A look at what's going on in Trinidad, on H Street, and in the larger area north of Capitol Hill.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Sister's Pizza and Mussels
Another restaurant has signed on for the retail development over by the ATF. Sister's Pizza and Mussels is Denver based, and hopes to open this, its first DC location, sometime in April.
57 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Sisters is owned by the same people that are opening Heidi's Brooklyn Deli. I am disappointed to see franchises open in that area, but sometimes they are the only people with enough capital to start operations.
ok, franchise. Haapy? But really, that fits the definition of chain. I don't say it negatively. I've never eaten there. The website could look better, but I have no idea about the food. I'll try it once it pens because I'm very curious about the pizza/mussels thing.
I love chains and franchises! I can't wait for more of them to open around here! I would love to be able to walk to a TGIF's and have a good dinner and then maybe even walk to a Cold Stone and get some yummy ice cream and eventually one day walk to a movie theater to catch a movie! Yay Twenty-First Century American Development! I mean obviously these places have a successful product that sells how else would they be able to put them up on every OTHER corner in America?
poo poo, I'm with you but I don't understand the problem with the people from the Midwest. I'm a white male from Kansas and I am all for these new places moving in because it's businesses like these that are more likely to have outside consultants come in to make sure the place is safe and sanitary. I've noticed a few "mom and pop" places I'm not sure has seen a health official who cared in 5 years around here. Thus the problem is the complacent people who have lived here too long. Let's face it, it pointless to have a restaurant in the neighborhood if your going to get a bug in your food or water every time.
This is only the fourth location for Sister's Pizza and Mussels. I think it sounds pretty good, and it will be even better if Sister's and Heidi's stay open past lunchtime!
i don't mean to knock midewesterners, it's just that i've been here for long enough to know that 'newcomers' have very different expectations from what the realities are in dc.
inked has called me on that before, and she's probably right.
as well as others...
dc is finally starting to live up to its world class status.
it irks me that some folks seem to want to hold back development because it's.... just like every other city in america.
some folks aren't comfortable with the way the area is now, but gripe when it moves forward (whether it be because of franchises, prices, etc.).
the market dictates what develops.
that's how it works everywhere in the world, including cabo verde, macau, las vegas, new york, london, madagascar........
i guess i just don't understand the complainers.
who are they?
and...
why?
what the heck do they want?
help me figure that out and i might start posting intelligent commentary.
it's tough when folks just whine without any substantiation or reason.
dc is known for folks that move here, give it a shot, complain, and leave.
those are generally the folks i reference. the city is full of them.
they all eventually 'go home'.
i live here, and will for a very long time. the temps irk me, and they tend to screw up the economy (and traffic), so i vent.
I've not responded to your comments before, but perhaps I've just been reading too many recently to continue to stay quiet. I think you have a very narrow perspective on the world--perhaps as narrow as those you accuse from the Midwest.
I am originally from Indiana. I have lived here off and on for the past 10 years.
I did not major in basket weaving. I majored in something less useful than that--political science. I am now a physician at a local hospital.
I do not rent my home. I own it.
I have eaten at Horace and Dickies. It was delicious. Were it not that I am concerned about overall heart health, I'd eat there everyday. I've also eaten at the Majestic, the Ohio Restaurant (prior to closing), Litteri's and the Jamacian place as well as Granville Moore's, Napa and the Argonaut. And about a thousand other restaurants around the city.
I do not want DC to be like Indiana. That's why I moved away. In fact, the plethora of chains/franchises/box stores/nationwide companies is one of the reasons I left. I love the idea of finding unique stores and eateries. I like not knowing exactly what will be on the menu when I walk into a restaurant. I like NOT knowing the layout of a store when I enter. Do I eat at Chipotle and Chop't and the Oceanaire? Yes. Would I rather eat at locally owned, designed and operated establishments? Yes.
All of this to say, please give us a break. Your neighbors cannot be put into the tiny boxes you want them to fit into. Some of us are from the Midwest and eschew national chains. Others are from the West Coast and can't wait for a Chile's. And there are probably a million other combinations in the blocks that surround you. Let's live and let live, okay?
Success for a city like DC means capitalizing on its strengths, which means accentuating the differences between DC and sprawling southwest and midwest cities, with their endless similarity.
Contrary to this particular posting of Poo, development for DC fails when it attempts to emulate the suburbs. Witness the Heckinger mall. By devaluing the traditional H Street commercial corridor, it set back its development for quite some time. By all appearances the Heckinger mall could be dumped into any strip mall in the country, but no one lives in DC because they want to live in a generic suburb. There are safer and cheaper such suburbs in which to dwell. Why would anyone choose DC if that is the choice? On the other hand, if DC offers something different--dynamism, compact development and the unique features that make city life appealing--people will have a reason to live and invest here.
That being said, I'm much excited for Heidi's and the pizza place. I hope the pizza place delivers.
Although Poo Poo doesn't always comment in a manner that everyone finds acceptable, I can generally understand where he is coming from. I'm not sure he dislikes midwesterners(Poo Poo, I don't mean to assume anything for you)but a certain attitude here in DC(which he attributes to midwesterners). I happen to be married to a midwesterner(Nebraska....never thought it would happen!)so I have some perspective.
I happen to be in the design field and while I traveled the world for my profession, DC was a respite. But once faced with the day to day here, it is suffocating for a visual person. I remember an Historic Preservation meeting in the early 80's for Penn Theatre. The building is an Art Deco building and the architect wanted to restore it with blue tile. There was an uproar because it wasn't going to be red brick. Sometime over the last year our own ANC Zoning(I love them by the way)was commenting on something else and why it wasn't red brick. My husband & I were watching the Zoning hearing for a major southwest waterfront development and the ANC commissioner(young guy, too) was wondering why the building wasn't red brick. And at a recent SPNA meeting somebody else was asking why the Dreyfuss building wasn't red brick.
