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| photo: popville.com | |
Paul Ruppert plans to open Upshur Books in late summer at 827 Upshur Street in D.C.'s Petworth neighborhood, adjacent to his book-focused bar and restaurant, Petworth Citizen & Reading Room. Washington City Paper reported that Ruppert and his team have been working on the concept for about six months, since their landlord approached them about renting the space next door. The two businesses will operate independently. Kristina Bilonick, a visual artist and founder of Pleasant Plains Workshop, is taking the lead on the project with Ruppert, City Paper noted.
"Upshur Street has this great retail direction with Willow and Bentley's [Vintage Furniture and Collectibles] and Fia's [Fabulous Finds]," he said. "We thought that doing something retail-related and having it be related to what we were doing at Petworth Citizen could work really well.... It's a business that really resonates in the community and that's really important to what we're doing."
With 800 square feet of space, Upshur Books will focus on literary fiction, poetry, art books and works by local authors, as well as a children's section and a small selection of cards and sidelines. Upshur Books is soliciting donations via an online campaign, where Founders Circle members can pledge $250, $500, or $1,000 in exchange for store credit and discounts. They are also looking for a full-time manager.