Category Archives: Business and Money

Business and Money, News, The Daily Feed
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Coming to DC, Hold Your Applause, It’s UGG!

Photo courtesy of
‘Missing’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

OK, yeah, UGGs may be a bit of an eyesore, but gosh darnit if they aren’t the most  comfortable and warm shoe ever! And fashion be damned (sorry fellow WLDC blogger Kelly Collis Frederick) because this year’s rash of snowstorms really made owning a pair uber practical. So love ’em or hate ’em, DC will be getting its very own UGG Flagship store.  According to the Georgetown Metropolitan, the shop will be taking up residency in the prime UGG territory of 1249 Wisconsin Avenue NW in Georgetown.

Business and Money, Media, The Daily Feed
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Washington Post? There’s an App for That

Photo courtesy of
‘Lotus #67’
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

Online news site paidContent received reports this morning that the Washington Post is heading toward the Apple App Store. The new app, which will provide similar content as the paper’s online properties, should be available today for you to download to your iPhone or iPod touch. WaPo columnist Rob Pegoraro confirmed the news earlier this morning on Twitter.

As the post from pC noted, the application will run you $1.99, and this isn’t the first time a print outlet as done it as a paid version. The U.K.’s Guardian sold over 100,000 downloads of its $3.99 app in the first 10 weeks it was available, but its also worth noting that the New York Times has an app that is currently free (this may change further down the road when NYT moves to a paid-metered-content model).

I’ll toss this one to the crowd: Would you pay for a WaPo app or would you be more likely to download it if it was free?

Adventures, All Politics is Local, Business and Money, The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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No Metro Means Taxis Screw You Over

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

For some reason (I still can’t fathom why) the Metro closed at midnight on Friday and Saturday.  This meant that for the average person out on the town, taxis were the only option for getting home, and apparently cabbies got wind of this.  Instead of turning on their meters and offering their fares the normal rate,  drivers would jack prices up two and three times the normal, knowing that cab scarcity and the freezing cold would leave their patrons with little recourse but to accept the gouged prices.  This is illegal.  But, when the driver says “30 dollars to take you there” and pulls away when you inform him of the law, what can you do?  So, as one of those screwed-over patrons from last night, I offer a hearty “burn in hell” to the cabbies of DC.  Seriously, die in fire.

All Politics is Local, Business and Money, Downtown, Essential DC, News, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Fed Closed AGAIN!

Photo courtesy of
‘The White House’
courtesy of ‘william couch’

OPM has announced that the Fed is closed for a nearly unprecedented fourth day in a row.  The last time the government shut down for more than 2 days was for the blizzard of 1996, when employees were instructed not to report for an entire week (also the record for longest closure).  We’ll see if the fed decides to open for business on Friday.  I’d like to think that they’ll be able to, but God only knows, at this point.

Business and Money, Essential DC, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District
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Georgetown Shops Continue To Take A Beating

Photo courtesy of
‘Lotus #49’
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

The shops lining M Street and Wisconsin Avenue have had a turbulent year. We’ve lost American Eagle, Commander Salamander, Up Against The Wall, FYE, Smith and Hawken, Nathan’s, etc. However, we have gained North Face, True Religion Jeans, Arisu, etc.  A full survey from late January of the closings and openings can be found at Georgetownmetropolitan.com.

Now comes word from Georgetown blogger Carol Joynt that more stores are closed or in peril. According the Joynt, Benneton has already shuttered, Sisley is soon to follow and the Aldo’s “remodeling” is suspect.

Continue reading →

Business and Money, Essential DC, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District
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Up Against The Wall Follows Commander Salamander

Photo courtesy of
‘Mystery man #1’
courtesy of ‘Ed Yourdon’

Exactly one week ago, I posted the sad news that long time Georgetown staple Commander Salamander would be shortly shutting its doors. The only glimmer of hope was that sister shop, Up Against The Wall, was still opened and right around the corner. Unfortunately, today’s posting by local DC-Georgetown blogger Carol Joynt, announces that Up Against The Wall will be closing as well.

