A new wellness center and two boutique shops are now open at the
Anacostia Arts Center at 1231 Good Hope Road SE. Ward 8 nonprofit,
ARCH Development Corporation developed the Arts Center and, with the help of the new businesses, sponsored its grand opening on September 14 with free classes, performances and goodies.
The new shops are
Nubian Hueman and
Vintage and Charmed. "This is Nubian Hueman's first brick and mortar store," says Kate Taylor Davis, director of the Anacostia Arts Center. Previously an online business, the shop offers modern, African-centered fashion featuring emerging designers in apparel, accessories, and art. On the other hand, it is the second location for Vintage and Charmed, which started in Maryland and specializes in unique and eclectic women's clothing.
The Community Wellness Collective, which opened in August, is a low-cost community-based health and wellness program. It offers fitness classes, including Zumba and yoga, and health literacy workshops.
The Anacostia Arts Center is a project of the ARCH Development Corporation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating a home for small businesses, artists, arts and cultural organizations to fulfill its commitment to the revitalization and sustainable economic development of historic Anacostia. ARCH Development President and CEO Duane Gautier "is really the visionary" for the Anacostia Arts Center, says Davis.
At 9,300 square feet, the Arts Center includes a 1,000 square foot Black Box Theater for film, dance and theater offerings and a short-term exhibition gallery called Blank Space SE. "Nurish," a café owned and operated by Kera Carpenter (who also owns
Domku Bar and Café in Petworth) will open at the Center in October. There is also space for five galleries/boutiques, each approximately 500 square feet. Two of the galleries are still available but announcements on them are expected soon. Davis says that the renovation of the Arts Center, which was formerly a job training site and prior to that a Woolworths, cost about $275,000.
It is easy to get to the Arts Center by taking Metro to the Anacostia Station, or taking advantage of free on-street parking, or Metro Bus stops and Capital Bikeshare stations on the block. "We hope to draw talent and audiences from both inside and outside the community to elevate the profile, the quality of life and the local economy east of the river," Davis says.