Bookstore Faces Eviction

Sisterspace, a bookstore on U Street specializing in books for an by black women and an important neighborhood hub, may be evicted from its building as soon as today. Fortunately, an anonymous invester has offered to provide funds to the struggling bookstore, which has found itself priced out as the U street area has gentrified:

"We really need to spend resources to protect our traditional businesses who are faced with ever-rising rents in red-hot real estate markets," Mr. Graham said. "The city needs a commitment to maintaining commercial diversity as well as residential diversity."
U Street, for example, is going to look like Connecticut Avenue, which is fine for Connecticut Avenue, but "I want U Street to look like U Street," Mr. Graham said. ...
Longtime Washingtonians coming through the store said they think Sisterspace is symbolic of the "what is happening throughout the city," as once-neglected neighborhoods are being redeveloped and property prices are skyrocketing. They worry that black businesses and families are being driven out by gentrification.
"We deserve the right to buy this building and stay on U Street," said Ms. Williams. She stresses that their fight is not about rent but about legal machinations designed to displace Sisterspace.
Gentrification is an emotional as well as economic issue in the District. Indeed, incentives should be enacted that provide assistance to longtime residents and merchants who want to preserve and maintain their homes and their businesses if they so choose.

The bookstore is accepting donations on their website via paypal, and is planning a fundraiser for July 31.
> W. Times: "Help is on the way for beleaguered Sisterspace"

Also, two crabbers have caught an albino crab.