BUSINESS
INS & OUTS BY R OBE RT DEVA NEY
IN: FANGYÁN, FASHION FROM ASIA, OPENS
Bonbons from Arcay Chocolates, soon to open on O Street.
IN: ARCAY CHOCOLATES ON O
And you thought this chocolate fad was over. Arcay Chocolates will open this month at 3211 O St. NW, the former site of the cat cafe, Crumbs & Whiskers. The chocolate machines arrived July 1, we are told. Chocolatier Anabella Arcay started the family business in Venezuela and moved five years ago to the U.S. and already has a spot at Union Market. The business tells us “Arcay Chocolates is a family-run and awardwinning chocolate studio in Washington D.C. With more than 15 years of experience, we offer an exquisite range of chocolate bonbons, bars and confitures.”
IN: LUGANO DIAMONDS AT ENO SPACE
Who knew that wine, cheese and charcuterie could lead to diamonds? Lugano Diamonds & Jewelry, designer and manufacturer of high-end, one-of-a-kind jewelry, took over the space once held by the Eno Wine Bar at 2810 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Next to the Four Seasons Hotel, the luxe jeweler was founded in 2004 and purchased by Compass Diversified two years ago for $256 million. Lugano has four other retail shops: Newport Beach and Aspen as well as Palm Beach and Ocala, Florida.
Lugano Diamonds & Jewelry is now open at 2810 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Courtesy Lugano. 10 JULY 12, 2023
GMG, INC.
East Asian fashion store Fangyán opened June 30 at 1057 Wisconsin Ave. NW in the ground floor space that used to be the AT&T store. The clothing store will feature collections from more than 15 Asian designers and labels, such as Mukzin, ZI II CI IEN and Fansilanen, in addition to its own brand of silk, wool and cashmere styles, including outerwear, swimwear, dresses and more.
IN: GEORGETOWN GARDEN SHOP ON O
Georgetown Garden Shop just opened at Robert Bell’s spot at 3214 O St. NW. Caroline Ervin is selling garden decor, small tools and accessories on the first floor and continuing her Landscape Design business from the lower level. Stop by and say hello. Check how this little commercial piece of O Street is getting revived.
IN: MUGSY ON M ST.
Ready for summer? Mugsy is — No, not the basketball player — but the super smooth jeans maker, which opened at 2922 M St. NW, where Keith Lippert once had a shop. Made with high-tech fabrics, Mugsy sells “the most comfortable men’s jeans ever,” it tells us, that are “infused with buttery softness and insane stretch. Mugsys are stylish jeans that feel like sweatpants.”
REOPENED: DR. MARTENS
Dr. Martens, the iconic footwear brand and retailer supplying chunky shoes and funky boots, has reopened after temporarily closing its store at 3108 M St. NW for renovation.
LA CHAUMIÈRE GETS NEW OWNER
Carol Joynt was first to report: “Owner Martin Lumet confirms he sold his popular #Georgetown #restaurant La Chaumière to a new owner, ‘who is French, of course,’ and the almost 50 yr old bistro ‘will keep its name, menu and staff.’ The sale is effective immediately, but Martin will be on hand a few more weeks.” “If it’s not broken, don’t change it,” Lumet told Washingtonian, which added, “He’s held fast to that guiding principle since he took over the country-style French restaurant in 2006, when its original owner, Gerard Pain, retired. Now, Lumet is retiring too, and has sold the business to new owners. But he says La Chaumière will continue to stay true to its roots.” The new owners are French native Gil Fornaris and fellow industry veteran Mike Connelly.
Caroline Ervin of Georgetown Garden Shop with shoppers on her opening day. Courtesy Georgetown Garden Shop.
SOON: GRECO TO MOVE INTO &PIZZA-AU PIED DE COCHON BUILDING
And first to report on Greco was Topher Mathews in his blog: “This month’s Old Georgetown Board materials hint at a new tenant for the historic Au Pied de Cochon space at Wisconsin and Dumbarton. Proposed signage for the space indicates that a Bostonbased Greek fast casual restaurant is coming. The restaurant is called Greco. And if you weren’t clear on what type of food Greco serves, the slogan helpfully clarifies that it’s ‘truly Greek.’ ”
EMPTY PAOLO’S SPACE TO BECOME ALARA
The long shuttered Paolo’s Ristorante space, most recently High Street Grill, will become Alara, a Turkish restaurant by Hakan Ilhan. Meaning “beautiful water fairy” in Turkish, Alara will feature seasonal menus and wines with a focus on the four Mediterranean coastal nations of Turkey, Greece, Lebanon and Israel, according to Eater DC. The prime restaurant space at 1303 Wisconsin Ave. NW is next to the newly opened Dig eatery, which took the smaller corner portion of the old Paolo’s, which closed in August 2018 after a 30-year run. Among Ilhan’s extensive portfolio is Brasserie Liberté, one block away on Prospect Street — along with Al Dente on New Mexico Avenue and Il Piatto at Black Lives Matter Plaza. Alara is scheduled to open in March.
OUT: LUSH
Purveyor of hair and skincare products, makeup and other fresh, vegetarian body products, Lush has closed at 3066 M St. NW. In 1996, the first Lush shop opened in Vancouver, Canada. Today, it has 269 shops in North America.
OUT: KINTARO
Kintaro at 1039 33rd St. NW has closed its doors. The intimate sushi spot was 10 years old and never recovered from the loss of business during the pandemic.
OUT: BANGKOK JOE’S AT WASHINGTON HARBOUR
ICYMI (we did): Bangkok Joe’s at 3000 K St. NW has permanently closed. Its farewell note three months ago read, “Thanks, D.C. Dear Friends: We are saddened to announce Bangkok Joe’s permanent closure. We kindly thank all of our supportive past patrons and appreciate the opportunities we’ve had to serve in Georgetown, DC. It’s been an honor to have shared our cuisine for the past 20 years. With Love, Chef Aulie Bunyarataphan & Mel Oursinsiri.” Bangkok Joe’s opened in 2003, home to the first “Dumpling Bar in the Nation’s Capital.”
Restaurateur Hakan Ilhan will open Alara next year. He is pictured at Il Piatto downtown on 16th Street-Black Live Matter Plaza. Photo by Rey Lopez. Courtesy Il Piatto.