I really think the Safeway would be fine if they could revamp the deli, cheese, and seafood section. Its basically just the far left side of the store that's a disaster. The rest is decent for the size of the building.

I also wish the cashiers would prioritize speed over friendliness, but I'm a Bostoner.

From my house I can walk to CCDC, Friendship Heights and "beautiful downtown Bethesda". If CCDC had just a few more updated restaurant options -- not chains, please, something a bit different than what's in Bethesda -- I'd pick CCDC as a destination any day. Why? Because it feels like an actual city -- love the varied streetscape and rundown sidewalks -- and because the retail mix is perfect -- you can actually buy things you need there, as well as a few things you just want. Long live Child's Play, Ramers and Chevy Chase Wine and Spirits (those guys are knowledgeable and awesome)! God willing, they'll update the Safeway, and yes, a prepared food place with good quality and a little foodie appeal would clean up. There are thriving low-rise non-chain commercial areas like this in many cities -- especially in my hometown, San Francisco, and metro areas -- e.g., Boston and NY suburbs. Why can't we have this here?

There are plenty of other grocery stores in the area, and the Safeway is serviceable. Three Whole Foods and a Trader Joes within a 5 minute drive and a two Giants also within 5 minutes.

The main issue is the few really crappy restaurants and the condition of the tree boxes, sidewalks etc that could use some sprucing up.

Let's just get a decent grocery store and call it a day

What? Please move on to harassing other participants on other forums! You started all this with your snarky comments about sample suggestions for alternative dinning options. The whole point (as I clearly need to spell out) is that you made nasty comments about a post written suggesting we need some improved eateries on Conn Ave. I only stated that instead of making negative/snarky comments you should come up with your own suggestions, unless you want to just keep it as it is and then just express that desire. There is nothing beneficial in just making negative comments without any intelligence behind them. As to your LRF comment, (again I will spell it out) of course LRF will not open a second location less than a mile from their current one. If you read the fine print, they were suggestions for similar style places. I get that you can't see outside the box and need things explained. Especially since you then turned around and admitted that you referred to your own suggestion of LRF as a "crappy fast casual place". Time to give it a rest and reboot your brain for a fresh start tomorrow, when you can move on to a greasy breakfast at the diner and hopefully focus your negativity on another forum.

I know where you sad Little Red Fox because literally the very next post is mine and I said I didn't like the restaurants other than Little Red Fox, which is only .5 miles away.

And I'm guessing a comment taking me to task for not coming up with my own list of restaurants shortly thereafter is also yours, to which I replied pointing out that I had already made a suggestion. I the. Made the suggestion a third time, to which you replied sarcastically thanking me for finally coming up with a suggestion. Not sure why the third time is the charm.

I think you're the one who has a fantastic belief about what DCUM is for. You accused me of being unhelpful for not coming up with an alternative list of restaurants. What does that even mean? If we come up with a brilliant list, Jeff will go down to Mayor Bowser's office and get it done?

Ha! Nice roll back on your comments. I suggested Little Red Fox much earlier in the thread, but that is neither here nor there. Don't try to back track now. You said all my ideas where "crappy fast casual". Own the fact that you love the greasy pits existing on Conn Ave and that is ok, but don't get in a tizzy on an open forum that is built to encourage discussion of ideas. No one thinks discussing issues on DCUM creates a "policy option" or that a contributor is going to hop out and become a restaurant financier. The forum allows for the discussion and awareness of issues and ideas people wish to discuss. Neighbors expressing their frustration with a lack of preferred food options on an open forum is just that - a discussion and place for people to share their thoughts and create awareness.

Actually I made the same suggestion earlier in the thread. And I also explained that I did like Little Red Fox but it is literally five blocks from the strip already. And Pumpernickel is actually pretty good aside from the service but I haven't bothered making that point because so many people hate it.

In any case, I'm not really clear what it would mean to have a productive conversation about what to do with those stores. I hate Parhenon but it's not like I would advocate someone force them to close. If you're really determined to improve that stretch of CT, what you can theoretically do is finance the opening of a new good restaurant. There's no policy option to discuss.

