Via Borderstan, longtime 14th Street purveyor of plant reproductive structures, Flowers On Fourteenth, is moving their operations down the street to the space formerly occupied by Cafe Salsa.
Cafe Salsa abruptly shut its doors a couple of weeks ago, leaving a vacancy near a corner (14th and R) due for significant revitalization in the coming years. The decision by Flowers On Fourteenth to move down the block helps ensure that at least one longtime neighborhood fixture will remain. Retail continuity along 14th Street is increasingly a concern, as longtime businesses have either closed or may soon relocate.
At the same time, a host of new businesses are set to enter the scene, as long-awaited furniture retailer Room and Board progresses towards a summer opening, and JBG gets set to begin work on their massive project between S and Swann streets.
Flowers On Fourteenth has been operating on 14th Street for years. The 14thandyous have occasionally purchased flowers from them, to mixed results--my last purchase, for Mrs. 14thandyou's birthday, resulted in the premature death of about half the flowers within a day's time. I promptly returned the bouquet, which FoF was more than happy to fix. Thus, while the PITA factor was high, we eventually got a bouquet that was quite lovely, until, that is, the 14thandyou cats turned it into salad.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Flowers on Fourteenth Moving...Down the Street
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4 comments:
I think the arrival of Room & Board is going to be great for the street. We will finally have something to draw people in for a retail experience during the daytime.
I've had good experiences with the florist, but I am always turned off by the fact that one employee is always smoking outside, near the flowers. I don't like the idea of cigarette stink masking floral fragrance.
I think F14th is great shop that adds to the hood and I always try to purchase there, if possible. I hope they can spent a few extra $ and have real sign lit up . . . where the Cafe Salsa sign was. The old sign, to some, made the shop appear run down or fading, which it's not.
Good luck, guys.
Melissa,
Whew, big box furniture retail, which in relative terms is what Room and Board is to 14th & U, is not individually the huge retail draw you make it out to be, it is still a niche. I do think it will be a valuable addition to a relatively dead corner for the past few years.
The real draw is the cluster of home furnishings, accessories, design services, and boutique shopping experiences that already exist, that could be complemented by R&B opening and locking down 14th & U as a furniture shopping district for the city/region.
F14th has some of the best prices in town and always enjoy shopping locally for a quality product.
PS:That is one of the owners out front smoking, introduce yourself if it is such a big issue for you.
I think you are wrong Anon and Melissa is right. Room and Board is a destination retail establishment. People will come from all over, since it is the only one. They have a pretty loyal customer base, which is why they're coming to DC in the first place. I would bet their presence benefits all the other retailers and restaurants in the 'hood. Just saying.
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