Keeping It Local: Legacy Businesses in Washington, DC

It happens everywhere, to everyone, at some point. It's probably already happened to you; if it hasn't, it will. You'll be walking down the street, passing shops along the way, and realize that a store you used to visit is closing down. The leased space is being filled with something mass-produced: a Sephora, a Target, a Chik-fil-a. It'll be too late to save it. If you're lucky, maybe you can still visit the store in another location. If you're unlucky, you'll never get to shop there again.

Local businesses directly influence the fabric of everyday life, although city residents can occasionally take them for granted. One of the many benefits of an urban lifestyle is the proximity of diverse restaurants and bars, retail stores, and services such as dry cleaning and pet care. City businesses are cultural epicenters, serving unique populations and neighborhoods. Washington, DC's longstanding businesses have shaped the economic and social environment of the city over decades and their success deserves celebration.

The term “legacy business” is generally defined as a longstanding business that has contributed to a city's community history and cultural identity in a significant way. The standardized concept of a “legacy business” is a relatively new term, not only for preservationists, planners, policy makers, and developers, but for most of the American population. In 2015, San Francisco was the first city in the United States to develop a legacy business program following activism by preservation nonprofit San Francisco Heritage (SFH). The organization’s work was originally inspired by the loss of a beloved neighborhood bar, The Gold Dust Lounge, which had been established in the early 1900s. After a failed attempt at landmarking the property, the bar’s owners were ultimately evicted to make way for a national chain.

Staff members at SFH realized that protecting properties like The Gold Dust Lounge could not be accomplished solely through traditional preservation channels. To raise awareness about the importance of longstanding businesses, SFH developed a digital guide of “Legacy Bars & Restaurants,” which highlighted businesses that were over forty years old and contributing to San Francisco’s “cultural identity.” SFH’s program was entirely promotional, producing pocket guides and maps, and issuing stickers to individual legacy businesses.

Inspired by this program, the city ultimately established a “Legacy Business Historic Preservation Fund.” Managed by San Francisco’s Office of Small Business, the fund provides financial assistance through grants and loans for businesses over thirty years old. The city program also provides technical assistance (trainings in business planning, social media, and marketing) and recognition through an official public registry. Over the past nine years, the program has inspired similar work across the United States.

In 2023, the DC Preservation League (DCPL) launched a promotional and educational legacy business program designed to raise awareness of longstanding businesses in the District. One of the most challenging aspects of developing a legacy business program is developing an appropriate definition. Each legacy business program across the United States creates its own definition based on the individual city’s population, geography, and history.

Based on research and analysis of DC's longstanding businesses, DCPL defined legacy businesses through the following definition:

1. Business must be currently operating and located within the boundaries of the District of Columbia
2. Business has operated and contributed to its community’s history and/or identity for 20 or more years
3. Business is not franchised or affiliated with a national, corporate chain; local franchises are acceptable if original location was established within the District and remains operational within the District’s borders

This definition has produced an inventory of 115+ legacy businesses in Washington, DC, representing all eight wards.

Over the past year, the DC Preservation League has accomplished the following:

• Publication of Two Digital Reports: Researched and published two digital reports discussing the history and prevalence of legacy businesses in the District, including nine interviews with local business owners.
• Inventory: Developed a crowd-sourced inventory of 115+ businesses that is publicly accessible through the organization’s website.?
• Public Events: Hosted six public events showcasing legacy businesses, including walking tours, informational webinars, and panel discussions.
• Speaking Engagements: Presented legacy business research for the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development, the Small Business Anti-Displacement Network academic conference, and the Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets Annual Membership Meeting.

This newsletter will highlight the work that DCPL is continuing to do in order to promote and document legacy businesses in the District. The DC Legacy Businesses Newsletter will showcase business histories, provide updates on documentation efforts, and keep the public informed on the ongoing research happening behind-the-scenes at the DC Preservation League.

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