Del Ray | ALXnow

Published June 23, 2026 at 3:45PM

The Dog Store at 2301 Mount Vernon Avenue will close on June 27, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Dog Store on Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray will shut down on Saturday, June 27, its owner said on social media.

Shop owner Paul Haire said that the shop is closing due to “circumstances beyond our control.” The 2301 Mount Vernon Avenue location remains open for in-store sales through June 27. After that, it will temporarily move from 2301 Mount Vernon Avenue to Haire’s dog boarding facility Your Dog’s Best Friends at 2000 Richmond Highway. The business will continue to offer online ordering with free delivery.

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Del Ray’s newest restaurant Little Birdie takes flight on Mount Vernon Avenue

By James Cullum

Published June 23, 2026 at 11:55AM

The ribbon cutting at Little Birdie at 1504B Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray, June 23, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria leaders were on hand Tuesday morning to cut the ribbon at Del Ray’s newest restaurant, Little Birdie.

After months of interior renovations, Matt Sloan and Eric Brannon opened the doors to their newest venture at 1504B Mount Vernon Avenue. Brannon and Sloan also own Matt & Tony’s All Day Kitchen + Bar (1501 Mount Vernon Avenue), which opened in 2022 across the street and is a finalist for a regional RAMMY Award. Sloan is a former managing partner of Alexandria Restaurant Partners, which owns The Majestic, Mia’s Italian Kitchen, Ada’s on the River and numerous other Alexandria restaurants.

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Juneteenth, Pride, World Cup events lead Alexandria’s June 19-21 weekend happenings

By Emily Leayman

Published June 19, 2026 at 9:15AM

Gustave Boulangerie & Brasserie will host a World Cup viewing party with the Alexandria Soccer Association (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

Alexandria will get a long holiday weekend packed with Juneteenth festivities, Father’s Day events, Pride Month celebrations and summer solstice events.

As some workers get a day off for the federal Juneteenth holiday, Alexandria will host events like the Juneteenth Festival at Charles Houston Recreation Center, Washington Revels Jubilee Voices Juneteenth Concert at Shiloh Baptist Church and Memorial at Douglass Cemetery.

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Sails on the Potomac and ALX Jazz Fest lead Alexandria’s June 12-14 weekend events

By Emily Leayman

Published June 12, 2026 at 2:45PM | Updated June 13, 2026 at 12:54PM

The Senator John Warner Maritime Heritage Center at Waterfront Park is home to the Tall Ship Providence (staff photo by James Cullum)

As the second weekend of June arrives, Alexandria City Public Schools students are off for the summer and families will be heading out to enjoy events around the city and region.

Sails on the Potomac will coincide with ALX Jazz Fest from June 12-14 at Waterfront Park (1A Prince Street). Highlights of the event include tall ship tours, fireworks, ALX Jazz Fest performances and the VA250 Mobile Museum.

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Little Birdie in Del Ray wants to use alley for more outdoor seating

By James Cullum

Published June 12, 2026 at 1:45PM

Little Birdie at 1504B Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (staff photo by James Cullum)

As it prepares to open later this month, Little Birdie in Del Ray wants to add more outside seating.

Restaurant owners Matt Sloan and Eric Brannon are asking the city for permission to install 16 additional outdoor seats in an unused alley, adding to the 10 seats already approved. In March, the city approved the change in ownership at the venue. The space at 1504B Mount Vernon Avenue was formerly occupied by Benny DiForza’s Pizza, which opened in February 2024 and closed last October.

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State Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker co-founds maternity and kids’ consignment boutique in Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published June 11, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated June 24, 2026 at 5:57PM

Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker reads a proclamation at Art on the Avenue in Del Ray, Oct. 4, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

State Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-39) and her business partner are launching a new maternity and children’s consignment boutique in Del Ray this weekend.

Bennett-Parker and Allie Rubinoff, who both live in Del Ray, will launch Little Chickadee with a pop-up event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (June 13) at Gustave Boulangerie (2213 Mount Vernon Avenue). Bennett-Parker said that the boutique will operate mostly online from a space above Mulberry Lane.

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City targets summer 2027 start date for flood mitigation project in northern Del Ray

By Emily Leayman

Published June 9, 2026 at 1:45PM

Illustration of a proposed culvert during future construction of the Commonwealth, Ashby, and Glebe Flood Mitigation Project (via City of Alexandria)

The city is getting ready for a potential 2027 start date on one of its biggest projects to address stormwater flooding in Lynhaven and the northern part of Del Ray.

The city held a meeting on the Commonwealth, Ashby, and Glebe Flood Mitigation Project last Thursday (June 4) at the Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center. Since the last community meeting in 2025, the project has received final design plans, and the city is preparing to solicit a construction contractor. It is also coordinating with utility owners for utility relocation to accommodate new stormwater infrastructure. Summer 2027 is the tentative construction start date.

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Spice Kraft Indian Bistro dominates with top awards at Taste of Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published June 8, 2026 at 2:45PM

Spice Kraft won the top awards at the Taste of Del Ray, June 7, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Spice Kraft Indian Bistro‘s butter chicken pot pie and avocado bhel chaat won both the Judges’ Choice Award and the People’s Choice Award at the 17th annual Taste of Del Ray on Sunday (June 7).

Under a hot sun, 17 local restaurants competed at the sold-out event in the Mount Vernon Recreation Center athletic fields. This year’s celebrity judge was Todd O’Leary, CEO of Visit Alexandria.

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From Croatian festival to Best of the West: Guide to Alexandria’s June 5-7 weekend events

By Emily Leayman

Published June 5, 2026 at 2:45PM

Taste of Del Ray in 2023 (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

The first weekend of June brings plenty of summer happenings, from a welcome celebration for the Croatian National Football Team to other food festivals, concerts and tours.

Events like Best of the West, Flavors and Sounds of Croatia in Alexandria and the sold-out Taste of Del Ray will keep foodies satisfied this weekend. History fans will enjoy the Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex Walking Tour. Musicians will also treat the community to free concerts with Alexandria Citizens Band: A Journey Through American Music and LIVE at the Lyceum: Piano & Friends Concert.

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Alexandria proposes converting parking spaces to pocket park in Del Ray

By Emily Leayman

Published June 4, 2026 at 10:30AM

Locations of proposed pocket park at 3000 Fulton Street (via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria’s Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities (RPCA) has proposed the conversion of parking spaces to a pocket park in the Del Ray neighborhood.

The proposed pocket park would be located on a current parking island at 3000 Fulton Street at the Clifford and Commonwealth Avenues intersection. The parking island provides space for about five to six standard passenger vehicles.

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UPDATED: Residents escape house fire in Del Ray

By Emily Leayman and James Cullum

Published June 3, 2026 at 3:30PM | Updated June 4, 2026 at 8:56AM

Firefighters on the roof of the house fire in Del Ray on June 3, 2026 (via AFD/Facebook)

The Alexandria Fire Department say there were no firefighter or resident injuries from a house fire in Del Ray Wednesday afternoon (June 3).

Around 3:05 p.m., AFD was dispatched to the 2600 block of E. Randolph Avenue. According to AFD, firefighters found the blaze in the backyard area that had extended into the home.