(Updated at 3:25 p.m.) After 14 years in business, the Walgreens at 615 King Street in Old Town will shut its automatic sliding doors for good at the end of business on Monday, March 2.
“The rent went up and Walgreens is out, so we gotta go with the flow,” a store employee told ALXnow. The nine full and part time staffers at the convenience and drug store will be moved to other locations, we’re told.
A man is in critical but stable condition after an overnight crash in Alexandra.
The crash occurred around 2:15 a.m. at King Street and Chesterfield Road, within the city’s northern border. The driver was initially trapped in the mangled car, a white Lexus, after crashing into a utility pole near the intersection. He was extricated from the wreck by firefighters.
It’s Valentine’s Day and if you’re stumped on what to do for a date, fret not, because several businesses in Old Town have some ideas.
ALXnow went around a few blocks of King Street to some of the city’s more romantic shops to get ideas for how to spice up an Old Town date. Here’s what we found:
Along with locations in Arlington, Tysons and the rest of the national chain, Papyrus in Old Town (721 King Street) is closing.
Signs in the window say everything in the shop is 40-60% off. The store remains about half stocked, with remaining cards and merchandise filling the front half of the store. Other items include journals, gift bags, and assorted stationery.
The Alexandria Police Department is investigating a robbery that occurred at the Speedway gas station at 4808 King Street over the weekend.
At around 9 p.m. Saturday, a man walked into the gas station and brandished a handgun, before fleeing on foot. No one was injured in the incident.
The completion date for the King Street-Old Town Metro Access Improvements Project has been delayed, but it’s not clear for how long.
The project, which has nearly completely taken over the entrance to the Metro station, redirected bus bays and eliminated the metered parking and kiss & ride areas.
The Rosemont community is planning to meet on Thursday to discuss complete streets and traffic issues in the neighborhood.
The meeting is scheduled to include a discussion of the city’s plans for pedestrian safety and congestion problems at some busy local intersections. It’s scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Commonwealth Baptist Church (700 Commonwealth Avenue).
A deal to take change hands at a longtime Old Town tobacconist and Scottish gift shop has hit a snag.
Last fall, plans were being set for Old Virginia Tobacco Co. to take over The Scottish Merchant/John Crouch Tobacconist at 215 King Street. Merchandise was marked down half-price and the new owner even planned to keep on veteran staffers and keep the shop open while undertaking renovations in January and February.
City Offers Free Tax Prep — “The City of Alexandria is offering free tax preparation to qualifying residents. Taxpayers are eligible if their income is below approximately $35,000 for individuals and $55,000 for families. Expert volunteers from Community Tax Aid, Inc. will ensure that taxpayers apply for all applicable credits and deductions — especially the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, which people often don’t realize they are eligible to receive.” [City of Alexandria]
More on King Street Pedestrian-Only Zone — “The pilot program is an opportunity to prioritize pedestrians while providing opportunities for the city to move towards urbanist goals like decreasing reliance on cars. It’s not the first time part of King Street was pedestrian-only. The idea was inspired in part by a previous effort, in 2006. Back then, the pilot program did not gain much traction as a permanent idea, though it was very popular with residents.” [Greater Greater Washington]
ALXnow reported last week that city officials were mulling over the idea of making a planned pedestrian-only zone on King Street permanent.
Starting April 18, a block of King Street near the Old Town waterfront — between Lee and Union streets — will be cordoned off from vehicular traffic. In place of cars, pedestrians will be able to walk down the middle of the newly-painted road as diners at the restaurants lining the block enjoy a more relaxing meal on sidewalk cafes.
Alexandria officials are still working through the details, but there’s an unmistakable air of excitement from city staff and leadership when it comes to turning part of King Street into a pedestrian-only zone.
The proposal would close one block of King Street — between Lee Street and Union Street — to car traffic on weekends and turn it into a pedestrian-only zone.
