The renovations at 3661 Georgia Avenue are complete, and Park View now has another option for coffee. Amen Coffee & Juice recently opened in the neighborhood and is located between Ace Check Cashing and Reliable Tavern, just south of the Georgia Avenue Metro. I haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, but look forward to doing so soon.
Kraken Axes is located in the former Murray’s at 3400 Georgia Avenue.
Kraken Axes hasn’t even gotten into full swing and it appears that trouble is already brewing. Kraken Axes opened in mid-December 2017 and is centered on the the sport of axe throwing in which the competitors throw an axe at a target, attempting to hit the bulls eye as near as possible, much like darts, but with axes.
In April, Kraken applied for a license to serve alcohol, both inside the establishment and on the parking lot, which they explained would be reconfigured as a Summer Garden. This drew a lot of concern from nearby neighbors leading to a negotiated Settlement Agreement with ANC1A which the Commission approved in May and the ABRA Board approved in June 2018.
Unknown to the ANC or community at the time of negotiation, ABRA was investigating Kraken Axes following ecomplaints they had received, leading to a hearing on June 27th before the ABRA Board (transcript here). The ABRA Board issued an ORDER REQUIRING APPLICANT TO DEMONSTRATE FITNESS FOR LICENSURE UNDER§ 25-301 AND ORDER on August 1, 2018, as a result of June hearing (full order here). In that order, Kraken Axes and D.C. Field House (both operated by the same owners), are directed to appear before the ABRA Board to demonstrate their qualifications for licensure. The hearing is scheduled for August 15, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. at ABRA in the Reeves Building.
A review of the ABC Board order states that “The Board seeks the DENIAL of the applications filed by Kraken and D.C. Field House based on 23 DCMR § 401.1, and the Board’s determination that the Applicant, Anna Veloro, is unfit for licensure under D.C. Official Code§ 25-301(a)(l).”
The order lists the following three counts for their action with supporting information listed in their Order:
COUNT I: Denial of the application filed by Kraken Axes is warranted where the Applicant allowed, permitted, or engaged in various violations of the law that merit denial of the application under 23 DCMR § 401.1.
COUNT II: Denial of the application filed by D.C. Field House is warranted where the Applicant allowed, permitted, or engaged in various violations of the law that merit denial of the application under 23 DCMR § 401.1.
COUNT III: The Board may deem the Applicant unfit for licensure pursuant to D.C. Official Code§§ 25-301(a)(l) and 25-301(a-1) based on the Applicant’s conduct, or if any of the violations identified above are sustained.
The findings of fact are serious, indeed, and this is a case of great concern to ANC1A and the community. We’ll need to see the outcome of the August hearing to determine what, if any, next steps need to be taken.
The Lower Georgia Avenue Main Streets is currently conducting a survey to identify community priorities, creating an opportunity for residents to engage. The survey is open until April 4th and can be found via SurveyMonkey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/765JZPB.
The survey takes less than 5 minutes to complete. The purpose of the survey is to help the program better understand community priorities. Hard copies are available upon request. Everyone is encouraged to participate today and feel free to forward this invitation to others!
The Lower Georgia Avenue Main Street is a new community-based economic development program to support small businesses and neighborhoods along the Georgia Avenue corridor from Kansas Avenue to Barry Place. Georgia Ave Thrive partnered with District Bridges in applying for this grant, awarded Fall 2017 by DC’s Department of Small and Local Businesses.
More info is available on the District Bridges website at districtbridges.org.
Tomorrow is the next First Friday on Georgia Avenue, from 6 pm – 9 pm. First Friday’s celebrate the small businesses in our neighborhood and allow neighbors to enjoy all they have to offer from food and drink specials to books, yoga, etc., fun and live music and art. For the list of participating businesses check here and look for the First Friday posters in store windows. Also, on Friday look for First Friday chalk marks in front of participating businesses.
This month, there are a few “special events” for Friday worth highlighting and a kid friendly activity all around the “theme” for Green Spaces including green spaces for dogs.
Green Spaces — “City of Trees” movie screening
Green spaces are an important part of our lives and DC neighborhoods and they contribute to our health and well being. DC documentary film makers Meridian Hill Pictures (meridianhillpictures.com) will showcase a story about green spaces, community and the efforts of DC’s “Washington Parks and People” (washingtonparks.net) in their documentary “City of Trees” (cityoftreesfilm.com). Meridian Hill Pictures is making the film available for a free community screening during First Friday. Come to Colony Club (www.colonyclub.com) at 3118 Georgia Ave NW, the film will start at around 7:30pm. Washington Parks and People will join the community for the event.