It's 2008. Architecture had been an incredible design force over the last 10 years shaping cities all over the world. And you can't even get to a certain level of discussion here. I invite all to have a look at the New Museum(google their website) on lower Broadway. Lower Broadway reminds me abit of H Street, low old buildings...and then this amazing structure. My point is I doubt if you would have anyone here who would even present something like that and them be able to have a proper conversation it. There is a certain progressiveness that seems to drive other places. I'm sure there will lots of comments about how we are not New York...that's not the point. Washington does not do anything until it has been completely confirmed by everywhere else and by that time it is on the downward trend. It's a very frustrating climate. I have always maintained that we do not have enough of a mix in this city(artists, entrepreneurs and business people) to balance the majority.
Having visited Macau in the late 70's, I'm sorry to see what is happening there as I just spent Christmas in Las Vegas(not quite sure how Vegas is different from Monticello...visit Europe, consult the picture books and reproduce, that was Jefferson's process....maybe Vegas will eventually be a World Heritage site). New York has become mallized. If DC were truly progressive they would be looking for the next formula and fostering that in the city.
As for Pizza and Mussels....are mussels cheap(everyone has them)? It's been building over the last several years. I predict mussels being added to McDonald's menu soon.
Until DC has a real economic development policy that encourages small local businesses, get used to seeing more chains and franchises. Corporations have the capital to start up a business and take the inital losses and pay the ridiculous property taxes in this town. Few small business owners have that advantage. The bigger the company, the bigger the tax bill, the more money DC gets in its coffers. That's the DC Government's bottom line.
if we can get a nice mix of cutting edge local businesses like stella bleu and dr. granville's mixed in with the chain (or licensed) stores, that's cool, but I think most folks want a mix. So far, so good. For every T-Mobile store opening, there is a Sova. Let's keep the diversity going.
Alright, I removed the chain language. Although I would typically consider something to be a chain if it has more than 2-3 locations. But I don't mean to imply that something is necessarily bad or generic just because it happens to be a chain.
I'm glad new businesses are opening in the area and hope to see more. I believe you need to have a mix of chains and local businesses ... there are negatives to having solely one type in a neighborhood. Mom and pops offer that cozy feeling and that "get to know you" attitude. Sometimes though, they can get a little rundown and that can lead to blight. H Street and Florida don't need anymore of that. Chains offer familiarity and have a winning product. The downside there is that it’s the same ol', same ol' wherever you go. Both have advantages, both have disadvantages. I'm glad to see both coming into the neighborhood.
It’s important for all of us, whether you’ve been here for ten years or just moved in, to support these businesses and get out into the neighborhood. Developers and entrepreneurs look for this when deciding where to locate.
Inked, this isn't one of poo poo's best moments. Please don't accomodate him. It can be labeled a chain because that how people percive it to be. That's whole foundation of communication and language. If I say it's a chain, and people can understand what I mean, then the term worked.
As for CHAINS reflecting midwestern life, I have to agree. I remember meeting up with a friend in Colorado Springs a while back. The main attractions for eating in that town (I think with a thriving, yet military population) inlcuded a TIGF, a Hooters, and a Macaroni Grill. That Heidi's "Brooklyn" Deli looks like what somebody from Denver would percive a Brooklyn Deli to look like, instead of what a Brooklyn Deli actually looks like. The photos remind me of a Potbelly/Coner Bakery/ Au bon Pain that plays Italian music in the background. That's the fear; that cookie-cutter sandwhich shops are invading our neighborhood instead of orginal ideas like Granville Moore's and Napa. I'm interested in this Sister's, but I have to ask, is Mussels the new "IT" thing?
All good comments. I would not be opposed to chains and definely would support a mix. The Barracks Row folks were in a tizzy over the rumor of a GAP. Heck! a Gap would be great over there(or on H Street) as long as there were the right forces in place to support the small innovative people. It would just bring more people trolling the street. But as someone mentioned, DC looks at the businesses(who can) as a source of revenue.
8th and El, mussels seem to be turning up everywhere. While they were interesting when Belga first opened, they now seem to be the new bar food(Granville's isn't really that original...but maybe themed well). And now with Pizza! Maybe Al's(pizza on 14th and E Cap) will start delivering them.
your neighborhood has some of the biggest non-chain local growth of any I know. please be thankful that you actually have stores and restaurants and bars moving into your storefronts. anacostia isn't yet as lucky.
I have to respond to 8th & El's slander of Colorado Springs. It's certainly true that most of the Springs is your basic suburban sprawl, and the restaurants he references are typical of the offerings in the northern part of the city (where Academy Blvd. intersects with I-25). But it sounds like he didn't spend any time in the old downtown, which is lovely and boasts a number of unique and praise-worthy shops and restaurants. I won't offer a list (since this is pretty far off-thread), but if you go to the Springs without eating/drinking at the Phantom Canyon Brewery downtown, you've cheated yourself.
I live a few blocks south of H St. And let me just say that I WOULD LOVE if a GAP or J Crew or A&F came to H st., not to mention a decent grocery store.
It boils down to being practical -- do you want whats there now (Fashion One, Murrys, Storage place), or would you like something that, yes, may be a chain, but will far and away improve safety, foot traffic and commerce along H immediately?
Personally, I'm just sick of truckin' to NOVA and Chevy Chase for all my shopping. Barracks row people are snobs. I say bring on the non-big box chains!
There's ALREADY a Heidi's at 1710 H St NW. Check it out. It's not a "real" NY deli, but it's definitely got some tasty sammitches. The Italian clubs come close to approaching Litteri/Mangialiardo-levels of goodness and make Quiznos look like a pile of puke. You can do a lot worse when it comes to sandwich shops.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE grocery store PLEASE. $100 to the first person that can get me a grocery store on H st. I emailed Trader Joe's again asking them to move into the neighborhood.
