Attention Swifties: There are only a few weeks left before Eras, the Taylor Swift-themed pop-up bar, closes in Del Ray.
That’s right — no more lines around the block, friendship bracelet-making, or Taylor Swift trivia nights at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue. After more than six months in operation, Eras will close the first weekend in August, owner Bill Blackburn tells ALXnow.
Talking to the MAYSUNS outside at St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub in Del Ray feels like you’re sitting in their living room.
Sitting at a table in front of a mural of iconic musicians (Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison), just around the corner from the music school they attended for years, four out of the six bandmates sat with ALXnow to discuss the latest.
If you’ve got a hankering for strawberry rhubarb vodka, look no further than Del Ray.
For the last year and a half, Orkney Springs Distillery has bottled and sold small batches of gluten-free, organic gin and vodka at its facility at 3125 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. The award-winning recipes are all made on a 140-acre farm in the Shenandoah Valley, and the Del Ray tasting room costs $30 per person and is open by appointment only.
A sweeping redevelopment promises to bring fresh amenities and improved access to Eugene Simpson Stadium Park, but staff at the Alexandria YMCA say that the project will have a severe impact on the nonprofit.
Plans presented at a recent community meeting reveal that 53 city-owned parking spaces in front of the YMCA, located at 420 E. Monroe Avenue, have been designated as a construction area. The actual construction of the project, which was unanimously approved by the City Council in 2023, is scheduled to begin this month and is expected to be completed by September 2026, with a phased reopening of the park starting in August 2026.
Gayle Reuter is retiring.
The news will travel fast around Del Ray, where the Alexandria Living Legend has lived and volunteered for decades. For the last five years, she’s also worked full-time as the accreditation manager for the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office (ASO).
Skipping July 4?
Del Ray’s monthly First Thursday street festival is returning with its “Red, White and Bloom” theme on July 3 from 6 p.m. until sunset.
The Del Ray Citizens Association (DRCA) is hosting a Historic Preservation Workshop on Saturday (June 21) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Mt. Vernon Community School auditorium.
This workshop aims to educate the community and explore ways to protect the Town of Potomac Historic District. There is also talk of possibly creating a new, larger district that would encompass the rest of Del Ray.
Want to get rid of extra furniture?
Rick Schneider of Magpie Reclamations (2020 E. Custis Avenue) in Del Ray recently launched a new home clear-out and junk removal service. The Department of Junking offers customers a complimentary consultation on transitioning their old furniture into the secondhand market, thereby diverting it from landfills.
Stardust Vintage & Gift officially opened its doors at 1904 Mount Vernon Avenue on Saturday (June 14), marking a new chapter for the Del Ray business community and its founder, Amy Eggers. The grand opening celebration brought together local officials, business leaders, and community members to commemorate the occasion.
The new shop, which replaces the former antique store La Brocante (now relocated next door), represents the culmination of Eggers’ long-standing vision for creating a unique retail space in the area.
Twice a week, Bethany Skvortsova gets a break while her young daughters put on rainbow tutus and learn how to dance in Del Ray.
Her seven-year-old appreciates being taken seriously as a dancer, Skvortsova says. At the moment, her daughter is rehearsing for The Nutcracker, which the school will be performing this year on the main stage of Capital One Hall in Tysons.
The John Porter Cup is back in Old Town.
Old Town’s business community defeated Del Ray 24-23 in their seventh annual five-inning softball game at Eugene Simpson Park (426 E. Monroe Avenue). The win put an end to Del Ray’s three-year streak.
