From Social Safeway to Sidewalk Safeway

Retail

From Social Safeway to Sidewalk Safeway

by David Alpert • June 16, 2008 2:28 pm

Georgetown's "Social Safeway" is interested in mending its pedestrian-unfriendly, suburban-styling ways. According to the hard-to-link-to Dupont Current (part one and two of the article), Safeway is looking to replace its one-story market that's behind a large parking lot with a two-story building at the sidewalk's edge. The first floor would contain smaller street-facing stores, possibly "a deli, sushi bar and Starbucks," with the larger market on the second floor and parking (265 spaces, up from the current 190) behind.

Photo by tiny banquet
committee on Flickr.

Might Safeway bring a similar kind of modern thinking to its 17th Street store? Georgetown's Safeway was last remodeled in 2003, says the Current; the 2006 renovation of 17th Street's Safeway is often cited as a reason they won't fix the problems with their poorly designed store there.

8 comments

Tags: 17th Street, DC, Georgetown, retail

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David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington and Greater Greater Education. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater.

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It's "behind" a large parking lot, not a large parking garage.

From the initial descriptions, this seems like a good idea, although the 40% increase in parking spots is troubling (and odd, considering that they never fill their current lot, even at peak hours).

I wonder if they're also thinking about using some of the Jellef Boy's Club land in the plan. I thought I heard that the city (i.e. Jack Evans) was trying to block the sale of the Jellef property, but I haven't heard much recently. I wouldn't be surprised if Safeway wanted to incorporate that land somehow in their overall plan.

by reid on Jun 16, 2008 3:11 pm • link • report

Oops, I meant parking lot. I knew it was a parking lot and not a garage. Not sure why I wrote that.

I was there once when the lot was full, but you're right, it's usually not.

by David Alpert on Jun 16, 2008 3:14 pm • link • report

And geez, who knew there was a Safeway at 11th and F? That's kind of surprising, given how few residences were down there back then (and now). I know F St. was a major retail destination back then, but I wouldn't think there would be enough residents around to support a grocery store.

by reid on Jun 16, 2008 3:28 pm • link • report

you might want to read about what Safeway is doing in California, and has plans to do elsewhere, which is creating these upscale "The Market," small-format (15,000 -to- 20,000 square feet) stores like the one in the story lionked below called "the market by Vons" in Long Beach California. Sounds like a good idea for the locations you mention.

www.freshneasybuzz.blogspot.com

Just look under May and June in the archives.ALso search on the blog Safeway The Market

www.naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com

May and June as well. Also do a search on the blog for Safeway The Market.

by Mica Banderous on Jun 16, 2008 11:41 pm • link • report

nice find -- i have been hoping for this change!

by DG-rad on Jun 17, 2008 10:17 am • link • report

Perhaps Safeway can also look into a shared parking arrangement with Einstein Bagels, which is right next to the Safeway property on Wisc Ave. This is also a suburban-style development on an otherwise urban corridor. Another consideration is making more of the parking spots available for smaller, compact cars since these cars have been the trend lately in the auto market and many people in Georgetown drive smaller cars. You'd be able to fit the same number of cars on less land.

by Ben on Jun 17, 2008 11:57 am • link • report

I work near this Safeway so I don't care what they do to the parking lot. My concerns are it's usefulness as a source for lunch, which is abysmal.

The salad bar...same stuff, day in and day out, and if you're not one of the first, you really don't want to put that stuff in your mouth.

The prepared hot soup table....they finally did away with the "sample" cups which were obviously several peoples' free lunch.

The hot deli bar. Have you seen this? About 6 steam trays of brown food. It all looks the same: unappetizing.

Try to find a cold soda or bottle of water in this store. And not that Dasani sewage either.

Employees...not too bad, some have the DC 'tude, but not all. Sorry you hate your crappy jobs.

Surly deli clerks. "Got any egg salad today?" "No!", NEXT!

Come on Safeway, some of us like to be healthy, more 1000 calorie sandwiches are not the answer.

by Fluxdoll on Jul 8, 2008 12:59 pm • link • report

Lest we forget: The original Safeway was right on Wisc Avenue (more walker-friendly and intimate), with Dart Drug next door. It was called the SOCIAL Safeway for the socialites and social people who shop there, and called the SINGLES Safeway for any pick-up action.

When they do rebuild, it would be nice if they could plant some big shade trees to keep our cars cool when we do drive.

by Liza on Jul 10, 2008 12:32 am • link • report