Busboys and Poets Owner Andy Shallal has a lot on his plate these days. He’s got three new stores in the works, in Takoma Park, Brookland and Anacostia. The stores in Takoma Park and Brookland will open by the end of the year while Anacostia is about a year and a half away.

Shallal spoke to me about his plans for the stores, which include housing a dedicated area for coworking in the Takoma Park store and a culinary training center in Anacostia. Busboys blends food, caffeine, performance art and topical discussions under one roof and function, in Shallal’s view, as a community gathering center.

Read more about the coworking space here and the training center here in Elevation DC.