College Park Business: Out with the Old, in With the New

Businesses always seem to be flowing in and out of College Park, and thanks to the latest edition of the city's Business Beat, we now have a definitive list of the comings and goings from the past year.

Let's start with the new: Among the businesses slated to open soon is Azteca, a TexMex-slash-Salvadorian affair scheduled to start serving hungry residents by the end of the month. (Owner Mario Orellana said that rumors of a special Cinco de Mayo preview are sadly unfounded.) Orellana also said the restaurant is outfitted with a liquor license, which is good news for locals mourning the stalemate in negotiations currently plaguing the .

Other businesses arriving in town include KeChic Boutique, a women's clothing store that will be holding its grand opening on Saturday, Clucksters, the reincarnation of former Cluck-U Chicken, Hookah Cafe, Looney's Pub, Yo Love and more.

In total, 21 new businesses opened their doors in College Park in the last year, including Ollie's Grille, Krazy Kabob, and a curiously named store called Vapor Underground, which apparently sells e-cigarettes.

Though the list includes some high-profile departures (, , and Santa Fe Cafe), the majority of the 22 businesses to vacate the premises did so quietly -- Red Hue Boutique, Quiznos and Hollywood Dollar, to name a few.

Also included on the list is , though Economic Development Coordinator Chris Warren said its status is not so much "departed" as it is "inactive." Repeated attempts to reach owner Kenny Titcomb have gone unanswered.

We're also interested in the fact that Goldstar and Congressional Commercial purchased eight buildings in the Berwyn Warehouse District. Check back later this week for more information on that transaction.

Read the Business Beat newsletter yourself as a PDF at right.