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From MPD:

Marcus A. Owens, 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a seven-year prison term on charges stemming from a shooting that occurred in February 2012 in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced. Owens pled guilty in March 2012, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to aggravated assault while armed with a firearm. He was sentenced by the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz. Upon completion of his prison term, Owens will be placed on five years of supervised release.

According to the government’s evidence, the victim, then 23, and Owens had met through mutual acquaintances. On February 1, 2012, at about 9:40 p.m., they were near the 800 block of Butternut Street NW, when Owens produced a 9mm firearm and pointed it at the man. Owens fired two shots into the victim’s stomach, another shot toward the victim’s head, grazing it, and finally a fourth shot into the victim’s foot. Witnesses observed Owens walking away from the crime scene carrying a firearm. Concerned citizens called 9-1-1 and an ambulance transported the victim to the hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery.

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers who responded to the area observed Owens, who matched the description of the suspect from the shooting, enter a taxicab on nearby Georgia Avenue NW, together with a female companion. Police conducted a traffic stop of the taxi and observed a firearm on the back seat floor – under Owens’s foot. Shell casings that were recovered by police from the crime scene matched the caliber of the recovered firearm. The victim later identified Owens as the person who shot him. The victim had met Owens through mutual acquaintances.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the detectives, patrol officers and crime scene officers who worked on the case from MPD. He also praised the efforts of Victim Witness Advocates Jennifer Clark and James Brennan and Paralegal Assistant Debra McPherson. Finally, he expressed appreciation to Assistant U.S. Attorney Terry Eaton, formerly of the Fourth District Unit of the Superior Court Felony Major Crimes Section, who prosecuted this case.

Another nice one from up in Takoma DC.

809 12th St. NE

From a press release:

Horace and Dickies is the latest addition to the growing number of independent restaurants on Old Takoma’s Main Street. Using the formula that has been successful at the original Horace and Dickies, an institution on the H St Corridor in Washington, DC for over 20 years, the new location will open this week at 6912 4th Street, NW in the Takoma neighborhood of Washington, DC.

Owner Simone Shannon, with the blessing from her Dad, Richard “Dickie” Shannon, will be expanding the family business and bringing the same favorite menu to Old Takoma which includes fried fish, shrimp, crab cakes and chicken plus soul satisfying sides like collard greens, macaroni and cheese, french fries, potato salad and slaw. Homemade cakes and pies round out the menu as well as a new addition to the Takoma menu – fish tacos.

“While people definitely travel from around the city to get our food, we selected the Takoma location because we were looking to tap into a new market in another area of DC,” said Simone Shannon. “We were particularly drawn to the Takoma neighborhood because the community is recognized for supporting its independent businesses.”

Known for their reasonable prices, large portions and quality food, Horace and Dickies has attracted not only the Washington, DC community, but also Adam Richman and Man v Food on The Travel Channel which also helped to develop a steady flow of visiting tourists.

About Horace and Dickies: Horace and Dickies is a family business which has been bringing fresh made food to the Washington area for over 20 years. The original location is at 809 12th St. NE (at H St.) Washington, DC with hours: Mon-Sat 10am-2am and Sun 11am-7pm. The new location is located at 6912 4th St, NW, Washington, DC with hours: Mon-Fri 10am-9pm and Sun 11am-7pm.

We previously judged Horace & Dickie’s here.

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Thanks to a reader for sending word that Mayorga Coffee has closed its shop at 314 Carroll St NW in Takoma. The reader hears that Soupergirl could be expanding into this space but that has not been confirmed.

UPDATE: Soupergirl has confirmed they will be expanding into the Mayorga space.

Photos courtesy of LauraBarclay

From an email:

About reCYCLE The Art of Bike Project:
reCYCLE Art of Bike is sponsored by the non-profit Old Takoma Business Association and was designed to celebrate the art, bicycling and recycling cultures of Takoma Park. Artists were commissioned to build seven outdoor sculptures, using mostly bicycle parts, which will be installed along the sidewalks of Old Takoma (Takoma Junction, Maryland, to the Takoma Theatre, DC) to create a self-guided walking tour with the goal of attracting and engaging visitors and showcasing Old Takoma.

ReCycleMap

Jessica Bonness runs JGB Interiors

I was thrilled last week to hear that Trohv, a new home and gift store, was finally opening at 232 Carroll Avenue NW! It’s just one convenient block away from the Takoma Metro stop on the red line, and it’s open Monday – Wednesday 11-7, Thursday – Saturday from 10-8, and Sundays from 11-6.

Trohv carries all kinds of home goods that run the gamut from reclaimed to whimsical to mod to eco-chic. So often I walk in all-the-rage home stores and leave thinking, “I could pick these things out and find a far more interesting range of items.” Well, I left Trovh last weekend feeling like it would be such a challenge to put together a store with as many awesome, one-of-a-kind, reasonably priced and neat-looking items as they have crammed into their space. It’s a store with an incredible range of tastes, and items that many varied budgets can accommodate. I can’t wait to take my clients here AND recommend it to some of my starving artist friends.

