The District’s Cleveland Park neighborhood lives and breathes around the Smithsonian National Zoo and its pandas.
But for the past 40-odd days, businesses around the zoo have faced a diminishing wave of customers due to the zoo’s closure during the federal government shutdown.
In recent years, new shops along Connecticut Avenue have leaned into the panda theme, hoping to capture some of the millions of people who normally visit the D.C. zoo each year.
One longtime neighborhood staple is Baked by Yael, a nut-free, kosher bakery that specializes in bagels and “Panda Pops.”
“The zoo has the cute animals. They go see the animals, and then they come across the street to us. And if the zoo is closed, they’re not coming,” said Yael Krigman, the owner and president of Baked by Yael.
She’s no stranger to navigating uncertain times. Last year, her business took a hit when D.C.’s pandas temporarily left the area.
“We’ve been making Panda Pops throughout the entire shutdown, because everybody needs a little joy, even during a government shutdown,” Krigman added.
Even with strong community support, the impact was clear.
“We’ve been very lucky that we have the support of a community around us, and so we’ve definitely had some foot traffic,” Krigman said.
But Krigman said the bakery missed out on potential business from the missing zoo visitors. Last year, about 1.6 million people checked out the National Zoo.
“There’s a huge difference,” Krigman said. “We pay rent to be across the street from the National Zoo. When the zoo is closed, our sales go down significantly. There’s no walk-in traffic.”
And this is not the first government shutdown her bake shop has had to weather.
“Sadly, this is not our first government shutdown, so we are accustomed to pivoting and hustling,” Krigman said. “We stay in business no matter what the government is doing. Whether they’re at work or not, we are at work.”
During this latest shutdown — just as in 2019 — Baked by Yael offered free meals to zookeepers and treats and bagels to federal workers.
“We’re really happy that the government is open and that the zoo is going to be open, and that is a huge relief for all of us,” Krigman told WTOP. “But we work non-stop no matter what.”
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