Shouk has closed at 5436 Westbard Avenue in the Westwood Shopping Center in Bethesda. The closure comes as somewhat of a surprise, as the local plant-based restaurant chain had intended to operate this as a temporary pop-up location, until its permanent space was constructed in the new Westbard Square development on the other side of this Regency Centers-owned property. It's also been very rare for a business to "fail" at the Westwood Shopping Center over the decades. Baskin Robbins and the old hardware store are the only ones that come to mind. Other closures have usually been attributed to the owners retiring (Lad & Lassie, Westwood Pet Center) or the collapse of a local or national chain (Farrell's, RadioShack, Crown Books).
Will we see Shouk in the new Westbard Square development as originally intended, then? The success of Westbard Square will partly hinge on whether or not a sit-down restaurant suitable for family dining is brought in (such as Gregorio's Trattoria, Millie's or Chef Geoff's, to use some nearby examples), along with the more typical fast-casual take-out spots like Shouk (Shouk opened here last June). And how many of the community-serving small businesses from the existing strip center are retained in the new development. Shouk's other area locations remain open for business.
14 comments:
I always knew this was a bad location for them. While it had substantial parking, it had terrible visibility. They needed to be on Bethesda Row. Oh well.
@6:27 AM - they have a location in Rockville that does very well.
No surprise. Westbard is hard to get to with all the construction. I avoid it and go to the Giant in downtown Bethesda. I did stop by once last week, and the parking lot was not nearly as full as it used to be. The cards were stacked against Shouk from the outset.
It seems like they're trying to make it as hard as possible to navigate to Westbard and to move around within the area. So much could be alleviated if they'd just reopen Westbard at River Road.
This is from an email that Shouk sent eaier today: “ This year, our team is ready to make even more impact. What's in stock? New store openings, exciting new menu items, and
expanding our reach into new cities. And most importantly, engaging with you in even more meaningful ways. Thank you for inspiring us,
and for letting us inspire you back. Here's to an exciting, impactful and flavorful 2023!”
Doesn't bode well for restaurants coming to the newly constructed center. Westbard had been cut off from the surrounding area and still not enough people who are trapped in the surrounding neighborhoods patronized this restaurant.
One conspiracy theory I've heard is that the Westwood Square developer is intentionally going to make it difficult for Westbard area residents to connect to other shopping destinations like downtown Bethesda in order to encourage them to shop at their new center.
The official plan is that the old Westbard will never be a through street again. So stop driving down there expecting to get through to River Rd. Its not gonna happen. However there will be a "new" Westbard which is what they are working on now. Have a little patience its gonna happen. Then you will be able conveniently to access the shopping center. Meantime, as you have learned, there are plenty of other shopping centers in the area. No one is gonna be deprived of anything. Sorry about Shouk but it seems to be a case of bad timing. When all is said and done all the businesses in Westwood Square or whatever its called will do very well.
1) what is going on with Westbard is a disgrace. I'm surprised no other store in the center is having difficulties with patrons since its impossible to get to. Planned obsolescence on the part of the county and the developer.
2) Shouk should have been renamed Shekh; so necessary for certain times for those in the know.
It was Westbard NIMBYs who blocked the use of the northern part of Westbard Avenue as a through street during this construction project. Blame them
@1:57 PM - Spoken like a true conservative GQP, believer in all sorts of unproven conspiracies. Stay WOKE!
Gee, how in the world can we (legally) get to that Westwood shopping center? Its so confusing. Just get on Mass Ave and head on over to where the Little Falls Public Library is. There you will find the intersection of Mass and Westbard. Head on up the hill on Westbard 'till you see the shopping center. There, that wasn't so hard was it? Now stop complaining (or trying to get to River via Westbard).
@ 1:57 PM - To impede traffic movements from the Westbard neighborhoods to downtown Bethesda - and presumably to Montgomery Mall as well, or even to Sumner Place - you would necessarily impede ingress and egress to Westwood as well. I think developers are smarter than NIMBY conspiracy theorists.
@ 3:25 PM - By "the old Westbard", I assume that you mean the northern portion of Westbard Avenue, between Ridgefield Road and River Road? It might make sense to just turn that into a cul-de-sac, accessed from Ridgefield Road/relocated Westbard Avenue.
The few people who live on that stretch have effectively and politically closed that stretch for their own benefit - to the detriment of the general population.
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