No word yet on if this means the entire chain is going under.  I’m planning on swinging by the shop today and seeing if I can find out further details.

All Politics is Local, Business and Money, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District, WMATA
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Another Near Metro Disaster & Potential Price Hike

Photo courtesy of
‘It has been a long day’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

As if WMATA hasn’t been in the news enough, today comes word that on December 10, 2009, a team of independent safety inspectors were nearly struck by a metro train at the Braddock Road Station. According to the Tri-State Oversight Committee, the inspectors “were forced to quickly scramble out of the way to avoid being struck.” Fortunately, no one was hurt.

The incident occurred shortly after Metro lifted a six-month ban on monitors accessing live subway tracks, and was only one of a long list of safety violations reported by the committee.  A summary of the report by The Washington Post stated that “Metro’s safety training was inadequate and that the transit agency needed to take “immediate, short-term corrective action” to ensure worker safety.” The Post also reported that WMATA is taking action to correct the situation and will hold a safety session with multiple transit agencies.

Additionally, we hear that the Metro Board will hold public hearings (to take place before a Jan. 28 vote) on adding a 10 cent surcharge to Metro fares. The increase in fares (from March to June 2009) would be an attempt to cover a $40 million dollar shortfall and to prevent significant cuts to both metro and metrobus service. Continue reading →

Business and Money, Crime & Punishment, News, The Daily Feed, The District
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Northface Store Robbed, Handgun Involved

Photo courtesy of
‘North Face Store, Georgetown’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’

Yesterday afternoon thieves entered The Northface Clothing Store on M Street in Georgetown, stole a large amount of merchandise and held the pursuing security officer at gunpoint before making their getaway.

At around 1:45pm, five suspects entered the store, removed a significant amount of merchandise, exited the store without paying and got into an awaiting dark colored, 4 door, Mercury Marquis parked on 36th and Prospect Streets. Then, according to Lieutenant John M. Hedgecock of the MPD, “The [Northface] security officer confronted the suspects within the vehicle. At this time, the driver of the vehicle pointed a silver handgun at the security officer and stated ‘back up’.” Fortunately, the  security guard, employees and passersby were not hurt during the incident. A description of the suspects is pending further MPD updates.

The theft is interesting considering October reports by My Fox DC and DCist that undercover MPD officers would be donning Northface apparel in an attempt to nab thieves. Wonder if the two are in any way connected. Continue reading →

Business and Money, News, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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DC Area’s Most Expensive Toll Road…

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

…will be the Intercounty Connector in PG and Montgomery counties.  The ICC, which will be completed next year, is scheduled to levy a $6.15 toll, each way. That amounts to around $0.35/mile, shattering the standing area record at $0.28/mile, held by the Dulles Greenway.  According to MTA, the exorbitant fee is necessary to cover road maintenance and construction costs.  If it makes you feel any better, the ICC will not be the most expensive road in the nation.  That distinction is held by SR-91 is California, which charges nearly $1/mile.

All Politics is Local, Business and Money, Food and Drink, Night Life, The District
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May We Have Separate Checks, Please?

Photo courtesy of
‘I take the fifth’
courtesy of ‘Lars Plougmann’

It has happened to everyone at some point or another. You’re sitting with a group of your friends at the end of the meal, and the waiter drops off the check. Some of you had drinks, you split an appetizer, and your one just-laid off friend only had dessert. This is going to be one heck of a check to try and divvy up. Finally, after some awkward shifty looks, someone brave picks it up, you dig around in your purse for a pen and the person of your left busts out the cell phone calculator. You pass the check around, and inevitably someone forgot to bring cash. You flip over the check, write dollar amounts next to your last names, and yet the bill doesn’t add up in the end. Someone gets shafted, someone else insists they paid what they owe when the obviously didn’t, and your friend that is the notoriously bad-tipper left 50 cents on a $25 bill. It’s just generally awkward all around and someone in the group winds up taking a big hit to the wallet. It’s an awful way to end a meal. Last week, after one terribly frustrating experience at dinner with a huffy waitress and paying in way more than what I owed, I finally had it. I decided that this issue of splitting checks in DC needed to be investigated, so I set about doing just that.

