Sign installers are busy at the future Westbard Square development in Bethesda as Thanksgiving week gets underway. The first Westbard Square branding for the Regency Centers development has been installed on the new Giant building. It's above the future Westwood Barber Shop space along Westbard Avenue. There is some illumination of it from below, but it does not yet light up. Also installed but not lit is the first Giant logo sign, on the side facing the current Giant store.
Giant's signage elsewhere on the building refers to the new grocery store's pharmacy, a feature not previously offered at the Westwood Giant. Starbucks is listed, but it's unclear if that sign is referring to the actual Starbucks that will be in the ground floor of the building, or to a smaller Starbucks counter inside the Giant store. Giant tried operating a small Starbucks at this location earlier this century, but the presence of a full-blown Starbucks in the same shopping center seemed to limit the demand, and Giant ended up removing the Starbucks counter near the front entrance of the store.
Voorthuis Opticians has its logo and trademark glass frame signage in place, and it was lit last night. One other exterior addition is the stonework behind the "Westbard Square" logo. That is a nod to the locally-quarried stone found on many Bethesda buildings and homes built in the 20th century.
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| Stairs up to Giant |
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| Lighting fixtures visible inside the new Giant store space |
It's good Regency hasn't successfully killed killed all of the business yet. Still haven't
ReplyDeleteheard what fine dining will be there. Let's take a moment to remember China Cafe, who was tossed out after decades so Regency could install a complete failure. Westbard Square has become a graveyard to little independent businesses who just wouldn't die on their own. Don't they at least deserve some small statue in the new greenspace? Ma & Pa is finally dead after half a century. They sure screamed bloody murder, too.
Is Regency brining anything new to the table? Seems like the retail is an after thought and driven by the parking needs of the new luxury townhomes. No big retail signing announcements, just bringing back some of the old and a couple of lackluster new ones like stretch zone. Losing some longtime trusted businesses like the cleaners and toy store. The nearest redone shopping center is Cabin John and there's no comparison. Cabin John brought in big national brands and some new locally based restaurants.
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