WASHINGTON 鈥� Outside of , the sound of a late afternoon thunderstorm rumbles in the distance. Inside, the only thing audible is a coffee grinder and an indie rock album playing over the speakers.
Songbyrd is one of the latest concepts to open in the evolving and eclectic neighborhood of Adams Morgan 鈥� and a welcome one for fans of both music and food.
Adams Morgan has long had a reputation for being the city鈥檚 weekend party destination. But recently, it鈥檚 seen a surge in new, or newly renovated, bars and restaurants that cater more to the local residents than聽the 2 a.m. crowd.
Simply put: Neon shooters and oversized slices of pizza are out; craft cocktails and escargot hushpuppies from are in. And Songbyrd is contributing to the new and聽creative聽neighborhood vibe.
Co-owners Alisha Edmonson and Joe Lapan describe Songbyrd as a caf茅 for music lovers: They鈥檙e just as serious about their menu of chef-inspired sandwiches as they are about their collection of vinyl.
鈥淭he concept here, it鈥檚 not just a record store. It鈥檚 more of a social space to eat, drink, listen and sample,鈥� Lapan says.
Songbyrd has only been open for about eight weeks, but Lapan says the idea was 鈥渁 fairly long time in the making.鈥� It was born out of his and Edmonson鈥檚 collective love of music and their appreciation for Adams Morgan (both live in the neighborhood and have for a while).
It鈥檚 a unique find 鈥� there鈥檚 no other place in the area that combines food, music and experience quite like Songbyrd.
The caf茅: The menu at Songbyrd is filled mostly with sandwiches 鈥� although Edmonson says the gazpacho is a popular item too.
Chef Matthew Richardson is the man behind the menu.聽He makes everything from a vegetarian muffuletta, to a breaded chicken schnitzel sandwich with Gruyere, to a sage-turkey, bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich.
He also gives a nod to one of the neighborhood鈥檚 more famous foods: Jumbo Slice. Richardson serves his own version of the larger-than-life pizza, layering house-made ingredients on focaccia. He makes a 鈥渞egular slice鈥� and a 鈥渕umbo slice,鈥� which has homemade mumbo sauce, pineapple, pulled pork and shaved onions. 鈥淚t has this sweet and tanginess that goes with the pineapple and the pork,鈥� Edmonson says.
The coffee is聽selected by Edmonson, whose family used to own a coffee roastery, and is fair-trade and organic.
The record store: The collection of records for sale at Songbyrd is small, but carefully curated.
鈥淚 feel like we鈥檝e started to get a following of people who know that they鈥檙e very quickly going to find something,鈥� Lapan says about the collection, which is comprised of mostly new and some used albums.
Its genres span rock, soul, hip-hop, jazz and funk, with each category limited to a handful of options. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a small collection, so we really have to think about what we鈥檙e going to purchase,鈥� Lapan says.
The interactive music experience: Lapan and Edmonson don鈥檛 just want customers to buy music 鈥� they also want them to explore it at one of the caf茅’s listening stations.
Along the wall, customers can cozy up to a retro-looking machine (it鈥檚 an iPad in a custom case), hook up some headphones and zone out to one of the many playlists put together by Lapan, Edmonson and the Songbyrd staff. Customers can also sample the albums available for sale.
And Lapan says the musical exploration doesn鈥檛 end at the door. He hopes people follow Songbyrd鈥檚 playlists and music selections online too.
鈥淲e鈥檙e anchored in this physical space, but we can have a reach that goes beyond that,鈥� he says.
Songbyrd also has something for those who are more interested in making music than listening to it: It鈥檚 a 1947 Voice-O-Graph 鈥� a recording booth that allows customers to make their own record.
鈥淚t鈥檚 got amazing acoustics when you walk into this tiny little box; it鈥檚 about the size of a British phone booth,鈥� Edmonson says about the Voice-O-Graph.
鈥淚t vacuum-sucks up this uncut 45 and then drops it off. And it has a hot needle that actually records your voice directly onto it. So it鈥檚 an instant 45 that you get.鈥�
Lapan adds: 鈥淎side from what you can do in it, it鈥檚 this little mini visual representation of how a record is made. You can look in the window: You see the record go over, you see it cut, and you see it played back. It鈥檚 just a cool way to connect with seeing a piece of vinyl being made.鈥�
The two co-owners purchased the piece of equipment from a man in Maryland who refurbishes and sells Voice-O-Graphs. ( have one as well.) And while the booth is up and running at Songbyrd, it鈥檚 not quite ready for the public.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very persnickety piece of equipment,鈥� Edmonson says, adding that it needs further calibration before customers can make their next no. 1 single.
The next act: Readying the Voice-O-Graph for the public isn鈥檛 the only thing in the pipeline at Songbyrd. Lapan and Edmonson are taking the food and music up an octave at聽their soon-to-be space next door, called Songbyrd Music House.
Edmonson describes the addition as a 鈥渂istro and bar that鈥檚 music-centric.鈥� She says expect a formal food menu and a local craft cocktail and beer program.
As far as the music goes, Lapan says, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 where we鈥檒l do more robust music programming.鈥�
Edmonson hopes Songbyrd Record Caf茅 and Songbyrd Music House offer the neighborhood two new and unique ways to consume music and food.
鈥淚 think Adams Morgan is evolving into a pretty eclectic food and drinking scene 鈥� not just what it鈥檚 known for on Friday and Saturday nights,鈥� she says.
Lapan agrees. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always been a lot of residential density around here and there鈥檚 more coming, so I think it鈥檚 as desirable of a neighborhood to live as it鈥檚 ever been. I think Adams Morgan is headed in a good direction, honestly.鈥�
Edmonson and Lapan don鈥檛 have an exact opening date for Songbyrd Music House, but say it’s聽鈥渧ery soon.”
