What's with the lack of nightlife in "up"-Montgomery County (Silver Spring: sale, home)

[Lowellian]

I'm particularly referring to Gaithersburg and Rockville.

So I've just moved to the area, Washingtonian Center in fact, to be within negligible commuting distance to my new job in Gaithersburg. Overall, I'm very pleased with my neighborhood, and impressed, in general, with the surrounding area.

However, my main gripe is over the lack of nightlife here. I've been to most of the centers of activity here -- Washingtonian/Rio Center, "downtown" Kentlands, Old Towne G-Burg, Rockville Town Square -- all of which have varying degrees of good shops, restaraunts, people watching, live music, etc. But there is literally no real bar or anything (excluding Growlers) that is open til 2am. Being at the heart of the I-270 technology corridor, I know there is a whole slew of young people fresh from college and grad school finding great jobs around here (you can tell too just by reading all the new threads posted on this forum!), so it seems curious that everyone has to move out to Washington or Frederick to be around similarly aged and like-minded people looking for a decent nightlife. Unfortunetly, for those of us that have chosen to live close to work, we have to truck ourselves down to Bethesda/Northwest DC to find any action. Why is that? Is the market not there for it yet? Perhaps I'm just missing the bar hopping culture in my home city?

I AM still new to the neighborhood, so if you have any good reccomendations for me out there in the area, let me know!

[TheJetSet]

Originally Posted by Lowellian

I'm particularly referring to Gaithersburg and Rockville.

So I've just moved to the area, Washingtonian Center in fact, to be within negligible commuting distance to my new job in Gaithersburg. Overall, I'm very pleased with my neighborhood, and impressed, in general, with the surrounding area.

However, my main gripe is over the lack of nightlife here. I've been to most of the centers of activity here -- Washingtonian/Rio Center, "downtown" Kentlands, Old Towne G-Burg, Rockville Town Square -- all of which have varying degrees of good shops, restaraunts, people watching, live music, etc. But there is literally no real bar or anything (excluding Growlers) that is open til 2am. Being at the heart of the I-270 technology corridor, I know there is a whole slew of young people fresh from college and grad school finding great jobs around here (you can tell too just by reading all the new threads posted on this forum!), so it seems curious that everyone has to move out to Washington or Frederick to be around similarly aged and like-minded people looking for a decent nightlife. Unfortunetly, for those of us that have chosen to live close to work, we have to truck ourselves down to Bethesda/Northwest DC to find any action. Why is that? Is the market not there for it yet? Perhaps I'm just missing the bar hopping culture in my home city?

I AM still new to the neighborhood, so if you have any good reccomendations for me out there in the area, let me know!

The county government kills it. They are obsessed with making everything family oriented even the urban areas like Silver Spring and Bethesda.

[superseiyan]

Bethesda has bars that are open after midnight, there's plenty of bars in bethesda.

THere may be a lounge or a club or two I think.

Rockville and Gaithersburg I don't know.

Keep in mind though though we ARE talking about suburbs here.

If by upcounty you mean northern silver spring, olney, et. al then I concur. Germantown I can't say as I don't know.

[firefightermom]

Montgomery County has a law that states that at least 50% of an establishment's revenue must come from food, not alcohol. There are huge fines when the books are checked, which I believe must occur monthly. It is a huge deterrent and therefore is the cause of the lack of real bars in MoCo--especially upcounty where it was mostly rural, like Germantown. 20 years ago Germantown was farm country.

Montgomery County, MD - Board of Liquor License Commissioners
You can read it right here under Beer, Wine and Liquor Licenses.

This is the most recent violations report I could find, from March 2010. http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/co...tions03-10.pdf
There are no violations for the ratio so i wonder what the fine is? Read the legend at the end...not only can you be fined for going over the ratio, you can get fined for not turning in your paperwork to prove your ratio.

It's big difference even from the rest of MD which doesn't have such a dumb law.

[filmsniffer]

You're kidding, right? Looking for nightlife in the suburbs?

Why didn't you just move to DC?

[Lowellian]

Originally Posted by filmsniffer

You're kidding, right? Looking for nightlife in the suburbs?

Why didn't you just move to DC?

Well I guess those ordinances might explain it. Coming from metro Boston, there was still plenty of pubs and bars out in the suburbs and small cities surrounding the big city. But then again, MA doesn't have these crazy county governments. The Gaithersburg/Rockville area is the equivalent of a smaller city outside of downtown DC (not any different than Bethesda). I didn't move to DC because it's too expensive! I also didn't move out to G-Burg expecting any crazy nightlife or anything, just surprised that there is almost literally nothing.

With the big medical city that they are building here soon, something might change who knows.

[jayman1981]

Well I could only suggest Bethesda and Silver Spring. There downtowns are more established and have bars and eateries galore. The Rest of Montgomery County is not going to be dedicated to the young and the restless. It's all about family.

Originally Posted by Lowellian

Well I guess those ordinances might explain it. Coming from metro Boston, there was still plenty of pubs and bars out in the suburbs and small cities surrounding the big city. But then again, MA doesn't have these crazy county governments. The Gaithersburg/Rockville area is the equivalent of a smaller city outside of downtown DC (not any different than Bethesda). I didn't move to DC because it's too expensive! I also didn't move out to G-Burg expecting any crazy nightlife or anything, just surprised that there is almost literally nothing.

With the big medical city that they are building here soon, something might change who knows.

[betamanlet]

For a "liberal" place, Montgomery County is very anti alcohol. I bet they cannot wait until Hank Dietle's finally closes. It's the only bar bar in the entire county...

Plus they have a monopoly on the sale of alcohol as well, and control and severely limit the sale of beer/wine in grocery stores.

It's such a nanny state I left and moved to VA.

[jayman1981]

You must run a business, this can't be because of Alcohol?

Originally Posted by betamanlet

For a "liberal" place, Montgomery County is very anti alcohol. I bet they cannot wait until Hank Dietle's finally closes. It's the only bar bar in the entire county...

Plus they have a monopoly on the sale of alcohol as well, and control and severely limit the sale of beer/wine in grocery stores.

It's such a nanny state I left and moved to VA.

[g3org3]

How about JJ Muldoon's? I don't recall how late they're open, but if you start early enough...