Report a Comment

How big are each of these spaces you mentioned, John? Looking at BB+P's locations at 5th & K and in Hyattsville, they seem to need about 7,000 square feet on preferably one floor - or two, if necessary. None of these spaces in Anacostia seem to be that big, though I could be wrong. This might also be an opportunity to do a different or smaller concept that may be more well-suited to an emerging neighborhood with less traffic (foot or otherwise) than some of their other locations.

Which brings me to my main point: is Shallal really a "frontiersman" in redeveloping neighborhoods? None of the locations he's gone to were particularly bad at the time. The 14th & V location opened in 2005, five years after the apartments above the U Street Metro and the Whole Foods a few blocks away. Shirlington was well established as a mini-Clarendon before Busboys came there. And the Hyattsville branch is part of a larger planned community in a pretty stable suburban area. Neighboring University Park has a median income over $100k/year.

The "worst" location Shallal picked is probably 5th & K. It's still surrounded by parking lots and has a lingering problem with prostitution, but it's basically downtown, two blocks from the convention center, and surrounded by new high-end residential buildings.

I think Anacostia has a lot of potential and will probably see some new restaurants or bars started by enterprising folks in coming years. But I'm curious if Andy Shallal would really take a chance on it, given where Busboys + Poets has landed in the past.

by dan reed! on Jun 7, 2012 5:28 pm • link • report