Hill Country Adding a Streatery Thanks to Downtown BID Grant

410 7th Street, NW

From a press release:

“The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) announced the five recipients of its inaugural Streatery Assistance Grant Program. Launched on April 20, 2022, the program was developed by the BID to provide restaurants within its boundary with funds to assist in the creation of a new curbside dining space, or to help pay for improvements to an existing streatery or parklet. The BID establishments receiving grants of $5,000 or $6,000 are:

Cuba Libre, 801 9th Street NW
Hill Country Barbecue Market, 410 7th Street NW
Immigrant Food, 925 13th Street NW
Pearl’s Bagels, 1017 7th Street NW
Penn Quarter Sports Tavern, 639 Indiana Avenue NW

“The appearance, growth, and popularity of the streatery is among the pandemic’s few enduring positive outcomes,” said Gerren Price, Acting President and CEO of the BID. “They were created out of necessity and offered a lifeline to numerous businesses, but they have proved to be a wonderful addition to our streets, providing energy and even beauty to spaces formerly occupied by vehicles. With this grant, the BID sought to encourage more of them throughout our 138 blocks. We anticipate doing this again in the next fiscal year, and hopefully for years to come.”

Of the five businesses receiving grant money, only Hill Country will use it for the creation of a new dining space. The others will use the funds to upgrade their existing streatery or to pay down costs assumed in the streatery’s creation — a reminder that many restaurants remain in a fragile business position as the nation rebounds from the pandemic.

Allee Cox, co-founder of Pearl’s Bagels, said of the grant: “With all kinds of rising operational costs, it’s hard to budget for things like beautifying our streatery, even though it’ll greatly improve the dining experience for our customers. This will help us add more seating, expand the space, and spruce everything up with new rugs, umbrellas, and flowers.”

Barry Gutin, principal and founder of GuestCounts Hospitality, Cuba Libre’s parent company, noted: “DowntownDC’s grant has enabled us to enhance the vibrancy of our street presence. The added variety in seating experiences helps us build sales, as downtown traffic continues its climb back to pre-COVID levels. The BID’s support during the pandemic has never been more important.”