Good Tuesday morning, Alexandria!
🌥️ Today’s weather: Expect cloudy skies to clear gradually by mid-morning, reaching a high of 62°F. A southwest wind will blow at 9-14 mph, shifting to northwest later in the morning and potentially gusting up to 25 mph. For Tuesday night, skies will be mostly clear with a low temperature near 36°F, and a northwest wind at 3-7 mph.
🚨 You need to know
On Nov. 14, Friends to Lovers bookstore opened as a hip new romance-focused reading spot at 103 S. St Asaph Street in Old Town.
On Nov. 17, it — along with Madam Coco and Little Birdies — was a smoldering ruin.
A fire on Nov. 17 destroyed much of the shop’s inventory and left the store unable to open for at least the remainder of the year. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, the Alexandria Fire Department said it’s believed to be accidental.
Friends to Lovers owner Jamie Fortin organized a GoFundMe to rebuild the shop, and so far it’s exceeded initial expectations.
The GoFundMe started with a goal of $20,000 but it was raised to $45,000 after Fortin was able to assess damages.
A little over one week after the fire, the store has managed to raise $40,145.
According to Fortin:
As most of you know, we are committed to working with small, women-owned businesses and uplifting local/indie authors. We also staff 5 booksellers who I am determined to keep employed, and a talented social media manager who I credit with F2L’s incredible online presence. Funds raised during this process will be integral to ensuring F2L can maintain the people and culture we know and love while also recovering from significant losses related to the fire.Thank you all for your understanding and continued support during this challenging time. As we rebuild, we are determined to continue shopping small and supporting local.
📈 Monday’s most read
The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for Nov 25, 2024.
- Notes: Alexandria private high school named potential Team Base Camp for World Cup (1940 views)
- ACPS wants more docs from parents proving kids live in Alexandria (1071 views)
- Longtime Subway restaurant closes in Arlandria (1040 views)
- Divided City Council backs roadway changes near Cameron Station (626 views)
- PHOTOS: See the Alexandria Christmas tree lighting in Old Town (448 views)
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on today in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
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