I always feel really bad when an old restaurant or store closes, but then I realize that I haven't been there in years. I like the idea of them being around more than I do actually patronizing them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Incorrect. Amazon destroyed the big bookstores like Borders and Barnes and Noble. A place like P and P offers a different and unique experience (author signings and appearances, fostering a community experience etc). The indies are doing fine. People who just want to buy a book (or a toy) are going to go online.

Borders and Barnes & Noble destroyed the independent bookstores.

But, many of them are now thriving.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/23/business/independent-bookstores.html

Anonymous wrote:

Incorrect. Amazon destroyed the big bookstores like Borders and Barnes and Noble. A place like P and P offers a different and unique experience (author signings and appearances, fostering a community experience etc). The indies are doing fine. People who just want to buy a book (or a toy) are going to go online.

Borders and Barnes & Noble destroyed the independent bookstores.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not enough kids in upper NW DC to support a toy store. They can't even fill their schools there. That's why they need to have such a high number of out of bounds students at Wilson and Deal and Janney etc.

There are plenty of kids to fill Janney, Deal, and Wilson, it's just that many if not most of them are going to private schools instead.

Lack of kids isn't what closed Sullivan's, people are just getting their toys elsewhere, like online where it's cheaper and arrives at your door in hours. It's tough to compete against that kind of convenience.

I agree that people got lazy, but an effort could be made to save Sullivan's. People make a pointed effort to shop at Politics and Prose, because they don't want to wake up and see a void there. We need to save Sullivan's. And it doesn't sound like AU tapped into that, or they could totally have delegated some students to make a student project around saving Sullivan's. Zero imagination.

This is not how capitalism works. The "Amazon effect" is pretty likely the main reason for a place like Sullivan's go out of business. Politics and Prose is a very different business model than a toy store.

It's a book store! The MOST vulnerable to "the Amazon effect"..if the hood could save P and P, we could easily "save" Sullivan's.

Incorrect. Amazon destroyed the big bookstores like Borders and Barnes and Noble. A place like P and P offers a different and unique experience (author signings and appearances, fostering a community experience etc). The indies are doing fine. People who just want to buy a book (or a toy) are going to go online.

I think the pandemic and Amazon did a number on small business, and especially toy stores. Our family spent a bunch of money at Sullivan's this year (and at Child's Play), probably more than we ever have in the past in order to support keeping them open.

My favorite childhood toy store in Massachusetts that had been open for 40 years also closed this year. I think people want these stores in their neighborhoods, but ultimately don't do enough to support them when they are open or going through a tough time. It's easier and cheaper to buy from Amazon. But, then everyone gets mad when they close down.

Anonymous wrote:NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

My kids and I love Sullivan's. Their art section was great too. What now, DC? Ugh.

Barston's Child's Play on Connecticut Avenue -- twice as big as Sullivan's and a local business.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, no. I had not heard this about Sullivans. Really bad news.

The last time I was there (about 6 weeks ago), the merchandise looked terrible. The place was in shambles and lots of empty shelves. The person at the check out counter said that they were having supply and shipping problems. I wondered then if something was going on.

Does anyone remember the old Sullivans farther down the street, where Cathedral Commons is now?

Yes, I shopped at both. They were winding down the business--which is why the place looked like that. My sense is, like Johnson's, they tried their best and their talks with AU didn't "go through". Anyone up for a protest /March from Sullivan's to AU?

I would be there, PP!

Local residents have no idea what is about to hit them in the form of this "new and improved" stretch of Wisconsin Avenue, the heart and soul of Tenleytown. The Wegmans arrival will be a disaster in terms of additional cars and the suburban mindset of drive, drive, drive to every chain store known to man. AU is a horrible landlord - totally self-serving, non tax paying, and no investment in what they are doing to the community.

Meanwhile, we still have the disgraceful Psychiatric Institute of Washington.

Not the PP, but my chief complaint would probably be that they cannot keep tabs on the *alleged* murderers they house there.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/homicide-suspect-escapes-in-northwest-dc/2621562/
What is disgraceful about it?

