Greg Casten and Dave Pera of the Fish & Fire Food Group team have transformed a long-abandoned movie theater in northeast DC’s historic Deanwood into a new restaurant and community entertainment space. The Strand DC promises to offer quality food and a vibey ambience.
Deanwood is home to a thriving community of artists, activists, gardeners, growers and makers. You’ll spot tree boxes and front yards blooming with pollinator friendly green spaces on many of its streets and Lederer Gardens, only a half mile away from The Strand DC, is where Deanwood residents plant and harvest fresh fruits and veggies as an answer to the dearth of fresh, organic produce East of the Anacostia River. Marvin Gaye Park (just a few minutes’ walk from Casten and Pera’s new restaurant) was transformed by Deanwood inhabitants in the early 2000s and is now a vital leisure resource that’s used regularly for neighborhood picnics, barbeques and community meetings. There’s a lot going on in Deanwood and now The Strand DC is part of that story.
The Strand DC is located in the old Strand Theater, built by Jewish businessman Abe E. Lichtman in 1928. Lichtman Theaters, located across the DMV and North Carolina, employed people of color from the surrounding neighborhoods and also gave African Americans the chance to see new films the moment they debuted, both revolutionary acts during DC’s segregated years. The theater was part of the cultural and economic bedrock of early Deanwood before it was converted into a grocery store and then finally shuttered in the 1960s, falling into a sad state of disrepair. A new chapter started in the life of the old Strand in 2018 when, through the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), a grant from the Food Access Fund and a few angel investors, support was provided to the Fish & Fire Food Group to redevelop the decaying building into a resource that would once again evoke its history of inclusion, empowerment and self-sufficiency.
The Renovated Strand
Enter Greg Casten and Dave Pera. “It’s nice to get in and help to build neighborhoods. It’s fun. I enjoy it. There’s a rich history around here.” Pera says as he scrolls through images on his laptop of the cavernous shell that was once the forlorn and neglected Strand Theater. It is now a double-volume space with private rooms —perfect for birthday parties or engagement dinners—dotted around the edges. Many original architectural details have been retained in consultation with DC’s Preservation League (the Strand was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008) as a tribute to the building’s storied past: The film projection apertures remain on the upper level, and the theater’s steel casement windows on the second story impart a historical gravitas to the façade. The original ticketing booth also remains at the entrance and its where Pera hopes to install an antique movie projector. “I’ve been looking at Deanwood since about 2005.” explains Casten. “The city leased this land specifically to make the theater an active restaurant or social gathering place, so I said sure, I’ll do it!” Little did Casten know at that stage what challenges he’d soon face.
Photo courtesy Dave Pera/The Strand DC.
Looking around the polished interior of The Strand DC, with its vertical living wall packed with plants alongside an exposed brick bar, mellow butter yellow walls and warm wood accents, it’s hard to imagine the years of work that went into the design and construction from 2018 to what visitors see today. Building and approval delays, unexpected surprises (an old basement filled with crumbled brick and water) and the Covid-19 pandemic meant that The Strand DC only opened fairly recently, Casten explains. “The city gave us a Food Access grant in early 2022, but we didn’t start construction until October of 2023. We probably took 13 or 14 months to build it out.” Just like Abe Lichtman’s old movie theater, Casten, Pera and the Fish & Fire Food Group team want The Strand DC to be a place where families come to spend time together, share stories and celebrate Deanwood and its role in the city’s early development East of the Anacostia River. “I want to get the culture of Deanwood involved here. People have come in and shown us pictures of where they grew up and what the neighborhood looked like. That’s what we want to see. The only way this is going to be successful is if it’s a true neighborhood joint and that’s what we’re trying to get to.”
What about the food? Executive Chef David Stein will be whipping up pizza, ribs, wings, shrimp, hot crab dip and other delicacies that you’ll recognize from his other kitchens at The Point and The Tavern at Ivy City Smokehouse. He already has plans afoot to plant and harvest table greens from Lederer Gardens nearby. Casten and Pera want to develop the menu in consultation with local patrons so that it’s a true reflection of what the neighborhood wants and needs. The staff who greet and serve you at The Strand DC are all employed from in and around Deanwood as part of Casten’s overall strategy to inculcate a sense of ownership and pride in the restaurant while also supporting the local economy. They’ll also be a critical part of further building the restaurant’s menu in a system that’s similar to what Casten pioneered at The Tavern at Ivy City Smokehouse.
Make your next dinner reservation at The Strand DC and be served hearty helpings of history and mouthwatering local cuisine.
The Strand DC is located at 5131 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. The restaurant’s festive season brunch will be served from December 8 every Sunday (11:30am to 4pm). Safe and secure parking is available at the old Safeway across the street. www.dcstrand.com.
