Sign installed at 18|8 Fine Men's Salon in Bethesda (Photos)

The future 18|8 Fine Men's Salon has installed its permanent sign at 7550 Wisconsin Avenue. It will be the second male-oriented salon in Bethesda. 18|8 will serve beer and wine to patrons when they open.

New Bethesda men's salon to serve beer and wine (Photos)

18|8 Fine Men's Salon, a men's salon opening at 7550 Wisconsin Avenue, has applied to Montgomery County for a liquor license. The salon will offer beer and wine to clients, just as women's salons like Drybar have been able to do since state liquor rules were loosened for such businesses.

Of course, 18|8's marketing has made clear that one thing "a man should never do" is go to a woman's hair salon...

18|8 will join Rooster's as the second male-oriented salon in downtown Bethesda.

18/8 Fine Men's Salon opening in Bethesda (Photos)

"Men shouldn't be going to a women's salon," was the thought that drove entrepreneur Scott Griffiths to launch his own salon chain targeting a male audience. The result is 18/8 Fine Men's Salon, which is coming to 7550 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda.

"There are two things a man should never do," 18/8's website opines: 

"Go through a woman’s purse.

Go to her hair salon."

Enter 18/8, named for the process by which stainless steel is created. 18/8 will offer stylish haircuts; face, scalp and nail treatments; shaves; waxing; hair coloring; and grooming party packages.

"You're the man," is the mantra the business says will sum up your feeling as you exit 18/8 after your appointment. 18/8 will join Roosters at Bethesda Row in the growing category of upscale men's salons in downtown Bethesda.

SANDY SPRING BANK POSTS COMING SOON SIGNAGE IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Sandy Spring Bank is edging closer to opening a new bank branch in downtown Bethesda, part of a veritable tidal wave of banks hitting town. This branch will be at Akridge's 7550 Wisconsin Avenue office building, where the locally-owned Sandy Spring is also consolidating some regional office space.

KONST SIEMATIC SHOWROOM INSTALLS SIGNAGE IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

The permanent signage has been installed at the new KONST Kitchen Interior Design at 7550 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda. KONST is the DC area's only official Siematic showroom. Jonas Carnemark was approached by Siematic, a high-end German kitchen design firm, to open a showroom in this region. 7550 Wisconsin is a Class A office building renovated and redeveloped by Akridge.

KONST KITCHEN INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO UPDATE (PHOTOS)

Yesterday, we talked about one downtown Bethesda office building struggling to attract corporate tenants in Montgomery County's abysmal office market. Here's an update from the other new Class A building downtown, which has shifted its focus to smaller tenants - Akridge's impressive 7550 Wisconsin Avenue. Seizing on the once-again-exploding market for kitchen remodeling in Bethesda, the developer signed on the only official SieMatic showroom in the area, KONST Kitchen Interior Design.

If you remember my first report on KONST, you'll won't recognize the empty space you saw in those original photos now:

CONSTRUCTION PERMIT ISSUED FOR SANDY SPRING BANK AT 7550 WISCONSIN AVE. IN BETHESDA

A Montgomery County construction permit has been issued for the new Sandy Spring Bank branch, in the Class A office building at 7550 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda. The 3,250 square foot branch will be on the ground level of Akridge's completely renovated and reskinned 10-story office tower, located near the Bethesda Metro Station. Sandy Spring will also be leasing office space on another floor in the building.

SANDY SPRING BANK LEASES SPACE AT 7550 WISCONSIN AVENUE

A 140-year-old local financial institution will be the second tenant in the vacant, Class A office building at 7550 Wisconsin Avenue, in downtown Bethesda. Sandy Spring Bank has leased second floor office space in the Akridge-owned property, and is constructing a financial center for its trust, private banking, commercial banking and mortgage divisions. HITT Contracting is working on the project.

In addition, Sandy Spring will open a bank branch on the building's first floor. That bank should open in the late 3rd or early 4th quarter of 2014, according to a Sandy Spring spokesperson.

7550 Wisconsin has been struggling to attract tenants since its completion over a year ago, recently aiming for smaller tenants by dividing the fourth floor into sections. The building is not alone in Montgomery County; the overall office market is weak countywide, with no major corporations showing any interest in moving here. Given that situation, we are fortunate to have smaller-but-successful banks like Sandy Spring and Bethesda's EagleBank, to put some stimulus into the local economy. Another local company, L-Soft, became the first tenant about 3 weeks ago, capitalizing on the county's lease incentives for smaller spaces.

The new lobby of 7550 Wisconsin

WITH LARGE FIRMS STEERING CLEAR, MONTGOMERY COUNTY LOWERS EXPECTATIONS ON OFFICE LEASING

AKRIDGE DIVIDING FLOOR

INTO SMALLER SUITES

IN BETHESDA; SPACES

QUALIFY FOR NEW

COUNTY SUBSIDY

What was once denied, is now the newest buzzphrase in Montgomery County: the county office market is weak. With no large employer moving to the county in over a decade, the government - and struggling office building owners - are scrambling to temper once-high hopes.

The gleaming building at 7550 Wisconsin Avenue, that was completely renovated into a Class A office tower by developer Akridge, was poised to become a hot business address. 18 months later? It's a vacant monument to a business climate that fails to appeal to major firms searching America for a new corporate headquarters.

With no significant policy or taxation changes on the horizon, no plans to build a new Potomac River crossing for the Dulles Airport access international firms demand, and landlords having to still pay their bills while vacant, some are now thinking small.

Montgomery County's Economic Development Fund is now offering a program designed to attract smaller firms to vacant office space in the county. The MOVE program will offer $4-per-square-foot rent subsidies to a first-time renting firm that meets 4 criteria. Spaces that qualify are limited to those between 2,000 and 10,000 square feet.

Akridge is ahead of the downward curve in Bethesda.

The company is currently in the process of dividing the fourth floor of 7550 Wisconsin into 3 suites - on spec, as there are still no tenants. But going forward, those new suites would likely qualify for the new MOVE subsidy. There are still many other floors in the building, however. According to a source, Akridge is open to dividing other floors into suites, if the initiative proves successful on the fourth floor.

7550 WISCONSIN AVENUE NEW LOBBY PHOTO GALLERY

Finally, I have here for you a complete photo gallery of the gleaming new main lobby of 7550 Wisconsin Avenue.

7550 is the first new Class A office space in downtown Bethesda in over a decade.

Take note that Ethan Hunt left his sunglasses on the lobby's still-under-wraps front desk.

For you, readers, this exclusive preview is Mission: Possible.

GLEAMING NEW LOBBY AT 7550 WISCONSIN AVENUE (PHOTO)

Here's a photo of the brand-new main lobby at the future Class-A office tower 7550 Wisconsin Avenue.

SIDEWALK REOPENS IN FRONT OF 7550 WISCONSIN AVENUE - BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

After what seems like a year, the sidewalk in front of future Class A office building 7550 Wisconsin Avenue has reopened to pedestrian traffic.

This restores a significant pedestrian route from "Old Town" Bethesda to the Bethesda Metro Center, particularly for residents of buildings like 8200 Wisconsin Avenue.

Meanwhile, the transformation of the office tower continues, most fully realized now in the gleaming, new main lobby.