Nick Cho, former owner of Murky Coffee, has been charged with 82 counts of tax fraud, according to the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue. Cho formally turned himself in this morning after being charged by the Attorney General's office in connection with his failure to file monthly sales tax returns for his Capitol Hill coffeeshop during the period of December 20, 2004, to January 31, 2008, in addition to failing to file unincorporated franchise taxes for tax years 2006 and 2007. more ›

Former Murky Coffee owner Nick Cho revealed on Don Rockwell this morning that he will be opening his new coffee shop, Chinatown Coffee Company, sometime in June. Cho also said that Wrecking Ball Coffee roasting company, which DCist previously reported would go into the space at 5th and H Streets NW, is actually "a separate venture." And for anyone who had a favorite Arlington Murky barista, Cho says he will employing a number of them in the new Chinatown storefront. Photo by erin_m more ›

Murky Coffee owner Nick "I'll punch you in your dick" Cho posted a letter on his web site today announcing that his Clarendon coffee shop is closing.

It's with great sadness that I announce that in a few weeks, murky coffee will be relocating from here in Clarendon to a new location in Washington DC. more ›

We posted earlier about the Mid-Atlantic Regional Barista Competition that took place over the weekend. Congrats to locals Katie Duris (Murky Coffee), Allyson Turner (Murky Coffee), David Flynn (Peregrine Espresso), and Jeremy Sterner (Peregrine Espresso) for taking the first four spots, respectively, in a field of over 25. An espresso sure sounds good right about now... more ›

The Post finally picked up on the Murky Coffee brouhaha this morning, and it appears it's been a topic of conversation at other locally owned coffee shops around town. We snapped this photo at Big Bear Cafe in Bloomingdale today. Thanks to Catherine Andrews for the tip. more ›

It's become an epic fight of the caffeinated world. In one corner, the java-head who likes his espresso on the rocks. In the other, the emphatic barista and his posse of "mud" slingers. more ›

By now you've all heard that Murky Coffee's Capitol Hill location has been shuttered after the city seized the coffee shop thanks to owner Nick Cho failing to pay more than $425,000 in sales tax to the city. The building's landlord has since evicted the coffee shop, so it won't be reopening. Today the Post's D.C. Wire blog brings word that the entire contents of the shop are being auctioned off by the D.C. government.

According to a legal notice published earlier this week, the tax office would like to sell all of Murky's assets as a whole and bids will start at $10,000. The highest bidder will have 24 hours to make out a certified or cashier's check payable to the D.C. Treasurer. No personal checks will be accepted, according to the notice.

Rather than bringing a bottle of a nameless, never-tried bottle of Pinot Noir to your holiday parties, bring something the hosts will actually remember that it was you who brought it. Bring something that they'll be thankful for the morning after two too many egg nogs or a night of putting up with the relatives in town for Hanukkah. Bring them Joe. Two pounds of coffee is the new bottle of wine. Don't be an... more ›

Though the initial shock of seeing Eastern Market almost consumed by flames has passed, members of the community have ramped up fundraising efforts to ensure that the rebuilding begins as quickly as possible and the displaced vendors are cared for. On Tuesday, May 8, a number of bars will direct a percentage of their proceeds to the Capitol Hill Community Foundation, which is serving as focal point for Eastern Market-related fundraising efforts. So far,... more ›

There are a lot of rules when you visit Soho Tea and Coffee in Dupont. Customers must spend at least $5 to use the wireless Internet. No credit cards are taken. Non-customers are charged $3 to use the unisex bathroom, adorned with a helpful reminder than only one person is permitted in the single stall at a time. Two months ago, another rule went into effect: no cell phones at the front counter. Owner Helene... more ›

Baristars I know you've all been waiting for the news on the outcome of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Regional Barista Championships, held this week at the Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie, Penna. Well, the news is great. Murky Coffee General Manager Katie Carguilo won the contest, besting the field of 17 with the excellence of her cappuccinos, espressos, and her signature drink, the Café Garguilo: espresso, cherry juice, chocolate, and a whip cream made... more ›

We are, of course, still pulling for any ban on all ages shows at bars to fail miserably. But we always support the idea of alternative, non-bar venues putting on shows as well. So we were happy to learn this week that Murky Coffee, the independent coffee shop in Clarendon that many area residents claim boasts one of the best cups of coffee in town, is going to start hosting bands. The schedule is... more ›

Sure, to you it may just be a cup of joe, or a half-caf soy latté with hazelnut. But for others -- like Ryan Jensen -- it's much, much more. Jensen is a barista at Murky Coffee on Capitol Hill, and this Saturday Jensen gets to show off his barista skills as a competitor in the fourth annual United States Barista Championship. The competition, held in Seattle, will determine the U.S. competitor in the World Barista Championship, to be held in Seattle this April. more ›

As February draws to a close, we at DCist pause to reflect upon how our brethren in the politically-oriented blogosphere spent another month in the zeitgeist. From the scalping of Eason Jordan and the outing of Jeff Gannon, to the victory lap being taken by the bloggers who forced the imminent departure of several CBS News bigwigs, bloggers are once again back in the news. The tenor of this recent coverage, however, is decidedly... more ›

Popular Adams Morgan coffee shop/bar Tryst is planning to turn off their free WiFi at 8:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. We noticed the news on local blog prod & ponder, who thought it was "really disturbing" and even called to double check. more ›

>> As reported by DC Art News, two new galleries have joined the D.C. arts scene. Emma Mae Gallery, founded by Sandra Butler-Truesdale, has opened at 1515 U St. NW. JET Artworks opens Friday in Elizabeth Roberts' old space at 2108 R St. NW. The gallery's inaugural exhibition features the work of Conor McGrady, Greg Murr, Gregory Euclide, Michel Tsouris and Ken Bucklew. more ›