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Lucky Day



Yesterday got a bit worse before it got better. My return trip to Touché Touchet yielded the information that they are closed on Mondays. Blah. I still want a gingerbread heart. I’ll try again today, weather permitting. I’m serious about all things gingerbread.




While running errands closer to home I noticed that new indie bookstore Queen Takes Book has a sign up.



Yes, it’s a temporary sign, more like a banner, but it’s a great way to remind the public that a new business is coming to that space. The door was open and they were clearly working on preparing the interior. If you subscribe to their newsletter you’ve seen the current view.



Question: what do you call a bookstore without any books? We're not sure either, but we DO know that Queen Takes Book is going through major transformations this week! Demo is finished. New flooring and fresh paint are coming over the next couple of days. Fixtures have started to arrive.

You can subscribe to their newsletter by visiting the website. Queen Takes Book.

While I’m at it, I’m not sure I’ve ever noted the new paint job on the overall building that houses the bookstore, Mother Nature’s, etc. It certainly looks updated or “refreshed” as they say on HGTV. The base color is a sort of light and creamy gray, with accents of primary colors here and there. A pop of color, if you want to sound like a decorator. I like it. I grabbed some online images to highlight the difference.





Wait. Was that sculpture always there? Was it always that shade of blue? Hmm.


Something else that caught my eye while I was out and about was this many-windowed food truck. But it isn’t a food truck. It turned out to be something quite different.



It’s a hair cut truck. A barber truck? Here’s a closeup.


I found more information once I got back home. Here’s an article from Howard University News.

“Shape-Up King” Introduces Mobile Barbershop to Nation’s Capital, Howard University News

When people walk past the black cargo truck with the huge storefront window and “SHAPE-UP KING” printed on the front and sides, they stop and stare. They even take pictures.

What has their attention is the man inside, Emmanuel “E-Man” Azoro, also known as the “Shape-Up King” — the charismatic, part-salesman, full-time barber and the man behind what is apparently the first mobile barbershop in the nation’s capital.

Azoro looks to be both a showman and a creator/entrepreneur who has now brought his mobile business to Columbia. I find the whole concept pretty fascinating. You can check out the Shape-Up King on Facebook. A quick Google search shows that this man has been busy! I wonder if he has patented his truck concept. 

The moment I was sure my Monday luck as beginning to change was when I got the call from the Common Kitchen’s Leigha Steele that I had won a prize in the Souper Bowl Weekend Soup event. I’ll be enjoying a meal of delicious steamed momo from the Momo Hub very soon. Ms. Steele said the weekend was quite the success and they intend to make it an annual event. That is good news. 

Maybe you’ll get some good news today. Here’s hoping!


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