To begin, let me explain to you what I’m used to. In North Carolina, where I come from, individual checks are the norm. Generally you don’t even have to ask for them, but when you do ask for them, the waiter or waitress doesn’t blink an eye, and an itemized list appears with what you owe. Then you can tip on your total, and pay how you please – cash or credit. Unlike in DC, you don’t get a huffy waiter, and you definitley don’t have to scramble for pens or pound away on the cell phone calculator to divide the tax. Individual checks are just the way of the world down there – and maybe that’s not everywhere, but I’ve talked to so many people in DC that think it’s frustrating, annoying and unlike where they come from that I just HAD to investigate and write about it.

So I interviewed a bunch of people – customers, wait staff from some of the area’s most popular restaurants, managers and also the king of power dining in DC, Ashok Bajaj – and have finally come up with some answers. You may not like them, but at least next time you go out on the town with six of your closest friends, you’ll be armed with better information. Continue reading →

Business and Money, Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Closings: CPK, Vegetate, Yaku

Photo courtesy of
‘Vegetate Outside’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

While I was reporting a flurry of good restaurant news on H street last week, this week I’ve got a few bad news reports for you:

First, Vegetate in Shaw is closing at the end of the month, they’ve decided not to renew their lease and are looking for a new local.

California Pizza Kitchen on Connecticut Ave is closing, the Going Out Gurus reports that the BLT empire is bringing in an Italian concept in its place.

Yaku in Arlington, which I never particularly loved to begin with, is changing hands to become a Rock and Roll sushi club concept. Tim Carman over at Young and Hungry has the details.

All I’ve got to say here is that I hope Vegetate gets a new lease. I have a crush on their greasy vegetarian fare. The rest – eh. Such is life.

Business and Money, Entertainment, Fun & Games, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Ripping Off Childhood Favorites

hungryhipposripoff

Recently I’ve been spending a little too much time at my local CVS. Whether I’m filling an Rx, stocking up on 2 for 1 cans of chicken noodle soup or buying toilet paper, I could spend hours roaming the aisles looking at all the “As Seen On TV” offerings and discounted holiday supplies.

However, like the way too early holiday displays, I saw an item there that really busted my buttons. A ripoff of the dearly beloved, totally skillless, Hasbro children’s game Hungry, Hungry Hippos.

WTF! Is nothing sacred anymore? In the ripoff, titled Hungry Dog, the pups don’t have that marble crazy look in their eyes like the hippos.  And the very name of the game with only one “hungry” gives their sub-par dedication to manic marble chomping away.

So my advice to parents is don’t deprive your kids of the real-deal when it comes to classic kids games.  Spend the extra $2 bucks and buy the original.

All Politics is Local, Business and Money, Essential DC, History, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Final Commemorative Penny Makes Its Debut

Photo courtesy of
‘Lincoln in Illinois (2009 Proof Lincoln Cent)’
courtesy of ‘kevindooley’

This morning the U.S. Mint issued the fourth and final coin of the 2009 Lincoln Bi-Centennial One-Cent Program.

Despite the rainy, cold, miserable weather, coin enthusiasts of all ages patiently waited in line to be the first recipients of the special edition penny and to turn their hard earned paper currency into coin.

This final penny carries a special edition backside showing an unfinished Capitol Building representative of the divided union Lincoln presided over. The three previously issued coins feature the log cabin where Lincoln grew up, a youthful Lincoln reading on a rail post, and a young working Lincoln standing in front of the Illinois State Capitol (feature in the above picture).

