The Study at Morrison House (via The Study at Morrison House on Facebook)
Good Sunday morning, Alexandria!
⛈️ Today’s weather: Showers likely before 11 a.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 5 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80 degrees—southwest wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. The chance of precipitation is 70%—new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch are possible. Tonight there will be scattered showers before 8 p.m.. Mostly clear, with a low around 47 degrees. Northwest wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
The private school, which now teaches kids from kindergarten through 8th grade, is adding a new upper school for grades 7-12. It’s set to open in fall 2025 in downtown Alexandria.
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.
Old Town Books (Photo via Old Town Books Facebook)
Good Saturday morning, Alexandria!
⛈️ Today’s weather: Showers likely before 11 a.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 5 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80 degrees—southwest wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. The chance of precipitation is 70%—new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch are possible. Tonight there will be scattered showers before 8 p.m.. Mostly clear, with a low around 47 degrees. Northwest wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
Fire in the 5400 block of Sheffield Ct. on April 25 (Staff photo by James Cullum)
A fire erupted in a top-floor apartment in Alexandria on Friday night (April 25), triggering a two-alarm response from emergency services.
Alexandria Fire Department’s Engine and Truck 208 were first on the scene at the 5400 block of Sheffield Court. Firefighters encountered flames coming from a top-floor apartment and quickly worked to put out the fire, which had spread to the attic.
NVTA BRT Action Plan - Potential Network (via NVTA)
Welcome to Friday’s weekly roundup of our top stories.
With ALXnow, it’s easy to catch up on the latest news in Alexandria. This week, we focused on coverage of our local, state, and federal governments. We also reported a lot of crime, including a homicide in the city’s West End.
Alexandria is preparing to celebrate the annual Independent Bookstore Day, with local literary havens, Old Town Books (130 South Royal Street) and Friends to Lovers Bookstore (301 Cameron Street), planning a range of engaging activities and special offerings as participating stores.
Independent Bookstore Day is a one-day national party that takes place at indie bookstores across the country on the last Saturday in April. This year, the event is scheduled for Saturday (April 26). This day aims to celebrate the unique and independent nature of each bookstore.
Pedestrian Bridge at Ben Brenman Park (image via Google Maps)
Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire sent a note to Cameron Station Civic Association residents after gunfire was reported Thursday morning (April 24) at Ben Brenman Park.
McGuire detailed the incident, and confirmed that multiple gunshots were reported in the 4800 block of Brenman Park Drive. No one was injured and no arrests have been made yet, and APD is asking the public for help in the investigation.
Dal Ray Farmhouse and Garden Center at 1913 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (via Facebook)
Got an extra-large pair of scissors handy? There are two ribbon cuttings for local businesses along Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray next month.
On May 10 at 10:30 a.m., expect a crowd to formally cut the ribbon at the Dal Ray Farmhouse Market and Garden at 1913 Mount Vernon Avenue. The business opened last month and is owned by Jay Portlance, who also owns Del Ray Hardware across the street.
The 19-year-old Jack was shot and killed in the parking lot of 22 Canterbury Square, and his death remains under investigation by the Alexandria Police Department. The fundraiser has so far exceeded its $5,000 goal by raising $5,360 as of 1:30 p.m. Friday (April 25).