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Ourisman exit means D.C. has no traditional car dealerships

D.C. can wave goodbye to its last traditional car dealership. Ourisman Volkswagen is burning rubber for a new, roomier home in Bethesda.

This will come about in March, when Ourisman closes up shop in Upper Northwest, The Washington Post reports.

That will leave the new world order Tesla store on K Street NW as the only place in D.C. to buy a new car (online, as it were, however).

It will be the first time in more than 100 years that D.C. doesn’t have a traditional car dealership in its clutches. In years past, the District had as many as 40 new car dealerships, according to the Washington Area New Auto Dealers Association.

D.C.’s recent retail and residential boom may be partly to blame for the loss. New car dealers need a lot of room, and room in D.C. is at a premium.

“Land is at a premium in many urban environments,” Steven Szakaly, chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association, told the Post. “Dealer profit margins are pretty slim. Hotels, retail spaces, their margins are much higher. That makes it hard for car dealers to stay in places like D.C.”

Summer McIntosh storms to Pan Pacs 400 IM title, rebounding from 200 free runner-up finish

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Summer McIntosh of Canada led all the way in winning the 400-meter individual medley at the Pan Pacific Championships on Thursday night, bouncing back after a runner-up finish in the 200 freestyle. Australia led all but 150 meters of the women's 4 x 200 freestyle relay, with the team of Inez Miller, Lani Pallister, Hannah Casey and Milla Jansen winning in 7 minutes, 42.40 seconds to lower the country's championship mark of 7:44.12 set at the 2018 Pan Pacs. Katie Ledecky swam the anchor leg for the U.S., but couldn't overhaul Jansen although she got within a body length in the closing meters. Erin Gemmell, Anna Peplowski, Rylee Erisman and Ledecky took silver in 7:43.10, also going under the old championship mark. “I've kind of struggled with the 200 individually from a flat start over the last couple years, but I always know I'll have something in me for the relay and I'll pull out a good split,” Ledecky said. “I love swimming that anchor leg.”
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