Vintage Pop-Up in Mount Pleasant

A temporary vintage clothing pop-up has opened on Mount Pleasant Street. R. Bernard Estate Liquidators is operating a month-long pop up in the upstairs space at 3165 Mount Pleasant St NW. The store is open Thursdays though Sundays until December 22. I stopped in Saturday and there was a wide selection of clothing and accessories for men and women, including a ton of vintage three piece linen suits, dresses, shoes, sweaters, scarves, and vests. And ties, ties, ties. There were tons of really stylish neckties. They even have some furniture, jewelry, and handbags.

The proprietors are amazingly nice and helpful. They also know fashion, especially the history of DC fashion, if you're interested in such things. Since most if not all of the clothing comes from estate sales and mass liquidations, large swaths of clothes are from the same era, or are similar sizes. However, there's plenty to look through and the selection has potential to change every week based on new acquisitions. The hours of the pop-up are Thursday - Saturday 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and Sunday 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Adams Morgan Gains a Salon, Mount P Loses a Laundry

The owners of Chinatown's AsukiSQ Hair Salon are opening a new salon on Columbia Rd in Adams Morgan. Mixtec, a popular Mexican restaurant, was the last tenant of 1794 Columbia Road NW. Mixtec closed in 2014 and the space has been vacant since. The salon looks as if it will only occupy about half of the restaurant footprint. AsukiSQ is already hiring for stylists, so if you're a stylist looking to land in a new work environment, there you go.

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A gym is moving into the space formerly occupied by a laundromat in Mount Pleasant. Fit360 is currently located in the Argyle building on 17th St NW. They recently began documenting the process of converting a nearby laundromat into a new gym space. The "24HRS Laundromat" at 3058 Mount Pleasant St NW has posted signs indicating that they were closed for good and that they were moving to 3215 Mount Pleasant St NW (which is actually already home to another laundry). So, all this goes to say, Fit360 is moving to a larger, more visible space on lower Mount Pleasant Street, and the neihborhood will have to do with one less laundromat. 

New Bakery Will Replace Heller's

Owners of Room 11 in Columbia Heights will open a bakery in the space formerly occupied by Heller's Bakery. Heller's operated at 3221 Mount Pleasant St NW for a better part of 80+ years but closed in December 2014.

The new bakery will be called Paisley Fig and already operates as part of the Room 11 restaurant on 11th St NW in Columbia Heights. The new operation will add a cafe/restaurant component in addition to baked goods and will likely be open 7:00 AM throughout evening hours. Other aspects I expect to see realized: vegan & vegetarian options, gluten free options, an alcohol license. This is obviously very good news for Mount Pleasant. Now if we can get someone to open that vegan donut / video game arcade / coffee shop / but also bar / but also serves pancakes / concept I keep dreaming about, well then, the neighborhood will be complete.

Good luck Paisley Fig!

Condos Could Replace Mount Pleasant Auto Repair

3054 Mount Pleasant St NW

Last week Urban Turf reported that the property currently home to Mount Pleasant Auto Repair could be converted into condos. The ANC 1D notes from May 26 seem indicate just that. If the property (3054 Mount Pleasant St NW) is sold to the prospective buyers, they plan to built a multi-unit condo building, including retail units. I'm guessing the retail won't be an auto repair shop, which we only have one of in the neighborhood.

That would be a big change for this block, which already has a mix of residential and retail, but has mostly retail frontage. Ercilia's, Flying Fish, Each Peach, Frugalista, and other businesses line the block near the busy corner of Irving and Mount Pleasant Streets. The west side of the block is dominated by single-story retail storefronts, so a multi-unit, multi-floor residential building would be somewhat of a departure. But, with only six units, this wouldn't be too big of an addition to the neighborhood. I'd count the closing of the only nearby auto repair shop as a loss, though.

