Bethesda nightlife has gone to the dogs

Bone Jour to take over

vacant Quincy's sports bar

The nighttime economy has come crashing down all across downtown Bethesda. Just days after the 17th downtown nightspot shuttered in the wake of the Montgomery County Council's Nighttime Economy Task Force catastrophe, one of the abandoned bars is going to the dogs - literally. Bethesda pet business Bone Jour has leased the vacant building at 4920-4922 Del Ray Avenue, which has sat empty since 2017.

Previously home to Quincy's and Hard Times Cafe, the sizable space will give Bone Jour more room to offer additional services for dogs and cats, which include grooming, pet boarding and obedience classes. Bone Jour is expected to move in before the end of summer. This reminds us of Councilmember Hans Riemer's bizarre proposal to have the County government "assess the health impacts of dogs, and assess the health impacts of cats." Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed on the Council, but unfortunately, they did not stop Riemer's disastrous "Nighttime Economy Initiative," which ended up tanking the nighttime economy in Montgomery County.

Quincy's for lease in downtown Bethesda (Photos)

There have been rumors off-and-on about the owners of Quincy's getting the financial backing they need to reopen the shuttered bar at 4920 Del Ray Avenue. It's been vacant since March 2017. Those rumors now appear to be moot with the posting of for-lease signage at the building Friday. Quincy's was one of 12 downtown Bethesda nightspots to close, after Montgomery County Council President Hans Riemer's disastrous "nighttime economy" initiative ended up destroying the nighttime economy in downtown Bethesda.

Bethesda was hit the hardest by Riemer's fiasco of any town in the County. The other Quincy's locations remain open for business. To add insult to injury, Riemer had promised restaurant and bar owners he would end the County government's antiquated and arcane liquor sales monopoly, only to later do a 180° and take steps to preserve and strengthen that hated monopoly. That liquor regime alone puts a heavier financial burden on MoCo restaurateurs and bar owners, compared to their peers in D.C. and Virginia, in an already-slim profit margin business.

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.

Shuttered Quincy's Bethesda hasn't paid rent since November, landord says (Photo)

It's starting to look like my source who said Quincy's is closed for good in Bethesda was correct. A court summons was posted on the door of the bar yesterday, which asserts the owners haven't paid rent to the landlord since November. Quincy's, located at 4920 Del Ray Avenue, has been "temporarily closed" for over two weeks.

Quincy's "temporarily closed" in Bethesda (Photos)

Quincy's at 4920 Del Ray Avenue was closed and dark last night. A sign in the window said, "Temporarily Closed." One source has told me the closure is permanent, but I have no official confirmation or evidence of that as of press time. It was closed Monday night, as well, but Quincy's is always closed on Mondays. No explanation for Tuesday's closure was given on the sign posted.

Redskins' Chris Thompson to appear at Quincy's in Bethesda tonight

Join Washington Redskins running back Chris Thompson at Quincy's in downtown Bethesda tonight, September 8, for the NFL season opener of the Carolina Panthers vs. the Denver Broncos. Thompson will be signing autographs and posing for photos.

Watch the game on 19 giant HD televisions, and enjoy season opener specials. The game starts at 8:30 PM.

4920 Del Ray Avenue

(301) 718-2400

Quincy's opening tonight in Bethesda

Quincy's will officially open tonight at 5:00 PM at 4920 Del Ray Avenue. They'll be open until 2:00 AM. This is the third Quincy's location in Montgomery County; the other two are in North Bethesda and Gaithersburg.

On the menu, look for new items only available at this location, Quincy's favorites, and pizzas from their brick pizza oven. They've also got chili on the menu, for all of you Hard Timers who used to order a bowl from the Hard Times Cafe that previously occupied this space.

Quincy's hopes to open Thursday or Friday in Bethesda

After a delay of a couple of weeks, Quincy's hopes to officially open at 4920 Del Ray Avenue in downtown Bethesda tomorrow or Friday. Last night they had a friends-and-family soft launch event, with a limited menu.

Among the interesting menu items were an Argentinian Steak Sandwich, which I don't believe is available at the other Quincy's locations, and Chicken and Waffles. There is not a bad seat in the house for watching the game (or more than one game) on the many, many flatscreens.

Quincy's will be closed today, according to an employee, and then try to open as soon as possible Thursday or Friday. Stay tuned for any official announcement.

Slight delay in opening at new Quincy's in Bethesda

The newest Quincy's location in Montgomery County had hoped to open last week, but had to postpone due to "technical issues." I've heard it might be related to the required final County inspections, and having covered openings for many years now, I can say that is a very common occurrence that has delayed many, many a restaurant opening in the County.

They plan to open as soon as possible, so stay tuned for the new opening date. Quincy's is located in the former Hard Times Cafe spot at 4920 Del Ray Avenue.

I found a very cool video by Marcus Bain that gives a tour of the interior if you want a preview.

Bethesda construction update: Quincy's (Photos)

The taps are installed at the bar at Quincy's, which is taking over the former Hard Times Cafe space at 4920 Del Ray Avenue in downtown Bethesda. What bar would be complete without a Golden Tee arcade machine? That's in place, as well.

Sign installed at Quincy's in Bethesda (Photos)

Electricians installed the sign yesterday at the new, second Montgomery County location of Quincy's, at 4920 Del Ray Avenue in downtown Bethesda. It then lit up for the first time last night.

The new bar, which is expected to open in about two weeks, will offer 4 nights of live music a week. A brick pizza oven will be a major feature indoors, as well as a slew of televisions to create more than one "best seat in the house."