Andy Shallal
| Andy Shallal | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
March 21, 1955 Baghdad, Iraq |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater |
Catholic University of America Howard University |
Anas "Andy" Shallal (Arabic: أنس شلال) (born March 21, 1955 in Baghdad, Iraq) is an Iraqi-American artist, activist and entrepreneur. He is best known as the proprietor of the Washington, DC area restaurant, bookstore, performance venue Busboys and Poets and local philanthropist. He is also well known for his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He was a 2013 candidate for Mayor of Washington, D.C.
Shallal moved to the United States with his family in 1966. His father was Ambassador of the Arab League, a position he held until Saddam Hussein seized power, after which they could not return. He graduated from Catholic University of America and later enrolled in Howard University medical school. Shallal worked as a researcher in medical immunology at the National Institutes of Health.
With the experience gained from working for his father's restaurant, Shallal co-founded the Mediterranean-themed Skewers with older brother Tony, in 1987. He opened a spinoff, Cafe Luna at the same corner at 17th and P, and later Luna Grille on Connecticut Avenue south of Dupont Circle. In 2000 he opened Mimi's American Bistro, featuring servers who sing, dance and play the piano between serving diners. Shallal has since sold his interests in these restaurants.
In September 2005, he opened Busboys and Poets at 14th and V, in the historic U Street neighborhood. The restaurant features a bookstore, performance space and a mural painted by Shallal. The restaurant was an instant success, embraced by the neighborhood and the progressive community, especially among activists opposed to the Iraq War. Busboys' clientele has included Howard Zinn, Alice Walker, Cornel West, Naomi Klein, Ben Jealous, Michael Eric Dyson, Nikki Giovanni, Junot Diaz, Common, Moby, Larry King, Melissa Harris Perry, Angela Davis, Brittney Griner, Howard Dean, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Danny Glover, and others.
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