Mount Pleasant Youth Art Walk

The 15th Annual Mount Pleasant Youth Arts Fair is back. The associated Art Walk display is happening inside of Mt P Street businesses. The art --with the theme "Heroes of Mount Pleasant"-- includes pieces from students attending Sacred Heart School, Asian American LEAD, Rosemount Center, Bancroft Elementary, Bell Multicultural, District of Columbia International School, Latin American Youth Center, and Mt P Library patrons.

Visit these locations to see student work on display:

Past Tense Studio: 3253 Mount Pleasant St NW

Argyle Convenience Store: 3220 17th St NW

Old School Hardware: 3219 Mount Pleasant St NW

Don Juan Restaurant: 1660 Lamont St NW

Mount Pleasant Pharmacy: 3169 Mount Pleasant St NW

Las Americas Dental Health: 3165 Mount Pleasant St NW

El West Boots & Clothing: 3167 Mount Pleasant St NW

Alex Unisex Hair Salon: 3163 Mount Pleasant St NW

Dos Gringos: 3166 Mount Pleasant St NW

Beau Thai: 3162 Mount Pleasant St NW

Radius Pizza: 3155 Mount Pleasant St NW

Dollar Star: 3129 Mount Pleasant St NW

Each Peach Market: 3068 Mount Pleasant St NW

Flying Fish Coffee & Tea: 3064 Mount Pleasant St NW

The Mount Pleasant Youth Arts Fair and Art Walk is sponsored by the Mt. Pleasant Business Association, Friends of Mount Pleasant Library, and Haydee's Restaurant.

Subway Gets a Poop Protest

Outside / inside of 3174 Mount Pleasant St NW.

For the past week or so, a nightly digital projection has graced the outer walls of 3174 Mount Pleasant Street NW. Late last year, we found out that the former Suns Discount storefront would soon be home to a Subway sandwich shop. Well, we thought it would be soon way back in November. But time is relative, I suppose.

The digital projection features a bunch of animated, anthropomorphic, floating "poop" emoji cartoons, alternating with messages such as "future home of Subway" [with "Subway"stylized like the corporate logo] and "Subway eat shit," a take on the shop's "eat fresh" advertising motto. The projection originates from another building on the other side of Mount Pleasant Street NW.

Peeking inside, you can see that the build-out continues and it's actually starting to look like a restaurant akin to Subway. I'm ambivalent about Subway. They did add a few vegan sandwiches to their menu recently, but yeah, it's still fast food. Safe, boring, fast food.

As for the protest, I'll give 4 out of 5 stars. It's simple and gets the point across in about 30 seconds. I mean, less than that actually. So, mission accomplished. Subway is so ubiquitous, it's an easy target; but this protest has a whiff of Adbusters, so I like it.

My dream Mount Pleasant restaurant is a replica of 821 Cafe in Richmond. I mean, where can you really get a quality breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same seat. Not many places. No gimmicks, no fake-fancy bs, no over-inflated DC prices, no open table, no wack cell phone apps, and no standing in line; just good food and good people. 

Reminds me, I need to visit Richmond.

If you're ever in RVA... 825 W Cary St.

Purple Patch Opens, McIntyre Breaks Ground

Purple Patch opened to the public last night at 3155 Mount Pleasant St NW. This space was formerly occupied by Tonic. Purple Patch is self-described as an American-Filipino restaurant and definitely adds something new to the neighborhood dining scene. Can't wait to make a visit! Good luck PP!

In other neighborhood news, the McIntyre residential project is moving right along at 3146 16th St NW. This was the site of Meridian Hill Baptist Church until the building was partially destroyed in the Deauville Apartment fire of 2008. Last year we learned that Valor Development purchased the building and is converting it into 85 condominiums. Most of the new construction will be in the form of an additional 8-story tower, which will wrap around the southern and western sides of the existing church building. I'll keep an eye on this development as it progresses.

Centrolina to Downtown; Theatre Planned for Mount P

Signage has gone up announcing the pending arrival of Centolina to City Center. The Italian restaurant and market will serve handmade pastas and have a complete coffee service, among many other offerings. Cenrtrolina will be run by Amy Brandwein, formerly of Alba Osteria and Casa Nonna. 

