Comments on: Friday Question of the Day – What Would Work Here?

By: cat

cat — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:41:12 +0000

Here’s my idea: It’s a bizness called “Sober Up & Go”. It sells high-priced specialty water (house brand has 7 herbs said to cure hangover), cupcakes, macarons (the “cupcake killer” from Paris), strong coffee, Emergen-C packets, calls a taxi for you for a little fee, and gives taxi drivers a discount on above. Also serves as a meet-up spot for people out who can’t remember where they parked their car.

You’re welcome.

By: RussianRev

RussianRev — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:31:01 +0000

The Caribou space when built was FORCED to have no venting and no cooking, therefore not even a bagel or donut place could go there. This was foisted on Adams Morgan by Jim Graham and the Kalorama Citizen’s Assn. under the guise of “mixed use.” Now prime space sits empty “dumbing down the street and other businesses.
U street and Columbia Heights development have been subsidized by the DC gov in various ways, whether a taxpayer funded $56 million parking garage, tax abatements, developer deals, Metro stations or Circulator buses for which THEY DO NOT PAY. Our local businesses are heavily taxed through a BID that helps pay for the Circulator. There is NO BID or those extra taxes from U Street or Columbia Heights or Mount Pleasant, but they have as much, or more business district focused Circulator service than does Adams Morgan.

By: Zuckerman

Zuckerman — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:22:18 +0000

An MPD substation is an excellent idea, however, the real estate is too valuable.

SEX SHOP!

By: Petworth Newbie

Petworth Newbie — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:26:38 +0000

Toy store.

By: Tatiana

Tatiana — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:15:12 +0000

What about one of those shared office spaces? Like the one in Dupont.

By: 12thPlace

12thPlace — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:14:38 +0000

I think that’s called a library.

By: Jimmy Johns

Jimmy Johns — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:56:37 +0000

Jimmy Johns is a sandwich chain. The first place I ever saw one was a small town in Wisconsin (not sure where it originated.) It is popular in college towns – in areas that have a lot of bars/street traffic (very similar to 18th street!.) I know there is one in downtown Austin, TX near the 7th street nightlife district and it is always packed. Its not like a Subway where there are a ton of choices of toppings, but their basic menu is pretty tasty. It is really fast too. They get you in and out!

Looks like there is one in College Park and one out in Alexandria…. go try it out!!

By: Hurleybird

Hurleybird — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:53:04 +0000

Um, I think Victoria was kidding. (Right Victoria…? I hope?) Anon self-awareness FAIL.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:38:28 +0000

The national chain stores haven’t hit 18th Street hard (as yet) like in Columbia Heights, Marcus A.

In this recession, we in D.C. have a uniquely stable economy as the federal city and aren’t near as bad as many parts of the rest of the country.

Also, despite harsh 10% unemployment, the United States economy in its worst year ($15 trillion GDP) is better, still steady, and stronger than any other economy in the world, China included with $6 trillion GDP (but gaining).

As for this thread, I’m on the side of the productive shop owner that works and opens shop seven days a week struggling and providing much more than most of us comfortable city dwellers

than on the side of the haughty Historic Board or the ANC tyrants or those of us who’ve never experienced running a business or regularly meeting a payroll

like too many here who are more like reclining arm chair fault finders with the luxury of spare time to write here having no idea what is to provide and provide and put up with an inhospitable city government that only takes and takes and takes and only knows and invents more and more ways of taking when your livelihood is on the line.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:27:36 +0000

Nah, already too much competition on that block.