Forest Hills Connection | News and Life in Our DC Neighborhood

Covering Forest Hills, Van Ness, North Cleveland Park and Wakefield

Van Ness DC’s ‘rock ‘n roll’ Burger King is to close

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by Katherine Saltzman

The owner of the Burger King franchise at Van Ness has told local officials that the restaurant will likely be closing within months.

The Burger King, known for its rock ‘n roll and 1980s-90s movie décor, has been at 4422 Connecticut Avenue for 35 years. In a late July email to ANC 3F, Mark James, a vice president with franchisee Potomac Foods Group, said the site had become too expensive. Upcoming expenses include a building renovation required by Burger King corporate, and a parking lot repaving using permeable materials, as required by a 2016 zoning regulation.

This Burger King location is famous for its movie décor.

In the email, James said the landlord had been notified of the Burger King franchise’s plans to leave. The property is listed for lease by KLNB Commercial Real Estate Services. Matt Skalet, a leasing agent, did not respond to a request for an interview. Neither did James nor the lawyers representing Potomac Foods in its application to extend the special zoning exception for use of the parking lot Burger King shares with ZIPS Dry Cleaners, Flagship Car Wash and Bread Furst.

The businesses need the zoning exception because the parking area lot is zoned for residential use. The extensions are usually good for three or four years. But late last year, Potomac Foods sought a nine-year extension. With an expensive building renovation in its future, its representatives said it wanted assurances the parking lot would remain available.

“The parking lot plays a crucial role in the successful operations of the restaurant and therefore, the continued use of this parking lot is necessary in order for Burger King to remain in this property and operate as a restaurant,” said Karina Sigar from Troutman Sanders LLP, the law firm representing Potomac Foods, during a DC Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) hearing on March 7, 2018.

With the backing of ANC 3F and the Office of Planning, the BZA approved the application, under the condition that the parking lot be repaved within three years of its order.

Burger King would have left 4422 Connecticut two years ago had Chick-fil-A succeeded in its plans to open a franchise there. But in 2016, DC Public Space Committee denied Chick-fil-A’s request to operate a drive-thru at the location.

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Comments

  1. With all the changes throughout the years to this area that I grew up in, the Burger King is one of the few constants. I’m not even a big fan of Burger King, but I have a lot of memories at this location, and it is the only drive-thru (at least that I can think of) in upper NW DC.

  2. I agree… It is very nice to have the drive through available. Also, it is nice to have a place to eat that isn’t expensive. Contrary to popular myth, not everyone who lives in the area is wealthy. A lot of us are living on fixed incomes. I will miss the convenience and the lovely view from the upstairs dining area.

  3. And now, thanks to the geniuses on the DC Public Space Committee who denied Chick-fil-A’s request to operate a drive-thru at the location, there will just be another vacant store front that will sit there forever..

  4. For a handicapped person the convenience of the Drive-Through is invaluable.! Even when I was more moble It was just easier to contain the chaos inside the car when getting food for la back seat full of children. When working in the neighborhood it was often easier and more restful to go through the drive through and then park in the shade on a side street and have a little picnic lunch in peace and quiet . My question is:: WHY is this the only drive through around. I am not interested in parking and going inside. I would just like a nice, convenient, reasonably priced DRIVE-THRU.

  5. The wise citizens who opposed the Chick Filet because of “whatever the could think of to stop someting” have once again deprived the community of a valuable and much desired resource. When will these people stop their constant meddling ?

  6. I just went there (9/19/2018) and someone working there told me they are not panned to close. It seemed like she had been asked the question before, and nonetheless said that her manager specifically told her that they were not closing.

    • Interesting! And I’m sure our ANC commissioners will find that interesting too, given that this came up while they were checking in with the franchise about the District’s parking lot repaving requirements.

  7. Seems like a lot of people commenting here think the only two options for this space are the current Burger King or the failed Chik-Fil-A. How about a healthier food option? How about a place that’s not closed every Sunday? How about a corporation that doesn’t discriminate against the LGBTQ community? Do people not know they can walk .7 miles to the Tenleytown Chik-Fil-A for their precious greasy chicken sandwiches? Chik-Fil-A got their permit denied. Please get over it.

  8. I am interested in all the 80’s memorabilia inside that burger king including movie posters and statues. Someone please contact me to acquire said items! Email: joecarr202 @ gmail.com

  9. The Burgerking has been a constant in our life. 25 years ago with a back seat full of small children it was the fastest place to get lunch on the run. When I worked in the area and had only 1/2 hour for lunch it was a godsend. Now that I am handicapped and need a walker and have problems negotiating stairs. It is much easier to stay in the car. And they have decent hamburgers. and very good chocolate shakes. It takes very little to keep me happy. The convenience of the only Drive-thru in the area should not be removed .

    • We’ll look into it. If they stay, the franchise has to pay for a parking lot upgrade and remodel the interior, which were two expenses it didn’t want to bear back in July.

  11. It seems a little interior work has been done. The exterior signs either don’t work or have very dim bulbs.

    Any updates?

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