La Coop coffee shop relocating to Kennedy Street
/by Cesse Ip & Sacha Haworth
Juan Luis Salazar had been looking for a new place to house La Coop, his three-year old coffee shop and roastery, ever since troubles with his landlord meant he had an end date to his lease at 5505 1st Street NW. He looked at places all over the city, even entertained offers from big retailers downtown, but nothing felt right to the businessowner who wanted to remain in a neighborhood he says has supported him so much over the last three years.
So when Salazar got a call from Micah Bump, the owner of the properties adjacent to the shuttered Target Liquor store at 500 Kennedy Street NW, asking would he ever consider moving into the now-vacant space if he had the opportunity, he didn’t hesitate to say yes. The old liquor store on a larger corner lot had been one of their top choices for years, but the owner hadn’t wanted to sell.
Two days later, Bump called Salazar back. Could he come and meet him outside the building, just to take a look? Salazar showed up and Bump held up the keys to 500 Kennedy. He had bought the building. “When do you want to start?” he asked.
The old Target Liquor store at 500 Kennedy Street NW.
The answer was right away. Contractors swiftly moved in to clear and repair the space, making sure to preserve as much original architecture as possible. The building, built in 1926, was filled to the gills with old artifacts (a story for another day): ancient cash registers, a defunct payphone, bottles with decades-old liquor sloshing around inside. Juan Luis and his wife Stefanie plan to incorporate some of these curios – including the “Target Liquor” sign and clock on the marquee out front – in their décor (Stefanie has a full-time job, but handles the design in her spare time.)
The husband-and-wife team, who also run a location in Arlington, have big plans for their new space, but they want it to still feel like their original spot: “We want people to walk in and have it feel like La Coop, but be unique in its own way. Same vibe, slightly different design elements,” said Stefanie.
The Kennedy Street location is double the size of 1st Street: 12-foot original tin ceilings, a huge skylight in the middle which will highlight the coffee roaster (they do all their roasting on-site), and lots more seating. The rear of the building will open up onto a patio area they plan to landscape and convert for ample outdoor seating, community events, artisan markets, and live performances. Trees and perhaps a pergola will provide shade, and garden planters will separate customers sitting outside from the alley and sidewalk. They expect to have an expanded breakfast, lunch, snack, private event, and catering menu, and to apply for an alcohol license as well.
Outdoor space was a must for the new location, according to Juan Luis, as was staying in the neighborhood that supported them not only when their café opened but also as they endured years of intimidation and bullying from the developer and landlord who tried to evict them, despite a two-year lease.
“We wanted to do so much more with what we had [outside at 1st Street] but couldn’t because of the landlord. We couldn’t invest in the space,” said Juan Luis. The problems with the landlord, he explained, were rough for the owners and for their employees alike, many of whom are full time.
“We were going in a great direction – but when we had disputes with the landlord, we had to stop. We could have opened other shops before now but we couldn’t, because we had big lawyer fees and personal stress.”
Their situation famously came to a head when the landlord tried to have contractors erect a fence and board up the windows, disregarding the lease both parties had signed. Residents of the neighborhood and customers of La Coop, including Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, rallied round Juan Luis and Stefanie with public support, advocacy and advice, and they eventually prevailed, allowing them to remain until January or February of 2024.
That’s why it was so important to stay nearby, according to Salazar. “We had so many offers to go downtown, but we owed this neighborhood for the support we’ve had for three years,” he said. “Not only for the shop, but personally. The neighbors, they come and buy your products, but they also cheer us up.”
Some of the Post-It notes on the wall from customers at La Coop
La Coop sources all of their beans from an association of coffee growers in Guatemala which Juan Luis, himself the son of a coffee farmer, founded in 2006. Their stated goal is to empower the farmers and the communities they are from, often the most vulnerable in any supply chain.
“We build community. We are from a community. So being part of the neighborhood is who we are.”
The permitting and renovation process will more than likely take a few months, but Juan Luis and Stefanie are working hard to minimize the amount of transition time between the locations. Meanwhile, improvements are well under way. Recently, neighbors noticed that the rusted metal covers came off of the windows in the front, granting passersby a sneak peak of what promises to be a light-filled, airy and welcoming space.
Editor’s Note: This article was started by Cesse Ip, and completed with love by La Coop’s owners and Sacha Haworth (Cesse’s friend and a new Petworth News contributing writer).
