More Restaurants And Other Small Businesses Coming To Silver Spring
By Silver Springer • Jul 27th, 2007 • Category: Arts, Food and Entertainment
One reader sent me a message stating that even more restaurants are coming to Silver Spring. In fact four new shops are taking up space all over and a few are Cafés.
- Rainbow Café: Rays the Classics will be getting a new neighbor that’s applied for a wine and liquor license with a hearing scheduled for August 16th.
- Crescent Café and Pharmacy: The reader also points out that it’s an upscale care pharmacy (what ever that means). So there’s two new Café’s for your drinking pleasure.
- Ghar-E-Kabob: Finally a new kabob house will be opening in the small strip mall next to the Crescent Condos where the thrift store used to be.
In a n unrealted note, Bus Boys and Poets will be opening two more locations in the D.C. area, one of them is in the Shirlington area of Va of all places but as for the other who knows or cares where it could land?
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Isn’t Crescent Cafe the one going in the new Crescent Condo building on Wayne? It’ll probably just be your typical 7/11 type place that all condos have. Think Lenonx Park at Colesville and East West Hwy. A Kabob place, seriously? no thanks. I’m more looking forward to Fudruckers. With any luck Rainbow Cafe will be “gay” which the area totally needs.
Why so many restaurants? I would like some shopping. How can all these restaurants remain sustainable without stores to balance them out?
Yes, and is there really such a unmet demand for kabob houses? We just got Moby Dick a block away. Not to mention Lebanese Taverna.
We have to give the people what they want right? Countless comments have people crying for more restaurants. Food is also our entertainment.
I’m still holding out for a Dave and Busters, Laser tag place, PC game tournament Cafe’, paintball arena or another Nightclub.
Anybody remember the old Rio Center in Gaithersburg before the stupid theaters? That’s what City Place could use.
As for the Kabob house location, I was really hoping that non-descript strip mall would be torn down and replaced with a nice slim tower to cover up the Ghastly Crescent condo building.
Where exactly is the Rainbow Cafe going? Is that a chain?
I bet they’ll stop building more restaurants when they’ve built enough that there’s no longer enough customers per restaurant to pay their rent… and one by one the least popular restauarants will move out, until the population stabalizes and the remaining businesses can pay their bills. They’ll also probably build more shopping when enough people stop shopping at wheaton plaza and shop in downtown SS - or to say, not very soon considering the state of city place or the number of vacant storefronts still available in the “Downtown” development. Ya know.. supply… demand… all that stuff from high school economics class.
And the Bethesdifcation of Silver Spring continues. Great.
“Comment by Silver Spring Penguin
Made Friday, 27 of July , 2007 at 10:07 am
Where exactly is the Rainbow Cafe going? Is that a chain?”
Right next to Ray’s, don’t know if it’s a chain.
It’s hard for Downtown Silver Spring to prove itself as a retail destination when so many other (more auto-accessible) shopping areas exist nearby - Wheaton Plaza, Rockville Pike, even the shopping centers in White Oak-Calverton. After all, most trips in Montgomery County are still taken by car. When density increases further in DTSS (office population, but also residential) there will be enough people who aren’t already closer to Wheaton or White Oak or Rockville to provide a substantial consumer base for Downtown.
I hope that makes sense. In the meantime, it’s Restaurant Row for Silver Spring. (But Busboys and Poets? Becoming a little chain would probably dilute whatever makes it so great.)
