After more than two years of losing money, the owner of the first and only all-organic grocery store east of the Anacostia River has finally called it quits. Yes! Organic Market, located in Ward 8’s Fairlawn neighborhood, was a setback for Gary Cha, who owns six other successful organic markets in the area. When this one went down, it took $900,000 of D.C. grant money with it.
Envisioned as the retail anchor for a 118-unit mixed-use development on Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Yes! Fairlawn was a long-awaited alternative to fast food in one of the city’s poorest areas. It opened to great fanfare in 2010, with then-Mayor Adrian Fenty on hand to cut the ribbon. Council member Marion Barry, D-Ward 8, called it “the culmination of my work” in bringing more grocery options to this underserved area. But it never made a profit.
