The signs on the doors and cash register confirm that it’s so: Soapstone Market’s last day will be December 31st, 2018.
Around this time in 2015, we wrote:
Our 2013 Van Ness retail survey revealed a hunger for a specialty market and deli selling prepared carry-out meals, and perhaps also employing a butcher for the more ambitious home cooks. A few respondents specifically mentioned Broad Branch Market as an example. Did the owners of the Chevy Chase market hear our cries?
We were excited about the news that Broad Branch Market’s owners, Tracy Stannard and John Fielding, were preparing to open Soapstone Market at 4465 Connecticut Avenue. Soon after its November 2016 opening, we discovered that beyond the bar, the prepared food and the groceries, Soapstone provided a much-needed “third place” – a neighborhood gathering place that had been missing before.
Soapstone Market will be missed. We knew that before we read the comments on Popville.
Stay tuned for more on Soapstone Market’s final weeks, and what’s coming in.
Pat Kasdan says
Oh, NO! Woe are we!!
Barbara Berman says
I am soooooo sorry. Enjoy going for breakfast, lunch and dinner and meeting a friend. Are you opening another near by?
Martey L says
I spoke to the owner yesterday who said something else would be moving in soon, another market with prepared foods.
as says
This is terrible news! I wish the owners good luck… I really enjoyed the market.. Hopefully they subleased it to an another restaurant..
C-C says
So, so sorry to lose Soapstone. My husband and I really enjoyed breakfast and a glass of wine sitting outside. We’ll miss you.
Stanley Hallet says
This is a great loss to the neighborhood. Besides providing excellent deli sandwiches and food, it was an excellent space for neighbors to just drop in and enjoy those gathering there. It will be sorely missed. Hopefully, a similar market offering many of the same services will occupy the space. Given the enthusiastic support for the market and it’s many customers, why are they closing? Ridiculously high rent? In Paris, the city actually subsidizes the rent of certain shops and markets deemed essential to the neighborhood.
Terri says
This is so sad. Caused by greedy landlord?? The store was very useful and within walking distance of my home. What a loss!
Michael Chorost says
This is very unfortunate and I feel really bad for the proprietors. Soapstone Market was a huge benefit to the neighborhood, providing a social space that had been missing, and I hope that whoever moves in will provide a similar service to the neighborhood. I was concerned myself that the rent could be ruinously high, and I hope that reasonable terms will be offered to the next tenants.
Green Eyeshades says
It’s not because of high rent. At least one employee told at least one customer that the landlord for Soapstone Market offered to REDUCE their rent.
Another employee of Soapstone Market told at least one customer that the owners of Soapstone Market set a goal of four million dollars ($4,000,000) in annual revenue and they decided to close because they did not hit that goal.