R.I.P. Pursuit Wine Bar. Another innocent victim and casualty of DC’s out of control crime

[Anonymous]

So sad:

https://wjla.com/news/local/burglaries-dc-crime-were-just-asking-to-be-safe-h-street-corridor-bar-owner-robbed-three-times-asking-for-safety-councilmember-charles-allen-adam-kelinsky-owner-of-the-pursuit-wine-bar-kitchen-commanders-running-back-brian-robinson-jr-senator-rand-paul


This is the part where the worms crawl out from the woodwork and tell us all it isn’t as bad as the 90s. The most shocking part is how the criminals smashed into the place and left because alarms were going off. They waited and then went back in to ransack the place because they figured out no cops were coming!

How long until citizens have had enough and are forced to take security and policing into their own hands? Good job DC council. Good job mayor. So.Much.Progress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So sad:

https://wjla.com/news/local/burglaries-dc-crime-were-just-asking-to-be-safe-h-street-corridor-bar-owner-robbed-three-times-asking-for-safety-councilmember-charles-allen-adam-kelinsky-owner-of-the-pursuit-wine-bar-kitchen-commanders-running-back-brian-robinson-jr-senator-rand-paul


This is the part where the worms crawl out from the woodwork and tell us all it isn’t as bad as the 90s. The most shocking part is how the criminals smashed into the place and left because alarms were going off. They waited and then went back in to ransack the place because they figured out no cops were coming!

How long until citizens have had enough and are forced to take security and policing into their own hands? Good job DC council. Good job mayor. So.Much.Progress.

Looters deserve their spoils, cuz equity or something.

[Anonymous]

Won't be long before the usual gaslighters appear to tell us this is fAkE nEwS.

[Anonymous]

This is not fake news but the story is seven months old. I know the owner at Pursuit and he's been instrumental in getting attention on the very real problem of crime on H Street. Pursuit is alive and well and the businesses on the street are fighting. One of the things they've gotten is increased police presence to prevent incidents like this.

[Anonymous]

The reason that DC businesses are closing isn’t so much because of crime but because they need more customers. More density and vibrancy will bring more customers.

[Anonymous]

Victimless crime. Insurance will pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason that DC businesses are closing isn’t so much because of crime but because they need more customers. More density and vibrancy will bring more customers.

I have an idea. What if we made everyone go back to the office? They could go out for happy hour after the work day and businesses would be booming!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason that DC businesses are closing isn’t so much because of crime but because they need more customers. More density and vibrancy will bring more customers.

This is true. I used to go to Pursuit about once a week or so, and it would be D-E-A-D at 6pm. They just never really came back post-Covid.

Also, owing to I'm sure a combination of inflation generally and loss of customers both during and after Covid (and perhaps increasing labor costs, though I can't speak to that), their prices became insane. The last time I went there, I spent $25 on one glass of wine plus tax and tip. That is not a typo. And I was ordering a mid-priced wine -- there might have been one or two that were $15/glass, but most were $18-20. To me going out for a good glass of wine is a splurge but I can't do that. I am not broke but I have a retirement and kid's college to save for. I can't blow money like that. I am sure others feel the same -- everything is more expensive these days and you have to save money where you can, and there are lots of ways to relax with a glass of wine that cost less than that.

This is not a criticism of Pursuit or their owner, and I wouldn't be surprised if crime played a role in their decision to close. But as recently as April (the last time I was there) they were very clearly having massive issues attracting customers, and I'm guessing that has not changed and that the business model simply didn't make sense anymore.

I hope the space becomes something else that will benefit the neighborhood and NOT another weed store FFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reason that DC businesses are closing isn’t so much because of crime but because they need more customers. More density and vibrancy will bring more customers.

I have an idea. What if we made everyone go back to the office? They could go out for happy hour after the work day and businesses would be booming!