They offer furniture — from sofas to occasional tables, decorative accessories, books, kitchen gadgets, art, stationary, some clothing, and they even have a sizable kid and baby section. I wasn’t kidding about the decent prices: this super comfortable sofa, as pictured, was about $1,200.

When you walk in there is stuff galore, but because the space is so large and gloriously warehouse-y you don’t get anything close to that claustrophobic feeling you get in some overstuffed home stores. I could have walked around for another hour looking at their little trinkets and accessories. Here are some of their offerings that I photographed on Sunday:

If you find yourself up in Takoma, or feel like taking a 15 minute ride up the red line from downtown (yes, it’s really that close), I’d definitely recommend swinging by. I should mention that the owners of Trohv have another store in Baltimore that now goes by the same name but formerly was called Red Tree.

This rental is located at 8105 Greenwood Ave., Takoma Park, MD:

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The Craigslist ad says:

“I have 5 more months on my lease. This unfurnished, quiet and private apartment is 3 miles from the District in eclectic, animal friendly, enviro conscious, Takoma Park. Small town feel, but easily DC accessible. Close to Buses/Metro, farmer’s market and cool places to eat.

This one bedroom apartment is surprisingly spacious and great for animal owners as the windows do not face the street. No worrying about your dog barking in the windows all day here! Hardwood floors through out. Cute bathroom with BIG bath tub. Laundry in basement, landlord pays heat and keeps the building in very nice condition. Tenant pays electric and gas for cooking. AC unit in bedroom keeps things cool in Summer. Plenty of street parking,

If you have animals, you know how hard it is to find an apartment that will allow them. Nominal animal fees apply ($25 per cat and $50per dog) for quiet, non destructive pets. I have lived here comfortably with BIG dogs and a cat.

Pics show kitchen, living room , bathroom and bedroom (sorry about the unmade bed!)”

I don’t think we’ve ever discussed a Takoma Park rental before (but I know there are fans) – $1095 sound right for this 1 bedroom?

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From CM Bowser:

“There was a major fire this morning at the Takoma Education Campus in Ward 4. School was out of session due to winter break, so no children were present and thankfully all staff that were in the building were evacuated safely. I do understand from Chief Rubin, however, that some Fire/EMS workers may have received minor injuries. I am on the scene at the school with Principal Rikki Taylor, other school staff and neighbors.

Having spoken with Mayor Fenty, Mayor-Elect Gray’s office, Allen Lew and Interim Chancellor Kaya Henderson, our top priority is ensuring that the children have a place to return to after winter break. I am grateful for the quick response of our Fire/EMS and MPD personnel.”

Thanks to a reader for sending this interesting news. The RASMUS auction house has the details:

“Location:
6833 4th St NW, Washington, DC 20012
Online Bidding Only

Starts Closing At: Thursday, December 09, 2010 at 11:07 AM EST

Brief Description:
The historic Takoma theater in NW Washington DC is closed and slated for redevelopment. The owner is making a complete liquidation of all furniture, fixtures, equipment, stage items, concession equipment, decorative accents and theater items. Posts soon.”

Could be some sweet finds here.

Voted one of the best real estate agents in DC by the Washington City Paper Readers’ Choice Poll in 2009, hipchickindc aka the not-so-hip Suzanne Des Marais is an Associate Broker with Urban Pace. She lives (and sells a lot of houses) in Bloomingdale, but works all over DC, with everyone from first time buyers to highly regarded developers. Unless specifically noted, neither she nor the company that she is affiliated with represented any of the parties or were directly involved in the transaction reported below. Unless otherwise noted, the source of information is Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS), which is the local multiple listing system. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Featured Property: 131 Longfellow St NW
Legal Subdivision: Chillum
Advertised Subdivision (per listing): Chillum
Original List Price: $339,700.
List Price at Contract: $339,700.
List Date: 07/21/2010
Days on Market: 17
Settled Sales Price: $339,000.
Settlement Date: 09/30/2010
Seller Subsidy: $3500.
Bank Owned?: No Short Sale? No
Type Of Financing: FHA

Original GDoN is: here.

The Listing can be seen: here. To see pics, after opening the listing link, click on the main pic and scroll through.

Last week’s edition of Good Deal or Not Revisited (GDoN-R) took a look at a fully renovated rowhouse in a downtown urban neighborhood in the low $300,000. price range. This week, we head north, looking at another renovated property in a similar price range. The Prince tagged this neighborhood as Brightwood in the Good Deal or Not (GDoN) post. I’m going to say it’s a little east for Brightwood and will go with South Takoma DC.

This property was purchased in May in its “needs work” state for $190,000. The folks who bought it travel under the name “The Everyday Home Buyers LLC”, which I thought was a good name for a group that does modest but clean rehabs. They installed central air but left the radiators, which home inspectors generally seem to appreciate.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

Thanks to the owner for sending in the above pic – he writes:

“We are finally having our grand opening. Please check out the website www.modernmobler.com with an updated homepage, listing the promotional discounts & new drop-down section for video. New Fall Hours: Thursday – Sunday 11am – 7pm.

