I hope Seoul Food does well but will miss Global Cafe, which had very good food and nice owners.

The Washingtonian article states that the main focus of the new restaurant will be takeout food with limited number of bar stool type of seating. I doubt this endeavor will be successful since the area lacks parking for the takeout style. The restaurant will benefit more if it was a dine-in type of establishment where people would not mind parking a little distance away in anticipation of sitdown dinner.

Anton--I don't know if you've been inside, but there's limited seating space anyhow. It's a very challenging spot--inside an Exxon with limited seating--so maybe the carryout idea will work better.

I, like you, would like to see greater diversity of restaurants (both ethnically and in ambience) and in other shops in Wheaton. Despite politicians/others calling Wheaton "eclectic," it's constantly becoming more homogeneous and less eclectic in its personality and its offerings. Still, the Exxon restaurant won't turn around Wheaton any more than the cash-for-gold shops, check-cashing places, and laundromats will.

Maybe the Safeway residents will be able to help support a more diverse range of offerings. (At least the structure probably won't be intentionally tacky like another apartment building right near the Metro.)

Unfortunately, I don't foresee the M-NCPPC employees having much of an impact on Wheaton the way that residents would. The employees will have little invested in seeing Wheaton change and already have enough food offerings/CVS near the Triangle to accommodate their needs.