And yes, I also agree the other amenities (library, post office, ups, paint store, nail salon, periwinkle, full of beans, etc) are great - and far better than many other neighborhoods in NW. It is just the food options that need help!

16:09 You are funny, or maybe just 12, but either way, funny. Thanks for finally coming up with a suggestion! Wow, that took a lot of huffing and puffing to get out of you.

I am not sure Little Red Fox and Bread Furst would consider themselves "crappy fast casual", but those are your words not mine. Hey, if you prefer and are content with the Diner, Pumpernickles, and Bread and Chocolate then that is your palette and you have to live with it. I prefer more refined options that are fresh, updated, and clean. Not much has changed in years and those options show it in the grim on their floors/walls, grease in their food, and staleness of their menu.

And BTW, sounds like we have similar ideas in mind - shut down the current crappy food selections and open nicer ones. Unfortunately, this means getting rid of a variety of stores not just the two you have in mind. Again sorry, if you would prefer Pumpernickle and the Diner to something like Little Red Fox or Bread Furst (both my suggestions and neither are a big chain), but that is your palette. I (and many people I know) would just prefer something more refined, updated, and cleaner. And yes, a good mixture of tasteful fast casual as well as sit down (mostly dinner/lunch) options. No neighborhood commercial district can survive on white table cloth sit down restaurants alone - you need the mixture to keep the foot traffic going through the day and night and to appeal to the masses. It's a basic concept, just update what is currently there - no big box stores, no fast food, just nice independent or mid-sized businesses that suit the needs of our neighborhood. Grab a cup of coffee, have a salad or sandwich with a friend or to go for lunch, dinner on a week night with the kids, dinner out Saturday night with your spouse. All would be popular options on Conn Ave from updated, fresh, and clean vendors. Macon, Blue 44, Jetties, and Capital Crab are a good start but more is needed to replace the existing bad options (including the two you mentioned) - Really shouldn't be to controversial (unless you just prefer what is there currently).

Anonymous wrote:In the avenue's defense, it does have some great things:

1) Children's place. That place is amazing.
2) Library. Right in the center of things.
3) The Avalon. Wonderful theater.
4) Dave @ the Exxon. That guy has saved me thousands.
5) Periwinkle and Full of beans. Gifts for kids and adults!
6) The fish store.

Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits has one of the better beer selections in DC
The paint folks at Monarch are quite good (the designers in the front are spotty)
The kids shoe store is good

For a tiny strip, it has a reasonable amount of useful stuff.

Side note: I think of that even smaller strip at Connecticut and Nebraska as having nothing as well and it occurred to me that it actually has eight places to eat. I think our perspectives may get a little warped living in this area.

In the avenue's defense, it does have some great things:

1) Children's place. That place is amazing.
2) Library. Right in the center of things.
3) The Avalon. Wonderful theater.
4) Dave @ the Exxon. That guy has saved me thousands.
5) Periwinkle and Full of beans. Gifts for kids and adults!
6) The fish store.

When is that gym opening where the video store used to be?

Anonymous wrote:Great 21:00, thanks for the insightful post (not!). How about some helpful suggestions vs. complaining about what options others throw out.

You: "I think this strip should have more crappy fast casual places."

Me: "I don't."

You: "But what about X, Y, and Z crappy fast casual places?"

Me: "No, I don't think we need those."

You: "OK, well not necessarily THOSE. Those are EXAMPLES. They could be different crappy fast casual places from the ones I named!"

Me: "But I don't think we need any!"

You: "Well, then why don't you be constructive and come up with your own list of things you don't think we need!"

That stretch of road actually has decent stores. I don't think it is a great location for either more fast casual than it already has, or for larger chain restaurants. I do think it can support several mid-quality or high-quality non-chain restaurants with relatively limited seating. And it fact it HAS that already. The problem is that several of them happen to suck. I would love to see Parthenon and Arucola close and be replaced with two restaurants more similar to Macon. But I don't have a specific restaurant concept that I'd like to pitch to DCUM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has any one tried the new crab place yet?

not open yet.

What is the new crab place and where?

See post at 07/18/2016 16:59