The location will be 974 Palmer Alley NW, directly across from RareSweets. Palmer Alley is the City Center created pedestrian-only area that will eventually be filled with restaurants and retail shops. When fully leased, approximately 60 businesses will fill 300,000 square feet of retail space across the three City Center buildings. 

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Will Mount Pleasant get a tiny, independent movie theater? Maybe. Two neighborhood residents, including the owner of Eastern Confederate salon, want to open a movie theatre on Mount Pleasant Street. We're talking small scale here, less than 50 seats. And think classic, cult, and local films, not first run blockbusters. Sounds like a great idea to me! If successful, Suns Cinema would be located at 3107 Mount Pleasant St NW, two doors from the mysteriously open, but sometimes closed LIA Cafe.

Check out this Washington Post article for more details. 

Purple Patch Could Replace Tonic

It appears that someone has secured the former Tonic space (3155 Mount Pleasant St NW) and is moving forward with a new business. I peeked inside the downstairs level last night and there were bottles and bottles of wine in the otherwise nondescript and unadorned former sports bar space. The tables, chairs, and bar area looked to be identical to what remained when Tonic closed. As a reminder, Tonic closed last June. Plans to open another restaurant in the space never materialized.

The new business has posted hiring advertisements featuring the name and logo for "Purple Patch Food & Drink." I have zero inside knowledge, but that sounds like a wine focused theme to me. I'd be super-OK with a relaxed wine bar atmosphere. Or at least a regular-type, normal, non-gimmicky bar with a good wine selection. And beer. Maybe a TV or two for the game. And nice people working there and hanging out there. And... well, let's just wait and see what shakes out. At any rate, this is welcome news for such a prime space on our commercial strip. Stay tuned for more details as they come. Very cool news!

[UPDATE: Now hearing that Purple Patch could be a project from a former Tonic employee.]

What Would You Like to See in Heller's Space?

The folks at Heller's Bakery spent no time moving fixtures and equipment out of the retail space at 3221 Mount Pleasant Street NW. Heller's closed on Sunday after nearly 90 years of (more or less) continuous operation as bakery. The owners could possibly return to the neighborhood and open a similar business, but it appears that the retail storefront at this location will have a newcomer as the next tenant. What would you like to see in this space? Any other worthy ideas? Let me know @The42BusDC. 

What Should Replace Heller's?

• Other
• Fancy Restaurant
• Bakery
• Corner Store or Bodega
• Music/Arts Venue
• Casual Restaurant
• Bar or Saloon
• Spa, Barber, or Salon
• Non-food Retail
• Doctor or Dentist Office

Created on Dec 29, 2014

View Results

poll by twiigs.com

Heller's Bakery Closing

Long-time Mount Pleasant bakery Heller's is closing after nearly 90. Several outlets are reporting that the bakery, which has operated on the Mount Pleasant commercial strip since 1928, is closing within the week. Heller's is located at 3221 Mount Pleasant Street NW.

Here's the Washington Post write-up of the closure. Looks like you'll have a few more chances to visit, the last being this Sunday, December 28. That's not counting the possibility that the owners will open Heller's in a new spot with a new vibe -- we can hope! RIP Heller's and THANK YOU. Good luck! 

Also, someone PLEASE take that soothing blue electric Heller's sign, store it, protect it, and use it in the new store when it's ready. It's awesome!

Monsenor Romero Apartments Set to Reopen in October

First floor being rebuilt on the site of the Monsenor Romero Apartments

The Washington Post is reporting that the Monsenor Romero Apartments, formerly known as the Deauville, will reopen for tenants in October 2014. If that date holds, more than six years will have elapsed since a five-alarm fire completely leveled more than half of the building while forcing all residents to vacate and find alternate housing.

The building, located at 3145 Mount Pleasant Street NW, has been vacant and appeared mostly untouched over the years. However, the tenants association (which had since purchased the building) was able to acquire financing to rebuild and held a ceremonial groundbreaking in July of last year. 

