To be honest, based on experiences in the past, most Ward 8 residents (and businesses!) get a little nervous when they hear of a another social service organization or nonprofit moving into their business district. Sometimes that anxiety is well founded, remember Calvary Women's Service's top secret move into Anacostia and their subsequent stonewalling when it came to even holding a community meeting? Needless to say Calvary Women's Services has never recovered from that in terms of its relationship with the residents of Anacostia - despite what Calvary's PR machine may say in their fundraising materials. CWS is pretty much a pariah when it comes to their perception by and interaction with Anacostia residents and businesses alike. I'm pretty sure their Executive Director wears blinders and earplugs when going about her day in the neighborhood (sorry, but I call it like I see it).
Anyway, I digress. I was pleased as punch to stop into the Martha's Outfitters community thrift located at 2204 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE in Anacostia and it looks G-O-O-D! It doesn't have the look of a typical thrift store, in many ways it reminds me of a hip New York second hand shop. Thanks to the prior occupant, a Sunbelt Rentals, the floors are polished concrete. The furnishings and fixtures are creative and chic, and the visual merchandising is done really, really, well. There was plenty of staff and they were polite, friendly, and proactive. They had me sorted out in no time -- even when we couldn't find the mates to two pairs of the 12 shoes I wanted to buy (if the employees are reading this I will be in this afternoon to see if you have found my new friends).
