AJS has been keeping me apprised of skyrocketing property assessments for businesses across DC, telling me about how the owners of The Black Cat are wondering how they are going to stay in business and is very concerned about how any small or start-up business is going to survive. One of our favorite long-time restaurants, AV Ristorante Italiano, closed its doors in July (but was bought out, a related exception). Will all the eclectic, fun, and colorful places we love around DC fold and be replaced by Globalized, soul-less chains?
This hit home for me today in a different way today. I was referring a co-worker with a high-school-aged son (who has an artistic bent, but needs some guidance) to Franz Bader Books, a wonderful, small, art-and-design bookstore (est. 1963) that's close to GWU's campus downtown. While searching for the street address, I found Jerry Lebo's blog and learned that it's CLOSING. This year. Within months.
If this is so widespread, what will DC look like in a few years? Will we even recognise it?
Here's a link from DCist.com that tells you how AJS really feels.
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9 hours ago
It's so sad to see those business go. I have such a hard time finding truly local buyers, I often have to resort to internet shopping to avoid chain stores. And that is just not sustainable.
ReplyDeleteUm, not buyers. Sellers. I'm the buyer. Duh. More coffee please.
ReplyDelete