By Kelly Thomas
As the rhythm of Southwest DC shifts with evolving federal work patterns, one coffee truck has remained a steady presence at L’Enfant Plaza. When federal employees started returning to their offices in Southwest DC earlier this year, William Ishmael was ready to welcome them back – one cup of coffee at a time.
Ishmael, a Southwest DC resident and owner of the District of Columbia Coffee Company food truck, opened his business in November 2023, fulfilling a pandemic dream to create fresh options for coffee lovers in the neighborhood.
Parked at the Maryland Avenue entrance of the L’Enfant Plaza Metro, Ishmael quickly became a familiar face to commuters and tourists alike. But what makes his business stand out isn’t just the drinks — though regulars rave about his specialty coffee and made-from-scratch chai lattes — it’s the community he’s built, especially with federal workers.
Ishmael has seen firsthand how changes in federal work schedules, from telework to the recent return to office efforts, have shaped the Southwest community. As federal office patterns shifted, Ishmael felt the impact. Earlier this year, business surged at first with return to the office, then dipped with staff cuts, but Ishmael says it’s still busier than 2023, with a mix of office workers and tourists from nearby museums. One federal worker said that Ishmael’s coffee is the best part of his day. Another federal worker said that she comes every day now.
“I know my customers by name,” Ishmael said. “Some of my regular customers told me they were retiring. Some of them were in tears as they told me about layoffs and pressure to leave. You build real relationships.”
Supporting the neighborhood goes beyond coffee service for Ishmael. Local students from Richard Wright Public Charter Schools for Journalism and Media Art often stop by his truck, and he encourages them to try hard in school, even making bets on how many A’s they can get on the report card. He wants to be a mentor to students and show how hard work can help them achieve their goals.
Looking ahead, Ishmael hopes to expand with a second truck and eventually open a brick-and-mortar location in Southwest, staying close to the community that helped him get his start and where he’s raising his family. For now, he’s proud to be a small but steady part of the return to office life.
“I try to pour love into my community as they pour it back into me,” he said.
