.capitol streets.
NEW SMALL BUSINESS ROUND-UP Four New Shops on the Hill by Elizabeth O’Gorek helped redesign multiple Hill homes —from she also awaits the final documentation needed first floor powder rooms and third floor chilfrom the city to officially open her bakery. dren’s bedrooms to rear additions and whole A former public health consultant, Lijinsky rehome renovations. turned from assignment abroad with USAID to foWhen the rapidly-expanding interior decus on improving her own health. Discovering that sign team moved into a larger studio space at she was allergic to gluten, she set out on a mission: 601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE last year, Sanabria to bake without compromise, starting with a glutensaw the opportunity to free wedding cake for make the retail part of her mother. her vision a reality. After four years The Shop is a of research and explace for neighbors to perimentation, Lijintap the staff ’s knowlsky has created a proedge without entering prietary gluten-free the studio. The shop flour blend. She’s has many items, big and learned that customsmall, that would be perers want to buy their fect for seasonal gifting. gluten-free baking Each item is part of a fresh, rather than at a family, Sanabria adds, grocery store or baksuited to be paired with ing it themselves. other items; a Jungle and That’s how the Loom plant with Jaipur dream of the Sweet Melissa Sanabria poses in the doorway of Sanabria & Co. Living pot and the Wild Crimes bakery was The Shop (409 E. Capitol St. NE). Courtesy Sanabria & Co. at Home coffee table born. The brightbook; the fair and simple ly-colored storethrow pillow with a vegfront will offer baked Sanabria & Co. – The Shop an taper from Frères Branchigoods that include Everything in Sanabria & Co. - The Shop matches. aux Candle Co. with a Cultithe cakes that set LiLaid out in a neutral color palette, The Shop (409 A creatively masked employee displays yummy ver linen blanket. jinsky on the baking East Capitol St. SE) is a cozy space furnished with cupcakes at Sweet Crimes, the new gluten free bakery on Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Sanabria & Co is open path, as well as pies, items accumulated by a discerning, but restrained, Thursdays, 10 to 6 | Fridays award-winning docollector: local honey atop a found-wood table; linand Saturdays, 10 to 7 | Sundays 11 to 6. (409 E. nuts, breads, buns and dry mix for the ambitious. ens nestled in baskets; cinnamon-colored throwCapitol St. NE) sanabriaandco.com There are also some surprises: Katja, a baker from pillows on a modern armchair. Georgia, has mastered a gluten-free Khachapuri, Everything, from dinnerware and candles to the Georgian cheese bread, and staff are working linen and carpets, is sourced along the principals of Sweet Crimes on the perfect gluten free empanada. environmentalism and fair-trade in support of small Gluten Free Bakery The shop will offer coffee and pastries, but also businesses. It’s all chosen to enhance the compact When we meet in mid-November, Keri Lijinsky is sandwiches and soups, catering to a lunch crowd interiors of Capitol Hill homes. excited to share two big projects she’s been workthat rarely finds their needs accommodated. Owner Melissa Sanabria is very familiar ing on. Both are expected to launch by the end of Food is the source of emotional memory, Lijinwith those spaces. In 2017, she decided to leave the month – she’s just not sure which will be first. sky adds. Getting it right brings people to a place of her 15-year career as a banking consultant to estab—she’s just not sure which will be first. The foundcomfort and happiness. “They want it to taste like lishing interior design company Sanabria & Co. “I er of Sweet Crimes gluten-free bakery, set to open they remember it,” said Lijinsky. “That’s the stanwanted greater connection with my community,” at 1238 Pennsylvania Ave. NE, is expecting her first dard, and that’s what they deserve.” Sanabria said. child Nov. 28. As she awaits the birth of her child, Since then, she and her team of seven have 32 H HILLRAG.COM
