2008 Woodie Awards
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The Scene
U Street area restaurant connects community, dishes up poetry
By Ali Goldstein on 1/17/08
Much like the poetry in which it is rooted, the beauty and interest of Busboys and Poets lies in its contrast.
Sunlight streams through the expansive windows during lunch hour at Busboys and Poets, the restaurant, coffee shop and bookstore located in the heart of Washington's bustle two blocks from the U Street Metro stop.
Owner Andy Shallal opened Busboys to create a place for progressives to gather. It soon became a restaurant where "those who believe in social justice and peace could break bread together," Shallal said.
The restaurant earned a buzz for its electric open mic nights, most notably its Tuesday night event. People flock to Busboys from all over the District, as well as Baltimore, Virginia and even New York to read and watch.
"Open mic is very cathartic," Shallal said.
Since its name is a reference to Langston Hughes, Shallal knew poetry would be important to the restaurant when it first opened. But he did not imagine the richness or quality of the poetry that would sound from the restaurant.
"It's some really, really remarkable stuff," he said.
After two years of searching for the perfect space, Shallal selected its current location on the corner of 14th and V streets for its size and accessibility. The restaurant had a distinct commitment to the community from the day it opened, both in how it sought to enhance its neighborhood and bring people together in a creative environment.
The U Street neighborhood fosters the restaurant's distinct vibe.
"That's the success," Shallal said. "If we were to transplant this vibe someplace else, it wouldn't make sense. It would be an imposition."
Because of this interconnectedness, Busboys has evolved as its neighborhood has transformed. Gentrification has changed the face of the U Street area, as it has in other parts of the District. The building next door to Busboys was still under construction when it opened in 2005.
The restaurant works to retain the positive effects of gentrification, such as increased quality of services, and limit its negative effects, such as expense and homogeneity.
Sunlight streams through the expansive windows during lunch hour at Busboys and Poets, the restaurant, coffee shop and bookstore located in the heart of Washington's bustle two blocks from the U Street Metro stop.
Owner Andy Shallal opened Busboys to create a place for progressives to gather. It soon became a restaurant where "those who believe in social justice and peace could break bread together," Shallal said.
The restaurant earned a buzz for its electric open mic nights, most notably its Tuesday night event. People flock to Busboys from all over the District, as well as Baltimore, Virginia and even New York to read and watch.
"Open mic is very cathartic," Shallal said.
Since its name is a reference to Langston Hughes, Shallal knew poetry would be important to the restaurant when it first opened. But he did not imagine the richness or quality of the poetry that would sound from the restaurant.
"It's some really, really remarkable stuff," he said.
After two years of searching for the perfect space, Shallal selected its current location on the corner of 14th and V streets for its size and accessibility. The restaurant had a distinct commitment to the community from the day it opened, both in how it sought to enhance its neighborhood and bring people together in a creative environment.
The U Street neighborhood fosters the restaurant's distinct vibe.
"That's the success," Shallal said. "If we were to transplant this vibe someplace else, it wouldn't make sense. It would be an imposition."
Because of this interconnectedness, Busboys has evolved as its neighborhood has transformed. Gentrification has changed the face of the U Street area, as it has in other parts of the District. The building next door to Busboys was still under construction when it opened in 2005.
The restaurant works to retain the positive effects of gentrification, such as increased quality of services, and limit its negative effects, such as expense and homogeneity.
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