Two small but growing chains have found homes on Connecticut Avenue in Van Ness.
Dog Haus, a hot dog and burger restaurant and bar, is leasing the space at 4340 Connecticut Avenue that was previously occupied by Acacia Food & Wine. And boba tea proprietor The Whale Tea will open a shop a few doors down in the same building.
4340 Connecticut is also the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law, and the UDC Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve both leases at its June 8th meeting.
Asked during the meeting when the new businesses are expected to open, UDC Chief Operating Officer David Franklin said the hope is they’ll be welcoming customers within a year after their leases are signed. Franklin also said that since the university does not provide funding for tenant improvements, buildouts tend to take longer as the tenants must raise their own funds. Dog Haus, which will be occupying the patio as well, intends to spend $2 million on its renovation, Franklin said.
Franklin also announced that the construction of the cafeteria in the student center is complete, and that includes the Chick-fil-A and Fuddruckers walkup windows. They’re to open for business when the fall semester begins. Their current agreements have them operating during university hours, but “we’re going to look to modify that,” Franklin said, as he expects Chick-fil-A in particular will generate a lot of foot traffic, and limiting hours would limit the eatery’s revenue-generating potential.
Finally, Franklin said, each of these lease agreements includes job, internship and career opportunities for UDC students.
Celebrating their first business birthdays: Italian Bar (5008 Connecticut) and Flavor Garden (4400 Connecticut Avenue). Flavor Garden recently started serving brunch on Sundays.
A Sfoglina first: Residents had to leave the neighborhood for Sunday brunch until Sfoglina opened at 4445 Connecticut in 2016. (We now have a brunch bounty, thanks to Sfoglina, Flavor Garden, I’m Eddie Cano, Rosemary Bistro Cafe, Muchas Gracias and Laliguras.) In May, the restaurant launched a daily happy hour. Sfoglina’s bar food is pizza and focaccia.
A summer pop-pup restaurant returns: The owners of Italian Bar and I’m Eddie Cano launched Nantucket Clam Shack last summer. The lobster rolls are back. The concept is open for takeout orders Friday through Sunday, and limited “deck seating” will be available to the Shack’s customers July 4th weekend.
Calling all artists and performers: Art All Night will enliven our stretch of Connecticut Avenue on September 29th, and Van Ness Main Street is accepting applications from performers, artists and pop-up market vendors through July 14th. Artists of all ages are also encouraged to enter a contest to fill the blank Gopuff windows at 4221 Connecticut. The deadline to submit your proposal is June 30th. Three winners will be provided with the art supplies needed to fill a 40 by 72-inch canvas, plus a free one-year subscription to Gopuff’s Fam Membership including 10,000 Puff Points.
Forest Hills Connection is an editorially independent program of Van Ness Main Street. Editor-in-chief Marlene Berlin is currently serving on its board as interim president.
Say it ain’t so: A sign in Viet Chopsticks‘ window at 4304 Connecticut got Popville’s attention:
Signs of the Times https://t.co/nYgkGra2bY
— PoPville (@PoPville) May 25, 2023
In April, USA Today reported the most popular brand of sriracha, the tasty hot sauce that has spiced up many a bowl of pho, is experiencing an “unprecedented inventory shortage.”
Other social media mentions:
.@PhilRosenthal was at @BreadFurst filming for a DC episode of Somebody Feed Phil pic.twitter.com/C3zZ9L0N6j
— Eat DC: Rehoboth Beach Edition (@eat_dc) June 14, 2023
Big news! P&P at @thewharfdc is opening a brand-new store at 610 Water Street SW later this year. The last day to shop at 70 District Square SW will be June 4. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter for updates on our new Wharf location: https://t.co/Y4EJG9mV0k pic.twitter.com/uvvGD0TGup
— Politics and Prose (@PoliticsProse) May 17, 2023
Van Ness Burger King to a Compass Coffee would be quite the transition https://t.co/IUfoIZhLWK
— Jordan Pascale️ (@JWPascale) May 16, 2023
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