News & Notes: Feb. Business Beat Revisited
February 29th, 2012 | by Peter Schilling | Published in Businesses | 3 Comments
New Businesses:
- Hookah Cafe (next to Krazi Kebob on Lehigh Rd.)
- Sakurah Seafood Buffet (by AMF Bowling on Rt. 1, just south of 193)
- Sweet Green (University View II, ground floor retail)
- Auntie Anne’s Pretzels (UMD Stamp Student Food Court)
- Fox’s Pizza Den (former location of Alarios Pizza, by College Park Diner on Rt. 1)
- Ke’ Chic Boutique (Lehigh Rd. & Yale Ave.) – covered in Patch.
- Punch Copy (corner of Rt. 1 & Calvert)
- The Tech Spot (Rt 1, close to Big Planet Comics)
Coming Soon:
Downtown:
- Big Play Sports Grill
Once expected to open last fall, now scheduled to open in late March; former location of Vito’s Pizzeria. Operated by a UMD graduate; will be strongly focused on the campus sports scene with memorabilia from former standout athletes adorning the walls.
- District Dumplings
Scheduled to open in May.
Note that these two are both going into Terrapin Station, which has been somewhat of a revolving door for businesses in the past.
- Lime Fresh Mexican Grill
Lease signed: former location of California Tortilla on Rt. 1. East coast chain, Mexican grill that uses fresh, organic ingredients, and has vegetarian, low carb & low fat options. There’s already a location in Clarendon, and they’re planning to open another in Arlington, in addition to the one here.
Lease signed: former location of Santa Fe Cafe. Planning to open in late spring or early summer and feature live music, as covered by Patch and the Diamondback.
Three additional businesses, long in the works, are listed as “Opening Soon”. These will be ground level retail in the Varsity apartments.
- ChiDogO’s
Local eatery serving “Chicago style fare” (Italian Beef sandwiches, Polish Sausages, etc)
- The Frame Mender
- Yo Love Frozen Yogurt
Also going into the Varisty ground level later:
- Roti Mediterranean Grill
Lease signed: apparently opening this summer.
Going into Campus Village:
- Pho D’Lite:
Opening in April, a new venture from the owners of Hanami Japanese Restaurant. Described as “a unique Asian fusion concept that provides healthy options focused on Vietnamese soup and Southeast Asian delicacies”.
And then there’s this mystery Item:
- Newaabsaab Kabobs:
Scheduled to open in “Spring 2012”. Listed at the same address as Rita’s Italian Ice (8900 Baltimore Ave); let’s assume that’s an error for now.
A flurry of activity up in North College Park, at least compared to other times. We have three new businesses that have signed leases — no announced opening dates yet.
- Blue Tech Cleaners:
Replaces another dry cleaning business (9900 Rhode Island Ave) that closed last year.
Going into Hollywood Square (9925 Rhode Island Ave). Now this sounds very promising, especially if they could offer anything that approaches the kind of spicy, charbroiled awesomeness you can find at Sardi’s up in Beltsville.
- Chipotle:
Another location in the venerable nationwide fast casual Mexican chain is scheduled to open in “Spring 2012”. This is just north of the Beltway & Rt. 1 interchange by the Buffalo Wild Wings & Potbelly in the strip of businesses next to the IKEA.
February 29th, 2012 at 11:15 am (#)
Nice summary Peter. Thanks for taking the time to pull out the highlights.
Terrapin Turf should be interesting since its going to cost somewhere between $50,000 and $90,000 to install sprinklers in that location.
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February 29th, 2012 at 11:18 am (#)
“Scheduled to open in “Spring 2012”. Listed at the same address as Rita’s Italian Ice (8900 Baltimore Ave); let’s assume that’s an error for now.”
It’s (allegedly) opening in the same building as Rita’s, in the small space to the right as you look at the building.
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February 29th, 2012 at 10:19 pm (#)
I’ve heard from a few sources now that there’s room on that property for another business next to Rita’s. So that address for Newaabsaab Kabobs could be OK.
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