The Heights, a much-touted food hall at The Shops at Wisconsin Place in Friendship Heights, has closed. The closure is the latest cannonball-to-the-gut for the once-fancy area, which has declined as the wealthiest residents of Montgomery County have fled to lower-tax jurisdictions in the area. Somebody has lost an incredible amount of money - or is getting a big tax write-off - as the construction for this food hall was long and expensive, and the opening was extensively promoted with advertising and media/influencer coverage. The food hall was targeted toward an upscale audience that, frankly, isn't there in the numbers it once was in this part of Chevy Chase.
The demise of The Heights is also another body blow to the Montgomery County Council, which is largely responsible for the policies and high taxes that have sent the ultra-rich packing. Prior to the debut of The Heights, Councilmember Andrew Friedson, who represents the area, had made the humorous claim to a credulous Washington Post reporter that Friendship Heights' big problem was a lack of "nice local places to grab a cup of coffee, to have a nice meal, to pick up some groceries and enjoy an evening out." That was farcical on its face at the time, as Friendship Heights has an abundance of all of those. But the collapse of The Heights - which included a full-service, sit-down restaurant, a speakeasy, and multiple stall tenant eateries - indubitably pounds the final heavy nail into the Friedson Theory coffin. Now running for County Executive, Friedson might find himself reminded of how wrong he was by opponents in next year's Democratic primary.
Having taken up over 10,000-square-feet of space at The Shops, Friendship Heights will now be left with yet another vacant storefront. That's been a familiar sight in the neighborhood, as the Wisconsin Avenue strip once described as "Montgomery County's Rodeo Drive" has in recent times become a corridor of empty storefronts and smashed-out bus shelters. The Collection at Chevy Chase underwent a major renovation, and the once-elite Mazza Gallerie mall was demolished. Out went Jimmy Choo and Louis Vuitton, and in came discount grocer Amazon Fresh and Potbelly Sandwich Works.
The curtain falling on The Heights is merely the latest humiliation for our utterly-incompetent and corrupt County Council. They had received a stiff warning from their own professional staff about the massive amount of County revenue lost through the exit of just 25 high roller residents, but completely ignored it. The Council raised taxes massively on residents and businesses alike, giving Montgomery County the highest tax and fee burden in the region, and causing record numbers of business closures. At The Heights, the chickens came home to roost, went back out, and have come home to roost yet again. Daaaaaaaaamn. Heckuva job, Brownie!
