Thanks to all of you for keeping us posted on what’s going on at the corner of Potomac and Pennsylvania Avenues SE!
As many of you know, it’s good news coming from that corner, where signs are up proclaiming that Annie & Teddy’s is indeed coming soon, although the concept has changed from a po’boy shop (rumor has it that in the wake of the Gulf oil spill, a seafood-heavy concept was nixed) to a neighborhood deli, with a twist. Thanks to a reader for snapping some pics, including this sign:
It reads:
What happens when a classic general store gets a makeover from Dwell magazine?
And what happens when a neighborhood deli buys into the slow-food and organic farm-to-table movement?
Welcome to Annie and Teddy’s, a bold new concept from the creators of Granville Moore’s Brickyard.
Our menu will feature delicious, inventive sandwiches with roasted meats, carefully picked produce and artisanal breads. You’ll also enjoy craft beers, hand-made cocktails and great wines.
Indoor and outdoor seating, all just steps from the Potomac Avenue Metro.
This sounds like a great addition to the neighborhood! We don’t have an estimate on the opening, but will be sure to keep you posted on the progress. Thanks everyone for sending your updates!
I am so excited for this! Thanks for the update.
Let me begin by stating that I’m fully prepared to be blasted for the following, but here goes…
Its wonderful to see the building cleaned up and a new enterprise poised to open, but each new restaurant is another nail in the coffin of RETAIL here on the Hill. Restaurants can afford much higher rents than regular (independent) retail. Owners and Landlords of commercial properties can, (and have already begun to) raise rents such that your average Mom & Pop shop owner is priced out of the market. We have already seen one of only two Veterinarian Practices on the Hill temporarily close while they look for another space so that another Restaurant can take over theirs. How about a nice corner market, or boutique instead of another sandwich shop?
jay – i’m not going to blast you, but i do think your comment is silly. while eastern market/8th st might be booming with restaurants, as far as potomac avenue goes, there is a derth of options over here. this is a very welcome addition to the neighborhood and i personally can’t wait for it to open. we have very little commercialism down this way period, and i’m thrilled that a restaurateur with a neat concept (read: not mcdonalds) actually wants to do business east of 8th st.
Sarah,
Maybe they’ll offer a drive thru option so you can pick something up on your way to Pentagon City or Tysons. Nah, that would be SILLY!
You know Jay, you raise a very good point, and I personally would be interested in a discussion of what it would take to foster more retail on the Hill, as well as difficulty’s existing ones face.
How do we get there though? Throw up roadblocks to folks opening restaurants? That won’t mean more retail, that will just make it harder for other small businesses. Punishing bars and restaurants for being more profitable seems to be a short sided and ultimately self defeating plan.
Those of us on this side of the Hill have waited a long time to see some more food (and retail) options. This isn’t Barracks Row or H ST with tons of great dining options (wow, that sentence couldn’t have been written a decade ago).
So, how do we get more retail? Is there room on the tax side? Perhaps we recognize that retail options help revitalize a neighborhood and offer property tax breaks?
Because, for now, I’m not exactly morning the loss of the dump Annie and Teddy’s “drove out”.
Hi Tim,
Thanks for thoughtful discourse and not just name calling. I certainly don’t begrudge a new option in an area starved for restaurants. While my Retail Business is on the Hill, I live over in Hillcrest, which has ZERO options. I also don’t advocate putting up roadblocks for restaurants, but maybe a speed bump or two.
I don’t know the answer on how to get more retail, but I think it starts with intelligent planning. Take the total amount of commercial space available and allot some for retail, some for services, and the bulk for restaurants.
Tax breaks or small business loans for retailers might be another place to start.
And Tim, I agree that the previous occupant of that corner was an eyesore. I’m happy to see something bright and fresh go in there.
I would just like to point out that the veterinarian that is closing on 8th street occupies a spot that had previously been a restaurant, so really things are just coming full circle.
Here’s an idea: how bout we impose a moratorium on dry cleaners, *then* we can start thinking about barring restaurants.
We still need a po-boy shop!
As someone who lives right in the heart of Potomac Ave metro area, I am beyond thrilled to see that corner being revitalized into an area that boosts Wells’ vision of a more walkable and livable neighborhood. I can see that corner becoming a meeting place for HillEast folks along with Trusty’s and Wisdom. I hope through discourse and dialogue, there’d be opportunities for more independent-based retail. (Read: no chain stores really).
Jay,
I think the problem we run into is that these spaces are owned by someone who has invested their money and expects a return. I know a few folks who have done this and they are not huge developers with deep pockets; they’re folks taking a huge risk for both them and their families (using their homes as collateral sometimes).
That’s why I think it can be a bit unfair to ask them to forgo the added return bars, etc. can bring in.
On the other hand, having retail is a community good. Being able to walk to shops and purchase items I need makes this a far better place to live.
