Amid a wave of businesses closing on D.C.’s H Street Northeast corridor, one local business is (literally) betting on the neighborhood.
Grand Central Sportsbook & Cafe, whose original location in Adams Morgan opened in 2021, has opened an H Street outpost at 625 H St. Northeast, in space formerly occupied by Korean restaurant Rice Bar.
Unlike the Adams Morgan Grand Central Restaurant, Bar & Sportsbook location, the H Street Grand Central is not a full-service restaurant, but it does have grab-and-go sandwiches. It also serves desserts from Clinton, Maryland-based Tissy Sweets Bakery — a Black woman-owned business, which dedicates a portion of its sales to a program that supports local children with special needs.
The H Street Grand Central has a liquor license, but is currently not serving alcohol. It is something it may add later this year, after getting a feel for the market.
It is the sixth sportsbook to open in D.C. since the city approved legal sports betting in 2020. Grand Central is the only business in the District with two sports betting licenses, and it was the first to add on-site sports betting under the new regulations.
Despite recent H Street closings, many of which were attributed to concerns about crime in the neighborhood, Grand Central’s owner said he is not deterred.
“As the first independent restaurant operator to be granted a Class B betting license, and the first to be granted two licenses in the District, we are proud to be part of the positive economic growth in this dynamic emerging H Street NE corridor, as well as the greater D.C. region,” said Grand Central owner Brian Vasile.
The H Street Grand Central location has four wagering kiosks and one wagering window. It has partnered with Elys Game Technology Corp. for the kiosks, digital sports betting technology and sports betting odds.
D.C.’s other sportsbooks include Over Under Sportsbook at the Cloakroom Gentlemen’s Club on the Southwest Waterfront, BetMGM at Nationals Park, Caesars Sportsbook at Capital One Arena and FanDuel at Audi Field. Maryland sports bar and restaurant The Greene Turtle plans a sportsbook venue in Georgetown, the Washington Business Journal reported.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
