A newsstand in Foggy Bottom is going global.
News World, formerly on 17th and K streets, re-opened its doors at The Shops at 2000 Penn two weeks ago. News World will offer up to 4,000 magazines and newspapers from more than 100 countries, either in stock or available for in-store printing.
Maria Bota, an employee of the store, said in an interview that the newsstand subscribes to a program called PressReader, which allows them to print hard-to-find newspapers from around the world in their store if it’s not already in stock.
Bota said because there is a high volume of international people in D.C., many people make requests for the foreign newspapers. She said working at the foreign newsstand is especially important to her because she is from Guatemala and has access to news publications from her home country.
“When I see a newspaper from my country, it’s like, “Oh my God!’” Bota said.
Bota said that News World moved to 2000 Penn because of the increasing cost of rent at the old location on Connecticut Avenue.
GW sued the previous newsstand, One Stop News, in 2013, claiming it was behind on almost $63,000 in rent, late fees, maintenance, utilities and taxes. The newsstand closed in February 2014.
The owner of News World is Stephen Bota, a receptionist at 2000 Penn said. He did not return requests for comment.
Maria Bota said students have come to the stand and requested that employees start accepting GWorld, a suggestion into which she said they are looking.
“Some students, they already came and bought some magazines and asked for that,” Maria Bota said. “He’s working on it.”
She said hotels within the D.C. area also use the PressReader service so that travelers from other countries can still have access to their home newspapers. She added that staff in the Blair House, the President’s official guest house, have even requested papers from the stand.
Roger Thiel, who said he has bought the Saturday and Sunday edition of The Washington Post from the stand since it was located on K Street, said he likes the stand because it has a family-run theme as opposed to a chain.
“I don’t know if there is any other, a purer, newsstand like this one,” Thiel said.
Harry Swanson, a freelance illustrator, said he drives from Arlington every Sunday to pick up publications from the stand.
“It’s the availability of it, and, with the shrinking world of newsstands, you don’t have a lot of choices,” Swanson said, calling the stand “dedicated” and a “welcome oasis.”
