Comments on: Best Cellars in Dupont Closing Feb. 13th

By: Reed

Reed — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 02:38:38 +0000

I understand the free market and the owner wanting to sell to a higher bidder, but I thought Best Cellars was a great addition to the Dupont area. The staff there was always very helpful and friendly, something I can not say about the AT&T staff across the street or the T-Mobile store south of the circle on Connecticut.

I went in tonight and said goodbye and thanks to Ali, Lindsey, and Larry.

By: AdMo

AdMo — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:43:35 +0000

I can’t believe anyone would want to open a wine and cheese shop across the street from DeVino’s, but so goes 18th street.

Agreed that DeVino’s staff can be hit or miss on attitude and that they don’t carry enough stuff that is soft on the weeknight budget, but in terms of actual wine knowledge the staff is pretty good for a store that straddles specialty and OMGLATEFORDINNERPARTYNEEDREDNOTMERLOTHERES12DOLLARSBYE trade.

I will say that as someone who enjoys whiskey and rum I sing a little song every time a wine shop closes, as that’s more trade that can help prop up the few stores with any selection and fair prices that do carry hard stuff. The margins are better on wine, and more wine trade usually means more people buying anything besides rotgut and AbsoluCaptiBelveTanqueJack.

By: Eli

Eli — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:54:47 +0000

I went to Best Cellars the other week after getting a Living Social deal. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The staff was helpful, and they had a nice liqueur tasting. I had certainly planned to return. Ah well.

By: BCCustomer

BCCustomer — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:29:34 +0000

I will miss Best Cellars. they were always helpful and noncondescending. I, for one, will NOT frequent D’Vino instead. The one time I went to D’vino they had a sign up saying some of the wine was 20% off. When I asked the clerk whether the price listed on the wine bottles the sign indicated was the already reduced price. He acted like I was an idiot, told me it wasn’t, then with a HUGE sigh proceeded to walk over with a sticker gun and relabel the wine — like I didn’t understand his verbal explanation. I walked out without buying a bottle and will never go back.

On the other hand, I’ve heard Cashion’s owners are opening a wine and cheese store at the corner of 18th and Wyoming. I think it is called AM? I’m hoping they will stock reasonably priced wines. Cross your fingers.

By: Irving Streete

Irving Streete — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:52:46 +0000

I can’t quite work up the kind of venom you seem to have channeled. Nonetheless, well put.

By: Best Cellars Manager

Best Cellars Manager — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:10:07 +0000

Manager of the closing Best Cellars here. I am not here to defend or bash our system, wines or employees. However, thanks for those of you who say you will miss us. We will miss being in Dupont. We’ve been here for over 8 years, and seen a lot of change. Thanks to all of those who made it fun. As PoP mentioned, I will gladly update on a new location, though sadly, Petworth isn’t likely a viable option since we rely so much on foot traffic. For those of you who do bemoan our selection or have other complaints, please let us know (bcdupont@aptea.com). If we are opening a new place, we might as well make it something you might actually enjoy too. Thanks.

By: new hampy

new hampy — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:04:05 +0000

couldn’t have said it better anon 10:51!

By: Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:46:54 +0000

Well, there seems to be plenty of open retail space in the new building at the GA. Ave- Petworth Metro stop. Maybe Best Cellars can open a new branch there. Right now, the only wine option is the bulletproof liquor store a couple of blocks south.
I don’t begrudge building owners getting as much money from their tenants as they can. That’s the way capitalism works. Clearly, if they were charging too much in rent, they would not be able to find any tenants.
Niche stores – cupcakes, wine, coffee, books – are difficult to turn a profit on, particularly if what you are offering is available at larger stores at lower prices. A lot of people talk a good game about supporting local retailers but when push comes to shove, they take their money to where it will stretch the farthest – which is completely understandable. Someone posted that Best Cellars always had several wines for $7-8. You have to sell an awful lot of $7-8 wine to pay rent and expenses for a place on DuPont Circle. I don’t begrudge someone not being able to afford wine that costs more than $8 a bottle; but I also don’t begrudge a retailer who can’t afford to sell $8 a bottle wine.

My captcha is “moochers that”

By: AdMo

AdMo — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:40:13 +0000

I can’t believe anyone would bemoan the closing of a Best Cellars, it’s a crappy chain that has a limited selection and charges a substantial markup with the only value added being their weird categorization system. I’ve never understood why people need that, we’ve all consumed wine hundreds of times and yet some people can’t seem to remember how 6 or 7 basic varieties generally taste. The entire US population could easily tell you whether Sprite has more of a citrus flavor than Mountain Dew, but change the question to sauvignon blanc versus chardonnay and suddenly everyone needs a cheat sheet.

Do we need another cell phone store on CT? Hell no, but we don’t need another overpriced faux-ethnic restaurant, chain coffee shop, hair salon, or drug store on that strip either, it’s not like somebody came along and plucked the lone flower in that ugly mile.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:51:05 +0000

And your point? One retail joint is going in for another retail joint. Try keeping things in their given context.

The fundamental issue here is that the letter-writer would rather have one type of retail over another, and would prefer to do it at the building owner’s expense under the guise of “what’s best for the neighborhood” (translation: “what I prefer”).