WASHINGTON —Amid Washington’s political chaos and cultural polarization, where gatherings are increasingly charged with institutional tension, a different kind of movement is taking shape in the Union Market District. A new retail concept, Manifest 002, is set to open its doors in September, offering an apolitical refuge where community and culture take priority over commerce.

“We don’t sell anything,” said KJ Hughes, one of the three cofounders behind the 9,700-square-foot concept store. “People buy if they feel comfortable, but we don’t sell a haircut, we don’t sell coffee, we don’t sell clothes. We create an environment that’s comfortable for you.” This, he said, can lead a customer to buy. “But also just to feel comfortable.”

Central to Manifest’s concept is the barbershop, a cultural anchor that informs the space’s approach to community building. “Why a barber shop? It’s like the stoop. It’s like town square,” Hughes explained. “That’s what the barbershop is for a lot of folks, in a lot of different cultures. That’s the one thing that we were really, I’d say, pinpointed as universal — the barbershop is the barbershop whether you’re here, in India, in London. It’s the same and you can recognize it anywhere.

“I think there’s a missing link: ‘Do you feel seen? Do you feel heard?’” Hughes said. “We would love to be that place, and for you to stay here all day. So we built something where you are comfortable being all day.”

The concept has already garnered high-profile validation from some of the district’s most famous residents, including former First Lady Michelle Obama, who recently used the space to record a podcast.

A Cultural Oasis in a Political Storm

For Hughes, a third-generation Washingtonian whose mother worked in a Connecticut Avenue salon, Manifest 002 represents something larger than retail innovation — it’s also about changing narratives in his hometown. He and his partners — creative director Brian Merritt and head of marketing Susan Morgan — have been refining their business proposition since opening their first location in D.C’.s Adams Morgan neighborhood in December 2021.

When the original location opened in an 800-square-foot building, it quickly became what Hughes describes as “a cultural cult favorite,” with its mix of barbershop, fashion and a rooftop speakeasy. But its success created an unexpected challenge that speaks to broader consumer desires.

“The thing we would always hear is, ‘we want to spend more time with you,’” Hughes explained. “But with 800 square feet, I mean, we don’t have an all-day hangout space.”

The second iteration of Manifest reflects what Hughes calls their philosophy of “nourishment” — a concept that goes far beyond the transactional. Designed by INC Architecture & Design, the space unfolds like “a sculpture in motion” through evolving environments that invite guests to “flow from light to shadow, from social to serene, from day into night.” Guests enter through a striking, light-filled pavilion housing a modern barbershop and vibrant café, which will open at 8 a.m.

The hospitality vision is anchored by a culinary program led by the D.C.-based chef Erik Bruner-Yang, whose other businesses Maketto, Toki Underground and Providencia have been genre defining. The collaboration with Bruner-Yang for the in-house dining concept, called (H)ours, represents Manifest’s first major expansion into food service.

Hughes and his team spent “a year and a half” designing the space with INC Architecture & Design — a testament to their commitment to getting the vision right. The visual language — sculptural forms, curvaceous walls, textured plaster and a refined palette of sage green, peach blush, ochre and deep rose — were chosen to create a warm environment. A winding, mauve-lacquered staircase leads to what Hughes calls “the heart of the experience” — private fitting rooms, sculptural grooming stations and alcove-style retail zones that have architectural rigor and material softness.

Bringing Exclusive Brands to the DMV

Manifest 002’s innovative approach to retail has appealed to brands, enabling the retailer to secure labels rarely seen in the Washington market. Merritt, who brings extensive retail and fashion design experience from owning his own boutique in Chicago, leverages decades of industry relationships to bring coveted labels to D.C.

The curation includes Rick Owens Drkshdw, Marni, Jacquemus, MM6 Maison Margiela, Casablanca, Diesel, Willy Chavarria, Needles, Engineered Garments and Manifest’s private label Of Us, alongside in-demand footwear like Hoka, Saucony and Salomon. The brand mix addresses what Merritt sees as D.C.’s underestimated fashion sensibility.

“D.C. might not be known as a ‘fashion’ city, but when you get here, you look around and it’s like, ‘Oh, D.C. people have style,’” Merritt said. And that goes back several decades to his first visit to the area when his then-girlfriend, now wife, was a student at Howard University. “The way they mixed high end and streetwear and everything together was really something innovative at the time.”

While the first Manifest location began with a menswear focus, the team discovered that women were their biggest referral source and significant consumers of their cocktail offerings. This insight led to expanding into women’s accessories and select pieces from brands like Margiela and Jacquemus.

“We found a lot of women were coming into the space not only just [for] the bar, but just the culture that we have,” Merritt said. “So we want to give them something to shop as well, starting off a little bit small. So definitely accessories.”

Redefining Success Metrics

What makes Manifest 002 potentially game-changing isn’t just its hospitality approach or brand curation — it’s how the team measures success. Rather than focusing on sales per square foot or transaction volume, they prioritize what Hughes calls “stickiness” and belonging.

“I think [people are] starved for more than a transaction,” Hughes said. “What we tried to put together is this hybrid, multifaceted space for cultural connection. So as much as it’s about the retail and the coffee and the café and the barbershop, it’s about belonging.”

Manifest offers a membership program, which transforms the traditional retail experience into something more comprehensive where members gain access to priority reservations, regular grooming services and special programming while becoming part of what Merritt described as a “seamless” customer journey. Visitors do not need to be members, but it does help increase the sense of community.

“You might have come in for a coffee. You wanted to buy an item on the shelf, or become a member and start getting your hair done here regularly,” said Merritt, describing how the space naturally guides visitors from one experience to another. He also envisions it as a place for brands to activate and connect with community.

Manifest 002 challenges assumptions about retail operations and aims to be a cultural space where residents can connect over shared appreciation for design, craftsmanship, culture and creativity. The former first lady’s visit reflects that even the city’s most prominent figures are seeking spaces that transcend traditional political and institutional boundaries. It will also be a test as to whether the future of physical retail lies in optimizing sales processes or creating environments so compelling that commerce becomes a natural byproduct of community and cultural connection.