The Giant grocery store at 5400 Westbard Avenue at the Westwood Shopping Center in Bethesda is reducing its late night hours. Starting tonight, February 26, 2023, the store will close at 10:00 PM on Sunday nights, and 11:00 PM Monday - Saturday nights. Up until today, the store closed at midnight six days a week, and at 11:00 PM on Sundays. The change mirrors the reduced hours that begin tonight at the Bethesda Row Giant.
Montgomery County continues to go backwards, instead of forward into the future. One might have imagined in the past that shopping would become more convenient, not less, as time goes on. Perhaps the blue laws are going to make a comeback. The great irony is that life is becoming more convenient in the exurbs and rural areas than here. Walmart is open 24 hours in most "flyover" areas of the country. Who's laughing now?
Reduced hours and 4-day workweeks are great for the corporations, but not so much for workers. If you make $20 an hour five days a week, that's $100 less a week when the store closes an hour earlier. Most people don't need late-night or 24-hour shopping on a nightly basis, but it can be a Godsend from time to time. "Thank Heaven for 7-Eleven."
Any county that still controls liquor and wine sales, especially to restaurants is, by definition, backwards.
ReplyDeleteMaryland still is one of the 3 Strictest States in the Country on Liquor Sales Laws. Every 2 years they talk about changing the Laws and every time they stay the same. It’s Maryland NOT Montgomery County that has the Strict Liquour Sales Policy in place but Montgomery County must comply, of course !
DeleteIt’s funny that you reference 7-11 - because they used to be closed between 11 PM and 7 AM - hence their name.
ReplyDeleteI shop at the Westbard Giant. Extended hours aren't necessary. The grocery is rarely busy I expect because, due to the pandemic, lots of customers are still having groceries delivered or
ReplyDeletethey have Giant shoppers and only have to drive up to pick up. They might have 3 cashiers
working at the same time. Plus there's the crime issue. Who wants to be buying groceries late at night? And how about the employees who could be at risk? The same goes for the Arlington Rd. Giant.
Danger, Danger Will Robinson!!
ReplyDeleteI did a quick search of the hours of Giants and Safeways in NW DC Arlington and I couldn't find any that are open past 11 PM, and some even close at 10 PM.
ReplyDeleteBut, keep trying to make everything about Bethesda and MoCo.
"Montgomery County continues to go backwards, instead of forward into the future."
ReplyDeleteLol. So backwards we have people who shop at normal hours. Oh the humanity. If only we were a town of third shift workers manufacturing Chinese garbage we'd be the "future!"
@ 12:54 PM - Maryland does not have a statewide liquor control system. Virginia does.
ReplyDeleteI bet he means how the restaurants have to buy wine thru the county and how they limit selection. Must be also difficult on creating menus, even. If that's not what he means, then this is 1940s ish too!
Delete@4:33 PM In DC, the Safeway in Georgetown is open 24/7 (1855 Wisconsin Ave NW). The Giant on Old Georgetown Road is also open 24/7. I didn't check NoVA, but you're correct, most grocery stores in the area now close at 10 or 11 pm.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why there are so many negative comments about stores being open until midnight. (See Robert's other recent post about the Bethesda Row Giant cutting back its evening hours.) A lot of people don't have standard "9-5" types of schedules (think healthcare workers, police officers, and other shift workers), and the later hours are much more convenient for them and others, too.
I am just glad we can shop on Sundays. I look forward to the completion of the new Giant and Westbard Center. It is time
ReplyDelete@10:21 AM: How did this amount of crime become acceptable to you? You should be able to shop safely at night.
ReplyDeleteSimple solution per Elrich and the Dems: end 'Night.' Go inside, lock your doors, hire the illegal 'new' peeps to blow away the trash from our nighttime criminals, we reappear daytime to buy fancy clothes, eat overpriced food, drink wine the county ordains good, repeat. When this collapses, jump to new area three Metro stops north.
DeleteMontgomery County, Maryland, has a long-standing reputation for being anti-business, which has hurt its economic growth and competitiveness compared to neighboring Fairfax County, Virginia. While Montgomery County has seen some recent progress in improving its business climate, the legacy of anti-business policies and regulations has contributed to a less favorable environment for businesses to thrive.
ReplyDeleteOne of the key factors contributing to Montgomery County's anti-business reputation is its tax structure. The county has some of the highest property taxes in the state of Maryland, which can make it difficult for businesses to afford to operate there. In addition, the county has implemented a number of other taxes and fees on businesses over the years, such as a bag tax and a stormwater management fee. These additional costs can add up and make it more difficult for businesses to stay competitive.
Another area where Montgomery County has struggled is in attracting and retaining businesses. According to the Maryland Economic Development Association, Montgomery County has lost more than 200 businesses in recent years, with many relocating to nearby Fairfax County. This is likely due in part to the fact that Fairfax County has a more favorable tax and regulatory environment for businesses, which can make it more attractive for companies to operate there.
In terms of economic growth, Fairfax County has outpaced Montgomery County in recent years. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Fairfax County's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.7% in 2019, while Montgomery County's grew by only 1.3%. In addition, Fairfax County has a lower unemployment rate than Montgomery County, with a rate of 2.8% in 2021 compared to 3.5% in Montgomery County.
These statistics highlight the fact that Fairfax County has been more successful in creating an environment that is conducive to business growth and development. This is due in part to Fairfax County's focus on attracting and retaining businesses through incentives and favorable policies, such as a lower tax rate and streamlined regulatory processes.
In contrast, Montgomery County has often been perceived as having a more restrictive regulatory environment, which can make it more difficult for businesses to operate and succeed. For example, Montgomery County has implemented a number of environmental regulations in recent years, which can create additional costs and burdens for businesses. While these regulations may be well-intentioned, they can ultimately hurt the county's economic competitiveness.
Montgomery County's anti-business history has hurt its economic growth and competitiveness compared to neighboring Fairfax County. While there have been some recent efforts to improve the county's business climate, the legacy of anti-business policies and regulations has created a less favorable environment for businesses to operate. As a result, many businesses have chosen to relocate to Fairfax County, which has a more favorable tax and regulatory environment, and this has contributed to Fairfax County's economic growth and success in recent years.
Where did you come up with this lie that Walmart is still open 24 hours in most 'flyover states'? Walmart hasn't had stores open for 24 hours since the pandemic and this trend started back in 2019. All stores close at 11pm now. I'm from the most flyover red state in the country, Mississippi, and all Walmarts there close at 11pm. Has nothing to do with blue states vs red states.
ReplyDeleteLet's say the same thing three times.
ReplyDelete8:35: Given that the Montgomery County Council blocked Walmart from opening any further stores beyond their Germantown location, which was not a 24 hour Supercenter even before COVID-19, it's not surprising I wasn't aware of that. Now I'm even more convinced blue laws will make a comeback.
ReplyDeleteThing is even if you hate Walmart, their presence forces grocery stores to lower prices. That's a benefit along with jobs.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Walmart has announced the closure of their store on H Street in the District.
ReplyDeleteI saw that, the poor local residents were up in arms. Maybe they should keep their brethren from shoplifting. "Shrinkage" quickly erodes profit.
DeleteBethesda is collapsing…Allthe libs on this post won’t accept it til they try to sell their homes for 50% loss
ReplyDelete@ 1:53 AM - people who work Second Shift or Third Shift can buy their groceries in the daytime before they go to work.
ReplyDelete