In the Beginning
Carla Cohen and Barbara Meade opened a small store named Politics and Prose at 5010 Connecticut Avenue NW in the autumn of 1984. Initially the store staff consisted of just two employees, Carla and Barbara, plus a part-time bookseller in the evening. Before a year was up, there were two additional full-time employees. Within five years, there were a half-dozen employees, and the store was bursting. In the summer of 1989, P&P moved across the street, assisted by customers who carried books to 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, a space twice as large. The bookstore now occupies more than 9,000 square feet of sales space, and almost 16,000 square feet of total business space, including offices and a coffeehouse called The Den. Two branch locations also exist at The Wharf and Union Market. P&P’s staff exceeds 100 employees.
An Expanded Children’s Section
Before Politics and Prose opened for business, the Cheshire Cat, a prominent children’s bookstore also on Connecticut Avenue NW about eight blocks north, had been selling books for more than two decades. The store had been founded and operated by four women, but one had moved away and two others had retired, leaving Jewell Stoddard as the sole remaining owner. When the lease was up, the landlord presented Jewell a ten-year option to renew but with a large increase in rent. Rather than sign, Jewell decided to close the store. Reading in the Washington Post about the Cheshire Cat’s closing, Carla and Barbara called Jewell to ask her to come to work at Politics and Prose as manager of the children’s department. Jewell accepted, and she and two of her employees immediately started at Politics and Prose, which soon led to a doubling of sales in the children’s department.
Change of Ownership
When they approached their mid-seventies, Barbara and Carla began thinking about selling Politics and Prose and retiring. Carla passed away in October 2010. After interviewing many candidates, Barbara and Carla’s widowed husband, David Cohen, selected Bradley Graham and Lissa Muscatine to be the new owners of Politics and Prose. Brad was a longtime journalist with the Washington Post and author of two books. His wife, Lissa, also had worked as a Post journalist for a number of years, then served as chief speechwriter and senior advisor to Hillary Clinton at the White House and State Department. Click here to read a message from Brad and Lissa.
The Name
The store’s name was set at the start by Carla Cohen. She wanted something that evoked Washington but didn’t sound pretentious. The name Politics and Prose had some shortcomings in the beginning because it led a number of customers to think the store specialized in political books. But now P&P’s reputation as a place that carries a wide variety of literary offerings is well established.
The Mission
P&P’s mission, as articulated by Brad and Lissa, is this: “Politics and Prose is a DC-based business devoted to cultivating community and strengthening the common good through books, programs, and a respectful exchange of ideas. We’re committed to exceptional customer service and to the values of independence, inclusion, and diversity.”
Today at Politics & Prose
Even as P&P confronts a changing world of e-books and e-readers, it continues to enjoy rising revenues and solid profitability. One of its signature features is an extensive line-up of author talks—at least one nearly every night of the year and often several a day on Saturdays and Sundays, plus frequent events at various off-site venues. Publishers compete to place their authors at P&P, and authors like coming to the store, in large part because the audiences often are sizeable, informed, and keen to support genres from literary fiction and poetry to narrative non-fiction and topical journalism. “Like the children of Lake Wobegon,” Carla and Barbara used to say, “all of our customers are above average.”
P&P does more than just sell books, offering a range of programs. It sponsors dozens of classes on various literary topics and hosts 18 in-house book groups. It sponsors week-long trips to such countries as France, Italy, and Cuba, as well as shorter day visits to places closer to home. And its coffeehouse and wine bar, renovated in 2016 and dubbed The Den, has a reputation for serving some of the best coffee in Washington.
Still, the store’s greatest strength may be its staff, who are known for their knowledge of literature and their ability to help customers find just the right books. P&P even offers a concierge subscription service that will send customers a book each month they are sure to enjoy.
In 2015, P&P joined forces with Busboys and Poets and began managing the book sales at some Busboys and Poets locations and sponsoring author talks there. This innovative business arrangement proved successful for both companies, uniting P&P’s bookselling skills with Busboys and Poets’ track record of operating multi-use, food-and-event gathering spaces. This partnership ended amicably in 2017, with the lessons learned paving the way for P&P to open new locations in the D.C. area.
On October 12, 2017, we opened a second branch at The Wharf, a major new waterfront development in South West Washington, and on June 18, 2018, we added a third branch at Union Market in North East Washington.
