A Groupon message from Fat Shorty’s broke the news to its buyers that the Clarendon restaurant will close. Owner Aaron Gordon tells us that he’s in the process of selling the location at 3035 Clarendon Boulevard, and plans to shutter in two weeks. There’s no word yet on who will move in.
Gordon is behind other fast-casual ventures including Tangy Sweet and Red Velvet, as well as Drafting Table and Bar di Bari on 14th Street. While he transitioned concepts in the Clarendon space from the salad-centric Rabbit to sausages and beers at Fat Shorty’s, he says the operation wasn’t as profitable as hoped. When interested buyers started making offers, he took the opportunity to focus on other existing operations.
“I spread myself a little too thin, so I’m consolidating,” says Gordon.
We’ll update you on which new restaurant is coming to Clarendon when the information is available.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
