Archive for December, 2006
Businesses That Survived the Test of Time in Silver Spring, MD
December 21st, 2006 Categories: Real Estate, Silver Spring Neighborhoods
I am amazed at several businesses that have survived and thrived the rise, the decline, the fall and the current surge in popularity of Silver Sprung, Md. As a native of Silver Spring, I have lived, gone to school, played and worked here all my life. I’ve seen the good the bad and the ugly times in Silver Spring.
There are several places in Silver Spring that are gone but not forgotten by me, such as Billy Boy’s Subshop, The Hecht Co., Hahns, Eddie Leonards, the bowling alley, the smell of the Heidi -Giant Food Bakery, the Hot Shoppes, the Old Armory Building, The Trojan Horse night club in the Holiday Inn, The Galaxy Room night club and Fire Fountain Restaurant in the old Sheraton Hotel, my Texaco Gas Station (on the corner of Wayne & Georgia), the Drug Fair, Solar Plexus, London Cleaners,Villa Rosa Restaurant, Kushner’s, Sakura Palace, Hofberg’s Deli, Fred & Harry’s, The Wachapreague, and Giffords.
Most of all I miss the Citizens Bank Building (my dad had his Woodside Realty Co Business on the 3rd Floor), this is where my brother and I watched the Thanksgiving Parade every year with an incredible bird’s eye view from our warm window perch, 3 stories above Fenton Street, we thought we were the luckiest kids in the world!
Some Silver Spring Businesses that have survived and still thrive:
Crisfield’s The Original at Georgia Ave & EW Hwy with the “Early Bathroom” Decor still serving up the best seafood in the area since 1944. A great article about funky old Cristfields from 2003, an article from December 2006 and their website.
Mamma Regina opened in 1974. The name was changed to SERGIO”S in 
1989 by the owner Sergio Toni who is still on the premises almost every night. Sergio acquired the restaurant in 1982. The quality of the food has not changed, this restaurant is always packed! I would give it an A for it’s romantic upscale atmosphere. Sergio’s has survived how many hotel ownership changes? Has been in the same tucked away location (the very bottom/basement of whatever hotel is there at the time – currently the Hilton)
Douglas Speed and Sport opened on Fenton Street in 1963. The Shop sells Racing and High performance Car products. The owner Larry Lint says 40% of his Business comes from Drag Racing Customers, 10% comes from Truck parts and the bulk of his bussiness is selling to muscle car and restoration enthusiasts. He says that this part of Fenton Street has gone from “a sleepy back street” to gridlock in just the past year.
Viccino’s Open since the early 1990’s A popular, no frills, laid back, nothing fancy, “hole in the wall” on Sligo Avenue at Georgia (across the street from the newer Jackie’s) with plastic red checked table cloths, fake flowers and Excellent Italian food.
Hannigan’s Auto Body Jim Hannigan and his brother opened up Shop in 1958. They come very highly recommended and are well known for their satisfied customers. Hannigan’s is located on that teeny tiny road in Silver Spring named after the famous horse Selim (933 Selim Road, Silver Spring, Md 20910). People rave about Hannigan’s ability to match paint and their resonable prices.
Corner Pub A pine panelled institution in 4 Corners known for it’s casual sports bar crowd and really good pizza. The owners are somehow related to the original Fred and Harry’s folks (the Pub is in the basement of the former Fred & Harry’s Restaurant in Four Corners)
Woodmoor Bakery actually named “Woodmoor Pastry Shop” A Real Bakery in the 
Woodmoor Shopping Center since the early 1950’s. No need to say more about this shop –Just HOMEMADE cookies, pastries, pies and cakes made by people doing this for almost 50 years. YUM!
Santucci’s stands for Delicious and homemade with care, also in the Woodmoor Shopping Center, This tiny Italian Deli and Sub shop deserves mention here too, for surviving with the chains like Subway, Jerry’s and McDonald’s only steps away from it.
Atlantic Guns The original location opened on Bonifant Street in 1950. Still owned by the same Family, since 1950, they still do a brisk business (which is surprises me) and now have a second location in Gaithersburg. The only complaint they have about the Silver Spring location is the lack of parking spaces near the gun shop.
Thai Derm another unique little place tucked away on Bonifant Steet with the best 
thai food around, the original owner has been there since 1982. The interior of this restaurant and the superb food quality has not changed in the 24 years they’ve been there.
The Auto Shoppe Randy Rodman, an expert Mercedes auto mechanic has been in business in Silver Spring for over 30 years, He started out in a tiny location across from Montgomery College on Fenton Street extended. Recently moved to a much larger spot on Philadelphia Ave, just 2 blocks away.