IHateYuppies… Your commentary would probably be better accepted if you presented a coherent argument for your case rather than just a not-so witty one liner. What exactly are you against? And what are your proposed solutions for whatever it is you are against? Is it the idea of national chains and franchises rather than small businesses? If that is the case then I’d suggest you don’t patronize those establishments, but instead visit some of the MANY small restaurants in downtown. There are numerous non-chain restaurants of every variety - Thai, Indian, Chinese, American, Mexican, etc … I for one am personally excited about next year’s openning of the Hook & Ladder brewpub in the old firehouse. Hook & Ladder, for those who don’t know, is a local Silver Spring (outter silver spring.. wheaton part of the world.. not downtown) based microbrew that is sold in numerous establishments around the area - they are openning a brewpub next spring in the old firehouse on georgia ave - not a chain. So.. if that’s not your problem, as I can’t seem to figure out what is from your one liner, perhaps it’s increasing rents in the neighborhood? Few things tick people off more than when they can’t afford the nice things coming to their neighborhood, generally they spout out witty remarks indicating that they’d rather it was still a dump. Be that the case - please let us know what your proposed solution is. Rent control? That would result in zero new development, and the rental units that exist turning into condos. The rapidly growing population of the region would then be forced to more into less sustainable developments nowhere near transit, causing more traffic and pollution. In fact, in the free market world in which we live the best solution to rising prices, a direct effect of supply & demand, is to increase supply - which seems to run contrary to your general sentiment, although as I’ve said, it’s quite hard to figure out just what that is. I don’t try to argue that urban renewal is difficult for long time residents of any community, and it’s happening all over the country as we speak. But we do live in a free society, and development will naturally occur where there is demand for it. That being said, unlike the natural demand for sprawling suburbs, it also serves the greater good by settling more people in sustainable communities that are serviced by transit, as it shown by metro phenominal ridership growth in the past few years. So if you have something legitimate to debate, please speak up and I would love to be engaged in intelligent discussion. But I, for one, am quite sick of seeing people with alias’ like “iHateYuppies” coming out with non thought provoking, cliche one liners containing absolutely zero useful substance.
“Comment by Silver Springer
Made Friday, 27 of July , 2007 at 10:00 am
We have to give the people what they want right? Countless comments have people crying for more restaurants. Food is also our entertainment.
I’m still holding out for a Dave and Busters, Laser tag place, PC game tournament Cafe’, paintball arena or another Nightclub.”
Laser tag and/or paintball/airsoft would be great, although no one minds when we play in McKenny Hills every blue moon. I would prefer an urban field, like an abandoned parking garage or something outlandish like that. In an unrelated note, whats with that old car garage with the pictures on it across from Discovery? From what I understand, it’s not being used for anything.
Dude, you totally misunderstood my comment. I meant that there is too much building of restaurants. Bethesda is famous (or notorious) for its over-supply of restaurants.
How about some more office development so we can have more jobs in Montgomery County? How about more entertainment venues? How about more choices for shopping locations?
But I will respond to a few points:
PaulinSS: And what are your proposed solutions for whatever it is you are against? Is it the idea of national chains and franchises rather than small businesses?
It would be great if big corporate chains were wiped off the face of the Earth. Click my heels, make a wish and blow out the dandylion, right? It’s not just Silver Spring. Many areas in the DC area are getting gentrified; that means higher rents on the tenants. Small independent businesses cannot afford to maintain their businesses in high-rent districts. I don’t like it but that’s Economics 101, right?
PaulinSS: So.. if that’s not your problem, as I can’t seem to figure out what is from your one liner, perhaps it’s increasing rents in the neighborhood? Few things tick people off more than when they can’t afford the nice things coming to their neighborhood, generally they spout out witty remarks indicating that they’d rather it was still a dump.
You know what fucking tick me off, Paul? When people like you don’t give a rat’s shit about working people. I get really sick & tired of higher-income professionals (YUPPIES) who feel that only THEIR economic interests count in the community. You note “supply & demand” in your post, right? In case you lived under a rock for the past five years, there has been an enormous housing price bubble in the Washington, DC metro region. Bubbles are an example of irrational supply & demand behavior. Silver Spring has been affected with this problem. Housing prices have DOUBLED from 2001 to 2006. Starting prices for condos in Silver Spring are out of reach even for single income earners under $75,000 per year. The real estate trends in the Silver Spring have really hurt middle-class families, working/service class families and young professionals just starting out.
Because of this, Silver Spring is LOSING its diversity. More immigrant families, more low-income families are moving to affordable communities where there is higher crime, poor public transportation choices, and few job opportunities in close proximity. This is the by-product of the “supply & demand” model that you so cherish. We get more wealthier white people at the expense of losing minorities and middle-class and working-class people. Gee…wow, Silver Spring is sooooo hip now.
