Battleground to Community

— Brightwood Heritage Trail —

Back in the 1920s, most people walked or rode a streetcar to go shopping. Then cars became affordable, and people drove everywhere. Soon the shopping center, with free parking, was born. In 1937 Brightwood's "Park and Shop" opened on Georgia Avenue across from this sign.

Birghtwood's center included the 1,000 seat Sheridan Theater. The Classical Moderne style hall, by nationally know architect John Eberson, matched local architect Morton Levy's retail shops. Six local businesses shared the space with national chains Kresge's and A&P.

By the 1950s Georgia Avenue enterprises reflected Brightwood's ethnic mix, with many operated by Greek, Italian and Jewish merchants. A few blocks north of here was Silbert's Kosher Meat Market. To your right at 6214 Georgia Avenue was the Waffle shop/John's Lunch, owned by John and Evthokia Deoudes. Their son Logan recalled that they served American food "done with Greek hands...which put better flavor in the food." The Deoudes family, including Greco the dog, is immortalized in George Pelecanos's novel, Hard Revolution. Real estate broker and Greek language radio show host Penelope Apostolides rented the Sheridan Theater to show Greek films. Two generations of the Caludis family ran Arrow Cleaners at 6233 Georgia Avenue.

While the rioting that followed the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1968 spared this area, it spurred dozens of middle-class families to move to the suburbs. Business soon suffered, and vacant storefronts became common. In the 1970s the Sheridan became a live theater, briefly housing the Black American Theater. Later it became a church. By the end of the 1990s, though, new back-t-the-city investments and community activism brought promise of revitalization.

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