La Colombe Opens, Ribbon Cutting and Crowds

At 8am today (Saturday 1st February) La Colombe Manager Greg Smith opened the doors of the new coffee haven in DC. This is the first location for La Colombe here in the Mid-Atlantic, but based on the constant flow of customers that kept the cafe filled all day, it may not be the last. "People were lined up when I opened, and it hasn't let up" Greg told me in the early afternoon. As a local resident I can attest to the numbers of people, more than I can ever remember in Blagden Alley.

A line that never dissipated, all day long

The new customers know their stuff to. "The Steampunk" was working overtime, so there had been some research (typical for DC I think) before a visit. DC residents are definitely coffee aficionados, and La Colombe can cater to them, or someone who just want's his cup-of-joe.

The Steampunk was working overtime

Standing room only at times

The Ribbon Cutting
At 3.30pm - and yes the people just kept coming - there was a visit by Council Member Jack Evans, with a small retinue, joined by ANC6E members and other business VIP's. So while the crowd ordered, sat and enjoyed their coffee, (people were coming and going while the photo-shoot was going on) the cafe was officially opened and blessed with a small ribbon cutting ceremony. Here is a gallery of the event;

Ah yes...we need scissors

Manager Greg Smith, CM Jack Evans, ANC6E Commish Alex Padro, Nooni Reatig and others

The moment of the Official Opening

Greg Smith provides a latte' and a firm handshake to end the ceremony

By 6.30pm, and as the number of people began to reduce, I spoke with Greg, "this has been an exceptional day. Its a relief to finally be open, a lot of work went into this project, and it was satisfying to have such a successful day".