Pines of Rome building for sale in Bethesda

A building housing one of Bethesda's longest-operating and most-beloved restaurants has just hit the market. 4918 Cordell Avenue has been home to Pines of Rome since it moved there from 4709 Hampden Lane in October 2017. It includes not only the restaurant, but also some additional land and vehicle parking space. 

Pines of Rome is still open for business, and cannot be forced out, as the restaurant owners purchased the property in 2016 prior to relocating here. Maryland real estate records indicate that the property has not be resold since. What will happen to the restaurant and its famous white pizza if the building changes hands is unclear at this time. The asking price for the property is $3,750,000, according to the online sale listing. While the listing does not name the restaurant, the square footage, date of construction, and - most obviously - the street address match Pines of Rome.

Owning the property means that the astronomical rents most Bethesda restaurants struggle under are not an issue. However, the current property tax valuation of $2,888,500 would represent an astronomical property tax payment due annually. And massively hiking property taxes is far from the only burden the anti-business Montgomery County Council has piled onto business owners (and residents) in the County. In the years since Pines of Rome moved to this location, the Council has put the minimum wage on steroids, and raised a variety of taxes and fees. And all Montgomery County restaurants and bars still must buy all their alcoholic beverages from the County government liquor monopoly, unlike their competitors across the D.C. line and the Potomac River.

Downtown Bethesda cafe for sale

A downtown Bethesda cafe is being marketed for sale as a turnkey business opportunity. From the photos and description, it appears to be the French Press coffee shop at 4918 St. Elmo Avenue, in the ground floor of the recently-renamed Ellis Bethesda apartment tower. The online sale listing touts a gross sales projection of $450,000 this year, with an asking price of $220,000. A plan by the owner to move out-of-state is given as the reason for the sale, but the purchaser will receive 2 free weeks of training before that happens.

The Corner Slice building for sale in Bethesda

The former home of The Corner Slice at 7901 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda is now available for sale. AMR Commercial, LLC of Bethesda has listed the property at an asking price of $1,000,000. The 850-square-foot building was constructed in 1960, and sits at a prominent corner in the Woodmont Triangle neighborhood. 

Competitor Andy's Pizza - or a fan of Andy's Pizza - has put an additional sign on the window of The Corner Slice, hoping to woo disappointed New York-style pizza aficionados over to that pizzeria at 4600 East-West Highway. "This is a reliable + excellent alternative to the now-closed Corner Slice," self-described "pizza guide" Rob advises on the lid of an Andy's Pizza box.

Cheesy Pizzi for sale in Bethesda

Your dream of owning your own pizza parlor can now come true. Cheesy Pizzi at 8021 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda is being offered for sale. The asking price for the business, which includes equipment but not inventory, is $80,000 according to the online sale listing. Cheesy Pizzi remains open for business.

Java Point Cafe for sale in Bethesda

Java Point Cafe, a coffee shop located in the ground level of the Pinnacle Business Center office building at 10411 Motor City Drive in Bethesda, is for sale. The asking price is $135,000, according to the sale listing. Java Point Cafe is located directly next to The Rae apartments and the Home Depot Square shopping center, and only a block from Westfield Montgomery Mall. 

The location provides a large potential customer base, first and foremost from the people going and coming from the offices upstairs, many of whom will pass directly by the cafe next to the main entrance. Of course, you will also have to compete with the many other dining options in that immediate radius. The current owner has done that with high-quality food and excellent customer service, resulting in a 5-star rating on Yelp, and 4.8 stars on Google Reviews.

Renato's restaurant for sale in Potomac

Renato's at River Falls at 10120 River Road in the Potomac Village Shopping Center is being marketed for sale. The asking price for the popular Italian restaurant is $400,000. Whoever purchases the business could keep Renato's going, or open a new restaurant or retail concept in the space. 

Renato's remains open for business. According to the sales listing, the owner passed away two years ago and "no management has been in place" since. The condo's size is 2500-square-feet.

Dim Sum & Bubble Tea for sale in Bethesda

Dim Sum & Bubble Tea is for sale at 4941 Elm Street, at the Shoppes of Bethesda. The restaurant, which replaced the Class 520 ice cream roll shop, has only been open for about four months. $150,000 is the asking price, according to the online listing. The owner says new business priorities are the reason for the sale.

Taco Fresco for sale in Bethesda - but still open for business

Taco Fresco at 4708 Highland Avenue in Bethesda is available for sale, according to an online listing. The taco carry-out remains open for business. In fact, they just introduced breakfast tacos to the menu. The asking price for the business is $190,000, which does not include the building; their lease runs through September 15, 2028.

Taco Fresco sale listing

Taco Fresco only opened last November, so as the listing states, most of the restaurant's equipment is just over six months old. The out-of-the-way location off the main drag of Wisconsin Avenue isn't high-visibility, but previous tenants like Delicias have been able to build a solid customer base there over time. If you are looking for a small-space, turnkey opportunity to start a carry-out business in Bethesda, this could be the right spot for the right concept. 

Faryab Afghan Cuisine building for sale in Bethesda

The on-again, off-again run of the award-winning Faryab Afghan Cuisine at 4917 Cordell Avenue could be ending. A for sale sign appeared in the front window yesterday. The building has been advertised as available for lease at times in the past.

DC Boathouse restaurant building for sale in the Palisades

DC Boathouse, the American-Greek restaurant at 5441 MacArthur Boulevard NW in the Palisades, had previously announced it would be closed through August "due to the current circumstances." It has been scheduled to reopen in September.

