Solid State Books

In 2004, Solid State Books co-owners Scott Abel and Jake Cumsky-Whitlock met working at a Washington, D.C., bookstore. The pair instantly bonded over a love of books, music and baseball. They agreed that D.C. needed more independent bookstores, and in 2017, they turned their goal of opening one into a reality.

Located at H Street’s Apollo development, Solid State books is D.C.’s newest independent bookstore, according to DCist. Abel and Cumsky-Whitlock plan to host regular events in the space, including book clubs, author talks and children’s story hours in an effort to reinvigorate D.C.’s literary community.

Blue Bottle Coffee 

Oakland-based coffee giant Blue Bottle Coffee opened its second D.C. location in Union Market in early March. A one-stop shop for caffeine lovers across the U.S., the coffee chain opened its first D.C. location last year in Georgetown.

Blue Bottle’s Union Market location will serve as a regular café with coffee, tea and pastries, but it will also function as an office and training facility where Blue Bottle baristas can further their coffee education.

Design and architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson designed the interior of this new space.

Red Bear Brewing

Red Bear Brewing has signed a lease for 7K SF in the redeveloped Uline Arena. The Uline famously hosted The Beatles' first U.S. concert in 1964, and is now home to popular retail staples like REI and La Colombe coffee.

Red Bear Brewing will feature a 150- to 200-person taproom and an outdoor patio with approximately 15 seats. Founded by Cameron Raspet, Simon Bee and Bryan Van Den Oever, the brewery is expected to open at the end of 2018.

"We want to establish ourselves as a local hangout in the NoMa neighborhood," Raspet told Bisnow when the brewery's lease was announced.

This will be Red Bear Brewing's first location, but it hopes to become a large producer and distributor of local beer.