Retail

Wow, I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this place before. And Beige (AB) is located at 1781 Florida Ave in the same building as the Mint gym. It is owned by Darren Miller and Broderick Lee and has been open for a year and a half. I spoke briefly with Mr. Miller. They chose this location because “there weren’t too many home stores in Adams Morgan and it felt like a good place to land”. The name And Beige was “inspired by clean, simple, and classic lines of a neutral home interior. The reason we embrace neutral colors is simple. Everyday life renders full sensory overload. We look to neutrals in creating a naturally, calming, and relaxing home environment.” There are lots of great pieces in the store. The prices range from $10 for a candle to $10,000 for a one of a kind table. It is certainly worth checking out next time you are in Adams Morgan. Lots more photos of the interior after the jump. (more…)

Located at 2311 18th Street, NW in Adams Morgan, The Brass Knob, is another cool home furnishing shop. What differentiates this place from some of the others I’ve profiled is that this one focuses a bit more on antiques, particularly lighting. I spoke with owner Donetta George who told me that the Brass Knob has been open for 27 years! Apparently back in the day there were many antique shops in Adams Morgan. Another interesting fact I learned is that the Brass Knob was commissioned to do all the lighting at Temperance Hall (now Looking Glass Lounge). And you know how cool those lights are. Ms. George describes the store as primarily architectural antiques, lighting and hardware. So if you have an old school rowhouse and are looking to match one of the original door knobs this is definitely the store for you. And they also have some super cool stained glass. Check out more photos after the jump. (more…)

Ed. note: A neat neighborhood find does not mean to imply that others haven’t discovered this store already it simply means it’s the first time I’ve discovered it.

I was first attracted to this store because of the sign. Most folks know that I hate these flimsy signs and then when I looked at the wording I couldn’t comprehend it. “Others Love Yourself The Earth”, yeah I still don’t get it. But I’m glad it got my attention because the store itself was pretty fresh. Hoopla is located in Adams Morgan at 2314 18th Street. Hoopla had been open for five years on the Hill but opened in its current location last July. I was surprised at the variety of items featured in the store. Items featured include men’s and women’s clothing, furniture, soap, sculptures, and lots more. There is even a sweet carriage house in the back that features artwork among other items. The artwork changes every month which I also think is pretty cool.

I spoke with the manager, Michael Thorpe, who told me that everything in the store is “eco friendly”. Eco friendly meaning that it is either fair trade, hand made or locally made. Thorpe tells me that they moved from the Hill because they wanted to tap into the foot traffic in Adams Morgan and help contribute to “beefing up the day life”. This is definitely a great addition to Adams Morgan – even with the sign – although it’ll be even better with a proper sign… Check out some more photos after the jump. (more…)