Forest Hills Connection || News and Life in Our DC Neighborhood

Covering Forest Hills, Van Ness, North Cleveland Park and Wakefield

  • About Us
    • About Forest Hills Connection
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Donate & Subscribe
  • Classifieds
  • News
    • ANC 3F
    • Business
      • Business in Brief
      • Out to Eat
      • Shop & Eat Local
    • Getting Around
    • Main Street
    • Neighborhood in the News
    • Opinion
    • Parks and Streams
    • Real Estate
    • UDC
  • Style
    • Food
    • History
    • Meet the Neighbors
    • Neighbors Recommend
    • Services
    • Things To Do
  • Home Front
    • High-Rise Life
    • In the Garden
    • In the Kitchen
  • Backyard Nature
    • Local Wildlife
    • Wildlife Photos
  • Kids & Pets
    • At School
    • At Play
    • Kids Write
    • Pets
  • Calendar

How Politics and Prose and Busboys and Poets will work for each other

December 2, 2014 by FHC

by Susan Krause Bell

Politics and Prose checkout counterIn an era when bookstores large and small have struggled to compete with internet sellers and e-readers, Politics and Prose has thrived. It has managed to be a widely acclaimed bookstore, a community-gathering place, a sought-after author venue, and much more, right here in our neighborhood. I’m sure I am not the only one who has described where I live – proudly – by saying “walking distance from Politics and Prose.” But perhaps it was inevitable that the success of this neighborhood treasure would lead it to expand beyond its current location.

The owners of Politics and Prose, Lissa Muscatine and Bradley Graham, were approached several months go by Andy Shallal, the owner of Busboys and Poets, with a proposal that sounded intriguing enough for them to begin serious discussions. Graham said it did not take long for them to decide that it would be the right opportunity, noting that he expects the arrangement to “provide a wonderful synergy between two terrific community institutions and a win-win for both Politics and Prose and Busboys and Poets.”

Busboys and poetsBusboys and Poets is a local restaurant, bookseller, and community gathering place. It currently has operations in DC at 14th and V Streets, and 5th and K Streets, as well as Shirlington and Hyattsville. This month they are opening in Brookland, and next month in Takoma Park. Shallal reached out to Graham and Muscatine because while books are an important part of the mission of Busboys and Poets, he acknowledges that he is “not a bookstore manager.”

Politics and Prose will manage the bookstore operations – to be known as Politics and Prose @ Busboys and Poets – at five of the Busboys and Poets locations, beginning with the Brookland location when it opens in mid-December. This will include curating the books, staffing the retail operations, and organizing and sponsoring author talks and other book-related community events. Selecting the books for each location will involve some tailoring to the interests of the local community, but the larger selection at the Connecticut Avenue store will be easily accessible to customers at Politics and Prose @ Busboys and Poets.

Advertisement

Every Busboys and Poets location has well-equipped event space, where they currently host author talks and other programs. This too will offer wonderful synergy, as Politics and Prose is one of the most sought-after author venues in the area. It hosts daily author events at the Connecticut Avenue store, and has had to expand to other locations in order to meet the demand. The event staff will be able to say yes to many more authors, and Politics and Prose customers will have more author events from which to choose.

So how will this affect the local Politics and Prose? Graham is clear that he only sees upside for our neighborhood store, by extending the Politics and Prose brand and “making more people across Washington aware of who we are and what we do.”

“The more people who read books, engage with authors, and participate in discussions about literature and ideas,” said Graham, “the better it is for Politics and Prose and the entire community.”

This does sound like a win-win for Politics and Prose and Busboys and Poets. And if it helps Politics and Prose thrive while serving a wider audience, it is indeed a win for our neighborhood.

Forest Hills Connection is produced by volunteers, and supported by you. We appreciate your support – financial and otherwise. Here’s how to donate.

Filed Under: News

Comments

  1. Mary Beth Ray says

    December 5, 2014 at 9:14 am

    So proud to have P&P in our neighborhood, and what an exciting new partnership with B&P.

About Forest Hills Connection

  • Who we are
  • How to advertise
  • How to donate
  • How to submit a story idea
  • Contact us
  • Tweets by foresthillsnews

    Subscribe to Our Blog

    Receive an email alert whenever we publish a new article.

    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Arrives in your inbox around mid-month.


    Newsletter Archive         

    Connect With Us!

    Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on RSS

    Local Links

    • Schools, Services and More
    • Restaurants

    Latest Comments

    • Christine Stoessel on Washington Post reports on the Connecticut Ave. reversible lanes; Deadlines for comments on the DDOT study
    • Nicholas Lardy on ANC 3F April 20 agenda: Connecticut Ave. bike lanes; Grants for public art additions and invasive species removal
    • George Warner on Washington Post reports on the Connecticut Ave. reversible lanes; Deadlines for comments on the DDOT study
    • Green Eyeshades on ANC 3F April 20 agenda: Connecticut Ave. bike lanes; Grants for public art additions and invasive species removal
    • Morgan Gopnik on ANC 3F April 20 agenda: Connecticut Ave. bike lanes; Grants for public art additions and invasive species removal

    Archives

    About Forest Hills Connection | FHC + VNMS | Who We Are | Contributors
    Submissions Policy | Contact | Advertise | Donate
    © Forest Hills Connection | Site by: VanStudios