Foundry Furniture Shop Looking to Relocate on the Hill

A vintage furniture company that operated out of a carriage house north of H Street NE recently closed because of zoning rules and its owner is now seeking a storefront.

Foundry moved to 1129 Atlas Court NE in February, but owner Yvette Freeman opted to close the workshop in late October because she wanted to expand its retail hours. The 1129 Atlas Court NE location falls within a residential zone.

“I had to maintain a certificate of occupancy that this was residential property, and I couldn’t do that if I wanted to operate retail,” Freeman explained. She said she chose to close rather than seek a zoning change.

Freeman said she’s hoping to keep Foundry on the Hill.

“We’re in the process of finding a new home in D.C., and we’re looking feverishly,” she said.

Foundry makes a mix of vintage and modern pieces, many restored by Freeman herself. The company also sells vintage clothes, under the label Foundry Threads. Freeman was co-owner for nearly 20 years of a real estate development firm specializing in historic preservation.

The future store will be similar to the Atlas Court location and the business Freeman runs in Leesburg, The Old Lucketts Store.

“We love what we’ve been doing, and I’ve been doing it for a long time,” she said.

Photo courtesy of Yvette Freeman