An example of the wide range of use of our green spaces will be a an installation by Noa Heyne (https://www.noa-heyne.com/) at the Bruce Monroe Site as part of CulturalDC’s “SPACE4: Mobile Art Gallery”. Take a sneak peak from 5-7 pm on Friday before its official opening on Saturday. Thanks to District Bridges for making that connection.
Kid Friendly Activity
For kids, Walls of Books is going with the dog and outdoor theme and are hosting the author of “The Adventures of Prada Enchilada” (www.adckid.com — www.facebook/theadventuresofpradaenchilada) with interactive storytelling that the kids will enjoy. (And Walls of Books has some “treats” for the parents as well in addition to the opportunity to stock up on some winter/spring reads)
With so much available on Friday night, there’s no need to stay home. Come out and have a great time!
Gee’s Market at Warder and Otis, NW.
Gee’s Market, at Warder Street and Otis Place, is currently undergoing renovations. I had a chance to stop by last week, briefly chat with the owner, and peak inside. It was largely empty and it looks like the space is being reconfigured. It was too early to tell what the final result will be so I’ll be checking in again soon.
I have received a few questions about the sign announcing “Coming Soon” and listing wine and beer. The “Coming Soon” refers to the renovations, not the wine and beer. Gee’s has had an ABRA license to sell beer and wine for many years, and during the last renewal process the ANC entered into a Settlement Agreement with Gee’s to address issues with the store that occurred in 2013 and earlier.
Kraken Axes has opened in the former Murray’s at 3400 Georgia Avenue.
Over the weekend I had an opportunity to visit Kraken Axes, one of Park View’s newest business. Kraken Axes opened in mid-December 2017 and is centered on the the sport of axe throwing in which the competitor throws an axe at a target, attempting to hit the bulls eye as near as possible. Its kind of like darts, but with axes.
In stopping by, I was able to Kraken Axes’ Anna Valero, who gave me a great welcome and overview. Valero informed me that the sport of axe throwing comes from Canada, and they hope to be in the neighborhood for years to come.
The short video sums it up nicely.
Two more photos from the visit:
(Speaking with Anna Valero.)
According to the Washington Post earlier this week, the team behind Timber Pizza plans to open a Jewish-inspired deli next year in the former Mothership/Alfie’s space at Georgia Avenue and Lamont called Call Your Mother. The Washington Post article states: “The deli will specialize in bagels. Not Montreal bagels. Not New York bagels. But something of a hybrid.”
We should have a good sense of how quickly they’ll be opening just by watching construction progress, as the owners will need to renovate the building which currently has a commercial kitchen occupying much of the space.
This is very good news indeed for the start of 2018!
Based on the signs in the windows at 3626 Georgia Avenue, it looks like the History of Cannabis museum is moving from Park Road to Georgia Avenue. It opened on Park Road on April 20th of this year, and you can read more about it from a DCist article here.
According to some who toured the Park Road location, a tour through this cannabis-focused museum provides an education chronicling the industry of the plant from its inception to modern day. Museum exhibits change semi-annually and elaborate on the medical, legal, cultural, technological, historical information and events impacting the cannabis industry.
DC Reynolds, Looking Glass Lounge, Kokeb Ethiopian, The Midlands, and Timber Pizza are all competing to be the best chili on Georgia Avenue at the Holiday Party/Chili Cook-off on December 17th … hosted at DC Reynolds.
See details below:
La Morenita is located on the northeast corner of Newton and Georgia, between the Senior Wellness Center and Top Spanish
La Morenita was scheduled to go before the ABRA Board on Friday, December 1st, to address the incidents on November 13th and 19th that led to MPD closing the business down for 96-hours at the end of November. Instead, an offer in compromise (OIC) was negotiated and presented to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC Board) by the Assistant Attorney General at the summary suspension proceeding. The proposed OIC, which the ABRA Board has the discretion to accept or reject can be read here.
In addition to the suspension served, the offer in compromise consists of the following terms:
"The territory comprising Park View extends from Gresham Street north to Rock Creek Church Road, and from Georgia Avenue to the Soldiers' Home grounds, including the triangle bounded by Park Road, Georgia Avenue, and New Hampshire Avenue" (from Directory and History of Park View, 1921.)
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Park View, D.C. 