Howard is an urban campus, so this is a walking guide until the last section. The main campus runs along Georgia Avenue, and the nearest Metro is Shaw–Howard U. U Street, the V Street blocks of Shaw and the top of 14th Street are all within about a mile.
Georgia Avenue. This is the campus main street. The Howard University Bookstore (2225 Georgia Ave NW) is the official store. Farther north, Sankofa Video Books & Cafe (2714 Georgia Ave NW) is the Georgia Avenue stop to know: a bookstore, cafe and film archive in one room. Georgia Avenue has lost several food spots recently. Howard's student paper, The Hilltop, has tracked the closings, including Subway and Negril, so check before you walk.
V Street and Florida Avenue. A few blocks southwest of campus, Andy's Pizza Shaw (808 V St NW) and Mita (804 V St NW) sit side by side. Florida Avenue runs southwest toward 9th Street, where Whole Foods Market Florida Avenue (967 Florida Ave NW) is the big grocery run. Florida Avenue Grill (1100 Florida Ave NW) is a little farther west.
U Street. Walk west on U Street and you pass Lee's Flower and Card Shop (1026 U St NW), Ben's Chili Bowl (1213 U St NW), the vintage and antiques at GoodWood (1428 U St NW) and the records at Joint Custody (1530 U St NW).
14th Street. At 14th and U, turn south into the clothing and home stores of the 14th Street strip, which runs down past R Street. That is about a mile from campus.
The Howard University Bookstore (2225 Georgia Ave NW) is Howard's official store. Follett runs both the store on campus and the online shop at bkstr.com/howardstore. It sells course materials, Howard apparel and technology, and it is an authorized Apple store for products and service.
Hours change with the academic calendar, so check the store-hours page on bkstr.com before you go, or call (202) 238-2640. Law students have their own bookstore at the School of Law (2900 Van Ness St NW).
Start at the Bookstore for supplies and a laptop. For food, Whole Foods Market Florida Avenue (967 Florida Ave NW) is the closest full grocery store we have verified. It is open daily 7am to 10pm and has beer and wine, a bakery, bulk bins and a grind-your-own nut butter station. Amazon orders can be picked up or returned at its Amazon Counter. For a specialty pantry run, Rice Market (1608 14th St NW, Lower Level) stocks Thai, Japanese and Korean staples.
For the hardware side of move-in, Logan Hardware (1734 14th St NW) is an independent Ace store over two and a half floors, with party supplies and a pet section. It opens at 8am Monday to Saturday. For bigger pieces in an off-campus apartment, West Elm Logan Circle (1728 14th St NW) sells bedding, rugs, lighting and furniture, with in-store pickup for online orders.
Books. Sankofa Video Books & Cafe (2714 Georgia Ave NW) is the bookstore on campus's doorstep. It carries classic books on Black culture and history and says it has the largest collection of Black children's books in the DC area. Busboys and Poets 14th & V (2021 14th St NW) sells books too, as part of its book program and author events.
Vintage and records. Joint Custody (1530 U St NW) sells new and used vinyl, cassettes, vintage clothing, posters and zines, daily noon to 8pm. GoodWood (1428 U St NW) is mostly antique furniture but also has vintage clothing and jewelry, daily noon to 6pm.
Clothes and beauty. On 14th Street, Madewell 14th Street (1919 14th St NW, Ste C) is a short walk south of U Street, with Madewell Men's at 1821 14th St NW and Faherty Logan Circle at 1701 14th St NW. Sephora 14th Street (1711 14th St NW) books makeup lessons and services. Warby Parker Logan Circle (1629 14th St NW) handles glasses and eye exams.
- Howard University Bookstore (2225 Georgia Ave NW): official Howard apparel for the family, or an Apple product for the graduate.
- Lee's Flower and Card Shop (1026 U St NW): a Black-owned family florist founded in 1945 and run today by the founders' granddaughters. Order graduation flowers here. It opens at 8am on weekdays.
- Sankofa Video Books & Cafe (2714 Georgia Ave NW): a book on Black history for a parent, or a children's book for a younger sibling.
- Salt & Sundry (1625 14th St NW): ceramics, kitchen and bar tools and paper goods from independent makers.
- GoodWood (1428 U St NW): vintage jewelry or a print for a first apartment.
Coffee. The cafe at Sankofa (2714 Georgia Ave NW) names its smoothies and sandwiches after Black filmmakers. On 14th Street, Pitango Logan Circle (1802 14th St NW) pours Vigilante coffee and scoops gelato until 11pm, later on weekends.
Cheap eats. Ben's Chili Bowl (1213 U St NW) is the late-night stop, open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays; order the chili half-smoke. Andy's Pizza Shaw (808 V St NW) is a short walk from campus. Florida Avenue Grill (1100 Florida Ave NW) calls itself the world's longest-operating soul food restaurant and is known for breakfast. Inside Whole Foods, PLNT Burger, a pizza counter and Kikka Sushi cover a quick lunch.
When parents are paying. Busboys and Poets 14th & V (2021 14th St NW) is the easy, relaxed pick. For a bigger night, three MICHELIN-listed rooms are close: Mita (804 V St NW), with plant-based Latin American tasting menus, Oyster Oyster (1440 8th St NW), a vegetable tasting menu with a MICHELIN Green Star, and Bresca (1906 14th St NW). Book well ahead for Homecoming and Commencement weekends.
The nearest Metro station is Shaw–Howard U. Howard lists it on the Green and Yellow lines, but Yellow Line trains have ended at Mt Vernon Sq since 2023, so the Green Line is the one that stops here. U Street station (Green Line, at 13th and U Sts NW) is best for U Street and 14th Street shopping. Columbia Heights is one Green Line stop north.
Driving in? Howard's visitor parking is the Howard Center Lot, entered at 2235 8th St NW. Howard lists it at $10 a day or $200 a month, credit card only, with permits bought through RunParking. Street parking on 14th Street is metered, and transit is the practical way to reach it.
Penn Quarter is straight down the Green Line to Gallery Place–Chinatown. On F Street, Barnes & Noble F Street (1025 F St NW) is open daily 10am to 8pm, and Nordstrom Rack (555 12th St NW) is the off-price stop for interview clothes, open until 9pm Monday to Saturday.
Dupont Circle is the book trip, west along U Street or on the Red Line. Second Story Books (2000 P St NW) is a large used and rare bookstore, and Kramers (1517 Connecticut Ave NW) is by the Q Street exit of Dupont Circle station.