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What a difference a few years makes in Petworth. Housing prices on some streets have doubled. Luxury apartments have sprung up along Georgia Avenue NW. An upscale French restaurant sits a block down the street from a single-origin coffee shop.
And what a difference a few years makes for the neighborhood’s supermarket. Until it closed in 2012, the Safeway at the corner of Georgia and Randolph Street was one of the grimiest grocery stores in town, set behind a surface parking lot. This month, it’ll reopen on the ground floor of the new “Swift” residences, with a selection to reflect the changing face of Petworth (as well as the general desire for a decent supermarket).
The 62,000-square-foot store, set to open on June 27, will be Safeway’s second-largest store in the District. Next to the entrance will be a Starbucks coffee counter. An outdoor patio with seating on Randolph Street NW will allow shoppers to enjoy their sandwiches from the made-to-order deli or their sushi from the sushi bar. Whole Foods fans will find a familiar site: bulk oats, grains, flour, and the like. Unlike in other Safeway stores, pet medicine will be available.
The store will feature more than 500 wines and 350 beers—-but not on opening day. The liquor store across the street is protesting Safeway’s liquor license application. While Safeway may not sell wine and beer for a few weeks after opening, company officials are confident they’ll have their license soon, so they can stock the “local beers” section with more than 20 varieties.
Have a look around:
Photos by Aaron Wiener