Why is Friendship heights shopping district so ... unsatisfying?

[Anonymous]

As a FH resident it drives me up the wall how much of the space in the area is wasted on travel and parking for cars. Especially the parking lots behind Mazza and L&T! What a tragic misuse of highly valuable space right next to a metro stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a fan of Amazon -- I need to touch and feel and try on before buying, plus Amazon's labor practices are appalling. I can walk to FH, but agree with OP that it's dismal, so I never shop there -- just get on Metro to go to work. I also hate driving and malls. So, basically, I never buy clothes here, unless I have no other choice. But when I go to Chicago for work -- every month or so for a couple of days-- I love walking up Michigan Avenue and over to the Near North Side, where I can shop at all the same stores that I'd find in FH or Tysons or Westbrook Montgomery (aka, the ghost town near Cabin John park). When I was in Chicago last month, I had two hours to myself and shopped at Patagonia and Madewell. With more time, I would have stopped in at Uniqlo and Reformation too . . . I'll definitely hit those next time. What makes that area more inviting is the street feel -- the architecture, people-watching, and pedestrian-friendly street grid.

You just described Georgetown where you can shop at all the same stores you mentioned in a nice cute town setting. Since Georgetown isn't really that far NWDC, people probably prefer to go there for the nicer walking experience.

+1. I just started working one day a week in Georgetown and it reminded me what good shopping there is down there. Waiting for bus makes for fantastic people watching and I did a little Christmas shopping there a few weeks ago.

[Anonymous]

I was just thinking this morning how much I miss the Barnes and Noble and Hechts Department store that used to be downtown. So convenient for midday Christmas shopping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was just thinking this morning how much I miss the Barnes and Noble and Hechts Department store that used to be downtown. So convenient for midday Christmas shopping.

Same!

[Anonymous]

I'm also a fan of the L&T there and like that I can get there in a quick 10 min drive from my house. I actually fairly regularly park at the L&T and then walk to other stores (who reparks? L&T validates . . .) but 100% agree that the pedestrian experience sucks. It's not that long of a walk but unpleasant with no interesting storefronts. Also the food options in FH are crazy-limited. That Volt sandwich place in CC Pavilion was disgusting. There's the McD's, that Pan Quotidien (which is both small and slow) and . . . not much else. At least not much else that you can see walking around, maybe it's hidden somewhere in there.

[Anonymous]

FYI a couple of new restaurants are open/about to open in FH. One is called Little Beet Table. But I agree, having Wisconsin running through it makes FH unappealing. That said, I live within walking distance and we go there to shop for the family all the time...I wouldn’t go there to just stroll and window shop though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love friendship heights but am increasingly worried. I hope the lord and Taylor can hold on! I wish DC would put some resources toward attracting and keeping retail alive there.

I'm not sure I can think of a worse use for tax dollars than subsidizing Lord & Taylor.

Far more people now live EOTP, and they now have many more options for shopping that aren't so far away. Even if the richest DC residents are still nearby, the balance of purchasing power that keeps stores in business has shifted. Meanwhile, NIMBYs prevent nearly anything from changing in nearby neighborhoods.

If people near Friendship Heights want nicer things, they should allow more homes to be built WOTP.

Adding hundreds of micro apartments in millennial dormitories isn’t relevant here, GGW. No one needs an Orange Theory and SweetGreen every 50 yards.

Then don't complain when your stores close.

We miss and wanr replacements for Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, maybe Gucci, H & M ... no one is pining for $27 hand crafted cocktails with ethically-sourced mint garnish in FH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love friendship heights but am increasingly worried. I hope the lord and Taylor can hold on! I wish DC would put some resources toward attracting and keeping retail alive there.

I'm not sure I can think of a worse use for tax dollars than subsidizing Lord & Taylor.

Far more people now live EOTP, and they now have many more options for shopping that aren't so far away. Even if the richest DC residents are still nearby, the balance of purchasing power that keeps stores in business has shifted. Meanwhile, NIMBYs prevent nearly anything from changing in nearby neighborhoods.

If people near Friendship Heights want nicer things, they should allow more homes to be built WOTP.

Adding hundreds of micro apartments in millennial dormitories isn’t relevant here, GGW. No one needs an Orange Theory and SweetGreen every 50 yards.

Then don't complain when your stores close.

We miss and wanr replacements for Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, maybe Gucci, H & M ... no one is pining for $27 hand crafted cocktails with ethically-sourced mint garnish in FH.

