Prince Of Petworth » Blog Archive » Lots of Coffee News

Lots of Coffee News

16 March 2009 11:18 PM | By Prince Of Petworth in Neighborhoods - Columbia Heights, Neighborhoods - Petworth, coffee

First, I got a PoP preview of the new spot, Fresh off the Roast Coffee (full disclosure, a PoP advertiser), coming to 3917 Georgia Ave. It is a small spot kinda like Columbia Heights Coffee. There will be seating for 12 and in addition to coffee there will be a small food service.

The goal is to open in early April, though this is contingent upon a few more inspections. Ed. note: I never realized just how difficult it is to open a business in the city. There will be Wifi and a small spot for patio seating when the weather warms up.

Back in February, I told you about a new coffee spot coming to Irving Street next to the Five Guys. Well, it’s got a name now.

Thanks to a reader for sending the following news from Metrocurean. She writes:

“Mid-City Cafe is slated to open in April, just above Miss Pixie’s at 1626 14th St. NW. The shop will serve Counter Culture Coffee (hooray!), and Mick Mier, one of the owners, promises there won’t be any stale drip coffee sitting around.”

It’s a good day to be a coffee drinker!

16 March 2009 11:34 PM | anon Said:

50 coffee and chicken places, why can’t ONE person open a good Chinese place or a good place to get bagels and real deli sandwiches somewhere in the POP universe? I would kill for a great bagel with real lox spread, a knish, a stellar pickle, and a classic pastrami on rye … is that too much to ask???

16 March 2009 11:37 PM | Prince Of Petworth Said:

anon, it’s not exactly close but have you tried Morty’s (used to be Krupins) at 4320 Wisconsin Avenue NW?

17 March 2009 7:35 AM | monkeyrotica Said:

@anon - Yes, that is too much to ask. Particularly since there’s no indigenous deli kultur in DC. There used to be a substantial Jewish population in DC, many of whom lived and operated delis and dry cleaners and groceries in Columbia Heights in the 1940s and ’50s. They left before the ‘68 riots, just like all the ethnic Chinese left Chinatown. If you want something resembling a real deli, you need to go to Woodside in Silver Spring. You’re fortunate in that Deli City still has some of the best corned beef this side of corned beef row in Baltimore. Morty’s is alright in a pinch, but like Krupin’s, its best days are behind them.

17 March 2009 8:58 AM | Anonymous Said:

I think the Mocha Hut on U St. went out of business yesterday– there was a sign in the window that said closed and thanks. It was dark and the furniture was all lumped together in the middle of the room.

17 March 2009 9:33 AM | Kyle Said:

The laptop killed coffee house culture. I’m still mourning the loss of Pop Stop on 17th street. Columbia Heights Coffee is nice, but so small I can rarely find a seat there. Sure, I can always drink my coffee and read my books at home, but that’s no way to meet new people.

17 March 2009 9:50 AM | DCDireWolf Said:

It’s VERY expensive to have a business in DC, even a small one. Commercial rents are high, they didn’t suffer the same roll back that residential rents have in the downturn. Licensing and permitting with DCRA is very expensive. You see a lot of coffee shops (Mocha Hut’s problems notwithstanding) because the profit margin on coffee is super high. On bagels or other food items? Not so much. Having a mom and pop place in DC is next to impossible unless you have a lot of investors or a rich uncle or something. That’s why you see a lot of chains, and then local ownership groups with many investors like the folks that have the Heights.

17 March 2009 10:01 AM | G Said:

I’m super excited about the Mid-City Cafe — it seems like a great location and I expect there will be a lot of space up there. Also, I live around the corner

17 March 2009 10:02 AM | anon Said:

Speaking of which, POP’s scoop was correct, the Uptowner is opening a deli (serving breakfast, yahoo, so few breakfast places around) in the former Carvel space at Tivoli — banners are up. The reviews of the other Uptowner branches, alas, make me less than excited, but if this one serves a good sandwich and/or makes a good breakfast, I’d be psyched.

17 March 2009 11:11 AM | Hoodrat Said:

somehow, i’m not sure we can support all these coffee shops. but i’ll try my best. and i want coco libre back.

17 March 2009 11:38 AM | Terri Said:

From Petworth it is only a quick drive to Grubb Road. If you want deli, lox, bagels, killer pastrami sandwiches and matzah ball soup, you need to go to Parkway Deli.
It is worth the trip and will take care of any jewish food craving.

17 March 2009 11:53 AM | ontarioroader Said:

Unless you’ve spent [read: lost] a day or more of your time to DCRA you really have no idea how hard it is to open or run a business here. Ask any bartender with a ‘managers license’ here about just getting or renewing their license – it’s an unbelievable convoluted and complex process. Wasn’t it someone in the city council or mayor’s office who said [optimistically] “this is the 51st worst state in the country to try to open/start a business”? They’re right.

17 March 2009 12:15 PM | anon Said:

Mmmm, that Parkway looks stellar … alas, I don’t have a car . I would KILL for a place like that in Columbia Heights or Petworth … maybe the rents are just too damn high right now, because one thing is for sure: there is a ton of vacant space in C.H. in particular, and none of it seems to be attracting any businesses …

17 March 2009 12:17 PM | anon Said:

regarding the DCRA, it seems like this could be so easily remedied — lots of problems in the city require a lot of cash to fix, but not this one, just a manner of streamlining, simplifying, firing people who are incompetent, just making the whole process more user-friendly, web-accessible / based, etc. Has anyone heard if Fenty admin. gives a damn / is working this? Since city council seems unable or unwilling to do anything on the biggest issues (crime and education) perhaps they could at least take a shot at fixing the permitting system …

17 March 2009 12:27 PM | Nate Said:

Noone is surprised when a report comes out that Zimbabwe has terrible drinking water, corrupt gov’t officials, AIDS epidemic, or inept gov’t. So why are people in such an uproar when it happens in DC?
DC gov’t is one of the biggest impediments to the city. It’s the people. Now how do you go about getting rid of the bad ones without being tarred as a racist?

17 March 2009 12:32 PM | New2CH Said:

The owners of Tynan are speaking at the next NCHA meeting, April 1, 7:00 at Park Triangle community room — so if you have suggestions for them, drop by!

17 March 2009 12:33 PM | saf Said:

Anon – there’s also good deli stuff available at Wagshal’s, up Mass Ave by the AU Law School.

And as for DCRA, Fenty thinks he’s fixed it. He’s wrong, but…

17 March 2009 1:01 PM | Pennywise Said:

ontarioraoder, it was Patrick Mara that said that I believe.

re: DCRA, a fun challenge is to ask them about re-lining a chimney. Not a rebuild, but a re-lining. Try and get one singular answer from them within, say, five business days. They are lost and incompetent, no one set of rules that they all have access to. They were part of a Famous Fenty Foto-Op a couple years ago, where he says something like “we made it better now its better and we’re done” before running off to the next Foto.

17 March 2009 1:19 PM | Anonymous Said:

Rock on…I work across the street from Miss Pixie’s (can see it from my window). We’re in need of a good little place around here!

17 March 2009 2:30 PM | Brandon Said: