'I voted' stickers on Election Day in Alexandria, Nov. 5, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)
There are only 40 days left until the June 17 Democratic primary for Virginia lieutenant governor and attorney general, and early votes are trickling in in Alexandria.
Early voting started on May 2, and 7,309 mail-in ballots were sent to early voters, according Alexandria’s election dashboard. So far, 71 Alexandria residents have cast in-person ballots, and 19 have returned mail-in ballots.
Clothing on sale (image via Del Ray Vintage & Flea Market/Facebook)
This weekend, May 9 to May 11, Alexandria offers a diverse lineup of activities, from outdoor festivals and farmers’ markets to an abundance of live music performances.
Residents and visitors can enjoy unique experiences like “Cocktails by Candlelight,” tarot readings, and various craft workshops. Sunday is also Mother’s Day, with several events specifically tailored to celebrate moms, including special markets, teas, and concerts.
Among the movers serving Alexandria, VA, 495 Movers stands out for a simple reason: its local hourly rate includes packing materials, furniture disassembly and reassembly, and protection for floors, walls, and elevators. The company has been in business since 2009 and has completed more than 20,000 moves, a number that keeps climbing.
Anyone who has hired movers in the DC area knows the familiar pattern. A low hourly rate wins the call. Then the invoice arrives with a charge for boxes, a charge for taking the bed apart, a fee for the stairs, and another for the elevator. By the end, the number on the bill has little to do with the number in the ad. 495 Movers was built to avoid that.
495 Movers at a glance
In business since: 2009 (17 years)
Moves completed: more than 20,000, local and long-distance
Licensed in: Virginia
Serves: Alexandria and the rest of the DMV
Local hourly rate includes: packing materials, furniture disassembly and reassembly, and home protection on every move
No separate fees for: stairs or elevators
Also offers: junk removal, custom crating, and self-storage
Reputation: 4.7 stars across nearly 1,000 Google reviews
Who is 495 Movers?
495 Movers is a full-service moving company serving Alexandria and the rest of the DMV, founded in 2009 by people who had worked as movers for several other companies first. They wanted to do it differently.
“We wanted to take a different approach, offering a simple, honest, and transparent approach for the customer,” said Moti Kachlon, co-owner at 495 Movers. For local moves, that meant building the most common extras into the hourly rate. Seventeen years and more than 20,000 moves later, the company is still growing.
What makes moving in Alexandria different?
Alexandria is a hard place to move. A truck on an Old Town block gets watched by neighbors, property managers, and a family wondering whether the sofa will make the turn on a staircase built long before sofas got this big.
Old Town’s rowhouses have narrow staircases and tight turns, which is why large furniture often has to come apart to get out. Del Ray’s bungalows and rowhouses have basements that hold more than anyone remembers. And condo and apartment buildings in Carlyle, Potomac Yard, and the West End often require movers to carry a certificate of insurance and book the elevator, with building managers who care a great deal about scuffed hallways. The street adds its own complications, from cobblestones to limited curb space.
That’s the context for how 495 Movers prices its work.
What does 495 Movers include in its hourly rate?
For local moves, the rate covers four things that many movers bill separately:
Packing materials. Boxes, tape, paper, and wrap are provided at no additional cost, whether a move needs a few or a few hundred.
Furniture disassembly and reassembly. Beds, tables, desks, sectionals, and wardrobes are taken apart, moved, and put back together at the new home. In an Old Town rowhouse, that’s often the only way a dresser gets down the stairs.
The Chamber ALX announces its 2025 '40 Under 40' honorees. (via The Chamber ALX)
The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce (The Chamber ALX) has unveiled its 2025 40 Under 40 list, spotlighting young professionals who are making waves across various sectors.
The Chamber ALX has released the names of 40 individuals under 40 who’ve made their mark in business, tech, nonprofits, civic engagement, public service, education, and the arts.
The Alexandria Economic Summit will take place on May 8 (via City of Alexandria)
Good Thursday morning, Alexandria!
⛈️ Today’s weather: A chance of showers after 2 p.m. Sunny during the morning, then cloudy during the afternoon, with a high near 80 degrees. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 30%. A chance of showers and thunderstorms tonight, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 8 p.m. Low around 58 degrees. The chance of precipitation is 80%.
Celebrating at Alexandria City High School's graduation at George Mason University's EagleBank Arena, June 3, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)
Better get the Slip ‘N Slide out of storage, because this year’s Alexandria City High School seniors are getting their diplomas a week early.
The commencement ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 28, at George Mason University’s EagleBank Arena, instead of on the first Saturday in June. Here’s why.
Redistricting Update: What We’ve Heard, What’s Changing, and What Comes Next
As the Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) redistricting process nears its final stages, members of the ACPS Strategy and Accountability Committee: Kelly Carmichael Booz (District B), Christopher Harris (District C), and Ryan Reyna (District A), are providing an update on their progress, detailing how community feedback has been instrumental in refining new boundary proposals and shaping key policy decisions.
While acknowledging the complexities and tough trade-offs involved, the update emphasizes a more straightforward path forward to strengthen the school system with students at the center of every decision.
Coffee lovers in Alexandria have a new spot to get their caffeine fix. Café Du Soleil has just opened its second location in the heart of Old Town.
The new café is located at 720 Jefferson Street and is ready to serve your favorite brews and bites. The new location is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Alexandria is updating its Duke Street Land Use Plan, and a community meeting at Patrick Henry Recreation Center (4653 Taney Avenue) on June 9 will kick things off.
This update will refresh the plan for the area from Alexandria Union Station to Van Dorn Street – the first major revision since 1992.