Very cool news about the renovation going on at 905-907 U St, NW. The second and third floors are going to house Off Road Indoor Cycling – “a dedicated indoor cycling studio”. I’m told that if all goes well they will open their doors around the May/June time frame. Stay tuned for more details as they become available.
Photos courtesy of Petworth Cleaners
Petworth Cleaners is having their Grand Opening today at 3903 Georgia Ave, NW. From the owner:
We offer next day organic dry cleaning as well as a on site tailor. For our grand opening, we’re offering 20% off all dry cleaning. We also provide shirts laundry, alterations, and shoe repair. I’m coming from my parents store in Bloomingdale where i’ve worked for the last 4 years.
Dear PoPville,
I know that Rita’s Water Ice at Florida and California NW closes down during the winter, but this is the first time I’ve seen a “Rent availability” sign in the window during the winter months. Any clue if this is a permanent change or just a chance to use the space while Rita’s is closed?
Given the continuation of big bookstores closing in DC, I always stop and pause when I pass Books A Million on Dupont Circle. I always wonder how much longer they’ll be able to survive in that prime (and likely expensive) location if at all. Do you guys think Books a Million can survive here? If so why? If not, how much longer do you think they have?
Thanks to everyone who wrote in about the new murals that went up at Annie’s Ace Hardware, coming to 1240 Upshur Street, NW. The murals/maps were done by Petworth’s own Torie Partridge.
I stopped by last Friday and took a quick tour to get a sense of the space pre-shelving. Plus the outdoor gardening section is still being finished as well. A master gardener is also on staff! I can’t wait to see the space once the shelving goes in.
And since Spring is around the corner, I was also psyched to see we’ll have a new spot to get our propane refilled. And the date is in stone – opening Feb. 7th!
Dear PoPville,
We’ve lived in Logan for three years now and have never been in or seen anyone inside the Monarch Novelites store on 14th (just south of P). Not to mention, we’ve only seen it open a few times. Just curious if you know what’s going on in that place…
Back in June 2009 we learned a bit when I gave Monarch Novelites Door of the Day honors.
In 2005 the City Paper wrote:
The parcel within the Jefferson site isn’t the first bit of Robinson property that the family has fervidly defended. A 1968 photo from the Washington Post shows the Robinson boys guarding their father’s 14th Street shop, Monarch Novelties, on a summer day when business owners feared a reprise of the riots that had devastated the neighborhood earlier in the year. Standing inside their storefront, with children’s stuffed animals hanging innocently over their heads, Tommy dangles a pistol over his knee and Bo stands with a shotgun half-drawn.
Tommy has lived above that shop, in his father’s house, since he was a teenager in the ’50s. One of 11 children, he’s spent most of his life helping the family run their carnival-supply business—“Dad caught the carnival bug when he was 13,” says Tommy—and for decades they’ve been supplying whatever market there is in the District for giant inflatable crayons and oversized clown eyeglasses. His brother Douglas, an even greater eccentric with a mountaineer’s long gray beard, can usually be seen sitting still through the Monarch’s window, amid the pink and blue stuffed animals. Somehow the Monarch has survived as other old-school businesses have been taxed out during 14th Street’s transformation into an urban-chic commercial strip. But whatever the Robinsons’ trick is to surviving revitalization, it doesn’t involve courting walk-in traffic: Curious window-shoppers need to be buzzed in by Douglas before they can even enter the store.
Anyone else ever venture inside?
Sarah & Sheila
Sometimes I really love my job. Attending a pickle tasting is one of those days. So I was psyched to get an email from the owners of DC’s newest local business – Gordy’s Pickle Jar:
Gordy’s handcrafted pickles and preserves are a labor of love. Each thoughtfully designed recipe uses fresh, local produce & responsibly cultivated spices. We carefully tend to every small batch. Then we hand pack each & every jar to send to you.
We think you’ll taste the effort.
I met Sarah and Sheila at Blackbyrd (14th and U St, NW, where Sheila is also a bartender) to sample some of their product. And while I’m not a food critic – as a lover of pickles I can tell you that these had the best crunch I’ve ever had. Also the relish is amazing (and hand chopped.)
While you can order them online, you’ll also find them sold all around town:
Cork Market U Street Cardozo
Hill’s Kitchen Capital Hill
Palena Market Cleveland Park
Seasonal Pantry Shaw
Science Club Dupont Circle
Smucker Farms of Lancaster Co. U Street Cardozo
So’s Your Mom Adams Morgan
Sticky Fingers Columbia Heights
Trohv Takoma Park
Washington Green Grocer DC Metro Area
And at the end of the month you’ll even find them at the Whole Foods in Friendship Heights.
And more cool news, as mentioned above since Sheila is a bartender, she and some other bartenders around town are concocting some delicious cocktails with their brine:
I tried the vodka based ‘Gordy’s Picklet’ and a gin based mixture that were both delicious. Of course I don’t remember anything else from our conversation after that point and my notes look like a Jackson Pollack sketch. But from what I can remember you’ll be able to find drinks at Science Club (and fried sweet chips) and at the Gibson soon.
While the small batch production just launched in October (9th and V St, NW) stay tuned for lots more variety coming out in the future. Personally, I was begging for pickled okra. It’s always cool to hear about new local businesses. It’s even cooler to learn about delicious ones.
Georgetown Candy Bar is closing at the end of the month at 1419 Wisconsin Ave, NW.
The Washington Post’s Jonathan O’Connell continues to share tons of great scoops. Yesterday he told us about the Nike Store taking over the Barnes & Nobles space in Georgetown. And I forgot to share his big retail news for Chinatown:
“One of the most visible strips of vacant storefronts in the District — beside the Chinese Friendship arch in Chinatown — will become a YO! Sushi restaurant, Walgreens pharmacy and Panera Bread bakery and restaurant.”
You think YO! Sushi, Panera and a Walgreens will do well at 7th and H St, NW?
Washington Post has the scoop:
“Nike is wrapping up negotiations on a deal to open a store at 3040 M St. NW in a large brick building at the corner of Thomas Jefferson Street, according to a source involved in the deal.”
I wonder how much longer the 12th and E St, NW Barnes & Noble will stay open?
