Last month, Shoe World announced to window-shoppers that it would be permanently closing its doors at 1120 G Street NW. An ugly duckling among its neon-signed neighbors such as ESPN Zone, Planet Hollywood, and the Hard Rock Cafe, Shoe World isn’t simply the victim of Disneyfied development and skyrocketing rents: The store’s parent company, Pic ‘N Pay, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this past spring. But whereas most store closings are a bad sign for the surrounding neighborhood, G Street’s future looks positively grande, as in grande

latte with skim milk. A XandO Cosi bar/coffee shop recently opened across the street. Here’s a little comparison shopping between the departing discount shoe emporium and the newly arrived eatery: A XandO Cosi No. 10 sandwich with buffalo chicken, blue-cheese celery spread, and caramelized onions costs $7.25. A pair of Shoe World orange vinyl women’s sandals can be purchased for only $7. —Garance Franke-Ruta