Around this time last year, I blogged that Busboys and Poets’ plans to open in Harlem at 2280 Frederick Douglass went bust. Ironically, I am now blogging about them same time, but a year later, asking: is there still a possibility that Busboys and Poets could open in Harlem? According to a recent article in The Washington Post, there is a smidgen of hope. Andy Shallal, the owner of the Washington, DC eatery and longtime activist, recently told the Post that “he has been courted to put a Busboys in a proposed National Jazz Museum near the Apollo Theater…” How cool would that be if Busboys and Poets opened in Harlem on 125th Street?
Shallal tried landing the retail space at 2280 Frederick Douglass a little over a year ago, but something happened and the deal went south. I wonder if the developer of 2280 FDB is having any regrets now on not cutting a deal with Shallal, especially given all the enormous/positive press coverage Central Harlem has been receiving over the months? The most recent praising news clip comes from The Wall Street Journal.
In my view, the developer of 2280 FDB totally lost out by not scoring something with Busboys and Poets in their commercial space. As the WSJ said, there’s a restaurant boom happening in Harlem. With this recent article in the Post, there’s hope the folks behind the National Jazz Museum could pick up where 2280 FDB left off and seal the deal with Shallal. Let’s all hope so! I think Busboys and Poets is a perfect fit in Harlem!
HarlemGal Inc. 
From what i heard, the space at 2280 FDB was eventually too small for Busboys and Poets. Something about low ceilings and too many columns.
@Jacob thanks for stopping by. Hmm. I heard the terms of the lease were outrageous and parties couldnt agree. Also heard Hueman had some skin in the game. Thats odd about space. Its huge and plenty for them-in my view. Plus the bbp owner has to know he ain’t getting the equivalent of space like DC or Maryland.
Well, here’s hoping! This Harlem Native lives in the DMV, and I’m a frequent visitor. I’d love to share the experience with my peeps when I to back home.