Gaylords to Leave Downtown Bethesda, Cites Parking Problems with Current Location

Downtown Bethesda's Gaylords Lamps and Shades is getting ready for a cross-town move.

It's closing up shop at 7833 Woodmont Ave., where it's been for about four years, and readying to move to 5272 River Rd., owner Mel Levinson told Patch. In preparation for the move, the store is holding a massive sale, with discounts up to 60 percent on some items.

Why the move?

Well, as the "lost our lease" signs in the store's windows suggest, the rent on Woodmont Avenue is indeed high, Levinson said, but it's the parking situation that's ultimately forcing the move. 

"Parking is a big problem around here," Levinson said. "If the parking had been better, then the rent wouldn’t have been a problem."

Gaylords sells lamps and other lightening fixtures, which aren't easy to carry off to a parking spot blocks away from the store. And, customers bring in lamps for Gaylords to fix, but without a parking spot out in front, it's a hassle to get lamps into the store, Levinson explained. 

At the new location, there'll be plenty of parking—which will be good for the business.

Moving is nothing new for the store, which moved to its current location four years ago, said Levinson, who bought the store—established in 1953—about 14 years ago.