculating infrastructure capacity.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to surprises about stealing lanes from cars, and eminent domain seizures, there's one more surprise that isn't "involved in the master plan:" how we are going to pay for it. It's not eligible for federal funds.
That's fair Robert, but be sure to tell folks the BRT "seems destined" or "seems designed" to allow for more density down the road. Your thoughts make sense, but at this point are speculation.
ReplyDeleteI think we all know where this is headed. The misguided flip-flop from rail to bus on the CCT accidentally proves that BRT will be used to create urban areas in Aspen Hill, Olney, Twinbrook, Wildwood, etc. BRT is being given equivalence to rail in Science City, and it eventually will everywhere else.
DeleteAny idea if they will relocate?
ReplyDelete2:14 - I wouldn't rule it out.
DeleteWas it due to not paying the rent
ReplyDeleteIf that strip mall becomes a construction site then I really, really, really don't know where we are supposed to park at Home Depot. Was this just a pop-up Home Depot meant to last just a few more years?
ReplyDeleteI was there last Wednesday and they had most of the parking lot roped off to bring some large objects up to the roof of the strip mall on a crane. Expensive maintenance like that make it seem unlikely to me that they are about to take the whole thing down.
ReplyDeleteAnyone remember back when Circuit City used to be in this mall? Their old space has been vacant forever.
ReplyDeleteI remember Circuit City, but I was more fond of the Best catalog store next door, which had everything under the sun for good prices.
ReplyDeleteBased on the latest NBC Washington news report, Home Depot is apparently not the "bad guy" here. Nor is there any indication Home Depot is planning to redevelop the mall immediately. The report claimed the restaurant had not paid a substantial amount of rent.
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ReplyDeleteHome Depot has owned the place for a long time now. They had a smaller division (Expo center) there but when sales dropped drastically they opted to just replace the store with another Home Depot store. Parking has been an issue ever since this home depot store opened it's door. I'm not sure if they have plans to expand but i would not rule it out.
ReplyDeleteThere are two sides to the story here and we don't all know the truth here. It's possible V&D didn't pay their bills, it's also possible Home Depot had other reasons. What i think is that for a place like this to close down so abruptly has to do with mismanagement. It's a shame it has to come down to this.
Mismanagement was the case. The original owner's knew what they we're doing.I knew them on a personal level. The new owner I also knew. Bad management and cheap
DeleteI will believe what Robert Dyer said about the NBC news report. Having worked in the pizza business, I have not owned a restaurant, I noticed that the restaurant business has been going downhill since around 2009. It seems we are less likely to go out and eat, because of the economy. It doesn't surprise me V&D has not been able to pay the rent. I went to the restaurant quite a few times during lunch time, and it did not seem to be buzzing with enough people, and with the rent high in Bethesda....
ReplyDeleteTerrible management after the original owners put some much into that business. It should also be noted that the son of one of the original owners was in the process of buying the business back and was given every indication that HD was going to let this transaction occur but pulled out at the very end. The new owners were very stingy and did not want for this transaction to occur.
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