RSS FeedWest Elm To Take Up Shop in Gallery Place/Penn Quarter
The Woodies building, which stands on top of the Metro Center station, will finally get its second retail tenant starting next year! (WaPo article too) West Elm, the District, and Douglas Jemal struck a deal to open a 37,000-square-foot store on the G St side of the building. H&M already occupies the F St side.
This is another success story for Tax Increment Financing (TIF). With TIF, the city pays for some of the new tenant’s costs, and recoups the money through the store’s sales tax income. TIF is a very important tool that helped bring the Spy Museum, the Gallery Place complex, and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel to the District. See a complete list of TIF projects here.
Thanks to Jason and Tracy for the heads-up!
Pic Of Metro Ads From *Outside* Of The Train At Gallery Place
Ever wonder why you can only see three frames of the ad at one time and not a long string of them down the tunnel? Well, GPLiving risked life and limb (sarcasm) to deliver this pic showing the start of a line of ad displays in the Gallery Place tunnel. Metro police were all over us after one snap of the tunnel with camera flash. We easily explained that, no, we are not taking a picture of the “structure.” Gotta love the inconsistency of metro security.
(By the way, the picture was taken from the platform – zoomed into the tunnel.)
Ice Cream & Candy Shop Opening This Week In Gallery Place/Penn Quarter
- Serving Smiles Since 1938
Pamper your taste buds with the sweet offerings of Gifford’s Ice Cream & Candy Co. – the Washington area’s oldest and most distinguished ice cream parlor. We’ve been making gourmet ice cream and candies since 1938, and our clientele has included President Dwight D. Eisenhower, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, and actress Goldie Hawn. Our founder, John Nash Gifford, an experienced ice cream maker, spent several years perfecting his secret recipes – creating wonderfully unique tastes like our signature Swiss chocolate, Peppermint Stick, or fresh or seasonal peach ice cream. And to this day, we continue to operate as a family-owned business, maintaining the tradition that has made Gifford’s a local legend. All of our ice creams, sorbets, sauces, and candies are still made daily in nearby Silver Spring, Maryland, ensuring superior quality and freshness. A Washington institution for generations of children and adults, Gifford’s opens on E. Street between 10th & 11th Streets this week–
Giffords’ website is: www.giffords.com
Welcome to the neighborhood!
More Mexican in Gallery Place/Penn Quarter: Qdoba Mexican Grill
Jeff pointed us to this info from the latest Downtown DC Bid Newsletter:
- Make it Mexican
Qdoba Mexican Grill is now open on E Street between 10th and 11th next to the Landmark Cinema. The first Qdoba Mexican Grill opened in Denver in 1995, and the fast-casual chain now has more than 195 restaurants located in more than 30 states. Qdoba Mexican Grill combines fresh ingredients with an innovative combination of sauces, salsas and marinades to create non-traditional, fast-casual Mexican fare. Qdoba’s menu centers around large signature burritos that offer unique flavors, including poblano pesto, fajita ranchera and chicken molé. The menu also includes grilled quesadillas, taco salads, nachos, Naked Burritos®, tacos and soup. All entrees are prepared in front of the customer and topped with personally selected ingredients, including one of five distinctive salsas. Qdoba is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jack in the Box Inc (NYSE: JBX). Check them out at www.qdoba.com.
Has anyone tried this place out?
Update:
I also forgot to throw in there that, yesterday, I noticed a worker from the Juan Valdez coffee shop handing some coupons on the sidewalk opposite of the store. I wonder why some of the overflow from Starbucks hasn’t made its way across the street? The Juan Valdez is mostly empty when I go inside, despite its strong drinks.