"At the moment, Sisters Pizza and Mussels is only available under a licensing agreement. Sisters Pizza and Mussels is considering moving to a franchise system and will post that information here on our website if and when it becomes available".
One way or another, it's the concept that is bothersome. It's what I like about Ben's Chili and Coppi's (they just happen to be located on U Street, which I don't like). And I don't agree that "the market dictates what develops". I would venture to guess the residents of Mount Pleasant and Columbia Heights didn't want a Target/Best Buy.
Not sure where the Midwest bashing came about, but it's really unnecessary. As is the ad hominem attacks on persons that are pedantic, obstinate, etc. Just deal with them.
"I live a few blocks south of H St. And let me just say that I WOULD LOVE if a GAP or J Crew or A&F came to H st., not to mention a decent grocery store." So our neighborhood can become an outdoor mall like Georgetown or Gallery Place? What's wrong with Safeway? I like the idea of Trader Joe's because they offer things the Safeway does not...
"...but will far and away improve safety, foot traffic and commerce along H immediately..." Just what the thugs around here need, people with large bank accounts roaming back to their cars parked off H Street with bags full of expensive clothes.
"Personally, I'm just sick of truckin' to NOVA and Chevy Chase for all my shopping. Barracks row people are snobs. I say bring on the non-big box chains!" That's the beauty of city life, you can (theoretically) obtain your essential items in one place and get other items in other places. I like having to head to 9th Street for Ethiopoian...and occasionally Old Town to drink at a favourite pub.
George Townsend, you must not be a shopper. Who wants to drive all over to get things, one theoretically doesn't live in the city for that. That is a suburban concept.
As for Safeway, I use the 14th Street Store. I hope someone puts them out of their misery(my opinion).
George Townsend, you must not be a shopper. Who wants to drive all over to get things, one theoretically doesn't live in the city for that. That is a suburban concept.
You must have moved here from South Riding. Or one of the other planned communities that has a "town center" as part of its layout. I grew up in New York City.
Anon. 3:53 comment "Please move out of the neighborhood. Thanks." Believe me, I would if I could, but like most everyone else around here, we can't afford to live in G'town or upper NW, so we're stuck to make the best life we can among the drunks, thugs, and crack whores trying our damndest to make it a better place to live. In my mind, in these parts, The Gap is a sign of progress.
from anne phelps to ANC6C04 anc6c04@googlegroups.com, date Jan 17, 2008 2:48 PM subject Neighborhood Food Update! mailed-by gmail.com
Hello again,
I'm sure you've noticed the curving strip of retail spaces between the Metro and ATF, just south of Florida Avenue on 2nd St. NE. The GSA (General Services Administration) owns the building, which will house several neighborhood retail services, including some recently announced eateries:
Pound Coffee (link): As I mentioned in a previous email, Pound Coffee will be opening in one of the shops in late February/early March. Pound Coffee reportedly will offer breakfast, lunch, dinner, in addition to coffee and baked goods, of course.
Heidi's Brooklyn Deli (link): This franchise operation began in Denver and offers hot and cold sandwiches, along with wraps, salads, soups, smoothies, and desserts. Bagels too! Heidi's is slated to open in April.
Sister's Pizza and Mussels (link)): Also scheduled to open in April is the first DC franchise for Sister's, a company founded by the same entrepreneur who started Heidi's.
A. Litteri's: DC Foodies serves up a tantalizing piece on our neighborhood Italian food shop (and home to the best meatball sub) at 517-519 Morse St. in the Florida Market area. Check it out at link).
Also, the DC Council passed the tax bill last week that will help with parking at Constitution Square, 1st and M streets NE. With this news, I'm hoping for an announcement about a grocer for that location in the coming weeks.
George Townsend, I understand that. I've lived on Capitol Hill for 25 years. Just want to be able to use this side of town in my lifetime. And during those 25 years it got much worse before it seems to be getter better. The logistics of shopping have only gotten worst with the traffic. While I, like you, hate Gallery Place....some "amenities" mixed with the individual would be nice. But I completely sympathize with Anon 2:03. And, yes, I love to shop.
this is our neighborhood, and we need to voice our opinions about what we want or don't want.
development is going to happen, and unless you have the funds to stop "chains" from coming in (i.e. open your own little joint), you're going to have to live with it.
it's not a bad thing.
you folks are living in a dynamic neighborhood. i'm willing to bet that most of the new businesses that have opened up will be closed within five years.
yeah, that's how it works.
but that's where you all come in.
voice your views at the meetings, and let the folks that "make decisions" hear what you want!
i, for one, want to see development. any kind of development.
it's better than what we have now.
but what we'll have in the future is up to us.
participate in the process.
this 'hood' is up to you.
btw, i can't believe the amazing insight of many of the posters. it makes me take a step back...
if there are so many intelligent folks out there, how come we're not further than we are now?
I was talking with someone in the neighborhood, who said an upscale pizza place was opening on H St. I just moved to the area and just discovered frozen tropic, so I may be a bit behind on the info... but Sisters, while a promising new place doesn't look to be particularly upscale (my buddy and I were thinking like Matchbox downtown). Is there a second pizza restaurant coming onto H St, or was my friend mistaken? Is Sister's also going to have a bar? or just beer and wine? or not serve alcohol?
no, it looks like it's going to a be a lunch joint for the people that work in the new ATF building. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's nothing to jump for joy about either.
For the record, I don't mind when chains move into the neighborhood. In some instances, I would prefer to enter a shop that is familiar to me than not. All I'm saying is, don't be surprised if you're not wowed when mediocre product enters the market. Like I said in another post, Even G-town has an Unos. And two Subways in G-town are among the most profitable in the country, as I am told. Nothing wrong with good 'ol commerce
no, it looks like it's going to a be a lunch joint for the people that work in the new ATF building. Precisely. The two Napoli Group eateries are going to be at the ATF and will function solely to serve those employed there and +likely+ (just a hunch) not be open into the evening for those of us that want to dine at places other than Checkers and Cluck U.
