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ALXnow’s top stories this week in Alexandria

By James Cullum

We made it to Friday, Alexandria! Here’s a look at this week’s top stories.

Our most-read post is on a proposal to open a 24-hour Mexican restaurant in the city’s Del Ray neighborhood. The effort is facing some pushback from neighbors wary of potential crime and safety issues. In July, Tortas Y Tacos La Chiquita officially announced in a special use permit application that it wants to open at 529 E. Howell Avenue, the former home to Bark Social. It would be the fourth restaurant for the local chain, and while the restaurant won’t serve alcohol, outside patio hours would be 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, according to the application. The inside area is proposed to be open 24 hours a day.

The Virginia ABC store at 4349 Duke Street has closed (via Google Maps)

Need a drink? Our second top post this week is on the closure of a Virginia ABC store in the West End.

The store at 4349 Duke Street closed July 15 after nine years of operation, according to Virginia ABC. The agency moved the location’s contents to 901-929 S. Pickett Street, about 2 miles away, where it now serves licensees rather than walk-in customers. The Duke Street location opened in 2016 in a former Pier 1 Imports store near Holmes Run. Customers must now travel approximately 1.2 miles to the ABC store located at 3161 Duke Street in Alexandria Commons Shopping Center.

LaPluma Coffee & Wine wants more outdoor seating and expanded hours for its operation at 1000 Cameron Street in Old Town (via Instagram)

Keeping with the overall local business theme this week, our third top post is about a new coffee shop and wine bar asking the city for expanded hours and extra outdoor seating.

LaPluma Coffee & Wine Bar opened in May at 1000 Cameron Street in Old Town, and now its owners are asking the city to expand their operating hours only on Sundays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and add 12 more seats and two tables to the outdoor patio, for a total of 40 seats.

Shopping in Old Town Alexandria (via Visit Alexandria)

Got plans this weekend? Don’t miss the annual Alexandria Sidewalk Sale on Saturday, where Old Town will be transformed by farmers’ markets, live music, and cultural attractions. Check out our comprehensive listing of Alexandria events to find out more.

The most-read stories this week were:

  1. Proposed 24-Hour Mexican restaurant in Del Ray draws neighbor opposition (9292 views)
  2. ABC store closes to public on Duke Street, converts to licensee operations (4189 views)
  3. Old Town coffee shop and wine bar wants more outdoor seats and expanded hours (3801 views)
  4. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream coming to Old Town (3674 views)
  5. French bakery and cafe files paperwork to open at 701 King Street in Old Town (3613 views)
  6. Alexandria firefighters help extinguish commercial building blaze in Alexandria area of Fairfax County (3389 views)
  7. Bail granted for groomer accused of abusing dogs in Alexandria (2999 views)
  8. Man dies jumping from 15th-floor balcony during FBI arrest attempt on King Street (2798 views)
  9. 2D Noodles soft-opens on Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria (2253 views)

Have a safe weekend!

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.