Business Briefs • Sarah Payne

Business Briefs

by Sarah Payne

Father and daughter Andy and Vi Vo, owners of Gloss Bar at City Market at O in Shaw. Photo by Alexander M. Padro, Courtesy Shaw Main Streets.s.

Gloss Bar Offers Inventive Salon Services

If you’re looking for a modern space for a manicure, pedicure or waxing, then look no further than Gloss Bar (825 O St. NW) one of Shaw’s popular new additions.

Owner and nail technician Vi Vo said what sets Gloss Bar, her family business, apart from other nail salons is their cutting-edge products. She said that when they first opened, Gloss Bar was “the only one doing the dip powder,” a long lasting and safer alternative to acrylic nails. They are also one of few salons carrying Dazzle Dry polish, a natural, vegan quick drying polish that lasts 7-14 days. Vo said they will soon also be carrying Japanese Gel manicures, a high-quality gel polish, in addition to offering many other more traditional nail services.

The family’s other salon, Enchanted Nails, opened in 2011 in Adams Morgan. Vo said she was excited about the Shaw neighborhood despite the nearly two years it took to open Gloss Bar amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were noticing that a lot of our clients were moving to the Shaw and Navy Yard area,” Vo said. “It took us almost two years to actually open up Gloss Bar, and we almost had to shut down Enchanted Nails just to try to get Gloss open, but thankfully, we were able to keep both afloat.”

Since they opened, Vo said Gloss Bar has been well received by the Shaw community.

“We felt very welcome by all the residents at City Market and the neighborhood,” Vo said. “At the beginning, it was just me sitting in the salon trying to get a client and now we’re up to eight full time technicians and we’re still hiring.”

Even with the addition of several nail technicians, Vo said they stay extremely busy throughout the day, and she recommends booking an appointment in advance.

“Clients book so far in advance, and we fill up so fast,” Vo said. “If there is room, we can fit a walk in, but most of the time, I would say we are booking 80% online.”

Gloss Bar is also known for its nail art. Their Instagram (@glossbardc) features some of their most creative designs. Services range in price from $26 for a classic manicure to over $100 for the Gloss Signature Manicure and Pedicure.

Gloss Bar is open Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. You can read more about their services and products and book an appointment at glossbardc.com.

Visit Qui Qui for Puerto Rican Eats in Shaw

Bright, colorful walls, Spanish music and tropical vibes welcome neighbors to Qui Qui (1539 7th

St. NW), Shaw’s destination for creative Puerto Rican cuisine and cocktails.

Ismael Mendez, the owner and chef, was formerly an IT programmer at Barclays. He landed a similar opportunity in programming in Maryland after being laid off, but found himself unhappy.

“My boss pretty much said, ‘What do you want to do?’,” Mendez remembered. “So, I pretty much got severance pay, went to L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg and went to school. The rest is pretty much history.”

When he visited the District before moving

here 13 years ago, Mendez found a surprising lack of Puerto Rican, Cuban and Dominican cuisine available.

“I could never find good [Puerto Rican] food,” Mendez said. “The opportunity (to open a restaurant) presented itself in Shaw and I love the diversity that’s here.”

Before Mendez opened his restaurant, he started out operating a food truck which he sold two years ago. While working at other restaurants around the District, Mendez worked did pop ups on his days off. He emphasized that creating a place for neighbors to come and enjoy his authentic cuisine was a big part of his decision to open at his current location above the popular Passenger bar.

“I wanted to create a space where people can come in and just enjoy food,” Mendez said. “I want to bring our food to the forefront of DC and educate people on Puerto Rican food and how delicious and good it can be.”

Qui Qui only seats 35 people, but Mendez said he is eager to expand. He hopes to have bartop seating available for customers soon. The restaurant serves a variety of dishes from the islands, including Puerto Rican specialties Pastelon (a sweet and salty Puerto Rican version of lasagna made with plantains) and Chuleta Kan Kan (a Tomahawk pork chop with criollo seasoning). The restaurant also offers a wide selection of creative alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Qui Qui is open Thursday 5-9 p.m., Fri. 5-10 p.m., Sat. 11:30 a.m.-3p.m. and 5-10 p.m. and Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. See their menu, order food to go and make reservations at quiquidc.com.

Taqueria Xochi Offers Authentic Mexican on U

Situated on bustling U Street, Taqueria Xochi (924 U St. NW) offers unique and authentic Mexican bites to

go. The quick service window serves a variety of dishes from central Mexico, including cemitas (Mexican style sandwiches) and many different varieties of tacos and taco/quesadilla-hybrid mulitas.

Chef/owner Teresa Padilla and Director of Operations Geraldine Mendoza both lost their restaurant jobs due to the pandemic. Padilla had always wanted to introduce authentic Mexican bites to the District, and with Geraldine’s help, used her furlough as an opportunity to open the fast-casual Mexican restaurant.

Both Padilla and Mendoza are from Mexico. The restaurant is named after the ruins of

Xochitecatl in Tlaxcala, Mexico where Padilla is from. Taqueria Xochi started out in a ghost kitchen, where they worked together to expand the menu and eventually opened their Shaw outpost. Mendoza and Padilla love the location and say it “works perfectly” with the concept they had in mind for the restaurant. “It has been great,” Mendoza said. “We have a lot of supporters. People always come by and say they love the food, they love that we’re in the neighborhood, and we just love being there. We’re just so glad that we got that space.” The duo were eager to open the restaurant in DC because both she and Padilla had mostly worked in the District’s restaurant industry. She also emphasized their passion and appreciation for how accepting the community is in DC. “I think people in DC are a little bit more open minded about their food,” Mendoza said. “They love to try new things.” Many customers say Taqueria Xochi’s birria are the standout on the menu. Dip the lamb tacos and beef quesabirrias into the zesty red broth and you’re suddenly in Jalisco. Add tres leches cake or chocoflan for a sweet finale. Taqueria Xochi is open Sunday and Monday, 4 - 10

p.m., Tues. – Thurs. 4 - 11 p.m. and Fri. and Sat. 4 p.m. - 1 a.m. You can explore the menu and place orders for pickup and delivery at taqueriaxochi.com.

Teresa Padilla, chef/owner of Taqueria Xochi on U Street in Shaw. Photo by Alexander M. Padro, Courtesy Shaw Main Streets.

Sarah Payne is a general assignment reporter for Capital Community News. She can be reached at sarahp@hillrag.com. u