I recently asked on THIH’s Instagram stories, “What kind of retail do you wish we had on the Hill, or pretty close by?” and got answers such as, “A DryBar,” “A T.J. Maxx,” “I wish there were a Target closer,” “ANY,” “Home decor,” “An Apple store” and “Women’s clothing and a new baby store” (R.I.P. Dawn Price Baby) among others. Thank you to those of you who replied!
As a neighborhood, we love getting new restaurants– really, we do. But wouldn’t it be nice to also have clothing and home goods stores within walking or metroing distance? Aside from the amazing Hill’s Kitchen, Antiochia, Silk Road, and Steadfast Supply and Salt and Sundry farther out, Capitol Hill (and surrounding area) is a true wasteland when it comes to places to furnish a home. I’ve resorted to hallucinating a Crate and Barrel at the new building on 5th and H Streets, NE every now and again. (Can’t you just SEE it if you squint really hard?)
Take bedding, for example. Where do you go when you need to buy some sheets? You can trek out to Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond, or maybe turn a blind eye to their non-union-ness and hit Walmart. No local retailers carry stuff like this: You have to go to big-box stores to buy bed linens– or order from places like The Company Store via catalog or internet. This is why I feel very much at peace telling you about the most amazing sheets I was given to try earlier this year, and which are available via Amazon. (If I somehow overlooked a place that is locally-owned where you can buy this item, please leave me a comment on Facebook or Tweet at me!)
A few months ago, California Design Den offered me a set of sheets to try out in my home. When the package arrived –– I was given a white, queen sized set, 600-thread count–– I wasn’t ready to give up my flannel sheets because this spring was seriously cold. Reader: If I could go back in time and talk to myself, I would have told me to boldly remove the flannel sheets and start enjoying these magnificent sheets right away. They are probably the nicest set of sheets that I’ve owned, honest. I’ve spilled things on them and have washed them several times, and every time I wash them, the cotton comes out softer and dreamier than before. Since I have been using them, switching to other sets seems unthinkable: I absolutely love these sheets and I’m very grateful that the kind folks at California Design Den let me try them out.
California Design Den’s sheets are made of 100% cotton and they have yet to pill on me. They were perfect for the summer, but have been just as cozy in cooler nights with the windows open. And they are environmentally-friendly, because the facility that makes them has been certified LEED v4 Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council.
If you are interested in buying (and no, we do not get a sales commission– I only received the freebie set for myself), you can click here.
I would love to be able to write a piece about local retail that offers this kind of great product, but alas, I cannot. When will we be able to get the kind of retail that we know this neighborhood would support?