The suspense over the future of Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery at 7900 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda took yet another turn yesterday. While the restaurant remains open for business as usual, its landlord, Papadopoulos Properties, put its large space back on the market for lease. The company did this before, in October of 2019, but there were apparently no takers at that time.
Given the collapse of nightlife in downtown Bethesda over the last decade, the move by Papadopoulos in 2019 cast doubt on the future of Rock Bottom at that time. Such concerns only increased when the restaurant closed altogether during the Montgomery County Council's pandemic indoor dining ban, rather than keep operating with takeout service as most restaurants did. However, Rock Bottom stunned many observers when it abruptly reopened in June 2020, when Montgomery County allowed indoor dining to resume at 50% capacity.
Since then, Rock Bottom has successfully kept going for over two years. It remains a popular destination in a town where 20 nightspots have shuttered since 2012, under the County Council's disastrous, anti-business policy decisions. Rock Bottom has novelty in being an active brewery in downtown Bethesda, where the Council's failed "nighttime economy" initiative hasn't generated any new ones, and preceded the cratering of said economy. The bar even hosts a weekly stand-up comedy show on Saturday nights, including this coming Saturday, August 20.
Papadopoulos also put the St. Arnold's Mussel Bar space at 7525 Old Georgetown Road back on the market yesterday, as well. A key difference is that space has been vacant for two years, and has been the site of multiple business failures (The Box, Dry Fried Wings, Tyber Bierhaus, St. Arnold's) since 2013. So that is more of a redoubling of efforts, as opposed to a new development.
Will the addition of the Element 21 (already open) and Solaire at 7607 Old Georgetown Road (now under construction) apartment towers boost foot traffic that might help a future tenant in the St. Arnold's space? We shall find out.
Rock Bottom's space and prime location would certainly make it one of the most viable places for an enterprising, aspiring nightlife mogul to attempt something big. There are two floors to work with, offering the kind of potential that it also there for the taking by the future La Catrina Lounge, opening soon at 4935 Cordell Avenue. Are you that aspiring mogul? Check out the listing for Rock Bottom.
18 comments:
What were the anti-business decisions? Can you provide a news link? Thanks!
Never been to Rock Bottom. Are their burgers any good? I’m looking for a nice juicy bar-burger, and have not yet found one in downtown Bethesda.
The food has always been average. The concept was popular at first but I think has gotten stale. Open up the darn streets too.
6:57 - I think Bethesda is really lacking a good burger joint. They were ok when they first opened but not sure how they are now. Honestly, Clyde's Chevy Chase is tough to beat. I went there recently and it's always good and the parking is decent and they even validate.
5:24.
If you have experience in, land use, permitting, inspections and licensing you would know the problems first hand . And then there is Elrich, who spends his vilifying any capitalist.
Rock Bottom is a relatively massive space. Will be hard to find something to fill a 3 level restaurant/bar!
Rock Bottom is a chain. When it opened (20+ years ago) it was innovative, having an on-site brewery but that's pretty common now. I bet the people who run Tommy Joe's could make it work, but they already have a good thing going. Also look at Brickside that was a mainstay and just went under.
The place going into 4935 Cordell will be interesting. They tried to be "high end club" a while ago and you could even reserve a VIP table with bottle service. However, I heard it drew the wrong crowd, and not from Bethesda, so there were too many problems.
If you've been to Hip Flask at Marriott, they are doing well and it's a hotel bar. Bethesda lacked a high-end cocktail bar to attract the 35+ crowd that is not price-sensitive (cocktails are $15 but well-made), and they fill that gap well. I bet there's room for another, but not Rock Bottom as it's way too big.
Still a shame that Saphire closed. The last dive bar in Bethesda.
Amazing to think about all the longtime Bethesda spots that closed in just the past few years: Harp & Fiddle, Parker's, Mussel Bar, Steamer's, American Tap Room, Safire Cafe, etc
How does a place as mediocre as Caddies survive? Food is so mediocre.
Harp & Fiddle closed partially because the streetery didn't extend to their part of Cordell.
Is another nighttime economy task force needed?
Rock Bottom is classic Bethesda at this point. Would be a loss!
7:53am agreed on the need for a good burger place. Have it open late like Dog Haus. If a hot dog place can do well, certainly a good burger joint can.
The recent "Downtown Bethesda Plan" hasn't done much to encourage nightlife. If you just build half empty highrise apartments with no nightime economy retail element, you risk becoming Ballston Virgina circa 2000s. That part of Arlington just had souless highrises for a long period of time.
The council's initiative (the 2013 Nighttime Economy Task Force is what you're talking about, I assume) failed to generate any new breweries?? There have been 20+ breweries (and meaderies, distilleries, wineries, and cideries) added to the county since then, Robert!
12:17: I said failed to generate any new breweries in *Bethesda*. None have opened in Bethesda since Rock Bottom, which opened way before the task force. Have there really been 20+ established elsewhere in the county? I don't have the list in front of me, but 4 in Rockville and 3 in Silver Spring, 1 in Kensington, 1 or 2 in Brookeville and a winery in Poolesville are the numbers that immediately come to mind. That's around 11, and still zero in Bethesda.
Shorter version:
The bar and the landlord are haggling over a rent increase (again).
Saved 393 words.
It's a good thing enough of us engaged in those "disastrous anti business decisions" (and pesky vaccinations) to keep people like you alive so you could complain about them.
5:02: Most of those diasastrous decisions were made before the pandemic. I'm alive because I was careful and took precautions.
Obviously, you have an agenda about "anti-business decisions and nighttime economy failures". That's fine. When you include language is such this in a small article basically about a lease dispute, maybe you should unburden yourself and explain them and propose a remedy. What were those pre-pandemic anti-business decisions? Those are harsh accusations with no other view point. Once again that's fine, but all to common in discussions today. Living in Bethesda, I see business failures(and successes) for many reasons, without singling out the items you mention. Perhaps, construction issues have caused Bethesda disruption of business activity? Maybe the Bethesda Urban Partnership and other organizations have issues? There are lots of underlying and conflicting interests in Bethesda and you should acknowledge them. The causes of your ire are more complex than indicated in your post.
@12:17 - Robert; could it be the lack of breweries in Bethesda is due to the zoning requirements, combined with the space needs? Look at the locations of the other breweries, not within dense areas without surface parking.
7:48: I think you are correct that this is a factor, because most of the breweries are in industrial areas. I guess from that standpoint, it's also interesting why none have opened in the River Road industrial area in Bethesda.
Thanks for plugging my comedy show at RB! Hopefully no takers for the RB space--just got settled into our new home--ugh!
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