Sunday, May 11, 2008

14U Closed - Reopening Later?

It took us a couple of weeks to notice this, simply because we hadn't walked up that side of 14th St. in awhile, so apologies for the belated news...but the 14U coffee shop located at (where else?) 14th and U St. has closed, with a sign in the door that says they are awaiting "new management" but that the search could "take awhile".

In our opinion, this likely spells the end for the little coffee shop that tried but couldn't. It's also pretty symptomatic of the way the shop was run during its time.

The 14 & Yous wanted very much to like the 14U--it had a very inviting atmosphere, friendly staff, and free wifi. Unfortunately, the quality of their product was spotty, to say the least. Drinks frequently came out mixed poorly (or not at all), and the pastries left a lot to be desired. In a neighborhood surrounded by options, being a place people *want* to patronize simply won't do.

It'd be nice if the 14U comes back under new--and, hopefully, better--management. But while we hate to see any small business close up shop, we're not surprised much to see it go.

4 comments:

Claire said...

I completely agree with you on this place. I wanted to love it, but I was never impressed with anything I bought there. A friend and I went soon after it opened and the apple pie made my friend sick! Hopefully, the expected new management can bring it up to its full potential.

Herb said...

I agree. As much as I want to support our local businesses, at the end of the day they still need to deliver a quality product and provide good service. Hopefully the new mgmt of 14U can succeed in this location.

SZM said...

I knew it was on its way out when, early in its existence, they advertised for swing dancing on the medians in Logan Circle like desperate real estate agents or garage sale planners.

Anonymous said...

OMG... when they first opened, I went there twice a day sometimes, just to show my support. The young woman behind the counter had no clue how to multi-task. The line took forever. The manager would be shouting to suppliers on his phone, arguing, creating a really negative energy. Really sad, because there are very few indie coffee houses left anywhere. They keep closing, everywhere. Cork Wine Bar, anyone (poor Sparky's).