"...in my mind, in these parts, The Gap is a sign of progress...". Can't say I concur with the statement. We have indy coffee shops, performing arts groups, music venues, interesting bars, a newly-opened high-end restaurant, a half-dozen restaurants slated to open, and a jazz bar that is probably weeks away from tearing the brown paper off their windows. How is The Gap a sign of progress?
"Believe me, I would if I could, but like most everyone else around here, we can't afford to live in G'town or upper NW, so we're stuck to make the best life we can among the drunks, thugs, and crack whores..." There are other affordable areas of the city that don't have nearly as hostile of a population as the H Street area. Brookland, Fort Toten, and Woodridge come to mind. I disagree with the person that suggested you move out but obviously want neighbors that want to live in the area rather than making the most of it.
Speaking of all these places, who's going out tonight?
Poo Poo is right....not that one is "wasting their voices" on a blog, but like one of the other posters, I have lived here on the Hill for almost 28 years now. Based on issues in out neighborhood, I can only advise that you band together and CONTINUALLY hammer the district for the standards you want and the things you want. I often refer to the gated community west of 16th street or the invisible fence down 16th(it may have moved to 14th now). This side of town seems to have been forgotten or a dumping ground for whatever those folks don't want. Keep the pressure on and I am rooting for H Street.
We've got a Subway and its bullet proof and open 24 hours.
BTW, does it anger anyone else that Armand's Chicago Pizzeria won't deliver to areas within their delivery distance because they don't like the neighborhoods you live?
You're missing the point. While I don't usually buy food in a shack behind a gas station, I'd be willing to bet that Subway makes a ton of money, bullet-proof glass and all. As for Armand's not delivering to your block, you live in the hood, no need to sugar coat it. Pizza deliverymen get robbed in the hood, so take-out resturants in the hood make a hard choice whether to lose money on business, and whether the saftey of their employees are more important. It's really a harder choice than it seems. Frankly, I'm suprised at the amount of delivery spots in this area. Maybe CitiPizza will give us a good alternative.
al's gourmet pizza on east capitol and 17th DOES deliver to the H St area (I live north of H, easy walking distance from the Englert bars). and they have VERY tasty whole wheat crust as an option (albeit only in the 14 inch size, but the regular crust comes in a variety of sizes).
armand's didn't deliver to my area in 2003 when I moved in, but is that still the case NOW? because this area has gentrified substantially between H and Florida.
do you live north of florida? i'm afraid trinidad is viewed as quite dangerous, still.
eh, screw armand's. al's gives em a run for their money.
While we're on Pizza delivery, Capital Pizza is good "college" pizza. 2023966000. They're across the street from me, but they used to deliver to my old apartment on RI Ave. That's a pretty big range.
More on Pizza delivery: We used to call Bistro Italiano on D St. We stopped when they refused to deliver to a friend's house, which is closer to them, but just north of H St (we are just south). We ordered from Al's on E. Cap. this evening and it was pretty good pie. Don't know if they venture north of H or not...
Al's does deliver north of H Street. I'm not sure how far, but at least to K Street to reach us. I agree Al's is pretty good. I'm really glad that City Pizza is reopening--we always liked their pizza.
It is ridiculous and offensive that Armand's won't deliver north of H Street. We don't ever go there anymore because of this.
Matchbox is opening a location on Barrack's Row. I don't think they deliver though. The only remotely edible pizza delivery around here is from Bistro Italiano. It's a shame to hear about they're delivery restrictions. We usually just make our own. The local stuff isn't worth the calories.
Just don't ever change your phone number or accidentally give them your cellphone number if that is not what is on file with Armands.
We changed our phone number earlier this year, and suddenly they refused to deliver to us, despite pointing out to the manager that they had delivered to us for 5 years. I also pointed out that we are far closer than many of the places south of H Street to which they deliver, but none of it mattered to them.
We had to argue with them to originally start delivering to us way back when, but apparently they have firmed up their position.
We will not be going there again. Too many good businesses that do care about our area to waste my money on people who insist on remaining ignorant.
57 comments:
Sisters is owned by the same people that are opening Heidi's Brooklyn Deli. I am disappointed to see franchises open in that area, but sometimes they are the only people with enough capital to start operations.
i wouldn't call that a 'chain' necessarily. i think of mcdonald's as a chain, not a joint with a handful of stores scattered around the country.
i'm ec-sta-tic for all three of the new joints to be opening up in that new spot.
ec-sta-tic!
ok, franchise. Haapy? But really, that fits the definition of chain. I don't say it negatively. I've never eaten there. The website could look better, but I have no idea about the food. I'll try it once it pens because I'm very curious about the pizza/mussels thing.
I love chains and franchises! I can't wait for more of them to open around here! I would love to be able to walk to a TGIF's and have a good dinner and then maybe even walk to a Cold Stone and get some yummy ice cream and eventually one day walk to a movie theater to catch a movie! Yay Twenty-First Century American Development! I mean obviously these places have a successful product that sells how else would they be able to put them up on every OTHER corner in America?
ugh, if you people actually read the 'fine print' on the site, you'd see it's definitely not a franchise.
i challenge you to look deeper.
they license, they don't franchise.
i'm really curious to figure out the demographics of these whiners.
the deli and the mussel shop are essentially maturing start-ups.
they are not chains.
how many people majored in basket weaving on this blog? i'm thinking LOTS.
maybe we should boot those two "chains" out, and invite a jamaican take-away to replace them?
sound like local support for local business? is that what people want?
clearly not.
seriously, some of you folks need to... i dunno. take a walk through the neighborhood every single day.
or,
just go back to iowa, arkansas, north carolina, or wherever.
