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Friday, September 24, 2021
Signage installed at Room & Board at Bethesda Row
Permanent signage has been installed at Room & Board, the modern home furnishings store opening soon at 7236 Woodmont Avenue at Bethesda Row. It replaces Tandoori Nights. Room & Board is expected to open in October.
Nice looking signage! Very classy. I like the small metal letters on the granite piers.
With Pottery Barn, Urban Country, Anthropologie, Serena and Lily, the Shade Store and now Room & Board, Bethesda has become a nice place to cross-shop for furniture and accessories. It’s nice to see more than just coffee shops, restaurants, spas and banks.
A nice get for Federal Realty, Brookfield or JBG Smith would be a add a classy new three or four story, RH (Restoration Hardware) flagship store with their signature garden rooftop restaurant. Seems like it would be a nice fit in upscale downtown Bethesda, but they do take up a large amount of space, and require an large site. I don’t think DC has one yet, as the one at Tyson’s is not a freestanding RH flagship.
This should do very well here, especially since the only other one in the area is in Downtown DC. I wish we also had a Crate & Barrel store in Bethesda. Maybe when Anthropologie goes out of business I guess.
6:58: It has been disappointing that developers haven't been able to assemble larger sites in downtown Bethesda, especially when the Woodmont Triangle is ripe for the picking. It looked very promising when Douglas Development had the old Tommy Joe's and Pines of Rome lots - they should have had the ability to assemble that whole square block with the gas station and the AOTA building. It's nuts that didn't end up happening.
JBG Smith and StonebridgeCarras have done a really good job on the quality of retail tenants they've brought into their recent Bethesda buildings, as has Duball in Rockville Town Center. Donohoe has a lot of potential with the Gallery I and II and joint plaza there, if they can attract the level of retail and restaurant tenants needed to make it work.
But it would be nice to have another major development of the size that can hold a new cineplex, and the type of larger retail you're describing.
Robert, I have to disagree with you about movie theaters. They just aren't the draw that they used to be, especially in the era of streaming and on-demand. I'd rather have a few successful night spots (bars/restaurants) for people to enjoy that would fit in the footprint of one movie theater. These businesses would add more to the Bethesda nightlife than what's essentially become a moribund trade show hall that happens to show movies. There's no real excitement anymore about going to sit in a dark room to watch something on a screen.
As for the larger retail, that's something I can get behind. Perhaps there will be additional property available on Wisconsin as part of further development.
Perhaps a large retailer like Crate & Barrel or CB2 might occupy the former Modell’s space on Wisconsin. Certainly a high visibility location with the new Purple Line Station and south Bethesda Metro entrance coming soon.
There is an RH in Georgetown. Anyway, you can get same kind of chain furniture and accessory stores in Arlington, all selling cheap Chinese-made junk marketed as a 'lifestyle' choice. Gone are the independent retailers that used to make shopping in Bethesda unique. The cheerleading for chain retailers on this comment thread and other posts on this blog turns my stomach.
@5:28 AM: And that's why I don't think huge "convention center" type theaters are long for this world. Too much wasted space and expense. Not enough foot traffic.
Nice looking signage! Very classy. I like the small metal letters on the granite piers.
ReplyDeleteWith Pottery Barn, Urban Country, Anthropologie, Serena and Lily, the Shade Store and now Room & Board, Bethesda has become a nice place to cross-shop for furniture and accessories. It’s nice to see more than just coffee shops, restaurants, spas and banks.
A nice get for Federal Realty, Brookfield or JBG Smith would be a add a classy new three or four story, RH (Restoration Hardware) flagship store with their signature garden rooftop restaurant. Seems like it would be a nice fit in upscale downtown Bethesda, but they do take up a large amount of space, and require an large site. I don’t think DC has one yet, as the one at Tyson’s is not a freestanding RH flagship.
This should do very well here, especially since the only other one in the area is in Downtown DC. I wish we also had a Crate & Barrel store in Bethesda. Maybe when Anthropologie goes out of business I guess.
ReplyDelete6:58: It has been disappointing that developers haven't been able to assemble larger sites in downtown Bethesda, especially when the Woodmont Triangle is ripe for the picking. It looked very promising when Douglas Development had the old Tommy Joe's and Pines of Rome lots - they should have had the ability to assemble that whole square block with the gas station and the AOTA building. It's nuts that didn't end up happening.
ReplyDeleteJBG Smith and StonebridgeCarras have done a really good job on the quality of retail tenants they've brought into their recent Bethesda buildings, as has Duball in Rockville Town Center. Donohoe has a lot of potential with the Gallery I and II and joint plaza there, if they can attract the level of retail and restaurant tenants needed to make it work.
But it would be nice to have another major development of the size that can hold a new cineplex, and the type of larger retail you're describing.
Robert, I have to disagree with you about movie theaters. They just aren't the draw that they used to be, especially in the era of streaming and on-demand. I'd rather have a few successful night spots (bars/restaurants) for people to enjoy that would fit in the footprint of one movie theater. These businesses would add more to the Bethesda nightlife than what's essentially become a moribund trade show hall that happens to show movies. There's no real excitement anymore about going to sit in a dark room to watch something on a screen.
ReplyDeleteAs for the larger retail, that's something I can get behind. Perhaps there will be additional property available on Wisconsin as part of further development.
Perhaps a large retailer like Crate & Barrel or CB2 might occupy the former Modell’s space on Wisconsin. Certainly a high visibility location with the new Purple Line Station and south Bethesda Metro entrance coming soon.
ReplyDelete@12:57 PM: Having a Crate & Barrel or CB2 in Downtown Bethesda would be a great addition.
ReplyDeleteThere is an RH in Georgetown. Anyway, you can get same kind of chain furniture and accessory stores in Arlington, all selling cheap Chinese-made junk marketed as a 'lifestyle' choice. Gone are the independent retailers that used to make shopping in Bethesda unique. The cheerleading for chain retailers on this comment thread and other posts on this blog turns my stomach.
ReplyDelete@8:17 AM: The RH in Georgetown is permanently closed (and has been for some time now.)
ReplyDelete@ 10:50 AM - Disney has said that they will not guarantee exclusive release of their movies to theaters after the end of this year.
ReplyDelete@5:28 AM: And that's why I don't think huge "convention center" type theaters are long for this world. Too much wasted space and expense. Not enough foot traffic.
ReplyDelete