"If you build it they will come", and this past Saturday - the first Saturday since opening for business - River East came out for breakfast at Big Chair Coffee n’ Grill. The Advoc8te along with the bloggers of  Barry Farm (re)Mixed, Life in the Village and And Now, Anacostia and some friends met for breakfast and mochas at Big Chair Coffee, call it a "Big Chair Blogger Breakfast" (try saying that 3 times fast), and it was grrrrrrrrreat! The Advoc8te had the breakfast platter which included two eggs, toast, hash browns and bacon all for only $4.99. Despite being a new business Big Chair had steady and ever increasing stream of sit-down and carry-out business during my visit, several times it was nearly crowded (but in a good way). If this morning’s breakfast rush was any indicator Big Chair is already on the path for success (I myself have now visited the shop 5 times this week alone).

Big Chair has only been open 6 days and already it appears to have simultaneously filled the long vacant role of social and dining hot spot. The only thing better than being able to reconnect and run into so many River East friends while having breakfast was seeing some of the new and diverse people who live in Ward 8. Although it is rarely discussed or only mentioned (somewhat negatively) in terms of “gentrification”,   there are white people and gay men and women who call Ward 8 home. And despite having white, latino, asian and gay River East friends, I have to admit it was a surprise – a pleasant surprise - to see so many diverse River East residents all in one place. Big Chair is not only a great place to enjoy a meal or a cup of coffee but has presented an opportunity for River East residents regardless of race, economic standing or sexual orientation to get to know each other as they should…as neighbors and possibly friends. River East businesses such as Big Chair can not only “bridge the gap” in terms of providing the River East community with much needed quality retail but also have the potential to bridge the social and cultural divide that has long led to suspicion and misunderstanding amongst its residents.

If just one small neighborhood coffee shop - in business for less than a week - can have such a positive impact just imagine the possibilities for what is yet to come.

River East is indeed on the rise.