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I now have confirmation from Vapiano that their Bethesda Row location is indeed closed, and the space is up for lease by Federal Realty. In recent times, I've noticed less activity around the outside of Vapiano, but still always saw people in there when going past. The location is not the best for foot traffic, and now it faces a construction zone across the street. It will be interesting to see if the next tenant can make a go of it, or if this is going to be one of those tough spots like the one currently occupied by Tyber Bierhaus, where several businesses have come and gone in recent years.
20 comments:
Won't be missed.
You have confirmation? There's a sign on the door. Everybody has confirmation.
Great rewind to the 2010 VIP Grand Opening!
Everyone in there looked like they were 16 years old. Makes sense because it was like an expensive cafeteria.
It's sad watching restaurants come and go so quickly. When you're in the habit of watching what happens with individual addresses, you really notice how volatile that industry is.
4 years was a good run I suppose.
That's part of what causes people not to like BOb. His material is great but the way he phrases things needs some work. Humility or some degree of it would be nice.
Yeah it's crazy. So much positive development happening yet the individual businesses keep failing in Bethesda. Vapiano wasn't some fly by night mom and pop shop operation either. To see a big name fail is a sign of the sad state of affairs and makes you feel worse for the local owners that rely on it for a living.
Bob's pretty humble. He isn't writing blog articles in the royal "we" yet.
5:30 I have confirmation and - wow - they put a sign on the door, too. What's your point? I've been on this story for 10 days in advance. Hey, is Hans Riemer excited about the possibility of Romney getting into the race? Hans might have the inside track on a White House job if Romney wins.
Another establishment helped by Riemer's nightlife task force?
We have more dark corners due to closed businesses around the downtown than 4 years ago.
What was your confirmation if not the sign on the door?
Restaurants might stay longer if rents were lower. But that's not happening in the forseeable future.
Dyer, where did Reimer and Romney come from in your response to that comment? That's the kind of weird disconnected stuff that makes people not like you so much. You just ask for the trolls to attack you...
If you think Bob's post is disconnected, I'm assuming you didn't watch the MyMCMedia debate?
Follow the money
I'm sorry to see it go as it was a reasonably priced place to go and the pasta dishes and pizza were usually good. What killed the place, in my mind, was the abysmal management. There was never enough staff for the number of customers which led to long waits. Plenty of customers and foot traffic at that corner, but bad management and the loss of repeat business is a certain way to torpedo a business.
The reason why the place failed is due to the atronomically high rent which is comperable to Georgetown, yet Georgetown has the foot traffic to support such a business. Even though the location is in down town it is somewhat cut off.
agree about lines. sometimes it did not worth waiting for so long, and it was hard to coordinate with others in the familiy waiting in other lines. that said, sad to see that they are gone, was my son's favorite pizza place...
I hear the people sighting the + 75 psf bethesda rent (i'm a restaurant investor) but Tap Room, Mussel Bar, Raku all survive...
What is more amazing is how Cava, Shophouse, Peri Peri and places with $10 price points can make it paying >$75 psf without downtown or even Clarendon foot traffic.
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