EMPTY HANDED: WE WANTED RETAIL, WE GOT IT. NOW WHAT?

We can't help but think they could have aimed higher at the Brentwood DC strip mall. After losing Kmart at the Rhode Island Ave site, a group of eight smaller stores will open instead at 901 Rhode Island Ave where Home Depot and Giant supermakert currently have stores.

Instead of one big-box retailer, the 55,000 SF will be carved up by eight stores. Almost half by A.J. Wright (a discount clothing store), Citibank (already got some of those), Radio Shack (this too), America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses (uh huh), Anna's Linens, Foot Locker (yup), Rainbow, and Downtown Locker Room (got it!). The stores are expected to be open by October.



How bout something, we dont have already, like a big box retailer -- Linens & Things, Circuit City, Old Navy and, yes, even Wal-Mart. Which according to the WaPo is looking at opening urban retail, where folks are willing to have them. Not here though. Spiteing ourselves we said "no."

The new stores will bring "a broader mix," Rick Walker, president of Walker Developments Inc. of Michigan, told the WaTimes. "The area lacking there was soft goods ... is it going to be as strong as a big box? Absolutely." If he asked "better than nothing?" DC Bubble would have enthusiasticly agreed, as of now the main source of enthusiasim comes from the developer.

pix by rllayman