Another Coffeeshop Bites the Dust
Foster Brothers Coffee, 3515 Connecticut Ave., in the old Park & Shop strip of Cleveland Park officially joins the rest of the dead soldiers in the neighborhood, including the next-door Whatsa Bagel, which closed more than a year ago. The coffeeshop had been on life support for some time, but along with So’s Your Mom in Adams Morgan, Foster’s was one of the few places left you could still score a Whatsa Bagel bagel.
Rumors about the closing are aflyin’ on the Cleveland Park listserv, to wit:
The unfortunate part to this story is the women who work there had little heads up and were kept in the dark as late as Friday. After the original message was posted Wednesday, I stopped by that night to check in with the staff I know and the owner had yet to say a word to them. As of Friday night,they were only told that there were “negotiations.”
Based on the current number of empty storefronts in our four retail sections on Connecticut (five counting Fosters), the length of vacancy (three have been empty more than a year), and type of business that has replaced three previously empty locations (CVS expansion, Bubbles Salon, and Foot Solutions are all
multistate operations of various size) it appears that the rents and conditions (mostly small spaces, some requiring a lot of work) are not practical for a local, independent business to be profitable in our neighborhood verses other sections of DC, VA, and MD. I remember the wish lists from previous related
discussions (hardware store, book store were two mentioned multiple times) and unless significant tax breaks are offered, I think we may need to reconsider what type of businesses can realistically thrive in Cleveland Park and support the local restaurants and businesses we *do* have.
This, after the epic battle regarding whether or not Cosi should be allowed to occupy the space that was Blockbuster’s on Connecticut between Ordway and Porter. For more on that sticky subject, check this analysis by Bill Adler, owner of the listserv and neighborhood advocate.
5 Responses to “Another Coffeeshop Bites the Dust”
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May 19th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
The problem in Cleveland Park is the NIMBY-created zoning overlay that seeks to block new restaurants and bars from opening, in the vain hopes of scoring a hardware store or independent bookstore. Ain’t gonna happen - and as a result, one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city is served by an underwhelming mix of grandfathered restaurants, the vacuum store, Petco, and vacant storefronts.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Agree with Mr. T. Get rid of that assinine commercial zoning overlay. But most of our NIMBY-suckling ANC commissioners are totally in support of that overlay, even though the majority of area residents are in support of more commercial dining options. Until our ANC overlords change their minds, area residents get to enjoy nothing more than yet another empty storefront.
May 19th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
How do we get this commercial zoning overlay changed?
Who do we write to?
Thanks!
Alex Kuscher
May 19th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
One problem with more restaurants and bars in Cleveland Park, is where will patrons park? The streets there are already full with existing restaurant patrons and when there’s a big movie at the Upton, you can’t park for blocks around. There’s no parking garage. Most “destination” areas have parking garages, but there are none in Cleveland Park. Any ideas?
P.S. One fallacy in the overlay argument is that the Van Ness neighborhood has no overlay, yet there always seem to be failing businesses and empty storefronts over there.
May 19th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
There is something called metro — trains and buses, which server Cleveland Park very nicely.
In terms of the ANC, about three of them really need to go. Best thing to do is get people mobilized to vote them out this November.