Local business has been a hot topic around here this week. A number of retailers are closing, and it seems as though we are only getting restaurants in their place. Explanations about rents and property taxes have been thrown around, as well as questions about what can be done. One idea that has come up here and offline is whether or not a chain store or two could serve as an anchor and help bring in more business. So this week I want to know, would you support a couple of chain stores on the Hill? Please elaborate in the comments.
We shared a report last summer that laid out just how much of our spending money goes to other neighborhoods and states, as well as the untapped the growth potential of our own neighborhood. The report is an interesting read to get you thinking about what else we could use around the Hill.
I would defanately support a chain store or two as long as they were carefully thought out and were chosen based on how they could help our current local businesses. I think a GAP like the other article talks about or Old Navy would be very helpful. Something like Busboys and poets would be a great anchor too offering a gathering place and a place to buy books – that would kind of have the same positives as a barns and nobel but is a “local chain” if that makes sense.
I would LOVE to have a Busboys and Poets on the Hill! I’m not sure their book selection would fill our need for a bookstore any more than Trover’s did or Capitol Hill Books does, but I love that place.
I don’t know if a chain would move into a location anywhere if they didn’t think they had a chance at foot traffic. While chain stores have the finances to keep a location open longer, to hopefully build a clientele, they do still need to get a sizable group of people in and shopping regularly to stay. Some of the chain stores in Union Station which gets a lot more foot traffic than 8th St., have a bit of a hard time.
Do I like the idea of a chain store, not really. But I like empty store fronts even less. I think the conversation is a bit moot. The 2+ blocks at the corner of 8th and Penn is not Georgetown.
Can we please get a Target or other department store, pleeeaaassse? A full scale Kids R Us would be nice too (one that carries clothes as well as toys).
I would hate to lose the unique local vibe of the Hill, but would reluctantly agree that you need some kind of anchor for retail to be successful anywhere around here. I think a B&N would be great as it’s a bit higher end retail. We also NEED some options for men’s clothes, furniture and electronics. Not that they all have to be big chains, but filling one or two of those needs would be great!
Rich, I thought I heard a rumor that B&N was looking at Union Station where the movie theater was. Of course that was before they put themselves up for sale because they were having problems. I also thought at one time that Target was considering SW at some point. Again the bad economy is having a negative impact because SW revitalization is stalled.
The problem with stores like Target, B&N, Kid R Us, is that they need a huge amount of space for the store and because of city regulations, a huge amount of space for parking. The Hill doesn’t have a lot of that.
As others have mentioned, I think a Gap or Old Navy and a B&N would fit in well here. Maybe one of those discount clothing and homegood stores (Ross, TJ Maxx, or Marshalls). I’d love to see a World Market as well.
A Joann Fabrics would be fantastic as well. You have to go pretty deep into the suburbs to get fabric and craft supplies now (aside from knit and crochet items– and I don’t think StitchDC would suffer since Joann doesn’t carry the high-quality yarn that many knitters prefer).
I like a lot of the suggestions above – gap, bookstore, ems/rei, and joann fabrics and I also want to add that I think a shoe store would be a good addition. Either local or chain would be fine with me!
A little off topic, but as long as we’re dreaming, I also would love to have some type of event venue on 8th street – a movie theater like E street cinima or something. I enjoy going out to dinner there (all those resturants are a good thing!), but feel like there’s nothing to do after, except go to a bar, which isn’t really my thing. So a small movie theater or concert venue would be a nice draw.
I’d also really enjoy a Landmark Cinema and a craft store.
When there was talk of selling the People’s Church a few years back, I started day dreaming about turning it into a cinema and drafthouse. I wonder if there’s a way to turn the auditorium at Hine into a temporary movie theater to show movies that are no long in major theaters?
I forgot to add: I’d also totally patronize a Busboys and Poets and if there was a shoe store that sold Keen, Born, Camper, etc. that would be awesome. I’d really prefer smaller “anchor” stores rather than a “big box” store such as Target, Walmart, Best Buy, etc. Maybe a Play-it-Again Sports? A Paper Source would be fantastic!
Larger retail stores don’t always kill the local vibe. In fact, stores that have name recognition–such as GAP, Old Navy, H&M, whatever–can increase the success of the neighborhood retail. In addition to serving the neighborhood, stores that people know can also be destinations. Consumers regularly search out brands they know and love, and having a clothing store on the Hill like a GAP may bring people to the Hill and invigorate other smaller, non-chain businesses.
There are lots of examples locally and nationally that support this model, Old Town Alexandria being but one.
A movie theater/cinema or bookstore would be my first choice, chain or not. I think a City Sports is also a great idea, and would likely have a pretty wide appeal as far as retail goes. But I would definitely support pretty much any of the chains that people have mentioned.
Actually tried to pencil out the numbers on a cinema drafthouse concept for the People’s Church… but asking price and carrying cost for permitting/remodel made it too unrealistic.
What the Hill- and the city at large really desperately need- is an immediate lowering of the horribly high small buisness taxes that the city government charges . It must come to an end. This taxation has driven out just about all of the great small retail that this city once had prior to the 1968 riots. Only food and liquor establishments with high numbers of patrons can survive in this wretched environment- and we all suffer for it. Many people just drive out to Nortehrn Virgina to shop- the city loses money- and people are encourged to use their cars- making for a car-dependent lifestyle that is never suitable to any really healthy city.
In addition to all of this- the older people on the Hill need to stop whining about positive change- and stop the incessant parking bs that holds up so much progress. There are many of these people that own 3 cars and live right near Metro- they never use it at all- why don’t they move out to Herndon ? These same people complain about new businesses on 8th street, new streetcars, and new younger people- because their precious parking nirvana is under threat. These people have also allowed the HISTORIC FABRIC of the city to disappear- that is- the mom&pop stores have almost entirely left the Hill- at one time they were everywhere- and most of these properties have been converted to pure residential. The city should encourage a return to mixed use- downstairs samll retail with residential upstairs- in the old days of pre- 1960’s DC, one did not have to leave the neighborhoods to buy anything. The old people in charge of the neighborhood organizations need to move over or move out of the city.
Good luck trying to get the CHRS to approve any other use for the “People’s Church”- the CHRS people are not really concerned about genuine
” historic preservation” –
but what they are really into is the business of “parking preservation”
and they have absolutely zero/ no concern at all about the long term future of this city and it’s inhabitants other than those who are over 70 years of age and those who drive cars.