Montgomery Mall Is a Freaking Bloodbath!

[Anonymous]

I went into this post expecting another Columbine. "Blood Bath"? Really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went into this post expecting another Columbine. "Blood Bath"? Really.

I thought something criminal and horrific happened @ Mont. Mall too reading the post's title.

[Anonymous]

I don't think OP would have used such a lighthearted tone to announce an actual bloodbath.

[Anonymous]

I do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the poster who complained the walk from Metro at White Flint is crappy. Not long, but crappy. It is *not* the walk you get in any big city. Cities have shorter blocks to add variety, pedestrian-scaled buildings not separated from the sidewalk by parking lots, things to look at from sidewalk level, and a traffic flow that accounts for pedestrians at every corner. The duration of the walk isn't the problem. It's the unpleasantness of being the lone pedestrian family on a token sidewalk in a sea of parking lots alongside a thoroughfare.

PP who works by White Flint here. I agree with this poster. I actually take a path to and from the metro that is longer than walking straight up Rockville Pike just because that walk is so depressing and loud.

For the pp who asked about North Bethesda Market, here's the website: http://www.northbethesdamarket.com/. Yes, there will be parking. Yes, it's called North Bethesda. My company also says it's located in North Bethesda. I hear this is a source of merriment for MoCo residents who know the area. I don't live out this way so I don't have a view. But I do hear that there are plans in the works to make Rockville Pike more walkable. Very happy to hear it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what's going on in Virginia?

Tysons Corner is still mobbed. And the Galleria has the same amount of traffic; the restaurants are packed on the weekends.

I did notice today that the World Market near Tysons is closing. Maybe all of them are?

I know World Market closed several locations, but not all of them. I think that one was just in a bad location, it was difficult to get in/out of and when Linen N' Things closed next door, it was the final straw. I think they haven't closed completely yet, they looked upon last Sunday when I drove by.

I can't think of anything that has closed out of the ordinary in Tysons/Fairfax/Vienna/Oakton.

[Anonymous]

I just want to add that my new favorite shopping errand area is the Columbia Hts/14th street area. Cheap accessible underground parking available. Target with a Starbucks (sorry but I am hooked) , Marshalls w/good kids section, Childrens Place, Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond, and a few others. Safeway and Rita's across the street. Not bad for the middle of the city. It seems to be doing well too. I am certainly not the only one there.

[Anonymous]

I love the new Columbia Heights development, too. DCUSA has yet to fill a couple of storefronts, but the shops in business seem to be doing a good business. I also like that it's a good mix of basic and trendy that appeals to a broad section of people, and that even during the middle of the workday, there are a lot of pedestrians bustling about. Have you tried Pete's Apizza? Love it.

It's a very well-planned shopping district with a central location, great pedestrian and Metro access, unobtrusive underground parking if you must, a mix of architectural styles that includes historic structures and modern-style ones, and- this is a big one for me in flat-topped DC- a variety of building heights!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just got back. There were at least 10, maybe 12-15 stores closed. Not just small retailers, but also big ones like Verizon, Cinnabon, and Burger King. All remaining stores were empty save the Apple store, which was packed.

I had to do errands tonight at Lakeforest mall and Montgomery mall, and I kept thinking of this thread. The malls were deserted. Mine was one of only 5 cars in the Sears section of the garage at Montgomery. I'd been so pleased at how well the Dow has been doing the past two weeks, but tonight was a grim return to fearing for the economy.

You'd think I'd be happy to get such good parking spaces and have access to so much merchandise so drastically marked down. But now I'm wondering how long it will be before some of those stores go bankrupt.

[Anonymous]

I was just downtown and saw that the restaurant Les Halles was closed. Anyone know the story behind that? Not that I thought it was any good, but I thought with all the Anthony Bourdain publicity it could have survived...

[Anonymous]

I've been to Montgomery Mall twice in the past week (one weekend day and then today), and it's been quite crowded both days. Yes, there are a few stores closed, but many stores seemed busy. It was far from deserted.

[Anonymous]

Giant expansion in the works: http://dcmud.blogspot.com/2009/03/montgomery-mall-expansion-set-for.html

[Anonymous]

Harold's went out at Tysons Galleria around November I think - they closed all their stores nationwide after a bankruptcy. Also, I think Filene's Basement is closing in Tysons. The World Market is out now, as is Linens N Things. The Au Bon Pain near my Tysons Corner office building cut back on its hours because of a decline in sales. I wouldn't be surprised if Tysons was hit further - it is not immune to the economic decline.

[Anonymous]

I keep reading the threads about public transportation, and have to point out that you're missing something. The upscale malls don't WANT metro accessibility. The same thing that brings all the traffic to pentagon city is also what brings in the shoplifters and pocket pickers - that mall has the highest rate of thrift and petty crime anywhere in the area. Ever notice all the police? Tyson's Corner fought the metro, and Georgetown fought and is still winning. It's easy and quick to get stolen merchansdise out when there is a metro right there, and the people who come on metro are less affluent, per capita, than those who drive. Yes, there are plenty of exceptions, but those are the un politically-correct demographics.

[Anonymous]

22:02 your link is way off. THese are the details of the 1990's expansion. Not sure who that blogger is, but he made a major goof.