AND i bet most of the whiners have never even eaten a meal at horace and dickies.
sorry folks, but i doubt a wig shop is going to open up in the ATF compound.
but if that's what you want, please write your commissioner. they are the voice of the people. they might even help you make it happen!
poo poo, I'm with you but I don't understand the problem with the people from the Midwest. I'm a white male from Kansas and I am all for these new places moving in because it's businesses like these that are more likely to have outside consultants come in to make sure the place is safe and sanitary. I've noticed a few "mom and pop" places I'm not sure has seen a health official who cared in 5 years around here. Thus the problem is the complacent people who have lived here too long. Let's face it, it pointless to have a restaurant in the neighborhood if your going to get a bug in your food or water every time.
This is only the fourth location for Sister's Pizza and Mussels. I think it sounds pretty good, and it will be even better if Sister's and Heidi's stay open past lunchtime!
kansas-
i don't mean to knock midewesterners, it's just that i've been here for long enough to know that 'newcomers' have very different expectations from what the realities are in dc.
inked has called me on that before, and she's probably right.
as well as others...
dc is finally starting to live up to its world class status.
it irks me that some folks seem to want to hold back development because it's.... just like every other city in america.
some folks aren't comfortable with the way the area is now, but gripe when it moves forward (whether it be because of franchises, prices, etc.).
the market dictates what develops.
that's how it works everywhere in the world, including cabo verde, macau, las vegas, new york, london, madagascar........
i guess i just don't understand the complainers.
who are they?
and...
why?
what the heck do they want?
help me figure that out and i might start posting intelligent commentary.
it's tough when folks just whine without any substantiation or reason.
dc is known for folks that move here, give it a shot, complain, and leave.
those are generally the folks i reference. the city is full of them.
they all eventually 'go home'.
i live here, and will for a very long time. the temps irk me, and they tend to screw up the economy (and traffic), so i vent.
no offense.
Poo poo-
I've not responded to your comments before, but perhaps I've just been reading too many recently to continue to stay quiet. I think you have a very narrow perspective on the world--perhaps as narrow as those you accuse from the Midwest.
I am originally from Indiana. I have lived here off and on for the past 10 years.
I did not major in basket weaving. I majored in something less useful than that--political science. I am now a physician at a local hospital.
I do not rent my home. I own it.
I have eaten at Horace and Dickies. It was delicious. Were it not that I am concerned about overall heart health, I'd eat there everyday. I've also eaten at the Majestic, the Ohio Restaurant (prior to closing), Litteri's and the Jamacian place as well as Granville Moore's, Napa and the Argonaut. And about a thousand other restaurants around the city.
I do not want DC to be like Indiana. That's why I moved away. In fact, the plethora of chains/franchises/box stores/nationwide companies is one of the reasons I left. I love the idea of finding unique stores and eateries. I like not knowing exactly what will be on the menu when I walk into a restaurant. I like NOT knowing the layout of a store when I enter. Do I eat at Chipotle and Chop't and the Oceanaire? Yes. Would I rather eat at locally owned, designed and operated establishments? Yes.
All of this to say, please give us a break. Your neighbors cannot be put into the tiny boxes you want them to fit into. Some of us are from the Midwest and eschew national chains. Others are from the West Coast and can't wait for a Chile's. And there are probably a million other combinations in the blocks that surround you. Let's live and let live, okay?
Success for a city like DC means capitalizing on its strengths, which means accentuating the differences between DC and sprawling southwest and midwest cities, with their endless similarity.
Contrary to this particular posting of Poo, development for DC fails when it attempts to emulate the suburbs. Witness the Heckinger mall. By devaluing the traditional H Street commercial corridor, it set back its development for quite some time. By all appearances the Heckinger mall could be dumped into any strip mall in the country, but no one lives in DC because they want to live in a generic suburb. There are safer and cheaper such suburbs in which to dwell. Why would anyone choose DC if that is the choice? On the other hand, if DC offers something different--dynamism, compact development and the unique features that make city life appealing--people will have a reason to live and invest here.
That being said, I'm much excited for Heidi's and the pizza place. I hope the pizza place delivers.
Although Poo Poo doesn't always comment in a manner that everyone finds acceptable, I can generally understand where he is coming from. I'm not sure he dislikes midwesterners(Poo Poo, I don't mean to assume anything for you)but a certain attitude here in DC(which he attributes to midwesterners). I happen to be married to a midwesterner(Nebraska....never thought it would happen!)so I have some perspective.
I happen to be in the design field and while I traveled the world for my profession, DC was a respite. But once faced with the day to day here, it is suffocating for a visual person. I remember an Historic Preservation meeting in the early 80's for Penn Theatre. The building is an Art Deco building and the architect wanted to restore it with blue tile. There was an uproar because it wasn't going to be red brick. Sometime over the last year our own ANC Zoning(I love them by the way)was commenting on something else and why it wasn't red brick. My husband & I were watching the Zoning hearing for a major southwest waterfront development and the ANC commissioner(young guy, too) was wondering why the building wasn't red brick. And at a recent SPNA meeting somebody else was asking why the Dreyfuss building wasn't red brick.
It's 2008. Architecture had been an incredible design force over the last 10 years shaping cities all over the world. And you can't even get to a certain level of discussion here. I invite all to have a look at the New Museum(google their website) on lower Broadway. Lower Broadway reminds me abit of H Street, low old buildings...and then this amazing structure. My point is I doubt if you would have anyone here who would even present something like that and them be able to have a proper conversation it. There is a certain progressiveness that seems to drive other places. I'm sure there will lots of comments about how we are not New York...that's not the point. Washington does not do anything until it has been completely confirmed by everywhere else and by that time it is on the downward trend. It's a very frustrating climate. I have always maintained that we do not have enough of a mix in this city(artists, entrepreneurs and business people) to balance the majority.
Having visited Macau in the late 70's, I'm sorry to see what is happening there as I just spent Christmas in Las Vegas(not quite sure how Vegas is different from Monticello...visit Europe, consult the picture books and reproduce, that was Jefferson's process....maybe Vegas will eventually be a World Heritage site). New York has become mallized. If DC were truly progressive they would be looking for the next formula and fostering that in the city.