So I agree, in developing new spaces we should push for as much retail spaces as possible. Hine development, Res 13, etc. are all places to push for more dedicated square footage.
After all, we can’t escape the iron laws of supply and demand. If the supply of retail space is limited, rents will rise. Artificially pushing down demand is against what I think all of us are looking for here.
Hi Jay – glad to see you posting 🙂
So my question to you is, as a successful Hill retail business owner, what do we need to do to attract and keep independent retail in our neighborhood? Not just on 7th Street where you guys are, or Barracks Row, but further down along PA Ave around Potomac Ave?
Actually, you know what? I’d take a little chain retail too! There was a post on DCist back in 2007 (http://dcist.com/2007/09/11/gap_opens_on_ca.php) suggesting a Gap might be coming to Barracks Row – I’d love that! I’m not suggesting we become Georgetown East, or worse, a Columbia Heights South, but a place like the Gap (or better, an REI… okay, okay, it’s too big, will never come – but we’re dreaming here, right?) that has inexpensive staples would be an asset to the neighborhood.
If a Gap came to Barracks Row, would that help attract and keep independent retail? Especially considering that the Gap has no direct competitors in the area?
(I actually never shop at the Gap, am not even really a fan of it, and am just using it as an example.)
Perhaps Shooters will be priced out of the block. Tragic.
I can see Jay’s point but also Sarah’s. I can honestly say I am not sure what the answer is. DC seems to like clusters. I don’t know if that is a function of history, zoning, neighborhood desires or some combination. That makes real estate in those clusters more expensive – possibly too expensive for establishments that don’t have high ticket but regularly purchased items like you find in restaurants.
I am from New Orleans and retail and restaurants don’t seem as clustered. Magazine St. which starts Uptown and ends in the CBD has a mix of both along with residences pretty much all the way. Some places have different percentages but the street which is several miles long serves peoples needs in a variety of ways for the whole distance – not just 2-5 blocks. Oak street doesn’t feed directly into Magazine but is close enough to both Magazine, Pyrtania, the River Bend area, to make it feel like a somewhat continuous stretch of business. That doesn’t count the small bits of Tchoupitoulas near Magazine at Jefferson. Then there is St. Charles Avenue. Then there are the random one offs like Domilise’s Po-boy’s and Octavia Book Store (close to Jefferson & Magazine), Langensteins grocery store, Cafe Atchafalaya and Pascal’s Manale off Louisiana neither far from St. Charles.
I’m not saying one is good and one is bad but that basically, it seems like the overall “philosophy” of zoning (for lack of a better way to express this) and what people will tolerate close to their property matters.
FYI, from twitter: Bunch of calls n emails about Annie & Teddy’s @Potomac Ave. Its not the guys who run GMs but designers n builders of GMs behind it.
http://twitter.com/GranvilleMoores/status/19919188074
Makes the sign seem kind of misleading.
Nichole, Tim, et al…..
I’ll weigh in one last time by throwing something out there. The immediate answer to Nichole’s question (how to keep and attract retail) may be right in front of us. The 350 Project is a national movement designed to support independent brick and mortar business. Monkeys’ Uncle is a proud supporter as are Michael and I personally.
Champs is rolling out a similar program called Shop Local. Both programs try to keep the dollars spent by a community right here in the community. For every $100 dollars spent in a locally owned independent, $68 stays in that community through payroll, taxes, and other expenditures. Spend that at a national chain like the GAP (sorry) and only $43 stays here.
I’ll attempt to link, but if it doesn’t work, just google the 350 project. Thank you to all for raising awareness.
http://the350project.net
I live on Potomac Avenue, two blocks from the corner in question, and I agree with those who think our corner of the Hill could really use more dining options. I’d like more retail options too–not another cell-phone store, though. I wonder if restaurants might not help attract retail. It doesn’t have to be one or the other, does it? At this point, any useful business hat goes into that Penn and Potomac corner space seems like a good thing to me, but I’d especially like to see a place where neighbors could grab a sandwich or a cup of coffee etc. We really don’t have that at the moment. Now if only someone would buy Al’s Liquor and turn it into a great coffee shop….
Any word on how the crepe place on 15th is coming along?
P.S. Jay, we love Monkey’s Uncle–it’s been a good addition to the options around Eastern Market.
We walked by the corner this evening and I can’t begin to say the transformation from the neighborhood bodega with the $1 withdrawal ATM machine on a corner that was regularly trashed with cans and needles just a few short years ago practially made me skip. I’m curious who will invest in the condo above the bus station, hope there’s double-paned glass in there.
Annie & Teddy’s definitely temped my pallet and conscious, but I hope they can deliver tasty sandwiches, etc more along the price of Mangliardos and Cosi than super chic yet spendy ones.