10-13-2024 W2W - Flipbook - Page 25
Lane Harlan
37, Owner; Clavel, W.C. Harlan, Fadensonnen
and The Coral Wig
Lane Harlan admits that picking one title to
encompass the scope of her work can be a tricky
endeavor. “Restaurateur” doesn’t quite cut it — she
owns one restaurant, Clavel, but also several bars
(W.C. Harlan, Fadensonnen and The Coral Wig).
“Owner,” on the other hand, doesn’t really convey
the role she plays in each of her projects. “You can
be an owner and not have anything to do with your
menus, which isn’t the case with me,” Harlan says.
Harlan is intimately involved in the details of all
of her businesses, from the decor to the drinks list.
A little more than a decade after opening her first
bar, she’s hit her stride, landing features in national
publications like Bon Appétit and earning a James
Beard nomination for the mezcal program at Clavel.
The allure is the experience she creates, whether
she’s channeling Oaxaca, Mexico, or an officer’s club
in the Philippines. “At the heart of everything we do
is giving people the feeling that they are anywhere
else,” she says.
Harlan and her husband and business partner,
Matthew Pierce, tend to get the itch to dream up a
new concept every two years; fittingly, they’re aiming
to unveil their next experience — a small hotel in the
fishing village of Lastres, Spain — in 2026.
— Amanda Yeager
PHOTO BY KIM HAIRSTON
Kristi Smith
Maryland Region President, Howard Hughes
Kristi Smith is leading a 14-million-square-foot transformation of downtown Columbia through new apartment buildings paired with venues for
the arts and dining scene. In the new Merriweather District, she has been
contracting new tenants for the Howard Hughes development, including
ENTAA Care and Prime Facial Plastic Surgery, as well as new restaurants and
hangouts such as Bark Social, Kyo Matcha and Medium Rare.
“At Howard Hughes, we are proud to fulfill the dream for Downtown
Columbia as a thriving city in a garden,” Smith said. “Downtown Columbia
serves the community with accessible and modern places to work, entertainment and eateries to enjoy, and open green spaces to explore, all within
a walkable community.”
Smith has worked in commercial real estate for over 20 years and was previously executive vice president of development at real estate investment firm
JBG Smith, a Bethesda-based real estate trust. She was recently appointed to
the board of NAIOP Maryland, a statewide association of developers.
Outside work, Smith said she has been focused on forging new relationships around Columbia.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to continue the great work that
has already begun here alongside our committed partners and community
members.”
— Dillon Mullan
PHOTO BY AMY DAVIS
WOMEN TO WATCH | 2024 | 25