While we’re still awaiting a sign from the District through a grant, in the meantime you cant miss the furniture out front when we are open. Located between Fern & Geranium Streets in the Takoma section of NW DC; across from the main entrance to Walter Reed on Georgia Ave, just a half block further up towards downtown Silver Spring (next to Angelico’s Pizzeria).”

And Jessica who answers your ‘decorating and design’ questions writes:

“The Takoma metro is fairly close, and looks like the 70, 71, 79 and K1 bus lines run right to the store. I’m interested in hearing about what readers think of the store in it’s full swing and I’m especially excited to have a cool design venue right in MY neighborhood of Takoma/upper Georgia Avenue!” (7313 Georgia Ave NW)

Photo courtesy of Old Takoma Business Association

This is great news for Takoma Park. From a press release:

The transformation of Old Takoma continues with the opening of Old Takoma Ace Hardware at 7001 Carroll Avenue in Takoma Park. The store is a part of the group “A Few Cool Hardware Stores” with six other locations in DC and Baltimore, and operates as an independently owned retailer under the Ace Hardware cooperative. This new location has more than 7,500 square feet of retail space with ample parking in back as well as convenient metro accessibility (Takoma Metro Red Line).

Old Takoma Ace is the first suburban store for the group. “We chose Takoma Park for a variety of reasons,” co-owner Gina Schaefer explained. “We prefer vibrant urban locations with a lot of foot traffic. We thought that the residents of Takoma Park would appreciate and understand our business model.”

The store will offer a diverse inventory of more than 25,000 products that will include eco-friendly brands to cater to the green sensibility of the Takoma Park community like no-VOC Mythic paint, Mrs. Meyer’s and Seventh Generation cleaning products, and organic fertilizers from Jobe’s. Old Takoma Ace will also offer specialty services including key cutting, paint matching, glass and wood cutting, and screen repair, plus tool rentals and an enhanced lawn-and-garden section to help customers tackle those weekend projects. Indeed, the store endeavors to be not just a place to stock up on hammers and nails, but to become the community’s home-maintenance hub.

About A Few Cool Hardware Stores: A Few Cool Hardware Stores is comprised of Old Takoma Ace Hardware in Takoma Park, Logan, Glover Park, Tenleytown Ace and 5th Street Ace Hardware in Washington, DC, and Waverly Ace and Federal Hill Ace in Baltimore, MD. The stores are part of the national Ace Hardware co-operative. This means they are locally owned establishments that bring jobs to and keep business in the local economy.

“Dear PoP,

I previously wrote to you in July, 2009 seeking the advice of your readers on where to open a vintage furniture store. I am happy to announce that I opened Modern Mobler Saturday, 05/08 at 7313 Georgia Ave NW, in the Takoma (Park) area of DC, just north of Walter Reed near Silver Spring, MD.

The 1700 sq ft store will feature select items of Vintage and Mid Century / Danish Modern furnishings from my vast collection of over 4000 sq ft of current inventory. To start, Modern Mobler will be open Thursday through Sunday 11am – 7pm. I plan to take consignments in addition to purchasing furniture. I have already established a wide network of collectors, dealers and suppliers who will keep my inventory fresh & ever changing. Delivery will also be available.

Modern Mobler is very pleased to be part of the revitalization of Takoma Park & Georgia Ave. I want to thank you & your readers for their support. Please stop by and I look for forward to seeing everyone.

I plan to also be open this Wednesday from 11-7 for those who want to get a sneak-peak. The store sits between Angelico pizzeria and the Washington Humane Society. Of note, I will also be working with several local upholsterers to support more of a local ‘full-service’ green retail furnishings destination.”

Sounds great, best of luck to you!

Photo courtesy of Meghan Taylor

From a press release:

“ The Electric Maid, the popular local hang out spot with deep roots in the Takoma Park community, is celebrating its grand re-opening with an all-day party on May 1. The new space aims to be an outstanding place for the community to hear live music and hold events with its new features:

* A vibrant new mural by local artist Meghan Taylor decorates the interior space. The mural provides a luminous fantasy-scape to the new space, giving a visually enticing accompaniment to the many local performances and activities the venue hosts. The mural unveiling will take place at 1 pm.

* The Electric Maid’s vintage neon sign will light up for first time in over 20 years on May 1, in commemoration of this community fixture’s revival, at 8 pm.

On May 1, from noon – 3 PM, enjoy family oriented activities. And from 3 PM into the night hours, come out for the reception and gala featuring live musical entertainment by local bands including Funk U.

The Electric Maid is located at 268 Carroll St NW, Washington DC (near Takoma Park Metro Station).”

“Dear PoP,

Just had to give a local business two thumbs up. I found them because of a recommendation one of your readers gave some time ago. D’Carlo Upholstery at 7327 Georgia Ave, NW just repaired some leather cushion covers for me and did a fantastic job at a reasonable price. The workmanship was impeccable and they literally left me with a better product than I had originally purchased. In addition, the owner, Carlo, was extremely amiable (as were the employees). He’s had the shop for 35 years as an immigrant from El Salvador.”

Great to hear. If anyone else has a local (preferably a bit beneath the radar) business that deserves some props, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email.