National Zoo reopens, bringing relief to Cleveland Park businesses

The District’s Cleveland Park neighborhood lives and breathes around the Smithsonian National Zoo and its pandas.

But for the past 40-odd days, businesses around the zoo have faced a diminishing wave of customers due to the zoo’s closure during the federal government shutdown.

In recent years, new shops along Connecticut Avenue have leaned into the panda theme, hoping to capture some of the millions of people who normally visit the D.C. zoo each year.

One longtime neighborhood staple is Baked by Yael, a nut-free, kosher bakery that specializes in bagels and “Panda Pops.”

“The zoo has the cute animals. They go see the animals, and then they come across the street to us. And if the zoo is closed, they’re not coming,” sai

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