Luck, Hard Work, and a Sense of Community
The success that P&P has had represents, in part at least, the luck of being in the right place at the right time. The company started when it was still possible for a bookstore to begin small and grow bigger. It was well on its way before the chains opened, and it has remained able to compete effectively even in the Internet age, seizing opportunities, increasing its visibility, expanding its business, and further deepening its roots in the community. Under the leadership of Brad and Lissa, the store has continued to imagine, innovate, and adapt while remaining true to the mission first established by Carla and Barbara. And the founders’ words still ring true: “We have built a community, and the community has built the store.”
Media Coverage
The New Yorker
Politics & Prose & Perfection & (I Hope) Permanence - The New Yorker
LA Review of Books
A Community Spine | The Los Angeles Review of Books
Red Tricycle
Kid Lit: The Best Indie Bookstores for Budding Bibliophiles
Economist
The future of the bookstore: A real cliffhanger | The Economist
Colbert Report
Amazon's Scorched-Earth Tactics and Edan Lepucki's 'California' - The Colbert Report - Video Clip | Comedy Central
Slate
Junot Diaz is Live at Politics & Prose, a new Slate podcast.
Politico
Hillary Clinton: Speaking my mind ‘liberating’ - POLITICO.com
Washington.org
Date Nights DC Itinerary: History Lovers | washington.org
Racked DC
The Best Beach Reads for Summer 2014 From Politics & Prose - Beach Reads - Racked DC
Voice of America
Despite Increased Competition, Independent Bookstores Thrive in US
Highbrow Magazine
Top Literary Cities in the U.S. | Highbrow Magazine
Minnesota Public Radio
The best books to read this summer | Minnesota Public Radio News
Brightest Young Things
BYT Summer Reading List - BrightestYoungThings - DC
Christian Scientist Monitor
Children's nonfiction is increasing in popularity, say authors - CSMonitor.com
Washington Business Journal
Politics & Prose to take over retail bookselling operations at Busboys & Poets - Washington Business Journal
POPville
Busboys and Poets Partners with Politics and Prose opening P&P book sections in new Brookland B&P in December and Takoma in January | PoPville
Independent Publisher
Independent Publisher: THE Voice of the Independent Publishing Industry
Chronicle Books
Support Your Local Bookstore and Give Books! (Part 2) | Chronicle Books Blog
Huffington Post
Obama Stuns Us (And Bookstore Shoppers, We Assume) In Leather Jacket, Dark Jeans
SFGate
Anthony Marra, David Finkel win first-ever Carla Cohen Literary Prize - Bookmarks
Travel & Leisure
America's Best Bookstores- Page 5 - Articles | Travel + Leisure
Quivering Pen
The Quivering Pen: Bookstore of the Month: Politics and Prose
Conde Nast Traveler
Washington, D.C.'s Best New and Used Bookstores - Condé Nast Traveler
Business Insider
Best Bookstores In The World 2014 - Business Insider
Daily Candy
Capitol City Charm | The Best Kids’ Bookstores | Everywhere
The Glass List
A Bookstore and a Dream Bank
Yelp
Bookshops For Big Readers - Washington DC | Yelp
Freelancers Union
America's coolest indie bookstores and cafés - Freelancers Union
WAMU
With National Book Festival, Politics & Prose Lands Biggest Stage Yet | WAMU 88.5 - American University Radio
The Art of the Political Memoir - The Kojo Nnamdi Show
Buzzfeed
44 Great American Bookstores Every Book Lover Must Visit
Hillary Clinton, Liberated - BuzzFeed News
Flavorwire
Peek at the Staff Picks Shelves From Indie Bookstores All Over America – Flavorwire
Indie Bookstores’ Great Business Practices – Flavorwire
45 Great American Indie Bookstores to Support This Holiday Season
Book Riot
Innovative Indies: Shop Independent No Matter Where You Live - Book Recommendations and Reviews | BOOK RIOT
Not all Bunnies and Birthday Cake: Experts on the State of Picture Books - Book Recommendations and Reviews | BOOK RIOT
Roll Call
Politics and Prose, Busboys and Poets Join Forces
Politics & Prose Gives Amazon the Business - Heard on the Hill
Fishbowl DC
The Ten Most Crowd-Pleasing Quotes at Hillary Clinton’s Talk at GW | FishbowlDC
Politics & Prose Highlights Thread at Union Market | FishbowlDC
Washington Independent Review of Books
6 Things We Learned from Our Day at Politics and Prose | Washington Independent Review of Books
Politics & Prose Calls for Submissions for New D.C.-Based Anthology | Washington Independent Review of Books
Bookselling This Week
