At Mott's Market, the Espresso Bar Pays for the Onions

In March 2022, the residents of Walter Street were at a happy hour when word went around that Mott's Market would close by the end of the month. According to City Cast DC, that was all anyone wanted to talk about. A store had stood in that building for more than a century. They asked whether they should try to save it.

Four years later the answer is at 233 12th St. SE, at the east end of Gessford Court. It's a corner store with a polished wood bar, a back patio under white umbrellas, and a model train that circles the crown molding every thirty minutes, or more often if you ask. Neighbors own the building, they required that a market stay inside it, and the coffee, sandwiches and wine are what make that requirement affordable.

The Clause That Keeps the Pasta on the Shelf

The building belongs to Mott's Neighborhood Market LLC, a group of Capitol Hill residents. Peyton Sherwood, a co-owner of Midlands Beer Garden and St. Vincent's Wine Bar, leases and runs the store. The LLC wrote into its operating agreement that whoever holds the lease must keep a market in the space. LLC president Michael Skinner told City Cast the goal was to "future-proof and save this as a community asset."

That clause explains most of what you see inside. Sherwood was candid with City Cast about the economics. Grocery businesses run on thin margins. Small corner stores also have a harder time getting wholesale prices that compete with supermarket chains and big-box stores. So the coffee, wine and sandwiches pay the bills.

So the store has two jobs. The counter earns the money, and the shelves keep the promise to the owners. Here's how the two sides line up, based on the market's own FAQ and Hill Rag's August review:

The old Mott's, Skinner told City Cast, was where you ran for a forgotten onion, a box of pasta, emergency toilet paper or one more bag of ice. Under the agreement, the forgotten onion is still guaranteed. The espresso bar is what pays for it.

How a Block Ended Up Owning a Building

The Chos ran the store until March 4, 2022, and the building went up for sale shortly after. The neighbors' group did not get it on the first try. Yard signs reading "Save Mott's Market" went up around the blocks nearby, the group took out a commercial loan, and a letter-writing campaign asked more Capitol Hill residents to invest.

Hill Rag reported in September 2022 that the group had raised $475,000 toward the down payment. It came from roughly 30 contributions of $5,000 to $60,000, with financing from First Citizens Bank. The LLC closed on the building for $1.31 million in October 2022.

The structure works more like a neighborhood ballot than a single landlord. Each $1,000 invested carries one unit vote. Skinner told City Cast that stakes range from $5,000 to $50,000, and that about 140 people were invested at opening, counting each member of a couple. PoPville's grand-reopening announcement put the number at 94 investors from the neighborhood. The two outlets appear to count households and individuals differently. Either way, the building has around a hundred owners, and most of them live within walking distance.

Why a Corner Store Took Four Years

Here's the sequence from closing day to reopening:

The longest stretch on that list falls after the lease was signed. Sherwood's plan was to take out a wall and staircase that split the space in half, then add an espresso bar, an open kitchen in back for sandwiches and breakfast burritos, and a patio. City Cast reported that permits, conflicting requests from city reviewers, and a new sprinkler system delayed the project at least two years. The sprinklers meant digging up and replacing the water main under the street, which dated to 1891. The delays cost hundreds of thousands of dollars the group hadn't budgeted. It took out a line of credit and went back to investors for more rounds of fundraising.

"It was this labyrinth of red tape that was very difficult for a community-based organization to work through, even with hiring expediters for this. If this weren't a group community effort, I could very easily see someone giving up." Michael Skinner, speaking to City Cast DC

A Department of Buildings spokesperson told the outlet the approvals "did take longer than expected due to internal and external factors." DC Water said many of the water-main delays were outside its control, including weather and DDOT permits that expired and had to be renewed. In the meantime, the Mott's team kept people coming to the corner with art shows, a fall festival and a "Winter Wonderland" party with Santa and kids' crafts.

The timing also matters. City Cast reported that D.C. retail rent rose 3.4% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, citing CoStar, while many small businesses were struggling with operating costs. Because neighbors own the building, the store doesn't depend on an outside landlord's rent strategy. That's the bet the investors made.

The Store as It Runs Now

Sherwood told Hill Rag he wanted the place to look "like it's always been here." The interior has exposed brick, iron shelving, and a large historical photo of the Hill centered on Lincoln Park above the basement stairwell. Hill Rag's Celeste McCall described it in August as a "charming country store," with toy cars and a miniature train along the walls and a pet-friendly back patio edged with herb plants.

The details that matter on a weekday, per the market's website:

• Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Monday
• Breakfast: served in the morning
• Sandwiches: 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Coffee: all day

On the menu, Hill Rag's reviewers singled out an Italian special on a sesame roll, an eggplant souvlaki on focaccia, and roast beef with roasted garlic mayo, hot honey and gorgonzola. Other sandwiches include Mississippi pot roast and chicken parmesan, and there's a chorizo breakfast burrito big enough to save half for lunch. In June, Hill Rag reported plans for soft-serve, wine tastings and a front patio. Those are announced plans and haven't been confirmed as open.

Demand has been there. City Cast described a Sunday in July when the coffee line curled through the grocery aisles while families ate sandwiches on the back patio. The August 11 celebration had the Capitol Hillbillies playing, face painting, and prosecco on the patio. The store cut a six-foot sub instead of a ribbon, "since we nourish the community." Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen thanked the neighbors who helped preserve the market, as Hill Rag reported.

Four Blocks West, the Rented Storefronts Keep Turning Over

Mott's stands out more against the rest of this fall's Hill food news. Most of the other storefronts are rented, and they change hands. Bumblebirds, the six-month pop-up from Carla Hall and Sunnyside Restaurant Group at 303 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, has closed. On Barracks Row, Llamas' Corner opened this summer at 705 8th St. SE. It roasts its own organic beans and serves drinks like sorrel and ginger lemonade alongside brisket paninis. Two doors up, Taki Taki Bar de Tapas is coming to 713 8th St. SE, the former Crazy Aunt Helen's space. In August it was announced for later in 2026, and no opening has been reported since. South Block, a smoothie and acai café, is slated for early 2027 at 700 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, next to Little Engine. If you're out with the dog midweek, Matchbox at 521 8th St. SE runs Yappy Hour on its sidewalk patio every Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m., with dog treats.

Each of those openings depends on a lease, a concept and a landlord. At 12th and Gessford Court, the owners are about a hundred neighbors, and their operating agreement requires a grocery on the corner no matter who runs it.

If you're weighing a move around Lincoln Park, or wondering how a place like this fits into a sale on your own block, Roger Taylor can walk those streets with you and talk through what's around the corner. Let's Connect.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.