There has been more substantial work recently. The new foundation has been laid and construction has extended above ground, beyond the first floor. That's really exciting news for the neighborhood and those residents who are able to actually return home. I mean, what a victory, after so much time has elapsed. According to the Post article 40-45 of the 63 units in the new building will be occupied by tenants displaced by the fire. FYI, at the time of the fire, the Deauville had 93 units, substantially more than the rebuilt structure will have. 

Snowy Exit

Lia Cafe Brazil Opens in Mount Pleasant

Lia Cafe Brazil had its grand opening in July of 2013. After a one-day preview, the restaurant/cafe never opened for regular business. 

However, as of this weekend, it appears they are now open! I was not able to make a visit during operating hours, but they do have a refreshed logo, slightly tweaked name (originally Sobe Cafe), as well as a new menu. The menu includes half-a-dozen choices each of sandwiches, pastries, soups, coffee/espresso drink, as well as cakes & other desserts. There appear to be several vegetarian items, but nothing vegan at first glance. Lia Cafe Brazil is located at 3103 Mount Pleasant Sweet NW. Good luck to the owners!

If you dropped in this weekend, let me know how it was via Twitter: @The42BusDC

Peek inside

Snowy Day Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant Street NW

Mount Pleasant Street

Mount Pleasant Street at Dusk

Mount Pleasant Spring Shop Hop is Saturday

Spring has sprung! If you haven't spent a Saturday in the neighborhood yet this spring, this weekend is your chance. You can usually find me at the farmers' market on Saturday AM, but this week, you'll find me all up and down Mt Pleasant Street NW supporting the businesses taking part in the Spring Shop Hop. 

The Mount Pleasant Business Association and a dozen local businesses are teaming up to offer specials and show off some of our civic treasures like the newly renovated Mount Pleasant Branch Library and the great kids attending Bancroft Elementary. 

From the organizers:

Bancroft Elementary parade. Photo by Rick Reinhard

This Saturday May 18th 

Mount Pleasant Street.... All day long. A Parade. One of DC’s Best Farmers Markets. A preview of Each Peach Market, a new artisan food store set to open this summer. A Karate Demo. And an outdoor Kettlebell Class in Lamont Park. Singha Saturday at Beau Thai.

May 18th will be one of those awesome Mount Pleasant Saturdays. 

It's Mount Pleasant's annual Spring Shop Hop with local shops and restaurants offering some great deals and fun specials in DC's most eclectic neighborhood. 

As you stroll the corridor, you can watch Bancroft Elementary School’s marching band lead a parade (10:15 AM), enjoy some youth artwork displayed in shop windows and at the newly renovated Mt. Pleasant Library, get your bike fixed, eat some homemade ice cream , get your fitness on with the DC Self Defense Karate Association and That Yellow Gym in Lamont Park (2:00 PM) and much more.

Visit MtPleasantDC.com for more info and a listing of specials brought to you by the Mount Pleasant Business Association.

New Café for Mount Pleasant Street

New coffee spot at 2103 Mount Pleasant St NW?

UPDATE: Ramona's Salon and Day Spa will remain open on the second and third floors.

For the past five+ years, the Barreiro Salon & Day Spa has operated at 3103 Mount Pleasant St NW. They offered the usual spa services like massage, waxing, mani/pedi, facials, hair care, and skin care. They even hosted a semi-permanent art gallery and occasionally held special events.

Well, it looks as if a new business is moving in. Sobé Café has signage up announcing an imminent opening. The website listed was not yet active, as of last night. The Barreiro Salon website is still active, though. However, a food display case, cafe tables and chairs now inhabit the first floor, not salon equipment. And the Salon nameplate has been replaced by Sobé Café's. In addition, DCRA permits dating back to last summer indicate that the managers of the new space have been planning a conversion to food service for some time.

This café would join current Mount P coffee hangouts Flying Fish, Dos Gringos, and Heller's Bakery. More news as it comes.