BUSBOY AND POETS 5TH AND K PROFESSIONAL
BUSBOY AND POETS 5TH AND K ZIP
BUSBOY AND POETS 5TH AND K WINDOWS

“I think the idea of growing the city in a way that doesn’t have any connection with its roots or past is sort of short-sighted.” “In the past few years, you have seen this sort of logarithmic change that has taken place, and I think much of it has been over zealous,” Shallal told UrbanTurf. Being active in the communities where Busboys has opened and reaching out to neighborhood leaders and city officials have been key parts of this effort. Where he makes his distinction is in a deliberate effort to mitigate the negative impact of development and make sure it doesn’t get out of hand. “After we opened, I saw a marked increase in foot traffic,” Shallal said, “Many people selling condos in the area started including Busboys and Poets in their sales pitches, and our name is regularly mentioned on Craigslist ads and other promotions around town.”Īlthough he decries many of the negative aspects of gentrification, particularly the higher prices and property taxes that come with it, Shallal sees himself as part of the process.

The restaurant and event space, whose name is an homage to poet Langston Hughes who was a busboy at the Wardman Park Hotel in the thirties, brought new life to this corner of the U Street Corridor. Shallal, a DC resident for over 40 years, opened his first outpost of Busboys and Poets on 14th and V Streets in 2005. The overall vibe is progressive, artistic, young, and urban. During the election season, local artists’ renderings of Barack Obama’s visage decorated the walls. There is a small bookstore with a decidedly left-leaning selection, and a venue for music shows and poetry slams. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner but also acts as a coffee house in the late morning and afternoons, then a bar before and after the dinner hour. It is hard to classify Busboys and Poets, as calling it merely “restaurant” would be an oversimplification.

BUSBOY AND POETS 5TH AND K ZIP

One establishment, however, has sought to pay homage to the past while moving these neighborhoods forward.īusboys and Poets, the brainchild of owner Andy Shallal, has become an institution in the zip codes where it has opened, and its arrival has been credited with invigorating neighborhoods that were once down on their luck. MVT CID extends a special thanks to the property and business owners who agreed to participate in this initiative by lending their storefronts and in many cases providing cash and/or gift card compensation to the artists.In Washington DC, where the tides of gentrification often achieve positive results by revitalizing once blighted neighborhoods, it is easy to lose sight of the past. The project was recently featured on local television news, with one of the MVT paintings shown at around the 55 second mark of the clip.īe sure to check out the beautiful designs around MVT while running your essential errands! Participating properties and businesses include:

BUSBOY AND POETS 5TH AND K PROFESSIONAL

Professional artists, many of whom are experiencing a significant loss in pay with little economic relief in sight, have been hired to paint storefronts at every Busboys and Poets location, a few restaurants owned by Jose Andres, and many other establishments across DC.

BUSBOY AND POETS 5TH AND K WINDOWS

The images and messages painted onto the storefront windows are messages inspiring hope during these trying times. Having more storefronts painted helps to spread joy to more of the people in and around our community. Multiple neighborhood restaurants, retailers and property owners have allowed artists to paint their storefronts whether the space is open, vacant or temporarily closed. In the midst of these uncertain days, Mount Vernon Triangle is looking extra bright thanks to Busboys and Poets owner Andy Shallal and his “ Paint the Storefronts” initiative.

Busboy and poets 5th and k