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All the United States Washington, D.C. Eritrean Cultural Civic Center

Eritrean Cultural Civic Center

Daily lunch spot for many of Washington, D.C.'s cab drivers.

Washington, D.C.

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New location at 2154 24th Pl NE, Washington, DC 20018   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
New location at 2154 24th Pl NE, Washington, DC 20018   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Current location of the ECCC, near DuPont Circle.   PatTheGreat / Atlas Obscura User
The Eritrean Cultural Civic Center. (dullshick/Flickr)   http://www.flickr.com
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The Eritrean Cultural & Civic Center was originally founded in 1989 in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, DC. It served as a center of Eritrean cultural life in the city, and hosted nearly every Eritrean official who visited Washington. Inside, it looked like a men's club, but the cafeteria was open for all to enjoy, serving delicious ethnic food. As customers enjoy their meals, soap operas play on mounted televisions.

The Civic Center has also, in the past, come under some scrutiny. In 2004, the location was raided as part of an effort to reduce the amount of money illegally sent overseas. On June 30, 2006, Kasetbrhan M. Keleta was found guilty of operating an illegal money transmitting business out of the center, having wired more than $8 million to locations such as Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Kenya.

Although the original location closed in early 2016, the ECCC has opened a new location located closer to DuPont Circle. This was only a temporary location, and the ECCC has now become a members-only club. As of 2023, ECCC has relocated to 2154 24th Pl NE.

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Cultures And Civilizations Architectural Oddities Architecture

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Added By

Facebook3100141

Edited By

AF, Cohnjena, hrnick, PatTheGreat...

  • AF
  • Cohnjena
  • hrnick
  • PatTheGreat
  • blimpcaptain
  • nbj914

Published

May 10, 2011

Updated

June 8, 2023

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Sources
  • Manta: Eritrean Cultural & Civic Center, Inc.: http://www.manta.com/c/mt1fg5b/eritrean-cultural-civic-center-inc
  • Fraud Digest: http://www.frauddigest.com/fraud.php?ident=2845
  • http://www.ecccwashington.com/
  • http://www.madote.com/2016/03/good-bye-eritrean-cultural-civic-center.html
  • http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34538-2004May17.html
  • https://www.borderstan.com/2016/05/09/eritrean-cultural-center-opens-members-only-club-in-dupont/
Eritrean Cultural Civic Center
2154 24th Pl NE
Washington, District of Columbia, 20018
United States
38.921015, -76.972454
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