The Cupboard

I love this neighborhood store. It carries all the staples you need — beer/​wine, bread, snacks, coffee, etc. The staff is super friendly too.

When there’s not a bunch of teens hanging out in front, this is absolutely the best convenience store in the Hill East/​Kingman Park area. It’s pricey but close and has just about everything you’ll need to make it until a grocery store visit. The staff is friendly and the food is fresh. Tends to be hot in the store, so I don’t suggest buying chocolate bars, 2 liter soft drinks or anything else that doesn’t keep well in the heat.

Just moved to the neighborhood and already love this place.
Just about everything you need in a corner store, and the craft beer selection is impressive. Bell’s Two Hearted tallboys? Fuck yeah

From Deer Park water to nice bottles of wine, from fresh cheese and gallons of milk, to mangos and bananas, to the standard sodas and candy… this place has everything. I love that this little convenient store is just a couple blocks away. It’s great for the neighborhood. Also, they have an ATM inside so you can get cash to eat at Hong Kong Carry-​Out ;)

Awesome little family owned «corner store» that’s not quite on a corner. They are there in a pinch. Need a bottle of wine for a small party with friends, they have it. Need a craft beer 6-​pack just because, they have it. Need viddles to nosh on while drinking the aforementioned beverages, come here. Some times, some things are a little past the expiration date but if more people knew about this place and frequented more, it wouldn’t even matter. Go… they’ll have what you need.

In the land of sketchy corner stores, The Cupboard is the Ritz Carlton. Though they don’t often have ingredients that I’m looking for (fruit yogurt but not plain yogurt?), and often carry expired items (make sure you check the dates!), they have a great selection of emergency food items and wine/​craft beer. I once purchased brie and crackers here for less than I would pay at a conventional grocery store.
The staff here is extremely friendly and helpful as well!

Surprisingly has a lot of what you want including decent wines and craft beers too!

A great place to have around the corner. A walkable neighborhood lives and dies by places like this. There is no urban experience sweeter than rolling out of bed, realizing you need milk and being able to walk down and buy some in two minutes! Ties the whole neighborhood together. Makes the block feel like its a giant house. A good corner store feels like your pantry.
They’ve made a real effort to cater to all the yuppies (organic this, gourmet that, great craft beer selection) which is great. The store is well-​branded and a pleasant place to shop. Some items are a little overpriced (but what convenience store doesn’t have overpriced items?).
Criticisms:
–I bought fruit once. It was overpriced and bruised. I don’t come here for groceries. Food selection in good in a pinch, but not excellent.
–Hours are too short. Opens too late and closes too early.
Compliments:
–Good craft beer selection
–25 cent candy. Adorable, and really the perfect amount of candy. Includes gummy worms!
–Nice cashier

I also want to add that this store is owned by an absolutely lovely family that lives RIGHT in Capitol Hill. I really love it when you can frequent places that are owned by people who are residents of the neighborhood.

Getting there! This place used to be the worst convenient mart until bought by new owners. Now they actually stock some things I would need rather than just chips, sodas and spaghettios. I walked in there the other day and low and behold organic bread! And organic cold cuts, some cheeses and micro brews. you get the point, better quality products that reflect the changing neighborhood. Friendly staff.

My favorite spot in the Hill East neighborhood to pick up a good bottle of wine/​6pk of beer or odds and ends in between grocery store visits. Great local selections and high quality products you don’t see in small convenience shops.

Like everyone else said: great craft beer selection, pretty decent food selection for a bodega, and the owners really look out for their patrons. Definitely recommend checking out the Hill Pop paletas in the freezer. Soooo yummy. I might recommend avoiding around the time that Eastern High School lets out. The kids like to hang on that corner and cause a ruckus. I’ve seen quite a few fights on that corner around that time.

I’m glad Capitol Hill East has a local supermarket and it looks pretty cool from the outside (My wife loves the sign!). The only time I went was to get milk and it was sour. When I returned it, the store manager was super nice and let me open literally 8 more half gallons before one was not spoiled.

Surprisingly good craft beer selection

i don’t know if the other reviews mentioned this, because i don’t read other reviews, but their beer selection is robust for a bodega.

I was surprised a few months ago when I saw a «Green Mountain Coffee» sign in the window of this former «DC Express Mart.» Well the new owners have made this place a little gem. Its hard to find convenient convenience stores on the hill. This place sells good beer, wine, bread, eggs, milk, real orange juice, diapers, etc. If you’re looking for something they don’t have just ask. The owners are willing to stock things neighbors are interested in– so that unique beer you love could be just around the corner. It’s right next to the Car Barn on East Capitol.

The Cupboard has a new sign to go along with its new philosophy (well, new ownership, really) that includes trying to stock the shelves with the items the residents of our changing neighborhood seek.
Admittedly, I do not go to the Cupboard often, but that’s because I do not shop a lot. But, I am darn glad that the Cupboard is there when I need it. I’ll try to make an effort to get there more often.

This place has made a lot of recent improvements such as baskets of produce, glass jars of candy along the counter, cheeses, better quality wines, a fresh paint job, new sign, and a nook in the window where customers can sip their coffee. I think I will start coming here more often as it’s closer to home than Eastern Market.
When I went in this morning I had not yet had my coffee — I was a tired wreck and really out of sorts. Turned out I left my wallet there and didn’t even realize it. The guy working the counter, who I think might be the owner, GOT ON HIS VESPA AND DROVE AFTER ME TO RETURN MY WALLET. He really saved my day. And the coffee was good.

The Cupboard is where the old DC Express Mart used to be. There is no sign as of yet, but it was local owners that live on the hill, so hopefully they make it. They carry your basics: bread, milk, and eggs and toilet paper etc.
The best thing that I noticed is the respectable size of their microbrews. I ran in there for coffee, (Green Mountain) and looked around a little bit. It’s well organized, and looks like they are still straightening things out. I hope they stay around a while!