As for Pizza and Mussels....are mussels cheap(everyone has them)?
It's been building over the last several years. I predict mussels being added to McDonald's menu soon.
Until DC has a real economic development policy that encourages small local businesses, get used to seeing more chains and franchises. Corporations have the capital to start up a business and take the inital losses and pay the ridiculous property taxes in this town. Few small business owners have that advantage. The bigger the company, the bigger the tax bill, the more money DC gets in its coffers. That's the DC Government's bottom line.
Been waiting to "drop" this one for a while...
Insightful and polite poo poo
= good
As for visceral and rude poo poo:
poo = dropping a deuce
poo poo = deuce deuce
deuce deuce = double deuce
double deuce = cheap single beer
cheap singles = bad poo poo's fuel
Bring back the good poo poo!
if we can get a nice mix of cutting edge local businesses like stella bleu and dr. granville's mixed in with the chain (or licensed) stores, that's cool, but I think most folks want a mix. So far, so good. For every T-Mobile store opening, there is a Sova. Let's keep the diversity going.
Alright, I removed the chain language. Although I would typically consider something to be a chain if it has more than 2-3 locations. But I don't mean to imply that something is necessarily bad or generic just because it happens to be a chain.
I'm glad new businesses are opening in the area and hope to see more. I believe you need to have a mix of chains and local businesses ... there are negatives to having solely one type in a neighborhood. Mom and pops offer that cozy feeling and that "get to know you" attitude. Sometimes though, they can get a little rundown and that can lead to blight. H Street and Florida don't need anymore of that. Chains offer familiarity and have a winning product. The downside there is that it’s the same ol', same ol' wherever you go. Both have advantages, both have disadvantages. I'm glad to see both coming into the neighborhood.
It’s important for all of us, whether you’ve been here for ten years or just moved in, to support these businesses and get out into the neighborhood. Developers and entrepreneurs look for this when deciding where to locate.
Inked, this isn't one of poo poo's best moments. Please don't accomodate him. It can be labeled a chain because that how people percive it to be. That's whole foundation of communication and language. If I say it's a chain, and people can understand what I mean, then the term worked.
As for CHAINS reflecting midwestern life, I have to agree. I remember meeting up with a friend in Colorado Springs a while back. The main attractions for eating in that town (I think with a thriving, yet military population) inlcuded a TIGF, a Hooters, and a Macaroni Grill. That Heidi's "Brooklyn" Deli looks like what somebody from Denver would percive a Brooklyn Deli to look like, instead of what a Brooklyn Deli actually looks like. The photos remind me of a Potbelly/Coner Bakery/ Au bon Pain that plays Italian music in the background. That's the fear; that cookie-cutter sandwhich shops are invading our neighborhood instead of orginal ideas like Granville Moore's and Napa. I'm interested in this Sister's, but I have to ask, is Mussels the new "IT" thing?
Marvelous Market is a local chain as is Firehook bakery and I'd be thrilled to have one on H. Good bread within walking distance? Heaven!
yes the Farmer's Market sells good bread but that's once a week May-October....
All good comments. I would not be opposed to chains and definely would support a mix. The Barracks Row folks were in a tizzy over the rumor of a GAP. Heck! a Gap would be great over there(or on H Street) as long as there were the right forces in place to support the small innovative people. It would just bring more people trolling the street. But as someone mentioned, DC looks at the businesses(who can) as a source of revenue.
8th and El, mussels seem to be turning up everywhere. While they were interesting when Belga first opened, they now seem to be the new bar food(Granville's isn't really that original...but maybe themed well). And now with Pizza!
Maybe Al's(pizza on 14th and E Cap) will start delivering them.
your neighborhood has some of the biggest non-chain local growth of any I know. please be thankful that you actually have stores and restaurants and bars moving into your storefronts. anacostia isn't yet as lucky.
I have to respond to 8th & El's slander of Colorado Springs. It's certainly true that most of the Springs is your basic suburban sprawl, and the restaurants he references are typical of the offerings in the northern part of the city (where Academy Blvd. intersects with I-25). But it sounds like he didn't spend any time in the old downtown, which is lovely and boasts a number of unique and praise-worthy shops and restaurants. I won't offer a list (since this is pretty far off-thread), but if you go to the Springs without eating/drinking at the Phantom Canyon Brewery downtown, you've cheated yourself.
I live a few blocks south of H St. And let me just say that I WOULD LOVE if a GAP or J Crew or A&F came to H st., not to mention a decent grocery store.
It boils down to being practical -- do you want whats there now (Fashion One, Murrys, Storage place), or would you like something that, yes, may be a chain, but will far and away improve safety, foot traffic and commerce along H immediately?
Personally, I'm just sick of truckin' to NOVA and Chevy Chase for all my shopping. Barracks row people are snobs. I say bring on the non-big box chains!
Well noted Mose. I can only speak from expirience. Next time I'm in CO, I'll check it out.
There's ALREADY a Heidi's at 1710 H St NW. Check it out. It's not a "real" NY deli, but it's definitely got some tasty sammitches. The Italian clubs come close to approaching Litteri/Mangialiardo-levels of goodness and make Quiznos look like a pile of puke. You can do a lot worse when it comes to sandwich shops.
I'm looking at you, Subway.
Guys, I just want a grocery store. I'll give $20 to the first person here who can promise me a grocery store within the month. One that isn't stupid.
I actually have to agree with Anon. 2:03. Bring on the chains, its better than what we have now!
G'town has chains and it doesn't seem to be hurting them any.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE grocery store PLEASE. $100 to the first person that can get me a grocery store on H st. I emailed Trader Joe's again asking them to move into the neighborhood.
"G'town has chains and it doesn't seem to be hurting them any."
