Profiling Washington: David Dennis

Ah, Sesame Street - who among us doesn't long for the idyllic setting of Big Bird, Snuffalopogus, and Cookie Monster? Sometimes it's easy to slip away and imagine sitting on the stoop, sharing a juice box with your buds Bert, Ernie, and Grover after a hard day at the grind; even if rote memorization of multiplication tables are far in our rear view mirror.

RCKNDY owner David Dennis, though, is living proof that Sesame Street isn't that far from, well, U Street.

"Sometimes I feel like Mr. Hooper," Dennis observed when asked about the best part about owning a business in the bustling corridor. "I know who's having a baby, remodeling, moving, just got a promotion. I love it. "

An ethos of "decor shouldn't be so serious" has helped Dennis in making quite the impression as one of the District's foremost, centrally-located purveyors of quirky furniture and specialty items. So while we had his ear, we asked the man what kind of free interior design advice he could give us for the chilly months ahead:

"Purple is the 'it' color for fall this year - but while we have some hints of purple in the store we're not delving into the trends too heavily, especially with such a strong color." Dennis made sure to assure us that there's "no purple sofas at RCKNDY! We love to mix the practical with the tongue and cheek." To wit: Dennis gushed about "the most comfortable sleeper sofa along side a neon green plaster roller-skate!"

He's understandably quick to sing praises about the surrounding businesses - Dennis counts himself as a devotee of wine on Local 16's deck and Cakelove's gastronomical goodies - but also said the "hidden gem across the street is Threads for eyebrow threading - it's so cool!"

But, just like a sage shopkeep, Dennis realizes that there's always room for improvement - especially considering the District's paucity of local modern designers.

"I haven't found many local designers with a point of view equal to the store," he admits. "D.C. isn't a good base for modern design. If you know someone, send them my way. I'm all for supporting local designers."

But he's hopeful, noting that "inspiration is everywhere. You just have to open your eyes, ears and mind."

Well said, Mr. Hooper, er, Dennis.

RCKNDY is located at 1515 U St, NW. Photo of David Dennis by Steve Goldenberg.