Park View, D.C.

Mural at The Midlands, 3333 Georgia Avenue.

Earlier this week, the Washington Post‘s Fritz Hahn took note of Park View’s growing bar scene, referring to the neighborhood as “one of the more interesting and growing neighborhoods for bar hopping.” Yes, Hahn made mention of DC Reynolds and Colony Club, but merely in passing. What he points out that is worth reflection is how Georgia Avenue is filling in from Bravo Bar to the south up to the Georgia Avenue Metro.

It wasn’t all that long ago that the neighborhood “go to” spots were little more than Looking Glass Lounge and later DC Reynolds — both tightly nestled together a block and a half south of the Metro. Over time, and accelerated this past year, bars and eateries have popped up and added to the mix — the two newest arrivals being Union Drinkery and The Midlands located in the central part of the neighborhood.

Being able to tout a bar crawl in Park View may seem like a strange thing to be celebrating, but considering that such a thing would have been unthinkable a year ago and impossible in 2011 it is a notable milestone. And while the Post’s article was focused on bars, I’m particularly happy that not all new businesses have been bars. In addition to the bars and restaurants the neighborhood has welcomed in the past five years there have also been coffee shops, yoga studios, a dance studio, and a book store to name a few.