So, how long until all those fancy new restaurants shutter their doors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, with all due respect, saying that people will flee 14th street when its lost is magic makes you sound like an old fogey. U Street and Logan Circle are now completely developed neighborhoods. Did you think DuPont would turn into a slum when it "lost its magic?" It hasn't been the "it" place to live in decades and its not exactly in ruins. I share some of your skepticism about what a fully developed H Street will look like, mostly because the commercial development is much lower density than anticipated by the original development plan. But it's hardly unstable (and hasn't Granvile Moore already been open for more than five years?). The only way these two areas collapse is if MLK somehow gets assassinated a second time.

Regarding Le Diplomate specifically, I agree it will probably eventually need to change its business model somewhat. I don't think they can sell French sidewalk cafe food at anniversary dinner prices forever. But it's always been true that the DC restaurant scene revolves around creating a few hot new restaurants each year and then moving on.

Logan still isn't considered an established or particularly safe area, so it's economy and reputation are very much dependent on continued discretionary spending by people who are highly mobile and don't have strong ties to the area. Same for U Street.

Hahaha hahahahaaaaa!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I disagree. I think there are too many restaurants at the expense of other traditional retail. And neighborhoods like H Street NE and 14th will pay the price. The model is just not sustainable, in my opinion. A better example of how these neighborhoods should have played out would be Newbury Street in Boston. Plenty of fancy and hip restaurants, but also tons of other retail. Once Le Diplomate and Granville Moore's have lost their "magic" folks won't have any other reason to visit those neighborhoods, or t live in them

Have you eaten at Le Diplomate? I've been twice and both times it was pretty phenomenal. Granville moores on the other hand, nothing to write home about. If you want to wait for these places you lose their magic, you shouldn't hold your breath. Lots of places on 14th that are mediocre (Masa 14, El Centro, Saint Ex) are still going strong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, with all due respect, saying that people will flee 14th street when its lost is magic makes you sound like an old fogey. U Street and Logan Circle are now completely developed neighborhoods. Did you think DuPont would turn into a slum when it "lost its magic?" It hasn't been the "it" place to live in decades and its not exactly in ruins. I share some of your skepticism about what a fully developed H Street will look like, mostly because the commercial development is much lower density than anticipated by the original development plan. But it's hardly unstable (and hasn't Granvile Moore already been open for more than five years?). The only way these two areas collapse is if MLK somehow gets assassinated a second time.

Regarding Le Diplomate specifically, I agree it will probably eventually need to change its business model somewhat. I don't think they can sell French sidewalk cafe food at anniversary dinner prices forever. But it's always been true that the DC restaurant scene revolves around creating a few hot new restaurants each year and then moving on.

Logan still isn't considered an established or particularly safe area, so it's economy and reputation are very much dependent on continued discretionary spending by people who are highly mobile and don't have strong ties to the area. Same for U Street.

Hahaha hahahahaaaaa!!!

Logan Circle and U Street are not established or particularly safe? For real? What rock have you been living under?

I'll give you H Street, but U Street and Logan are a wrap. http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-07-21/local/40713524_1_street-nw-14th-street-apartment-rents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote in 1974:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

DuPont Circle still isn't considered an established or particularly safe area, so it's economy and reputation are very much dependent on continued discretionary spending by people who are highly mobile and don't have strong ties to the area. Same for Adams Morgan.

[Anonymous]

Logan still isn't considered an established or particularly safe area, so it's economy and reputation are very much dependent on continued discretionary spending by people who are highly mobile and don't have strong ties to the area. Same for U Street.

<snort>

Lemme guess - you live in Ashburn? Perhaps Frederick?

[Anonymous]

They tend to close on their own every 2-4 years when they are no longer trendy and the next trendy place comes in.

I can't understand why they don't evolve and change thigns every few years.

[Anonymous]

I hate to break it to you, a significant portion of 14th St's restaurant biz comes from the 'burbs. I regularly almost get run over but some asshole with VA plates using the valet at Le Diplomat.

I live East of Logan and agree that there are too many fancy restaurants (I'd like stores and services, for example) but that's because I live there. And in living there, I see that bridge crowd coming in and spending their lawyer/lobby money and it's fine by me.

Also, walk by the restaurants any given evening for happy hour - PACKED. They won't all make it, but if you consider most restaurants fail outside of the economic pressures we face in DC, 14th St has done well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They tend to close on their own every 2-4 years when they are no longer trendy and the next trendy place comes in.

I can't understand why they don't evolve and change thigns every few years.

Because if you close and re-open as an entirely new restaurant you'll have a wait list for several months. Re-inventing tend to annoy your loyal customers without generating the to do of a new restaurant opening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fed here. We have not been going out to eat since the first of the year with the fiscal cliff. We have been foregoing birthday dinners and anniversaries dinners out since last Christmas. This has saved thousands. I would bet the restaurant industry is taking a huge hit. Sure not Komi, but there are hundreds of restaurants between Komi and 5 Guys that feds would usually frequent. Komi. Talk about living in the bubble.

I'm not a fed, but my DH is a contractor and my job is tied to the fed space and even though we make a healthy income we have scaled it wayyyy back in 2013. We are even limiting oir grocery budget to $130/wk. We have been bracing for a hard fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I disagree. I think there are too many restaurants at the expense of other traditional retail. And neighborhoods like H Street NE and 14th will pay the price. The model is just not sustainable, in my opinion. A better example of how these neighborhoods should have played out would be Newbury Street in Boston. Plenty of fancy and hip restaurants, but also tons of other retail. Once Le Diplomate and Granville Moore's have lost their "magic" folks won't have any other reason to visit those neighborhoods, or t live in them

Some of us actually lived in the neighborhood before Le Diplomate opened and when those fancy new condos were just a wish in a developer's daydreams. We didn't move there because of a restaurant, though I admit that I like the variety I'm seeing these days.

[Anonymous]

so, no one's concerned that the economy will crash?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:so, no one's concerned that the economy will crash?

Not really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:so, no one's concerned that the economy will crash?

Seriously?

Not at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:so, no one's concerned that the economy will crash?

If the economy crashes, I think the last thing we're going to be worried about is the restaurants on 14th Street and H Street.