We don’t live in a free society, Paul. Everything is dictated by the almighty purchasing power of the dollar. Income inequality is increasing at records levels in the United States. Health care is failing working and middle class families. Economically disadvantaged kids are sent to die in Iraq. Corporations are ass-fucking workers out of healthy pay increases, vacation and sick leave, and health insurance plans. Professional jobs that require college degrees are being out-sourced to India, Russia and other emerging market countries. This stabs into the heart of middle-class America. Of course, that’s just supply & demand, right? Why do you think in poll-after-poll, the majority of Americans think our country is heading in the wrong direction. People are fed up with politicians. People are fed up with the decreasing quality of life in this country. And making communities unaffordable is a big.
Getting back to my point. The bottom line is that I should have the right to live anywhere I please regardless of my financial situation. People should not be FORCED to relocate because wealthier people are buying up properties and real shopping choices are appearing in the community. This might sound like socialism to you. What can I tell you? We need radical changes to make our country and Silver Spring a better place for EVERYONE.
“Comment by thecourtyard
Made Friday, 27 of July , 2007 at 11:47 am
It’s hard for Downtown Silver Spring to prove itself as a retail destination when so many other (more auto-accessible) shopping areas exist nearby - Wheaton Plaza, Rockville Pike, even the shopping centers in White Oak-Calverton. After all, most trips in Montgomery County are still taken by car. When density increases further in DTSS (office population, but also residential) there will be enough people who aren’t already closer to Wheaton or White Oak or Rockville to provide a substantial consumer base for Downtown.
I hope that makes sense. In the meantime, it’s Restaurant Row for Silver Spring. (But Busboys and Poets? Becoming a little chain would probably dilute whatever makes it so great.)”
Dan, on the economic totem pole, retail is the bottom feeder. The hierarchal scale goes Office, Residential then retail. People follow the Jobs (office), the retail follows the people and the jobs go wherever they damn please (or where ever the most incentives are). Jobs more than any other economic force causes a migration; shifting people and making a place a destination of importance.
Silver Spring is the very former, a primary business hub in the D.C. area (at least for now) and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
At over 7 million sf of office space this is what Wheaton and others wish to be. This urban district is what happens with smart planning, age and being created before a car centric society doesn’t hurt.
You could argue that a retail commercial center tries to ascend to become an office hub along with a minor mix of other uses.
At this level you can command higher respect on many levels in relation to the economics, like crime, economic status, and level of importance that a retail center or residential neighborhood can’t. You become a destination and not bedroom community. It’s also easier to revive these areas if they go into decline. The only way they go into decline is neglect and abandonment, adjacent neighborhoods that leave a lot to be desired or both.
In summary I’m glad Silver Spring is not a strip mall or one big shopping center like, wheaton, Rockville Pike or the White Oak-Calverton neighborhood s of Silver Spring (LOL, who the hell aspires to be that place? Plus the FDA is greatest thing to happen to that area in its existence, these are jobs and research that are far more valuable than the retail centers there.)
I really wish Montgomery County government and some residents would stop worshiping residential and retail as the godsend that will save all, while dismissing the all underlying reason why people even move here or why it’s wealthy…jobs.
“Comment by Tim
Made Friday, 27 of July , 2007 at 9:12 am
Isn’t Crescent Cafe the one going in the new Crescent Condo building on Wayne? It’ll probably just be your typical 7/11 type place that all condos have. Think Lenonx Park at Colesville and East West Hwy. A Kabob place, seriously? no thanks. I’m more looking forward to Fudruckers. With any luck Rainbow Cafe will be “gay†which the area totally needs.”
This is what I’m afraid of with the Cafe, you hit th nail on the head though, I was thinking one of those non-descript stores at Lennox Park or Alexander House.
Silver Springer,
Your earlier comments about jobs being the driver simply isn’t borne out by evidence presented by Crystal City, the Carlyle section of Alexandria, where the Patent office moved but hasn’t brought any vibrancy to the area after-hours, or the countless downtowns in American cities where the offices are based, but pretty much die after the office-crowd leaves. I disagree with any heirarchical blue-print that purports to be the panacea. A successful downtown is an elusive mix of offices, residences, retail, entertainment and a certain “buzz” that is generated and prompts people to choose to go and spend their time/money there.
anonymmouse: Of course, a successful downtown is a mix of uses, but the strongest economic areas emphasize office space. Their long-term health is much more stable, they bounce back more quickly because they have the right foundation, and they keep people on the street during the day.
