After a series of neighborhood complaints, the popular Arlandria neighborhood bar Hops ‘N Shine (3410 Mount Vernon Avenue) is being brought back to the Planning Commission for a review of its special use permit.
The docket says Hops ‘N Shine says a special use permit, originally approved in 2020 for more outdoor entertainment and indoor seating, is under review after “violations of Special Use Permit conditions.”
Good Thursday morning, Alexandria!
🌥 Today’s weather: Overcast throughout the day. High of 67 and low of 51.
⛅ Tomorrow: Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 68 and low of 50. Sunrise at 7:07 am and sunset at 5:40 pm.
Before the pandemic, I ran a Reddit forum that brought people together for local happy hours. It became a great outlet for an in-person social life: you could get out, get to know people nearby, and have a familiar group to spend time with. I enjoyed being the person who helped make that happen.
Getting people together became harder after the pandemic. Friends moved away, had kids, or settled into different routines, and organizing a night out took more effort. I still wanted that camaraderie, but having people to invite didn’t necessarily mean we could get something on the calendar.
I’m in my late 30s and live in Old Town. About a year ago, I joined Choros, a local membership community that helps guys build friendships through small-group activities. Since then, I’ve been to close to 50 hangouts, and it’s given me a regular group of guys to do things with around Alexandria and beyond.
I host board game nights and help host a monthly happy hour at the Commodore in Old Town. I’ve done escape rooms on King Street, trivia, food festivals in Del Ray, movie discussions, and Dungeons & Dragons (which can be especially tricky to get going as an adult with a busy schedule). Having that variety means I can find something that fits my mood and schedule, and there are usually familiar faces when I get there.
One of my favorite things, though, is getting on my bike, picking a destination, and making a day of it. Through Choros, I’ve found a consistent crew to ride with almost every month. That’s the kind of thing I wanted more of: people who enjoy the same stuff and make time to get out and do it together.
I still like hosting and bringing people together. What makes Choros useful is having a community to draw from, so every plan doesn’t depend on the same few friends being available. Other guys suggest and host things too, which gives me plenty of opportunities to join something without organizing it myself.
Over time, seeing the same guys at different activities builds familiarity. You have conversations to pick back up and another reason to make plans together. That’s how it’s become a circle of friends for me.
If you’re in Alexandria, check out Choros and come to one of our monthly happy hours at the Commodore. I’d be happy to meet a few more neighbors, whether you’re into board games, bike rides, or just getting out for a drink. There’s plenty happening here, along with activities throughout the rest of the D.C. area.
International shipping company DHL Express drew some flack from Alexandria’s Planning Commission after the company let slip in a recent meeting that they had no plans to find a permanent home for their “temporary” trailer business on Duke Street.
The company was granted approval for a temporary trailer set up in the parking lot of Shoppes of Foxchase (4513 Duke Street) during the pandemic. DHL was up for a two-year extension of their permit to operate in the parking lot but was applying for an additional three-year extension beyond that.
Landini Brothers (115 King Street) plans on converting a neighboring property at 113 King Street into an exclusive three-story members-only area by the end of spring/beginning of summer, the restaurant’s owner tells ALXnow.
Noe Landini says that the final permit approvals with the City are pending but to expect an 18-week construction schedule. The property at 113 King Street is the former longtime home of The Silver Parrot jewelry shop, which closed in 2021, and the America! shop.
Event location
Duvall House
305 Cameron Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Join George Washington at the beautiful, historic Duvall House—the site of his “coming home” celebration after the Revolutionary War! Libations and hearty hors d’oeuvres will be served. Tickets are $150 per person, with proceeds benefiting the 2027 George Washington Birthday Parade in Alexandria. Reserve your space at the event website, or email us at [email protected] if you prefer to pay at the door.
(Updated 6:17 p.m.) Representatives from Hilco Redevelopment Partners (HRP) recently opened up about some of the behind-the-scenes discussions on whether or not to make the central street in Old Town North’s power plant redevelopment project pedestrian-only.
The redevelopment of the GenOn power plant in Old Town North is one of the biggest projects on the city’s horizon, and the centerpiece of that project will be a pedestrian-focused boulevard called a ‘woonerf‘ — a Dutch design concept that prioritizes pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
A 45-year-old man is being held without bond in connection with a stabbing in the West End on Saturday evening, according to the Alexandria Police Department.
Police were dispatched just before 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4, to the ninth floor of an apartment building in the 300 block of S. Reynolds Street for a report of shots fired and found the victim suffering from a non-lethal stab wound to the midsection.
Good Wednesday morning, Alexandria!
⛅ Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 59 and low of 44.
🌥 Tomorrow: Overcast throughout the day. High of 65 and low of 44. Sunrise at 7:08 am and sunset at 5:39 pm.
A major affordable housing development in the city’s Braddock area is headed to the Planning Commission tonight.
Tonight’s meeting on the proposed Samuel Madden redevelopment comes after more than a year-and-a-half of back-and-forths between city staff and the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
Almost exactly two years after it opened, Loyal Companion (923 N. St. Asaph Street) in Old Town North will be closing for good.
The location’s closure is part of a broader sweep of closures following Independent Pet Partners filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. All stores outside of Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois will close.