Why are they using PIA in Tenleytown-AU Park? Isn't this the purpose of what remains of St. Elizabeth's Hospital?

Not to take this thread off topic, but I just read some Google reviews and I am surprised that it has not been sanctioned somehow. Some real troubling allegations.

I have personally complained about PIW’s care of a loved one to both the DC DoH and the Joint Commission. Neither one gives a flying F.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not enough kids in upper NW DC to support a toy store. They can't even fill their schools there. That's why they need to have such a high number of out of bounds students at Wilson and Deal and Janney etc.

There are plenty of kids to fill Janney, Deal, and Wilson, it's just that many if not most of them are going to private schools instead.

Lack of kids isn't what closed Sullivan's, people are just getting their toys elsewhere, like online where it's cheaper and arrives at your door in hours. It's tough to compete against that kind of convenience.

I agree that people got lazy, but an effort could be made to save Sullivan's. People make a pointed effort to shop at Politics and Prose, because they don't want to wake up and see a void there. We need to save Sullivan's. And it doesn't sound like AU tapped into that, or they could totally have delegated some students to make a student project around saving Sullivan's. Zero imagination.

This is not how capitalism works. The "Amazon effect" is pretty likely the main reason for a place like Sullivan's go out of business. Politics and Prose is a very different business model than a toy store.

It's a book store! The MOST vulnerable to "the Amazon effect"..if the hood could save P and P, we could easily "save" Sullivan's.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To support independent businesses in any industry you have to utilize them often. Competition with big chains is fierce. People know this but it’s so easy to not to do it.

So Starbucks, on the metro stop and always full of people could not eek out a profit in Tenleytown. Starbucks was also really the only daytime homeless shelter with the Library closed during pandemic.

I think you answered your own question. A starbucks filled with homeless people doesn't make enough money to stay open.

I stopped going to that Starbucks years ago, with the rats running thru and homeless splash showering in the bathroom. Out family also avoids theibrary and whole foods bathrooms, as a rule. Cheh really needs to focus on some housekeeping. We want small business and mainstays like Sullivans, and the main street also need to be appealing. Adding more density will only bring more traffic, trash, rats and homeless (I don't blame them. DC has no day shelters!)..and the powers that be don't seem inclined to address any of the quality of life issues just build build build the big box!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not enough kids in upper NW DC to support a toy store. They can't even fill their schools there. That's why they need to have such a high number of out of bounds students at Wilson and Deal and Janney etc.

There are plenty of kids to fill Janney, Deal, and Wilson, it's just that many if not most of them are going to private schools instead.

Lack of kids isn't what closed Sullivan's, people are just getting their toys elsewhere, like online where it's cheaper and arrives at your door in hours. It's tough to compete against that kind of convenience.

I agree that people got lazy, but an effort could be made to save Sullivan's. People make a pointed effort to shop at Politics and Prose, because they don't want to wake up and see a void there. We need to save Sullivan's. And it doesn't sound like AU tapped into that, or they could totally have delegated some students to make a student project around saving Sullivan's. Zero imagination.

This is not how capitalism works. The "Amazon effect" is pretty likely the main reason for a place like Sullivan's go out of business. Politics and Prose is a very different business model than a toy store.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Balducci's = local neighborhood character?!

Yes, it was used by the well heeled and students getting a bowl of soup to go. Ask anyone who lived here, people enjoyed shopping at Balduccis. I was a student and loved it.

So is Target.

NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

My kids and I love Sullivan's. Their art section was great too. What now, DC? Ugh.

Anonymous wrote:Balducci's = local neighborhood character?!

Yes, it was used by the well heeled and students getting a bowl of soup to go. Ask anyone who lived here, people enjoyed shopping at Balduccis. I was a student and loved it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To support independent businesses in any industry you have to utilize them often. Competition with big chains is fierce. People know this but it’s so easy to not to do it.

So Starbucks, on the metro stop and always full of people could not eek out a profit in Tenleytown. Starbucks was also really the only daytime homeless shelter with the Library closed during pandemic.

I think you answered your own question. A starbucks filled with homeless people doesn't make enough money to stay open.

We are "regular people" and we live here. It's not all stretch limos, geeze.