Business in Brief: Shop and drink local at pop-ups; Eateries move in, move out, and simply move

by Katherine Saltzman

Van Ness/Forest Hills

The pop-up game is strong here. There’s the Van Ness Holiday Pop-Up Shop, which will return to 4340 Connecticut Avenue over the next two weekends. On the weekend of December 15-16, holiday pop-up vendor Olde City Farm will be back at that spot, selling holiday greenery. And the Ibhana Boutique pop-up will pop up for the last time. Here’s more about that.

Another kind of pop-up is coming to I’m Eddie Cano (5014 Connecticut) tonight.

“Proud to announce our first pop-up with our good friend, neighbor and fellow Murch parent – the very talented David Strauss,” says the restaurant’s Facebook page.

Strauss is bringing his Mount Vernon bar Morris to I’m Eddie Cano from 7 to 11 p.m. The restaurant is usually closed Mondays, so the kitchen will be closed, but imbibers can enjoy cheese plates along with “a Desert Rose, a riff on a Manhattan with anejo tequila, carping antica, aperol, rosewater, and bitters, and ‘smashes’ with bourbon, red wine, lemon, and mint.” Read more at Eater DC.

Chevy Chase

Pumpernickel’s Bagelry & Delicatessen has moved. And it didn’t go far.

On November 1st, Pumpernickel’s (formerly at 5504 Connecticut Avenue) moved in with Arucola Osteria, one block north at 5534 Connecticut. In the new location, Pumpernickel’s sells its bagels and sandwiches Tuesdays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Arucola opens for dinner at 5 p.m. seven nights a week.

Jim O’Brien, the owner of Pumpernickel’s since December 2017, said that some of the deli’s best days have been in the new location.

“The building we were occupying was getting pretty old,” he told Forest Hills Connection. “I was worried that it would not be able to be used as it had been for the previous 30 years. It wasn’t really suited for a restaurant in the modern era.”

So, O’Brien contacted Arucola.

“I reached out to them and proposed that we join forces so that we could accomplish mutual goals to our mutual benefits.” No alterations or construction plans were made to the restaurant nor are there plans to do so, he said.

“When we are here, Pumpernickel’s is in operation, when we leave, we want it to look like we were never here. It looks like Arucola for all of their customers.”

Tenleytown

Out: Best Buy, which closed officially on November 2nd; construction on the Whole Foods parking garage; and Jimmy John’s:

In: Bandit Taco

It’s all about “fast-casual” in Tenleytown. As restaurants leave, new ones arrive to take their place.

Bandit Taco will replace Yobi, at 4629 41st Street NW. Yobi specialized in sushi, sushi burritos and poke bowls, and lasted only about a year. Yobi has sister locations, called Rolls by U, in Foggy Bottom and Arlington.

Bandit Taco is a relatively new addition to the DC food community. Its first location opened at New Hampshire Avenue and U Street in February 2017 and got a glowing review from The Washington Post:

“If the carnitas are king at Bandit, then the skirt steak is the heir apparent…. I’m hard pressed to think of a local taqueria that makes better carnitas or skirt steak tacos,” writes Tim Carman, a food columnist and reporter.

Cleveland Park

St. Arnold’s Mussel Bar and The Abbey launches a family happy hour

If you’re looking for a casual Friday evening with friends but can’t find a babysitter or want to bring the kids along, head to St. Arnold’s Mussel bar for Friday Family Happy Hour.

From 5 to 9 p.m. in the bar’s lower level, The Abbey, a kid’s meal is free with an adult entree. The Abbey has a kids’ area with games and activities. There are also happy hour prices on mussels and select half liter beers from 5 to 7:30 p.m.