Busboys and Poets Partners with Politics and Prose opening P&P book sections in new Brookland B&P in December and Takoma in January

Photo by PoPville flickr user washingtonydc

So maybe the book(store) isn’t dead after all…

From a press release:

“In a teaming of two great Washington community institutions, we’re pleased to announce that Politics and Prose will soon begin operating bookstores at Busboys and Poets restaurants in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. This innovative business arrangement will unite P&P’s bookselling experience with Busboys and Poets’ track record of operating multi-use, food-and-event gathering spaces. Both enterprises share a deep commitment to building community, providing quality customer service, and promoting the public discussion of ideas, cultural issues, and current events.

The new business relationship will start with the opening of a Busboys and Poets in Brookland in December and extend to the launch of a Busboys and Poets in Takoma in January. P&P will operate the book sections in each of these locations. Later in 2015, P&P will assume responsibility for book operations already in existence at the Busboys and Poets restaurants in Hyattsville, Shirlington, and downtown Washington at 5th and K. The book operation at the Busboys and Poets at 14th and V in Washington will remain managed by Teaching for Change.

“We’re excited to join forces with Andy Shallal and his great Busboys and Poets organization, and to bring P&P’s experience in bookselling and high caliber events to other neighborhoods in the Washington area,” said Bradley Graham, who owns the bookstore with his wife Lissa Muscatine. “Andy’s restaurants have been devoted to more than just selling food. They’re places for dialogue, for bringing people together, for celebrating the cultural diversity of our community. We see great synergy in this new initiative and believe that working with Busboys will enable P&P to make books and authors more available throughout the metro region.”

As part of the joint arrangement, some of the offerings will include book signings, author interviews, literary workshops, children’s programming and other events. All the Busboys and Poets restaurants have large private rooms available for special programs and equipped with stages and state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment, including live streaming and webcasting.

“Politics and Prose epitomizes the greatness and reach of independent bookstores, and we are thrilled that they will partner with us to continue in our tradition of offering multicultural books that represent the diversity of Washington DC,” said Andy Shallal, the owner of Busboys and Poets.

Politics and Prose has been serving the Washington area for 30 years. Its store on Connecticut Avenue in northwest DC features a wide selection of books, CDs, DVDs, and gift items, a celebrated children and young adult department, and an extensive line-up of author appearances. It also offers literary classes, organizes trips to places near and far, and houses a book-printing machine for self-publishing.

Busboys and Poets opened in 2005 as a community gathering place “where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted and where art, culture, and politics intentionally collide.”

We believe that this natural symbiosis will offer a richer experience for both Busboys and Poets’ and Politics and Prose’s communities.”