Just look at the places that are seen as destinations in the area. Bethesda, Arlington, downtown D.C. Although Crystal City is a drab, it has never had any major crime issues that are anywhere near the level inherit of old predominantly residential areas in decline. The fact that it’s not pedestrian friendly with a highway running through it plays a part; it also has very depressing architecture.
Often times Montgomery County acts like the office component is unimportant, approving plans that reduces office space or eliminates it entirely and feels projects will become more vibrant areas with it and just having residential and retail is enough. This is a big long-term mistake.
The recent study from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that jobs more than anything else influence peoples moving decisions, not retail, not residential.
The quality of retail you get depends on the residential neighborhood, and the quality of the residential neighborhood depends on the amount of quality jobs in the area.
I don’t believe anything will be accomplished with name calling and petty arguments.
What Silver Spring needs is less development- how many more restaurants does a city really need.
Remember, with restaurants come a host of other problems- rats, smelly dumpsters, increase in water usage, delivery trucks blockings roads, and others.
The help will be low paid wait staff, with no benefits and probably commuters from the outlying areas.
If you were to opt for retail establishments, what are the citizens looking for.–
low priced discounts stores and dollar store, or high priced department stores and small specialty stores.
Again, there is the problem with increase of utilities– and delivery trucks,and low-paid workers.
Add to all of this- the problem that most malls are not disability friendly.
I suffer from COPD and must drive everywhere. I prefer small strip malls for most of my shopping or internet shoping. These large malls and stores are just too big for me and all that walking puts a strain on my lungs. Public transportaion is not disability friendly.
If I took the Metro to Silver Spring, I would have to do a lot of walking from the Metro- to all the variety of stores, the same applies to Wheaton and White Flint, and Montgomery Mall.
It is almost 1/2 mile from the Wheaton Metro to the Target and Giant Food.
Worse- once I finish shopping I would have to carry all those packages back to the Metro. Yikes–
So I think there are other issues that must be examines- and we have to look at the negative sides of any more retail establishments—more cars, more people etc etc.
Let us argue the points in a friendly civil matter and be happy with what we have while striving to improve our lives and thelives of those less fortunate.
I don’t know if Busboys and Poets is thinking about coming to SS, but if they do and it’s anything like thier other store (14th street), then we’ll have a great addition.
I went there very skeptical that this would be just another place where the extra-cool, ultra-thin laptop toting, too-thin rectangular glasses wearing crowd would reign…and I’d be served way overpriced food and drink with lousy service.
I couldn’t have been more wrong. Sure, there were the types described above, but there was an incredibly diverse and friendly crowd. The service was outstanding and the food very reasonably priced. They also give very nice sized portions (and I eat a LOT).
Let’s hope they find a home here…right now we only have Mayorga.
If Busboys & Poets opens up a place in DTSS, I hope it includes the bookstore. The bookstore has great books about women’s rights, labor issues, minority movements, and tons of Chomsky. Basically, a white Republican male would not feel comfortable in that place and that’s fine by me.
IHY’s description of the bookstore is accurate.
Unfortunately, their bookstore is way over the top liberal (this is my opinion as a liberal Democrat) with a good portion of the books and publications being ridiculously one-sided.
As we know, there is always another side to the story, no matter what your political pursuasion. The truth often lies in the middle.
Well, d’uh…Woodsider. The owner of Busboy’s is sympathetic to many leftist causes. He can sell whatever he wants.
If you want to find “middle of the road” crap, you have a better chance of finding that stuff at Waldenbooks.
Or gee, I can go to Books-A-Million. I hear they have 500,000 conservative books and 500,000 flaming liberal books.
Fortunately, the vast majority of Americans are “middle of the road” people who don’t subscribe to the extreme views of either side. We pick and choose our issues individually, not as a part of a platform. Too bad the politicians haven’t figured that out yet.
Hey, Woodsider, don’t you know that middle of the roaders don’t belong in Silver Spring? We’re too inclusive and diverse to have people who aren’t far left here. (There’s an Orwellian line!)
I Googled “Rainbow Cafe” and found a number of establishments by that name (ranging from a vegan restaurant in England to a gay restaurant in Orlando), but so far no evidence of a chain.