Please move out of the neighborhood. Thanks.
"At the moment, Sisters Pizza and Mussels is only available under a licensing agreement. Sisters Pizza and Mussels is considering moving to a franchise system and will post that information here on our website if and when it becomes available".
One way or another, it's the concept that is bothersome. It's what I like about Ben's Chili and Coppi's (they just happen to be located on U Street, which I don't like). And I don't agree that "the market dictates what develops". I would venture to guess the residents of Mount Pleasant and Columbia Heights didn't want a Target/Best Buy.
Not sure where the Midwest bashing came about, but it's really unnecessary. As is the ad hominem attacks on persons that are pedantic, obstinate, etc. Just deal with them.
"I live a few blocks south of H St. And let me just say that I WOULD LOVE if a GAP or J Crew or A&F came to H st., not to mention a decent grocery store." So our neighborhood can become an outdoor mall like Georgetown or Gallery Place? What's wrong with Safeway? I like the idea of Trader Joe's because they offer things the Safeway does not...
"...but will far and away improve safety, foot traffic and commerce along H immediately..." Just what the thugs around here need, people with large bank accounts roaming back to their cars parked off H Street with bags full of expensive clothes.
"Personally, I'm just sick of truckin' to NOVA and Chevy Chase for all my shopping. Barracks row people are snobs. I say bring on the non-big box chains!" That's the beauty of city life, you can (theoretically) obtain your essential items in one place and get other items in other places. I like having to head to 9th Street for Ethiopoian...and occasionally Old Town to drink at a favourite pub.
George Townsend, you must not be a shopper. Who wants to drive all over to get things, one theoretically doesn't live in the city for that. That is a suburban concept.
As for Safeway, I use the 14th Street Store. I hope someone puts them out of their misery(my opinion).
George Townsend, you must not be a shopper. Who wants to drive all over to get things, one theoretically doesn't live in the city for that. That is a suburban concept.
You must have moved here from South Riding. Or one of the other planned communities that has a "town center" as part of its layout. I grew up in New York City.
Neighbourhoods aren't meant to be replicated.
Anon. 3:53 comment "Please move out of the neighborhood. Thanks." Believe me, I would if I could, but like most everyone else around here, we can't afford to live in G'town or upper NW, so we're stuck to make the best life we can among the drunks, thugs, and crack whores trying our damndest to make it a better place to live. In my mind, in these parts, The Gap is a sign of progress.
Does quoting Anne Phelps get me the c note? (:
from anne phelps
to ANC6C04 anc6c04@googlegroups.com,
date Jan 17, 2008 2:48 PM
subject Neighborhood Food Update!
mailed-by gmail.com
Hello again,
I'm sure you've noticed the curving strip of retail spaces between the Metro and ATF, just south of Florida Avenue on 2nd St. NE. The GSA (General Services Administration) owns the building, which will house several neighborhood retail services, including some recently announced eateries:
Pound Coffee (link): As I mentioned in a previous email, Pound Coffee will be opening in one of the shops in late February/early March. Pound Coffee reportedly will offer breakfast, lunch, dinner, in addition to coffee and baked goods, of course.
Heidi's Brooklyn Deli (link): This franchise operation began in Denver and offers hot and cold sandwiches, along with wraps, salads, soups, smoothies, and desserts. Bagels too! Heidi's is slated to open in April.
Sister's Pizza and Mussels (link)): Also scheduled to open in April is the first DC franchise for Sister's, a company founded by the same entrepreneur who started Heidi's.
A. Litteri's: DC Foodies serves up a tantalizing piece on our neighborhood Italian food shop (and home to the best meatball sub) at 517-519 Morse St. in the Florida Market area. Check it out at link).
Also, the DC Council passed the tax bill last week that will help with parking at Constitution Square, 1st and M streets NE. With this news, I'm hoping for an announcement about a grocer for that location in the coming weeks.
I'll keep you posted as I hear more.
Anne
George Townsend, I understand that. I've lived on Capitol Hill for 25 years. Just want to be able to use this side of town in my lifetime. And during those 25 years it got much worse before it seems to be getter better. The logistics of shopping have only gotten worst with the traffic. While I, like you, hate Gallery Place....some "amenities" mixed with the individual would be nice. But I completely sympathize with Anon 2:03. And, yes, I love to shop.
wow, you folks are so contentious!
but i think that's great, actually.
this is our neighborhood, and we need to voice our opinions about what we want or don't want.
development is going to happen, and unless you have the funds to stop "chains" from coming in (i.e. open your own little joint), you're going to have to live with it.
it's not a bad thing.
you folks are living in a dynamic neighborhood. i'm willing to bet that most of the new businesses that have opened up will be closed within five years.
yeah, that's how it works.
but that's where you all come in.
voice your views at the meetings, and let the folks that "make decisions" hear what you want!
i, for one, want to see development. any kind of development.
it's better than what we have now.
but what we'll have in the future is up to us.
participate in the process.
this 'hood' is up to you.
btw, i can't believe the amazing insight of many of the posters. it makes me take a step back...
if there are so many intelligent folks out there, how come we're not further than we are now?
are we wasting our voices on a blog?
get out and make some changes!
I was talking with someone in the neighborhood, who said an upscale pizza place was opening on H St. I just moved to the area and just discovered frozen tropic, so I may be a bit behind on the info... but Sisters, while a promising new place doesn't look to be particularly upscale (my buddy and I were thinking like Matchbox downtown). Is there a second pizza restaurant coming onto H St, or was my friend mistaken? Is Sister's also going to have a bar? or just beer and wine? or not serve alcohol?
no, it looks like it's going to a be a lunch joint for the people that work in the new ATF building. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's nothing to jump for joy about either.
