A retail chocolate and coffee shop is coming to the long vacant Weichert Realtors building in Woodmont Triangle.
Heather Giuli, who bought the two-level brick building at 8003 Woodmont Ave. for $2.2 million in November, said she will open Bethesda Chocolates on the ground floor.
The build-out will take at least a few more months. But once finished, Giuli hopes to have a handmade chocolate shop similar to Trafton’s Chocolates in Virginia Beach, where she worked. It will also offer coffee.
“Chocolate and coffee will both be sold, but it’s mainly a chocolate shop,” Giuli said. “It puts a smile on everybody’s face. Bethesda could really use a homemade chocolate shop.”
At Trafton’s, the specialties were chocolate truffles, chocolate seashells and peanut confections. Giuli said she’ll have more details on what Bethesda Chocolates will offer as she gets closer to an opening date.
The 8003 Woodmont Ave. building is just outside the footprint on which developer JBG plans to build a 17-story, 495-unit apartment building known for now as 7900 Wisconsin.
It also was not included in the sale of properties to the north, where Douglass Development bought 8004-8006 Wisconsin Ave. (former Ranger Surplus store) and 8013 Woodmont Ave. (KNL Beer & Wine). The developer will likely pursue a mixed-use residential and retail building there.
The 8003 Woodmont building was built in 1960 and has access from Woodmont Avenue. It also a public parking lot next door. Crews have already been inside to clean it out, but much work remains on the 5,000-square foot space. Giuli said she’s looking to rent out the top floor.
Footprint image via Montgomery County Planning Department