Lots of people live on or near H Street. People aren't going out for drinks like they used to even when it's convenient. They stay home more. Plus Pursuit was way overpriced. If I'm going to go out for a drink on H, I will go somewhere with a decent happy hour or where it's possible to get a drink for around $10. That's not Pursuit, and that's why they couldn't build a customer base.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reason that DC businesses are closing isn’t so much because of crime but because they need more customers. More density and vibrancy will bring more customers.

This is true. I used to go to Pursuit about once a week or so, and it would be D-E-A-D at 6pm. They just never really came back post-Covid.

Also, owing to I'm sure a combination of inflation generally and loss of customers both during and after Covid (and perhaps increasing labor costs, though I can't speak to that), their prices became insane. The last time I went there, I spent $25 on one glass of wine plus tax and tip. That is not a typo. And I was ordering a mid-priced wine -- there might have been one or two that were $15/glass, but most were $18-20. To me going out for a good glass of wine is a splurge but I can't do that. I am not broke but I have a retirement and kid's college to save for. I can't blow money like that. I am sure others feel the same -- everything is more expensive these days and you have to save money where you can, and there are lots of ways to relax with a glass of wine that cost less than that.

This is not a criticism of Pursuit or their owner, and I wouldn't be surprised if crime played a role in their decision to close. But as recently as April (the last time I was there) they were very clearly having massive issues attracting customers, and I'm guessing that has not changed and that the business model simply didn't make sense anymore.

I hope the space becomes something else that will benefit the neighborhood and NOT another weed store FFS.

Maybe it’s $25 because insurance rates skyrocket after triple breakins that steal thousands and n inventory? Class is expensive AF to replace too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reason that DC businesses are closing isn’t so much because of crime but because they need more customers. More density and vibrancy will bring more customers.

This is true. I used to go to Pursuit about once a week or so, and it would be D-E-A-D at 6pm. They just never really came back post-Covid.

Also, owing to I'm sure a combination of inflation generally and loss of customers both during and after Covid (and perhaps increasing labor costs, though I can't speak to that), their prices became insane. The last time I went there, I spent $25 on one glass of wine plus tax and tip. That is not a typo. And I was ordering a mid-priced wine -- there might have been one or two that were $15/glass, but most were $18-20. To me going out for a good glass of wine is a splurge but I can't do that. I am not broke but I have a retirement and kid's college to save for. I can't blow money like that. I am sure others feel the same -- everything is more expensive these days and you have to save money where you can, and there are lots of ways to relax with a glass of wine that cost less than that.

This is not a criticism of Pursuit or their owner, and I wouldn't be surprised if crime played a role in their decision to close. But as recently as April (the last time I was there) they were very clearly having massive issues attracting customers, and I'm guessing that has not changed and that the business model simply didn't make sense anymore.

I hope the space becomes something else that will benefit the neighborhood and NOT another weed store FFS.

Maybe it’s $25 because insurance rates skyrocket after triple breakins that steal thousands and n inventory? Class is expensive AF to replace too.

This was before the break ins, which I agree are lamentable and crime on H needs to be addressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason that DC businesses are closing isn’t so much because of crime but because they need more customers. More density and vibrancy will bring more customers.

People start avoiding places when there's a huge increase in crime. Eventually, people even start moving away. I've been surprised by the number of long-time acquaintances (including people from here) I've talked to recently who have started looking into moving elsewhere.

I agree that it's probably a combination of factors, but crime seems to be one of the biggest issues dragging the city down at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not fake news but the story is seven months old. I know the owner at Pursuit and he's been instrumental in getting attention on the very real problem of crime on H Street. Pursuit is alive and well and the businesses on the street are fighting. One of the things they've gotten is increased police presence to prevent incidents like this.

They announced they are closing this month.

[Anonymous]

Not victim blaming but I'm curious about what kind of glass, commercial door he has. His business must have been really insecure to get robbed 3 times in the span of 6 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not fake news but the story is seven months old. I know the owner at Pursuit and he's been instrumental in getting attention on the very real problem of crime on H Street. Pursuit is alive and well and the businesses on the street are fighting. One of the things they've gotten is increased police presence to prevent incidents like this.