Photo: Who wants candy? Credit: J. Deseo/SSP.
A newly renovated storefront along Georgia Avenue has scored a sweet new tenant: Virginia-based Velatis Caramels.
The 143-year-old company signed a lease for 8408 Georgia Ave last week, Spiro Gioldasis, whose family owns the property, told The Penguin. (That’s right, this is the place that had trees growing out of it until recently.) By Saturday afternoon, Penguin reader Perry Tsay noticed the “coming soon” banner on the building, facing a busy bus stop near eastbound Wayne Avenue.
It’s unclear when the store will open, whether caramels will be produced on site, or if other non-caramel products — such as ice cream to go along with the company’s caramel toppings — will be available. (I’m on the case.) Velatis has two existing retail shops: the original groove in Maiden, near Richmond, Va; the other inside the Bethesda farm women’s cooperative market on Wisconsin Avenue.
Both of those joints have limited hours, according to the company’s website. The place in Virginia rocks the candy until 5:00 p.m. during the week, and runs half-days on Saturdays in December only. Sales in Bethesda run on the farm market’s hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays until 3:00 p.m., and “most Fridays” until noon.
It’s not yet known whether the Silver Spring shop will have longer hours or weekend operations. (I’m on that, too.)
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Heaven! I’m in heaven and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak!
I’m crazy enough to miss the building having trees growing out of it, but this sounds like something that will help me get over that pretty quickly.
Would you settle for gumdrop trees?
Happy to see an established indie business moving in. However, it’s getting to the point where someone might as well use a crane to take a boxcar of sugar from a train on the CSX tracks and just dump it into DTSS.
Any chance we will see an indie salad shop??
Yeah baby…give me the sugar high!
I agree with LMH: where are the healthy eats in Silver Spring? There’s enough heart disease, Type-2 diabetes and obesity joints on Ellsworth alone.
IHateYuppies has to watch his waist line so he can be skinny like a Yuppie.
That does it IHY, you and I should go into business together. Once I win the lottery. Of course, I would have to start playing the lottery first.
But the salad shop would have to come second. First we would need to open a business that would employ some ordinary folks — making/installing a solar panel/mini windmill combo? Seriously, if people are going to afford eating out, they need middle-class jobs. And when work is more tangible, the folks who do it are less likely to have a “yuppie” attitude.
There are, what, three gyms within three blocks in DTSS? Plenty of places to work that sugar off.
True wombat, plus a big salad bar at Whole Foods – or guess what? you can grow your own – who needs to buy it? Dandelion greens are free and plentiful all over SS.
I also noticed today a new sign on the former ReMax office building at the corner of 2nd & Fenwick near the main Post Office: Fenwick Beer and Wine will be “opening soon.” I had read that this was coming, but today was the first time I’d seen any real sign of it (no pun intended). Looks like it’ll be a good addition to the neighborhood since they promised the Woodside Civic Assn that this won’t be no Lottery ticket and 6-pack kind of beer and wine store. Nope, this is where you pick up a nice bottle of Argentinian malbec to pair with your filet mignon. I just hope that their prices are reasonable, although given the insane wine laws in this state and partic in this county that’s not something they’ll have much control over!
Editor’s note: Beer and wine?!? Mmmm …. JD (Sep 1, 2009)
Where on GA? What former building is this?
B if it isnt NEAR Ellsworth or @ GA/Ellsworth, it will struggle. If this is the bldg I think it is( next to the new CHina House) there isnt foot traffic here.
I love caramels but will this business do well? Places like this tend to be expensive. I think those who hang around SS or more likely to blow their $ @ AmericanApparel than on A $1.50 piece of candy. …Or perhaps ma/pa will but their kids Caramels instead of cold stone creamery?
Good luck,
Editor’s note: The caramel shop will be on Georgia Ave, between Wayne Ave and Bonifant St. It’s just two doors north of Piratz Tavern, and next to what was the Silver Spring post office back in the day (it’s a health insurance company now, I think).
That spot gets decent foot traffic. There’s a big office building to the north, plus Discovery Communications across Wayne Ave. There’s also a bus stop next to the storefront. Of course, that doesn’t guarantee success. We’ll see. — JD (Sep 1, 2009)
Velatis has a long history in DC and might be a place that people who remember it will make a special trip to. I’d recommend that you go read their website, but that would be cruel, because it would give you an AWFUL craving for caramels.
The old Velatis shop in DC was the subject of quite a bit of reminiscing in the WaPo in recent weeks, in John Kelly’s column. And yeah, it’s a location that gets a lot of foot traffic; I can see its roof from my office window.
There are healthy dining options in Downtown Silver Spring for those who exercise discretion. I’d put much of the prepared meals at Whole Foods in the healthy catagory. Mandalay on Bonifant Street has a wide variety of vegetarian dishes and you can even get a healthy meal at Chipotle if you choose wisely. Then there’s Asian Bistro and a few other places to get Sushi, and while some may not consider vegetarian Etheopian food particularly healthy, it is probably better for you than Chick Filet. My point is that although patentely unhealthy laces like the Fractured Prune, Velatis, and other places have garnered attention recently, there is a wide variety of options in DTSS.
A place that sells caramels with marshmallow filling? Right down the street from the Dor-Ne corset shop? Silver Spring is the best place in the world to live.
vrneu vhdr kaejrh? mmmmmmmm…
Editor’s note: Yeah, you can’t mention “corset” and “caramels with marshmallow filling” without triggering that kind of reaction. — JD (Sep 1, 2009)
Thanks, Brains, for listing the food options. Wombat, those 3 gyms are all pretty small. There used to be several indie martial arts studios in DTSS as well, but I don’t see them anymore. Maybe they moved.
For most people, the best chance for burning off the sugar comes from scurrying across the streets, in the crosswalks, with the walk signs. Trying to cross at a less-than-frantic pace will net you honking vehicles a hair’s breadth from you arm hairs.
A NY outfit set up several Chop’t Creative Salad Co. shops in DC and VA. If we’re gonna get another chain store around here, I hope they get a shot.
While we are reminicing on long time DC area food/drink icons, I think DTSS needs an M.E. Swings. My mother started buying coffee as a Swings downtown during World War 2. I got my breakfast there (coffee or iced tea and a scone) each morning I worked downtown. I love Swings. One morning when it wasn’t busy, I told the manager about Mom patronizing the company in the early 40’s and he said he had something special for her. He did up a coffee blend for me to take to her that used to be popular during that time period. She was over the moon. Great products, nice people, and a local company for getting close to 100 years.
I’d be excited if the sweet option was a Georgetown Cupcake… Caramels??? Ugh
Would love a regular old eatery like Sweet Green and a FroYo place…
Good idea, Terry. I’ve heard nice things about ME Swings. We are blessed with the unique Kefa Cafe, and I hope it stays strong forever. But I can never get a seat at Starbucks or at the Borders cafe. If I am going out for coffee, I want to sit down & enjoy.
Information on the Fenwick Beer and Wine Store, located at the coner of Second and Fenwick Lane. A sign is up coming soon and I did not see any information on your page.
Editor’s note: Penguin reader Steve mentions it above in the comments section. — JD (Sep 14, 2009)
The more new businesses we get, offering variety to offset our plethora of nail salons,the better! Here’s to a thriving downtown SS. The new Fenton Street Market is a great addition. Come out to the next one on Oct 3.