U Street

I realize that I should change the title of these posts from “Neat Neighborhood Find” to “Awesome Shops on U Street”. For here is another awesome shop on U Street. Urban Essentials located at 1330 U Street is great spot for all sorts of unique furniture. I spoke with one of the owners, David Schaefer, last Saturday. The store is in its 8th year on U Street. To put that in perspective Schaefer explained that when they opened the Ellington (big apartment building across the street) was a parking lot that used to hold a huge flea market. At the time this location was quite reasonably priced even though it was less than one block from 14th Street. Other reasons why they chose this spot was because the space was big enough to show all the furniture plus they knew lots of development was coming. I’d say they chose wisely because whenever I walk by there always seem to be folks coming in and out of the shop.

Schaefer explained that the goal of the shop is “to bring affordable furniture with designer quality”. They have high end furniture from the Bontempi line as well as more traditional Stanley furniture. Schaefer explained that “we don’t niche ourselves in one particular style…we specialize in small scale pieces, for small apartments, that fit an urban lifestyle”. Pieces come from Italy, Portugal, Spain, Canada, North Carolina, California, Wisconsin and elsewhere. And you’ll be glad to know they offer delivery. After the jump check out lots of photos of the interior. (more…)

Dang, I can’t find the cents symbol on my keyboard. A long time ago I had a little contest to see what the name actually said. The answer, of course, was Foreign Exchange. 4NXC is located at 1019 U Street right across the street from the 10 Street side of the U Street metro. Ed. note: I would have liked to written the word street a few more times in the previous sentence but I was tapped out. When you first enter the store it is a bit uncomfortable as you have to buzz in before gaining entry. Fortunately, that discomfort vanishes immediately as you enter a bright and lively space and are greeted by the beautiful proprietor, Grace. Grace, 27, has owned the shop for nearly a year and is among the most enthusiastic people I have met on my journeys around town. I asked her how she chose this particular location and she told me that she grew up in DC and felt that the area was really up and coming. She also cited the diversity as one of the great things about the neighborhood. She came up with the name of the store 8 years ago when she was “just goofing around” and realized it was a really great name that would be a great conversation starter.

The layout of the store is beautiful. It is a nice space that has two distinct sections. While her shop originally featured exclusively women’s items she has recently expanded the merchandise to include men’s items as well. Her merchandise comes from all over the world including Paris, Thailand, Africa and elsewhere. I asked Grace to describe the merchandise and she replied that it is “trendy, fresh and fun”. She likes the fact that her store is unique and carries items that are a “little bit more edgy”. She also notes that she has pieces for everyone from inexpensive to high end. You can get a pair of earings for $10 or a linen dress for $300. In addition to clothing the store also carries jewelry, perfume, shoes, handbags and other accessories. So next time you are in the area of U Street before heading to 14th Street, it is worth a trip a few blocks east to check out this great store. Lots of photos of the interior after the jump. (more…)

Good Wood, American Furniture & Decorative Arts is located at 1428 U Street and without a doubt is the bomb as the kids like to say. The store has been around for 15 years was purchased by its current owners, Daniel and Anna Kahoe, five years ago. I had the opportunity to chat with Anna. It was very interesting to hear Anna explain the difference between the patrons of today versus the patrons of 15 years ago. Anna explained that 15 years ago folks were buying houses and completely renovating them so they were looking for mantles and period pieces to restore their homes. Today folks are looking for decorative things for their homes and they tend to have much more eclectic tastes. Anna points out that this is not a vintage store rather it focuses on 19th century American furniture. I was surprised to learn that the store is dog friendly so they also have that going for them. The store has pieces for folks just starting out as well as pieces for those with a bit more discretionary income. Anna told me that they are able to keep their prices reasonable because they often buy entire estates and are able to get a deal on the bulk purchase. Prices vary widely from a $28 footstool to a $300-$900 chest of drawers. What this simple observer can say is that the store is exquisite. It has a bit of everything. From dressers, to bookshelves, to stained glass, to desks, to a bust of Beethoven. So if you like furniture and decorative arts of the old school variety you are going to love this store. The store is open Wed. 11-7pm, Thurs. 5-9pm, Fri/Sat 11-7pm and Sun. 11-5pm. Also on the third Thursday of every month they have wine and cheese. Dog friendly and wine and cheese, yeah. Check out lots of photos after the jump. (more…)