Renaud Consulting helps restaurants, retailers and service businesses find space in Silver Spring, from downtown to the shopping centers along New Hampshire Avenue, Georgia Avenue and Layhill Road. Our Silver Spring-area leases are in those neighborhood centers. We serve Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland.
Downtown Silver Spring: A Tenant's Market
Downtown Silver Spring has had a hard stretch, and for a tenant that can mean more choices.
- Ellsworth Place lost two anchors and went into receivership after loan problems; reporting cited an appraisal of $68.5 million.
- Commas, the 13,000 SF food hall on Ellsworth Place's third level, has added vendors including Kellem Coffee, an Ethiopian coffee house.
- Downtown dining: Momiji Sushi & Izakaya recently opened downtown.
A second-generation restaurant space can cut build-out work, depending on what's left and what condition it's in. We check before you sign.
Sources: Washington Business Journal on Ellsworth Place; Connect CRE on the receivership; Source of the Spring on Momiji; The MoCo Show on Commas; Bethesda Magazine on Commas.
Where People Actually Go in Silver Spring
- An Eater 38 chophouse. J. Hollinger's Waterman's Chophouse, an Art Deco raw bar and chophouse at 8606 Colesville Road, is on Eater's list of the 38 best restaurants in the DC area.
- A restaurant with a mission. Emma's Torch, the nonprofit restaurant that trains refugees and survivors of trafficking as cooks, opened at 1200 East-West Highway and made Eater's list of the best new restaurants.
- The classics. Eater's Silver Spring guide sends people to Mandalay for Burmese food on Bonifant Street, Parkway Deli, Quarry House Tavern's burgers and whiskey, Zinnia, and Silver Branch's lager hall and beer garden on Colesville Road.
- Nights out. The AFI Silver Theatre and The Fillmore face each other on Colesville Road, and Veterans Plaza is downtown's public square for markets, concerts and events.
Sources: Eater DC's 38 best; The MoCo Show on the Eater 38; The MoCo Show on Emma's Torch; Eater DC's Silver Spring guide.
Silver Spring Is Bigger Than Downtown
Silver Spring covers a big piece of eastern Montgomery County, with grocery-anchored neighborhood centers well beyond downtown. Compare each center's rent, access, parking and customer base. Our Silver Spring-area leases are in centers like these.
- Lucky Silver Fountain, 5,473 SF at Aspen Hill Shopping Center (tenant rep)
- Quickway Japanese Hibachi, 2,036 SF at Hillandale Shopping Center (tenant rep)
Silver Spring Permits and Licenses
Silver Spring isn't a city. It's an unincorporated part of Montgomery County, so building permits and the Use and Occupancy certificate come from the county's Department of Permitting Services. The restaurant's food service license comes from Montgomery County Health and Human Services, and liquor licenses go through Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services and its Board of License Commissioners. Takoma Park, next door, is its own city with its own rules, so check the address.
Questions About Silver Spring Retail Space
What should I weigh when opening a restaurant in downtown Silver Spring? Compare rent, construction needs, customer access and permitted use for each space. Some come with kitchens already built, which can cut build-out cost and time, but equipment condition and landlord concessions vary by property.
What is a second-generation restaurant space? It's a space that was already a restaurant, so it usually has a hood, grease trap, plumbing and sometimes equipment in place. Taking one can save months of construction. We check what's actually there and whether it works for your menu before you sign.
Do you only work in downtown Silver Spring? No. Our Silver Spring-area leases are in neighborhood shopping centers like Aspen Hill and Hillandale.
Who do I call about Silver Spring retail space? Call Andrew Poncher, SVP and Director of Leasing, at (571) 765-4430, or John Marigliano, Senior Vice President, at (571) 765-4423.
Other areas we serve: Maryland, Washington, DC and Northern Virginia.