King Street | ALXnow

Georgetown Olive Oil Co. planning October opening on King Street in Old Town

Published October 16, 2025 at 2:00PM | Updated October 16, 2025 at 2:44PM

Georgetown Olive Oil Co. is opening at 1314 King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Georgetown Olive Oil Co. is opening at the end of this month at 1314 King Street in Old Town, its owner tells ALXnow.

Emil Merdzhanov and his team have been working on the interior of the space since July, and said he’s excited to reopen a brick and mortar location since his Georgetown location closed on M. Street four years ago. The company was founded in 2016, and bottles and sells dozens of olive oil and balsamic vinegar flavors, among other items, in their warehouse, distribution center and showroom at 4719 Eisenhower Avenue.

News

Police investigate $5,500 theft from Old Town Lululemon

By James Cullum

Published October 15, 2025 at 1:45PM

Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The Alexandria Police Department is investigating the theft of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from the Lululemon store (700 King Street) in Old Town.

On Sept. 23 (Tuesday), the store manager reported that two women stole $5,536 in merchandise from the store at around 8:30 p.m. The manager told APD that the suspects “began selecting clothing while appearing to check the sizes of the merchandise,” and then left the store with the clothing, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

News

Playa Bowls seeks to open Old Town location

By James Cullum

Published October 2, 2025 at 1:15PM

A Playa Bowls franchise has submitted paperwork to open at 1229 King Street in Old Town (via Facebook)

A Playa Bowls franchise just submitted paperwork with the city to open at 1229 King Street in Old Town.

The quick-service restaurant will sell “fruit bowls, oatmeal bowls, smoothies, and juices for takeout and pickup,” according to the special use permit (SUP) filed with the city. The chain was founded in New Jersey in 2014, and there are now more than 300 Playa Bowls locations nationwide, with the nearest one in Arlington, located at 2055 15th Street.

News

Alexandria expands school zone speed camera program to 6 locations

By Ryan Belmore

Published September 24, 2025 at 1:30PM

School Zone Speed Camera Program to Expand in 2025-26 School Year (Credit: City of Alexandria)

Alexandria will add three new school zone speed camera locations this fall, bringing the total number of monitored zones to six as the city works toward its Vision Zero goal of eliminating fatal and severe crashes by 2028.

The new cameras were installed at Alexandria City High School’s King Street campus on King Street between Quaker Lane and Scroggins Road, the school’s Minnie Howard campus on Braddock Road between Marlee Way and Marlboro Drive, and William Ramsay Elementary School on North Beauregard Street between North Morgan Street and Roanoke Avenue.

News

Alo Yoga starts construction on new store on King Street in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published September 16, 2025 at 9:25AM

Alo Yoga at 814 King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alo Yoga started construction at 814 King Street in Old Town.

The California-based yoga chain has gutted the interior of the space that was previously home to the Random Harvest furniture store. According to contractors working on site, the renovation should be completed within a month.

News

Alexandria City Council approves permanent closure of 200 block of King Street

By Ryan Belmore

Published September 13, 2025 at 10:53AM | Updated September 13, 2025 at 11:11AM

200 block of King Street (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria City Council unanimously voted Saturday to permanently close the 200 block of King Street to vehicular traffic, extending the city’s pedestrian zone after a successful pilot program.

The 7-0 vote on second reading makes the closure effective immediately, eliminating 16 metered parking spaces and one short-term visitor space in front of the Alexandria Visitor Center.

News

Teen charged with armed robbery on Metro train in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published September 12, 2025 at 2:00PM

Waiting for a train at the King St-Old Town Metro station (staff photo by James Cullum)

A 15-year-old Alexandria male has been issued a detention order and charged with robbery using a firearm after allegedly robbing a man on a Metro train near the King St-Old Town Metro station.

The incident occurred on Monday, Aug. 4, just after 7 p.m. The victim was on a train traveling from the Van Dorn Street Metro station to the King Street station when he was approached from behind by a masked male, put in a choke hold, hit in the face and then had a black handgun “jammed into his person,” and allegedly said, “Give me everything,” according to a recently released search warrant affidavit. The victim told the Metro Transit Police Department that the suspect stole $300 in cash, an Apple watch, and a Louis Vuitton backpack.

News

Life Alive Organic Cafe seeks permit for Old Town location

By James Cullum

Published September 11, 2025 at 3:15PM

Life Alive Organic Cafe has filed paperwork to open at 400 King Street in Old Town (via Facebook)

A popular Massachusetts-based fast-casual organic restaurant has filed paperwork to open at 400 King Street in Old Town.

Life Alive Organic Cafe has filed a special use permit application to open in the space formerly occupied by Long and Foster Realtors. The building is currently home to The Alexandrian Old Town Hotel at 480 King Street and Southern restaurant King & Rye, near City Hall at 301 King Street. Life Alive is planning on a 3,000-square-foot, 97-seat restaurant to be open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

News

French cafe chain Maman begins construction in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published September 9, 2025 at 8:30AM

Construction has begun at Maman Coffee Baking Kitchen at 701 King Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Interior demolition work started last week at a new French cafe in Old Town.

Aug. 28 was the last day for public comments on Maman Coffee Baking Kitchen’s special use permit application (SUP) to operate a cafe, bakery, restaurant, and accessory event space at 701 King Street. The building is located at the corner of King and N. Washington Streets, and is the former home to Foxtrot, which closed in 2024.

News

Alexandria City Council to vote on permanent closure of 200 block of King Street

By Ryan Belmore

Published September 7, 2025 at 9:12AM

200 block of King Street (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Council will vote Tuesday on permanently closing the 200 block of King Street to vehicular traffic, following a pilot program that drew overwhelming public support.

The ordinance, which will receive its first reading at Tuesday’s meeting, would make the closure permanent beginning Oct. 1. A public hearing and final vote are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 13.

News

199-unit luxury apartments start leasing in converted Old Town building

By James Cullum

Published August 28, 2025 at 3:30PM | Updated September 2, 2025 at 10:01AM

1101 King Street (image via AREP)

Leasing has launched for a 199-unit luxury office-to-residential conversion development at 1101 King Street in Old Town.

Plans to convert the seven-story 1980s-era office building were unveiled in 2023 and approved last year, after which property owner American Real Estate Partners (AREP) announced that leasing would start in summer 2025. Now, the 200,000-square-foot property known as CityHouse Old Town is offering a range of 525-square-foot studios-to-three-bedroom apartments with dens and private wraparound terraces.