For the record, I don't mind when chains move into the neighborhood. In some instances, I would prefer to enter a shop that is familiar to me than not. All I'm saying is, don't be surprised if you're not wowed when mediocre product enters the market. Like I said in another post, Even G-town has an Unos. And two Subways in G-town are among the most profitable in the country, as I am told. Nothing wrong with good 'ol commerce
New to Neighborhood -Yes, there is a new pizza place coming to H St., which was covered in an earlier post on this site.
no, it looks like it's going to a be a lunch joint for the people that work in the new ATF building. Precisely. The two Napoli Group eateries are going to be at the ATF and will function solely to serve those employed there and +likely+ (just a hunch) not be open into the evening for those of us that want to dine at places other than Checkers and Cluck U.
"...in my mind, in these parts, The Gap is a sign of progress...". Can't say I concur with the statement. We have indy coffee shops, performing arts groups, music venues, interesting bars, a newly-opened high-end restaurant, a half-dozen restaurants slated to open, and a jazz bar that is probably weeks away from tearing the brown paper off their windows. How is The Gap a sign of progress?
"Believe me, I would if I could, but like most everyone else around here, we can't afford to live in G'town or upper NW, so we're stuck to make the best life we can among the drunks, thugs, and crack whores..." There are other affordable areas of the city that don't have nearly as hostile of a population as the H Street area. Brookland, Fort Toten, and Woodridge come to mind. I disagree with the person that suggested you move out but obviously want neighbors that want to live in the area rather than making the most of it.
Speaking of all these places, who's going out tonight?
Poo Poo is right....not that one is "wasting their voices" on a blog, but like one of the other posters, I have lived here on the Hill for almost 28 years now. Based on issues in out neighborhood, I can only advise that you band together and CONTINUALLY hammer the district for the standards you want and the things you want. I often refer to the gated community west of 16th street or the invisible fence down 16th(it may have moved to 14th now). This side of town seems to have been forgotten or a dumping ground for whatever those folks don't want. Keep the pressure on and I am rooting for H Street.
8th and E!,
We've got a Subway and its bullet proof and open 24 hours.
BTW, does it anger anyone else that Armand's Chicago Pizzeria won't deliver to areas within their delivery distance because they don't like the neighborhoods you live?
You're missing the point. While I don't usually buy food in a shack behind a gas station, I'd be willing to bet that Subway makes a ton of money, bullet-proof glass and all. As for Armand's not delivering to your block, you live in the hood, no need to sugar coat it. Pizza deliverymen get robbed in the hood, so take-out resturants in the hood make a hard choice whether to lose money on business, and whether the saftey of their employees are more important. It's really a harder choice than it seems. Frankly, I'm suprised at the amount of delivery spots in this area. Maybe CitiPizza will give us a good alternative.
The other pizza place will be in the 1300 block, but it will likely be a while.
The Domino's over by Gally delivers. It's atrocious pizza but works if you're hammered @ 2:00AM with an empty fridge and no desire to order Cluck U.
amkimdc,
al's gourmet pizza on east capitol and 17th DOES deliver to the H St area (I live north of H, easy walking distance from the Englert bars). and they have VERY tasty whole wheat crust as an option (albeit only in the 14 inch size, but the regular crust comes in a variety of sizes).
armand's didn't deliver to my area in 2003 when I moved in, but is that still the case NOW? because this area has gentrified substantially between H and Florida.
do you live north of florida? i'm afraid trinidad is viewed as quite dangerous, still.
eh, screw armand's. al's gives em a run for their money.
8th and el:
you crack me up.
just because you think one way doesn't mean everyone has to agree.
please post more.
please!
it's fascinating knowing that there are people like you out there.
Citi Pizza should reopen soon. For now, Nationals Pizza delivers over here. 202-396-1302.
Pot calling the kettle black, poo poo?
While we're on Pizza delivery, Capital Pizza is good "college" pizza. 2023966000. They're across the street from me, but they used to deliver to my old apartment on RI Ave. That's a pretty big range.
More on Pizza delivery: We used to call Bistro Italiano on D St. We stopped when they refused to deliver to a friend's house, which is closer to them, but just north of H St (we are just south). We ordered from Al's on E. Cap. this evening and it was pretty good pie. Don't know if they venture north of H or not...
Kenny G,
Al's does deliver north of H Street. I'm not sure how far, but at least to K Street to reach us. I agree Al's is pretty good. I'm really glad that City Pizza is reopening--we always liked their pizza.
It is ridiculous and offensive that Armand's won't deliver north of H Street. We don't ever go there anymore because of this.
Best,
Alan Kimber
ANC Commissioner, 6C05
Matchbox is opening a location on Barrack's Row. I don't think they deliver though. The only remotely edible pizza delivery around here is from Bistro Italiano. It's a shame to hear about they're delivery restrictions. We usually just make our own. The local stuff isn't worth the calories.
nice use of the english language, 8th and el.
did u look that up, or was it passed on to you from your parents?
read again, and THINK.
get creative with your thinking, and then come back with (likely) one of your typical american sayings.
but next time, please come up with a better one. something a bit more innovative, please.
i'm very tired of the blah blah, typical crap that people say. you sound like one of your neighbors.
oh, btw, armand's delivers to us, and we're north of H street.
they've been very slow, but they deliver.
usually we call in and pick up, but when we order, they come.
maybe it's because i give gigantious tips....
Has anyone tried the pizza at Philadelphia Water Ice Factory?
Poo Poo,
Just don't ever change your phone number or accidentally give them your cellphone number if that is not what is on file with Armands.
We changed our phone number earlier this year, and suddenly they refused to deliver to us, despite pointing out to the manager that they had delivered to us for 5 years. I also pointed out that we are far closer than many of the places south of H Street to which they deliver, but none of it mattered to them.
We had to argue with them to originally start delivering to us way back when, but apparently they have firmed up their position.
We will not be going there again. Too many good businesses that do care about our area to waste my money on people who insist on remaining ignorant.
Best,
Alan Kimber
ANC Commissioner, 6C05
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