Georgetown is DEAD. Georgetown used to be so much FUN. So what happened?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other places have better metro access for nightlife and shopping

14th street is hipper, cheaper and has better restaurants. also the wharf area has exploded.

Yes, gentrification of the rest of the city happened, attracting people away from Georgetown. It's normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other places have better metro access for nightlife and shopping

14th street is hipper, cheaper and has better restaurants. also the wharf area has exploded.

Yes, gentrification of the rest of the city happened, attracting people away from Georgetown. It's normal.

If you don’t stay current, you die.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Smoking bans. Nanny stating killjoys

And yet classic DC joints like JVs (roadhouse, Annandale) have doubled in size and do huge business compared to pre-smoking ban. Other smoke free venues booming.


That isn't it, sorry to ruin your political jag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They didn't want the Metro and now they're paying the price......hahahahaha!

That's a myth. There never was a metro stop planned for Georgetown. Not to say that the denizens would have welcomed it with open arms but they weren't responsible for keeping it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I use Georgetown as a substitute for Montgomery Mall when I have to do that type of shopping.

Yep that's part of the problem. The retailers are all big corporations now like a mall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was in Georgetown on Saturday afternoon and it was PACKED with people--mostly tourists I think. The people on this thread saying it's become too upscale are nuts--all the old stores have been replaced with fast-fashion chains and junky crap like Wawa. Back in the good old days, there was a great independent bookstore (RIP Olsson's), a upscale department store (Garfinkel's), fun shops like Commander Salamandar etc. There was a great French restaurant where Banana Republic is now, and Nathan's was a mainstay for decades on the corner across from there. Oh well.

Loved Olsson's. Actually bought my first cell phone there back in the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in Georgetown on Saturday afternoon and it was PACKED with people--mostly tourists I think. The people on this thread saying it's become too upscale are nuts--all the old stores have been replaced with fast-fashion chains and junky crap like Wawa. Back in the good old days, there was a great independent bookstore (RIP Olsson's), a upscale department store (Garfinkel's), fun shops like Commander Salamandar etc. There was a great French restaurant where Banana Republic is now, and Nathan's was a mainstay for decades on the corner across from there. Oh well.

Rive Gauche.

Oh Rive Gauche! My parents took me there back when I was a college student at GU. A French restaurant seemed like the fanciest thing possible. Big changes since then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was in Georgetown on Saturday afternoon and it was PACKED with people--mostly tourists I think. The people on this thread saying it's become too upscale are nuts--all the old stores have been replaced with fast-fashion chains and junky crap like Wawa. Back in the good old days, there was a great independent bookstore (RIP Olsson's), a upscale department store (Garfinkel's), fun shops like Commander Salamandar etc. There was a great French restaurant where Banana Republic is now, and Nathan's was a mainstay for decades on the corner across from there. Oh well.

And the late, lamented Au Pied Du Cochon for a late night glass of wine, onion soup and fries.

Wasn't that the Lehi before that? As an alienated GU student, I loved the Lehi because it was a down-to-earth dive bar when there weren't a lot like that left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, it is much more upscale with less character than it used to have. Mo money less fun.

This is true pretty much everywhere. Same thing happened in Manhattan.

[Anonymous]

5 pages about Georgetown and nobody has mentioned The Bayou?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the brand got ruined. There used to be a mix of shopping high and low, independents and chains.

Now its almost all gross chains, and the combo of h&m / tjmaxx / dsw killed it for me, along with the 7-11, just no. I dont want Rockville crammed into DC. I want unique, with some basic chains like gap if I need some gym shorts on no notice for my kids, etc. But not all chains. it's just gotten totally forgettable. Why bother?

Also with the new big box cut price stores the crowd has just gotten gross.

Agree that it’s the prevalent big chains that killed the charm. Nothing unique there anymore for shopping or to just walk around window shopping for. It doesn’t matter if it’s an expensive brand store or TJ Maxx that replaced the independent stores. M St even looks so ugly and nondescript now, just like any other suburban location you can find elsewhere. Why brave the crowds and pay the high parking fee to go there? I have Tysons Corner mall 10 min away if I really need anything from a national chain store.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No metro. I just don't bother to go there.

This exactly. And if you’re with a big group or whole family then you have to try to coordinate Ubers if you want to leave and go somewhere else in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

5 pages about Georgetown and nobody has mentioned The Bayou?

Yep. Last band I heard there was Terence Trent D'Arby in late 80s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in DC for 13 years and literally never go to Georgetown unless I want to go to the movies and the AMC has a screening I can't find anywhere else. Pre-kids I would sometimes go for a long hike in Rock Creek and end up getting lunch on M st (remember that fish place that did really simply grilled fish and veg? that was good.) Also the Barnes and Noble. It's always a pain to get there, and I absolutely LOATHE walking down the crowded M st sidewalks.

I think most posters are referencing about 20 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand putting a Capitol One Cafe @ the corner of WI and M. Maybe I have no vision but I just don't see how these Capitol One Cafes can survive.

+1

Silly.