Headlines Hair Designers started out as a small shop in the early 1980’s The owners, The Everline Family, occupied a space in an old building on Roeder Road. They have sinced moved twice, first to First Avenue (at the back of Georgian Towers) and then to their “huge state of the art” current location at 8740 Georgia Avenue (the front of Georgian Towers).
These businesses MUST be doing something right! If I have missed any Business Survivors in Silver Spring, Please let me know, as I am sure I have!
UPDATE: How could I forget these?
Thanks for reminding me!
The Golden Flame opened in 1972 – Owned by the Mamarus family. Their Greek food is still wonderful and resonably priced and they have a good happy hour!
Sniders Super Foods Local, Small, Very Friendly, Unique and not your average big Chain Grocrery Store. Their website.
Silver Spring Stage in Woodmoor Shopping Center opened Over 30 years ago. Something I never knew was that it was built in a previous BOWLING ALLEY !
White Oak Bowling Alley Still in White Oak Shopping Center. Opened in the early 60’s? Duckpin bowling and a snack bar – still takes me back to the 60’s. Now the only Bowling Alley I can think of in Silver Spring?
Tastee Diner Opened in the 40’s on the corner of Wayne and Georgia. I can’t forget those shabby, falling apart booth seats in the place (kinda added to it’s charm)before it moved to it’s new home on Cameron Street.
Mi Rancho opened up in the Old “3 Aces Restaurant” Space at Ramsey Avenue and Fidler Lane in the early 1990’s at a time when we had no really decent restaurants in Silver Spring much less any mexican restaurants. Became very Popular and still is!
Hoover Fisher Florists in Woodmoor Shopping Center in Business for over 50 years occupies a really cool looking corner store of the Shopping center.
Chaconas Florist on Wayne Avenue – I think I remember them having a shop on Silgo Avenue many years ago? Or maybe that was Vincent Agnes Florist?
Bell’s Florist – The grandaddy of Silver Spring Florists Same family since 1947. The Mangum Family have always been active Silver Spring Boosters.
Plaza Arts Store – What a Cool place to wander around in and I Love their CAT. The cat must be ancient though, I can’t remember NOT seeing it for the last 15 years. Silver Spring Daily Photo has an awesome photo of the shop with this cat in the window! This is going way back, but before Plaza Art, it was LITTMAN”S or LIPPMAN’s art and framing.
Dale Music – Since 1950 People are amazed that this little shop has survived, but they do have a website, maybe that has helped them in this day and age. Also word of mouth and having a niche in the business has helped too. I know people that have traveled from DC, PG and NorthernVirginia to this unique little store.
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What’s Up with Home Features for 2007?
December 18th, 2006 Categories: Homebuyer, Houses in Silver Spring, Real Estate, Real Estate Market
December is when publications like to forecast upcoming trends for the new year. Mark Nash, author of a number of books on real estate, has come up with some good ones, based on a survey of more than 900 industry professionals.
Here’s some of the features homeowners should be looking to put in their dwellings in 2007: Upscale garages. “It’s no longer the out-of-sight-out-of-mind dumping ground. Today’s garage owners want them decked out with cabinet and storage systems, mini-refrigerators, insulation, heating and air conditioning and durable but residential-looking flooring.
” Man caves and Mom caves.”Personal dedicated space for one person in a household where they can go and work on projects or chill without being disturbed.”Two home offices. “Rising gas prices and commuting times have created more two-work-at-home families. Size matters, make sure each is at least ten-by- ten feet.” Rejuvenation rooms. “A one-stop space for exercising, meditation, yoga, sauna and fancy steam showers. Showers are going upscale too. Waterfall fixtures, programmable temperature.” Heated patios, walkways and driveways. “Northern baby-boomers are tired of shoveling and are looking for ways to decrease winter maintenance, plus many have discovered how also heating the patio can add an extra couple of weeks enjoyment in spring and fall.”
Snoring rooms. “Adjacent, second bedrooms to the master, offer relief from the buzz saw and an alternative to the couch. A godsend for millions of relationships nationwide.” Modular Housing. “Many think of the out-dated double wide as the typical modular, but modular options and quality have exploded from the top end 11,000 square foot home, with every whistle and bell, complex finishing details.” Sustainable Design. “Energy conservation, indoor air quality, and resource conservation. Natural forms of energy, such as wind, solar, and geo-thermal if available on-site, are maximized.”
Structured wiring. “Right up there with all the buzz about green homes is structured wiring, now entering the main stream must-have for technology based home buyers. Coaxial TV cable (RG-6), Category 5E voice and data lines, distributed radio, remote camera security are wired through out a home into multi-outlet boxes called in the trade, home network centers.” Mixing finishes on kitchen base and wall cabinets. “Matchy-matchy is out in kitchen design. The new look is to have stained-wood bases and painted wood upper cabinets. The old-Europe-look rules, but with today’s appliances.”
