I can confirm that this is indeed routine maintenance, as the store does this from time to time. A (temporary) cutback in nighttime hours that we can't blame on the votes and failed "nighttime economy" initiative of Montgomery County Councilmember Hans Riemer - now that's rare in Bethesda!
Will Robert Dyer follow Connie Morella's lead and endorse Hillary Clinton?
ReplyDeleteThere have been far more new openings than closures and cutbacks, so I would certainly classify Riemer's? (I thought it was an executive branch initiative) moderately successful.
ReplyDelete6:44: The number of bar closures (9) far exceeeds the number to have opened. That qualifies as a failure based on simple math alone.
DeleteSo what is the net loss of bars, then? It looks like you just admitted that it is less than nine.
Delete7:28: The only new bars to open were Quincy's and Tapp'd, and Tapp'd was just the same owners as Union Jack's, but still an opening. Aside from the huge ratio of closures, there's the powerful point that when Riemer claimed he was going to make the nighttime economy BETTER, he would have to have a net positive in bars opening. Again, the math is beyond dispute. With 9 closures and 1.5 or 2 openings, that's a fiasco, not a success.
DeleteDyer @ 7:52 AM - What exactly counts as "half an opening"?
Deletei hate having to pay 7-11 prices for my late night condoms...
ReplyDeleteThe safeway toilet must be backing up again.
ReplyDeleteConnie Morella - those were the days. :) Back when Congress worked. Until they re-drew the 8th district to break the Republicans into separate districts, so Democrats could prevail.
ReplyDeleteBack when liberal Republicans existed, before they were abandoned by their party.
Relic, Steamers - lost liquor licenses due to frequent violations.
ReplyDeleteRi Ra - Arlington location closed at the same time.
Parker's - replaced by Williams-Sonoma.
Parva - site was not a bar at the time Riemer entered office.
The Roof/Urban Heights - site was not a bar at the time Riemer entered office. Replaced by relocated Tommy Joe's.
Parker's - replaced by Williams-Sonoma.
BlackFinn - replaced by Tapas Bar.
You listed Parker's twice.
ReplyDelete@ 8:16 pm - oops! So that's even fewer closed bars.
ReplyDelete#ThanksHans
8:38: Oops because you left several closures off your list. One does not simply type his way out of a Hans Riemer fiasco.
DeleteWhich closures were omitted?
Delete@ 12:10, 2:01 PM - #DodgingDyer
DeleteWhether the initiative is a success or failure, I still don't see how it's tied exclusively to Hans Riemer. I believe the county executive created the Nightime Economy task force, which was chaired by Heather Dlhopolsky, chair of the Greater Bethesda-CC COC. The other 18 members were business officials, community representatives, and activists.
ReplyDeletePart of the huge hurdle to improving Bethesda's nightlife is the demographics of those who live here and those who are moving here. Yes, development has ramped up tremendously over the last few years, but recently it's been high-end condos for empty nesters. I believe there are more condos under construction, recently delivered, and planned in downtown Bethesda than the rest of the metro area combined.
With the Purple Line connecting to Silver Spring and College Park, places where millennials actually want to be, it might give the area a boost with that demographic.
11:25: I agree that the task force itself included a number of sincere and capable representatives of different stakeholders. But they are not to blame for the failure of the larger initiative. Hans Riemer made himself the face of that initiative, and promoted himself mightily through friendly outlets. So that's why, when it failed, Riemer also gets all the blame. Much like his liquor disaster. His food truck disaster. His cybersecurity disaster. Etc.
DeleteEveryone knows that bars and restaurants are some of the most stable businesses around. Low overhead, high margins. When one goes in you expect it to last for at least 30 years.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you passed up an opportunity to say "moribund"
ReplyDeleteThe Post said Reamer hadn't accomplished anything with the night life task force.
ReplyDeleteWhy attack Robert Dyer? His reporting confirms what the Post said.
HILARIOUS!!! The video Hillary Clinton Does Not Want You To See. Must Watch! Hillary Clinton tried to ban this video! But Hillary Can't Hide THIS Anymore! http://infowar.com/breakingnews/Top-10-Things-Hillary-Clinton-Doesn't-Want-You-To-Know
ReplyDelete