WASHINGTON —Amid Washington’s political chaos and cultural polarization, where gatherings are increasingly charged with institutional tension, a different kind of movement is taking shape in the Union Market District. A new retail concept, Manifest 002, is set to open its doors in September, offering an apolitical refuge where community and culture take priority over commerce.

“We don’t sell anything,” said KJ Hughes, one of the three cofounders behind the 9,700-square-foot concept store. “People buy if they feel comfortable, but we don’t sell a haircut, we don’t sell coffee, we don’t sell clothes. We create an environment that’s comfortable for you.” This, he said, can lead a customer to buy. “But also just to feel comfortable.”

Central to Manifest’s concept is the barbershop, a cult

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