Politics & Prose to Showcase Fellow Indies at National Book Festival | American Booksellers Association
Politics & Prose Named Official Bookseller for National Book Festival | American Booksellers Association
CNN
Liberated Hillary Clinton takes sigh of relief after first leg of book tour blitz – CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs
Obama does some ‘Small Business Saturday’ shopping – CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs
LA Times
President Obama shops local for books with Sasha and Malia - LA Times
Obama buys spy novel, sports and kids' books on shopping trip - LA Times
CBS DC
Best Children’s Bookstores in Washington, D.C. « CBS DC
Best Specialty Bookstores In Washington DC « CBS DC
Best Places To Buy Mother’s Day Gifts In Washington DC « CBS DC
New York Times
Honoring Small Business, Obamas Go Book Shopping - NYTimes.com
In Obama’s Book List, Glimpses of His Journey - NYTimes.com
A Rustic-Looking Respite and a Home for Authors - NYTimes.com
Bookstore in Capital Seeks Its Next Chapter - NYTimes.com
USA Today
Obama marks Small Business Saturday at D.C. bookstore
10Best: Bookstores around the USA
Discover DC's Libraries and Literary Landmarks in One Day: [CITY] Tours & Itineraries Article by 10Best.com
Iain Banks' final work to be a book of poetry
Nine destination bookstores worth putting on a tourist's itinerary - USATODAY.com
Publishers Weekly
PW and the Obamas: Meeting Up at Politics & Prose to Buy Books
Nonfiction in Picture Books: A Panel Discussion
First Carla Furstenberg Cohen Lit Prize Winners Revealed
A Better Investment Than Pizza: Discussing Picture Books at Politics and Prose
Washingtonian
Politics and Prose Celebrates 30 Years in Business | Books | Washingtonian
Hillary Clinton Is Candidential | Books | Washingtonian
New Carla Cohen Literary Prize, First Winners Announced | Books | Washingtonian
What I’ve Learned: Politics & Prose’s Barbara Meade | People & Politics | Washingtonian
Washingtonian Favorites: Carla Cohen and Barbara Meade | Washingtonian Favorites | Washingtonian
Washington City Paper
Politics & Prose to Take Over Busboys and Poets’ Bookstores - Arts Desk
District Lines, Reviewed - Washington City Paper
Hillary Clinton’s Hard Choices at Lisner Auditorium - Arts Desk
Tonight is World Book Night, And You Could Get a Free Book - Arts Desk
Politics and Prose's Social Network: How Much is a Beloved D.C. Bookstore Really Worth? - Washington City Paper
Reader Poll: D.C.'s Best Book Store 2014 - Washington City Paper
Reader Poll: D.C.'s Best Book Store 2013 - Washington City Paper
Reader Poll: D.C.'s Best Book Store 2012 - Washington City Paper
Reader Poll: D.C.'s Best Book Store 2011 - Washington City Paper
Washington Post
Mystery: Who will Cara Black take to Paris? - The Washington Post
Authors to visit D.C. for Indies First, a campaign for independent bookstores - The Washington Post
2014: A good year for book lovers - The Washington Post
Politics and Prose will open satellite stores in Busboys and Poets restaurants - The Washington Post
Politics & Prose offers ‘a room of one’s own’ - The Washington Post
Politics and Prose wins National Book Festival contract - The Washington Post
Politics & Prose publishes ‘District Lines’ II - The Washington Post
Hillary Clinton and Lissa Muscatine: From first lady and speechwriter to author and bookseller - The Washington Post
Is your book club this fancy? - The Washington Post
New literary prize in honor of late Politics & Prose Bookstore co-owner - The Washington Post
Independent bookstores turn a new page on brick-and-mortar retailing - The Washington Post
5 bookstores recommend 5 titles for Valentine’s Day - The Washington Post
Parenting advice: How to get your kid to love to read - The Washington Post
Inspiring the reluctant reader - The Washington Post
Obama shops at well-known Washington bookstore Politics and Prose - The Washington Post
Customizable classics at Politics & Prose - The Washington Post
Politics & Prose Bookstore offers free shipping over Memorial Day weekend - The Washington Post
‘Saturday Night Live’ spoofs Paula Broadwell’s reading at Politics & Prose (video) - The Reliable Source - The Washington Post
Literary Washington: Where to get your fix when the book festival ends - The Washington Post
D.C. ranked most literate city in the nation - The Buzz - The Washington Post
Doonesbury Strip
Print your own book at Politics & Prose - The Washington Post
Thomas Heath - Bookish Doyennes Nurture D.C. Landmark
The Changing Bookstore Battle