An online real estate listing shows their building is now for sale as of July 27. The asking price for this 1933 building in a prime, high-income location is $2,150,000.

Le Vieux Logis for sale in Bethesda

Longtime downtown Bethesda French restaurant Le Vieux Logis is for sale. The asking price is $150,000, according to an online listing. Le Vieux Logis got a new lease on life with a change in ownership a few years ago, which earned it a rare rave review from the notoriously Bethesda-averse Washington Post.

Baked Bear franchise for sale

The Baked Bear franchise at Pike & Rose, and an option to open five additional Montgomery County locations, appear to be for sale for $1,200,000. An online listing cites the franchise's gross revenue as $2,100,000. The Pike & Rose ice cream shop is often crowded, and scores highly in online customer reviews. It is the only Baked Bear location located east of the Mississippi River.

Bistro LaZeez now for sale in Bethesda (Photos)

What a couple of weeks it has been for Bistro LaZeez at 8009 Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda. First, they "temporarily closed" at the end of January. Then they were officially shut down by the Montgomery County health department on February 8. A week later, their landlord went after them for unpaid rent and late fees in court. Now the restaurant is for sale for $100,000.

I and some readers have seen ads prior to this offering a restaurant that sounded like the bistro. But this ad now posted on the front of the restaurant makes it official. It offers the business as a turnkey restaurant opportunity, with the prospective new owner taking up the rest of the seven years remaining on the lease.

Quincy's for sale in Bethesda

The shuttered Quincy's bar at 4920 Del Ray Avenue in downtown Bethesda is now up for sale. Quincy's has been closed since early March, and the building's landlord announced in court papers that the owners hadn't paid the rent since last November. Base rent for the space is $11,600 a month, and Quincy's has an 18-year lease.

Asking price for Quincy's is $299,000, but that is negotiable. The bar is being offered for sale as a turnkey opportunity, meaning that the kitchen equipment and many flatscreen TVs will convey with the business. Quincy's has an outdoor patio, as well as the potential use of the building's rooftop, for those aspiring restaurateurs and bar owners out there.

Bethesda Italian restaurant for sale

Wildwood Italian Cuisine and Oakville Grill and Winebar appear to be for sale, based on the contents of an online listing. Previously called Gepetto, the restaurant opened in 1977, the same year given for the start of the unnamed restaurants in the ad. Other clues include the fact that there aren't any other co-located Italian restaurants sharing a single kitchen in Bethesda. The asking price is $670,000.

Aroma appears to be for sale in Bethesda (Photo)

A "bakery coffee setup in prominent shopping mall" listed for sale online looks a lot like Aroma Espresso Bar at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The business is listed at $300,000.

Aroma has a lot going for it, with unique menu items and a very nice outdoor patio seating area. The store also faces a lot of high-profile competition inside the mall, most notably Starbucks and Peet's Coffee and Tea. Blaze Pizza recently closed across the corridor from Aroma.

Yet another popular Bethesda bar for sale

A business-for-sale listing is offering a "top restaurant and bar" that opened in 2002 in Bethesda for sale. Much of the description of the business is word-for-word taken from the "About" section on the Caddies on Cordell website. I also happen to recall that Caddies opened in 2002.

This doesn't mean that Caddies is closing. But clearly they are exploring their options in soliciting offers for the establishment. Caddies is usually packed on weekend nights, so they are definitely not in a decline.

Mussel Bar appears to be for sale at Bethesda Row

An unidentified Bethesda restaurant is listed for sale for $399,000 on Craigslist. The photo with the ad is clearly taken inside of Mussel Bar at Bethesda Row.

According to the listing, the restaurant makes more than $1 million in sales annually. The lease is 10 years, with 5 years optional at a rent of $6,500.

Hanaro appears to be for sale in Bethesda (Photo)

Hanaro, a popular sushi restaurant and bar at 7820 Norfolk Avenue, appears to be for sale. A Craigslist ad offering a "Japanese Restaurant in Bethesda for sale Turn key operation!!!" shows photos that resemble Hanaro, down to the patio furniture. Sale price? $500,000

The restaurant is still operating.

PARVA LOUNGE BUILDING UP FOR SALE IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

The distinctive building currently occupied by The Parva lounge and restaurant is now on the market for $2,299,000. But even if it is sold, The Parva will still remain there for at least 3 more years.

With two stories and 4546 square feet of space, the restaurant property at 7904 Woodmont Avenue could eventually be a prime piece of mixed-use redevelopment property. To achieve that, however, would likely require joining the plot with the adjoining structure that holds BGR and Jetties.

The Parva still has 3 years on its lease, and they could always sign an extension after that. My guess is the next owner might be willing to give the lounge a short term lease, if no viable redevelopment project is on the table in 2016. According to the seller, the current Parva lease is at a below-market rate.

Let's hope The Parva stays, as the building and renovated interior add much of the South Beach atmosphere to the lounge. We really need more Latin American restaurants and nightspots, not less, in downtown Bethesda. The Parva is currently the only club in Bethesda that regularly offers VIP table service. BlackFinn has offered it on Thursday nights in the past, and the first establishment to provide it - Relic - went out of business.

The Parva also has a diverse menu, featuring dishes from Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina and Peru.

And it is one of the few spots around town that shows any life after midnight. In my opinion, it's a business that has a lot of potential to continue to grow.

Fortunately, there isn't likely to be any change in the near future.