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Lots of New Faces Ditching the Burbs and Heading to Urban Condo Frontier
December 13th, 2006 Categories: Homebuyer, New Construction, Real Estate, Real Estate Market, Silver Spring Condos
Are you part of the demographic trend that’s driving the rising cost of condos in recent years? According to the NAR (Nat’l Assoc of Realtors), increases in condo values have recently begun to outstrip those of single family homes for the first time ever. NAR says that between 2001 and 2004, condos appreciated at a whopping 57% to the skimpy 25% of single family homes.Â
Changing Middle class lifestyles and demographics are one factor behind the shift, economists theorize. The Census Bureau reports that there has been a decline in nuclear family households in the US, which was 40% in 1970, to a mere 24% in 2000.
Designing a more streamlined living situation has become increasingly desirable for single parents, divorced individuals and busy retirees, as well as the single professionsals who were drawn to condo life when they first appeared in the early 1980’s. Why tie yourself down to a suburban yard and commute, condo-converts reason, when for some big bucks more, you could live in an urban setting and spend your time doing other things?Â
The good news is that lots of new condos are being built for those willing to pay the price. The potential bad news, warn economists, is the possibility that the rise in condo values may be attracting speculators, who hope to cash in quickly, while the market looks hot. Some markets, like Chicago, are already facing a glut of condos. Not so, here in Silver Spring, MD where our market was HEALTHY - Stats for us are here in a previous post. I am polishing my crystal ball with questions about what will happen with the Silver Spring’s Real Estate Market next year? Anybody have any ideas on the subject?Â
Thumbnail History Lesson: During the late 1980s condo values in some areas, fell by as much as 50%, during which time single family home values dropped by less than half that amount. It took almost a decade for condo prices to go back up. Food for thought.
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Interest Rates Continue to Fall - Happy Holidays to Home Buyers
December 12th, 2006 Categories: First Time Homebuyer, Homebuyer, Houses in Silver Spring, Real Estate, Real Estate Market
Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Survey reports the average interest rate on a 30 year fixed rate mortgage to be 6.08 percent for the week ending December 7th. This is down from the previous week’s 6.14 percent and the LOWEST RATE this year since mid-January.
“Continued signs of slowing in the housing market and weakness in the manufacturing sector helped keep mortgage rates down this week,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist.
Is a new home on your wish list this holiday season? The falling interest rates can help make your wish a reality. Visit the Silver Spring Team Homesearch Site to view all Silver Spring and Surrounding Area real estate listings. And give us a call. We have the expertise, knowledge and experience to make your new home a Reality! Also from a previous post why Holidays are the Greatest Gift to Homebuyers.
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Wacky, Wierd and Wonderful? Historic Forest Glen, Silver Spring, Md gets long awaited Face Lift
December 1st, 2006 Categories: Forest Glen, Houses in Silver Spring, New Construction, Real Estate, Real Estate Market, Silver Spring Neighborhoods
Hats off to the SOS (Save Our Seminary) folks in Forest Glen. I used to love driving through there on my way to Bethesda. I took their tour in the mid 1990’s. It was like entering another world, wierd, wacky, whimsical and wonderful all at the same time, it reminded me of that old amusement park in Baltimore off Rt 40 called the “Enchanted Forest”. At the time I took the tour of the grounds, the Army was trying to let the place decay, so they could get the buildings condemed and tear it all down. The small handfull of people at SOS have been tireless and perservered for years against the United States Government, the US Army and the County. They deserve a ton of respect for what they have accomplished!! It just goes to show you what a few passionate people can do when they hang in there. The housing development looks like it is going to be FABULOUS.  
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There are three types of New Homes almost complete and ready for sale.Â
The most expensive are the large 2 Level “Courtyard Homes” on Linden Lane and are priced starting at 865,000 with 2600 square ft of finished space and garages. Click here for the Listing Details of the FORSYTHE Model.
Townhouses on the new Ament Street start at $852,495 with garages, and are 4 Levels with rooftop terraces backing to trees. Click on this link for the listing details of the TALBOT Model.Â
On another part of Linden Lane are Townhouses starting at $648,000. These townhomes also have 4 levels and a fireplace but no garages.  Click on this link for the listing details of the NEWCASTLE Model.
The architecture is incredible and unlike anything in the area including Tudor, Spanish Mission and Arts and Crafts styles. It will be exciting and interesting to see how the restoration of the old historic structures goes. There are also condo units available now in the old Ballroom, they start at $419,000
Websites and Info:                                                 Home sales and Site Plan for National Park Seminary Informative Website about the History, The Place, The People an the Save Our Seminary Organization. The Washington Post Article from January 2006. Some Totally Awesome Photos of the Seminary from a very gifted DC Blogger. Be sure to scroll down to see all the photos - you won’t want to miss any! More photos and Another Silver Spring Bloggers article about the Seminary
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