Moving Sale
Playseum Closes – Retail Furniture Outlet Reportedly Will Move Into Space
by Larry Janezich
Gina Seebachan, owner of Barracks Row’s Playseum, announced last week that the Playseum’s last day of business at the Capitol Hill location would be Saturday, May 30. A source close to the landlord of 545 8th Street, SE, told Capitol Hill Corner that a retail furniture outlet will move into the space later this year.
Seebachan said that thus far, she has not found another location on Capitol Hill. She said that everything from the Barracks Row location would be moved into storage today – Sunday – in hopes that a new community or a different landlord within DC will make space available within her budget. She is also exploring opportunities to re-open in Annapolis, where she and her family live.
A letter to the community expressing thanks to the Capitol Hill community follows.
“The DC Playseum would like to thank the Capitol Hill Community for its support and patronage. In our four short years on Capitol Hill families have visited Playseum one hundred fourteen thousand times. We have watched many of your children grow, celebrated their birthdays and contributed to multiple local private and public school functions.
When we opened in Capitol Hill July 2011, we were so thankful for the opportunity given to us by Paul Loukas, the landlord of 545 8th Street SE. He has been a fabulous landlord. We are ever grateful for the chance to have made a mark of love, creativity and the use of imagination on South East DC. There are few landlords in the DC area as kind and generous as he. When no one else would give a mother of four a chance to dream and to build a haven for children and parents he did. Unfortunately, at this time we will not be renewing our lease and May 30th is slated as our last day of operation in DC. We also want to thank the Domino’s Pizza on M Street who has faithfully served our Birthday parties each weekend.
Many have asked if we are moving or closing. As of right now, no other spaces have opened their doors to us at a price point that we can afford, however we will keep looking. Meanwhile This Sunday, May 31st everything will be loaded into a moving truck and put into storage with hopes that a new community or a different landlord within DC will open their doors to the Playseum so that we can continue to serve children and help them grow by building quality memories with their parents.
With lots of love,
The Playseum”
CAPITOL HILL CORNER 