You're missing the point. My dollars, and all the dollars of people EOTP who had little choice but to trek to FH, helped to support those places for years. Many of us didn't much like shopping in FH back then, either, but it was the best option we had. Now there are more of us, with more dollars, and we no longer need or want to travel that far to access these same stores. There are the same number of you, because you won't let any meaningful amounts of new housing be built anywhere nearby. The balance of purchasing power has simply shifted.

Sorry to break your bubble, but you're more dependent on the Sweetgreen-eating riff-raff than you think. This is all just evidence of it.

[Anonymous]

Meh, I left FH a few months ago. City Center and Tysons invested in the future, FH tried to hold onto the past.

[Anonymous]

I'm just puzzled at the number of posters who miss H&M. What would adults buy there? Maybe you miss being able to buy fast fashion for your teens?

[Anonymous]

I'm clearly the odd one out because I adore FH. I lived and worked in Georgetown for seven years, and would often drive to FH. I like that it's less crowded and I like the shopping choices. Now I'm in Bethesda and it's still my go-to place. It's just easy. Street parking isn't impossible. I like perusing Rack. I grab lunch at Booeymonger. Love L&T, World Market, and Bloomies. I find the underground connections convenient, too.

FWIW I was born and raised in 20016 and 20815 and obviously still live locally. I wonder if the area just feels like home to me?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm just puzzled at the number of posters who miss H&M. What would adults buy there? Maybe you miss being able to buy fast fashion for your teens?

I miss it bc it was a convenient place to grab clothes for my preschoolers, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm just puzzled at the number of posters who miss H&M. What would adults buy there? Maybe you miss being able to buy fast fashion for your teens?

There's an entire section of workwear that no teen in her right mind would be seen in so obviously there's an adult clientele.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love friendship heights but am increasingly worried. I hope the lord and Taylor can hold on! I wish DC would put some resources toward attracting and keeping retail alive there.

I'm not sure I can think of a worse use for tax dollars than subsidizing Lord & Taylor.

Far more people now live EOTP, and they now have many more options for shopping that aren't so far away. Even if the richest DC residents are still nearby, the balance of purchasing power that keeps stores in business has shifted. Meanwhile, NIMBYs prevent nearly anything from changing in nearby neighborhoods.

If people near Friendship Heights want nicer things, they should allow more homes to be built WOTP.

Adding hundreds of micro apartments in millennial dormitories isn’t relevant here, GGW. No one needs an Orange Theory and SweetGreen every 50 yards.

Then don't complain when your stores close.

We miss and wanr replacements for Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, maybe Gucci, H & M ... no one is pining for $27 hand crafted cocktails with ethically-sourced mint garnish in FH.

You're missing the point. My dollars, and all the dollars of people EOTP who had little choice but to trek to FH, helped to support those places for years. Many of us didn't much like shopping in FH back then, either, but it was the best option we had. Now there are more of us, with more dollars, and we no longer need or want to travel that far to access these same stores. There are the same number of you, because you won't let any meaningful amounts of new housing be built anywhere nearby. The balance of purchasing power has simply shifted.

Sorry to break your bubble, but you're more dependent on the Sweetgreen-eating riff-raff than you think. This is all just evidence of it.

I don't think that's why stores are closing; it's forces larger than population density as it is happening all across NYC as well. Plus lots of the stores that pp mentioned moved to Bethesda, not downtown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm clearly the odd one out because I adore FH. I lived and worked in Georgetown for seven years, and would often drive to FH. I like that it's less crowded and I like the shopping choices. Now I'm in Bethesda and it's still my go-to place. It's just easy. Street parking isn't impossible. I like perusing Rack. I grab lunch at Booeymonger. Love L&T, World Market, and Bloomies. I find the underground connections convenient, too.

FWIW I was born and raised in 20016 and 20815 and obviously still live locally. I wonder if the area just feels like home to me?

I live a couple of blocks from L&T so FH is definitely home to me. I do think there was a better mix of stores at one point, when there was a Borders, Linens n Things, Filene's Basement, Loehman's eventually and even Stein Mart. But I still enjoy it and find it perfectly walkable. I go to Rack, DSW, TJ, Maxx, World Market and Booeymonger regularly. And my kid loves Cheesecake Factory and Maggiano's and the movie theaters so we do that too.

Yes, the mix of stores has declined and the restaurant offerings could be better. It would improve with more sidewalk focused storefronts. But I still thinks a decent shopping area and it's not dead, yet.