Reply to What’s happening to Bethesda, Montgomery Mall, etc.?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]For people complaining about the lack of independent boutiques in Bethesda and elsewhere, the simple truth is that that independent entrepreneurial spirit is lacking in DC, and has been for quite some time now.

That’s particularly true if you’re comparing DC to cities with trendsetting boutiques like Philadelphia, Richmond, Portland (maine and Oregon), not to mention NYC, et al. DC is very corporate and the business climate reflects that. There are however many independent boutiques in suburban strip malls that cater to various ethnicities, since the DC region is very diverse.

Old Town Alexandria does have some nice boutiques however. [/quote]

Baltimore has more boutiques as well. DC is not corporate per se, it’s just filled with people in Federal government jobs. These people aren’t exactly looking to break the mold or do anything at all to stir the pot. [b]So the retail options, especially fashion wise, are not as adventurous and eschew risk as well.[/b] New York is corporate, but there are a lot of boutiques in Manhattan. A lot of the people with money up there are less risk averse, and fashion follows suit. [/quote]

[u]Thank you. DC is very risk averse. This also extends to other areas too like food options, coffee shop options, etc. 90% of what’s out there follows a generic formula.[/u] So much fun experimentation in other cities. There are lots of Blank Street cafes and Compass Coffees but few indie places like Lost Sock Roastery (Takoma). There are tons of Tattes but few interesting indie bakeries. Instagram reveals the far richer selection that exists in virtually every other city.

True there’s lots of good ethnic food from recent immigrants, and a few good michelin star restaurants, but that’s all DC really has going for it. Our museum food is even outsourced to a generic provider of cold sandwiches and hot tea or bottled drinks.

At least Bethesda has a decent mix of high end casual chains like Tatte and a Maman. A new market segment, and wildly different from when the neighborhood was dominated by middle of the road but beloved local restaurants like Hot Shoppes, O’Donnell’s Seafood, Luigi’s, Szechuan Garden, etc. 
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