All Politics is Local, Business and Money, Downtown, Essential DC, Media, People, The Daily Feed
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DC’s Fifty Most Powerful

Photo courtesy of
‘Don’t Let Mr. Emanuel Down 1680 x 1050’
courtesy of ‘sdpurtill’

Calling DC the “center of power” is about as cliched as a description can be, but, it is, never the less, a truthful description.  GQ has delved a little deeper into the power structure of our city and released a list of its 50 most influential occupants.  At the top is none other than Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s angry, 9 fingered, little chief of staff.  Speaking of Obama, he failed to make the list, but I’m assuming that the editors of GQ just assumed that he was a given.  The rest of the 50 are pretty much cabinet members, committee chairs and lobbyists.  No surprises, really.

Business and Money, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District
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Safeway Gets Web Savvy

Photo courtesy of
‘New Social Safeway Coming Soon to Burleith’
courtesy of ‘TreyDanger’

The Social Safeway has gone all social media on us, and got themselves a website.  Yes, we’re still only about half way through the nine month long renovation, but now we can track progress and developments.

The site offers a real time WEBCAM with time lapse, split screen and overlay functions, schematics of the supermarket and commercial area, and photos detailing the new and improved department offerings.

As a regular user of the former Social Safeway, I am pumped for the new grocery store and the additional offerings it will bring to an already vibrant and awesome DC neighborhood.

Business and Money, The Daily Feed
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Getting to 311 via iPhone

dc311.png

Congratulations to three local developers who won a $10,000 prize for their Facebook/iPhone application that hooks natively into DC’s 311 reporting structure. Using your iPhone, you can now report potholes or street markings that are missing, ask about trash collection, and report other things to the District that need a hand. Congrats to Victor, Andrey and Roman on their well deserved win!

Business and Money, Technology, The Daily Feed
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MSNBC buys EveryBlock

Picture 3.png

There are a couple of really amazing tools for combining local news, events, crime reports, real estate listings and photos all into a single geo-aware environment, but of them, EveryBlock is probably about the best of them. MSNBC.com announced this morning that they have purchased EveryBlock, for plans unknown. Congrats to former Washington Post Online guy Adrian Holovaty for the sale!

Business and Money, The Daily Feed
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Fenty Proposes Ballpark Tax Shift

Photo courtesy of
‘here’s a question for you two…’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

I would gladly pay you Tuesday for a Hamburger today, is what J. Wellington Wimpy from Popeye always said. Apparently now, Mayor Fenty wants to take Wimpy’s route, and use $50M from the Ballpark Tax toward the General Fund for the city over the next four years. The Ballpark Tax is charged to DC’s large and medium businesses as a way of financing the stadium’s purchase, and now those same medium and large businesses aren’t happy to see that money being diverted back to city coffers during the crisis.

All Politics is Local, Business and Money, News, The Daily Feed
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Reopening 7th St. SE?

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_7025’
courtesy of ‘Sean Robertson’

After the infamous Eastern Market fire two years ago, Mayor Fenty ordered 7th St. SE closed on weekends to make room for stalls displaced by the disaster.  As most of you know, the market reopened several weeks ago, and WaPo reports that store owners along 7th are requesting that the street be reopened.  They are concerned that parking and traffic difficulties resulting from the closure are limiting their business, most of which comes on weekends.  Stores along market row report a 35% to 75% drop in business since the road closures began.

Their pleas have caught the attention of the City Council, which plans to visit the issue in several months. For now, the government wishes for the street to remain closed to facilitate the revitalization of Eastern Market. 

It seems to me that the 7th St. closure shouldn’t have any effect on Market Row businesses.  There are many, many side streets in the area and ample parking on the blocks surrounding 7th. I’m not entirely sure why the closure of a single block would limit their number of customers.  Besides, Eastern Market is always packed.  According to the WaPo article, the majority of these businesses’ patrons are market goers. If anything, I’ve noticed an increase of people on the weekends.  I’m guessing that there are factors aside from the road closure that are hurting these shops’ revenues.  The economy?  Changing tastes and interests?  An increasingly younger clientele? It could be any number of things.

What are your thoughts on the matter?  Does 7th St. need to stay closed, or should it be reopened?