Aria Beer Wine & Deli has closed at 4800 Auburn Avenue in the ground floor of the Gallery Bethesda apartment tower. The store has been ordered closed and secured by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the State of Maryland. Business entity Prosperity Partners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 2, 2023, according to court records. Aria opened in July 2014.
The closure is a major blow for the residents of both Gallery Bethesda towers. Aria made it possible to buy all essential grocery and convenience store items without leaving the premises (and even without going outside of the building, in the case of the Gallery I). It also offered dry cleaning services, and its deli was highly-rated on Yelp and Google. A cellar's worth of fine wines can be seen still sitting on the store's shelves inside the darkened space.
Having the highest-traffic retail tenant close doesn't help the Gallery development achieve the yet-unrealized potential of its pedestrian plaza area. Expectations of restaurants and bars moving into the ground floor spaces on either side of the plaza, to help activate this sleepy northern end of the Woodmont Triangle, have not yet come to fruition. Perhaps this anchor space can be used to attract such a tenant, or a new convenience store operator who could more strongly emphasize the dining offerings beyond the "if-you-know-you-know" insider buzz Aria's sandwiches and breakfast burritos created.
8 comments:
Now, this is a surprise. Aria was probably the best of the Bethesda bodegas. I'm guessing Bethesda rents are dooming many businesses.
This location feels like the parking and loading dock area at a strip mall. Despite the police station right there, it also feels creepy.
Learning
Thousands of people live in the apartments on Battery...I always thought retail at the Gallery could draw those people as well. But there are just a couple of hair salons, fitness studio and real estate offices.
Do people still use real estate offices in 2024? They look empty and most of the work is online now, except I assume settlements still need to be done in person.
Moribund.
Looks like the Alkies of the Woodmont Triangle will need to schlep to Talbert’s if they need their eye-opener at 7 AM sharp.
1:54 It's been 30 years since my last settlement, but my recollection is that settlements are usually done in law offices. Have things changed?
Ashburn, I live on Battery but keep forgetting that there are stores there. Harris Teeter is very convenient for me, and I also tend to walk a good amount along Cordell (and, therefore, right past News Express).
As for this property, even if it definitely wouldn't be a preferred site for a convenience-store chain like Wawa or Royal Farms, perhaps it could still work.
I am very sad to hear that Aria closed! It was open through the pandemic, it had fantastic sandwiches, and wonderful employees. I feel terrible for the nice family who ran it. And, wow, how I'll miss their sammies. I wish them good luck in the future.
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