Madame Coco’s Emporium will return to Old Town in mid-September alongside Long Dark House, a new bookstore focused on science fiction, horror and dark titles.
The new businesses will share space at 1510 King Street. Madame Coco’s Emporium is the brainchild of Meshelle Armstrong, while Long Dark House is the realization of a lifelong dream by Chanthal Harris.
As retailers across Virginia will have tax-free promotions on certain items during this weekend’s sales tax holiday, a group of Alexandria’s independent boutiques will cover the sales tax for their entire stores.
More than 15 Old Town Alexandria boutiques are participating in a tax-free shopping weekend Friday, Aug. 7 through Sunday, Aug. 9, covering the sales tax for customers on clothing, gifts, home decor and other items. The Old Town Boutique Community is hosting the event with support from the City of Alexandria to encourage support for local businesses during back-to-school shopping.
As Black Business Month approaches in August, Montie Green is reflecting back on her journey to open her Old Town business Velvet Wax & Beauty.
Green is a licensed cosmetologist and opened her first salon in Hampton ten years ago. The location at Old Town’s Crilley Warehouse (218 N. Lee Street, Suite 100) has been open for four years.
After announcing its impending closure last month, The Dog Store on Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray has had its lease extended to January.
Owner Paul Haire confirmed to ALXnow that Ray Mahmood, the new owner of 2301 Mount Vernon Avenue, extended the pet shop’s lease to Jan. 6, 2027. Even though his rent is going up significantly, Haire credited former Mayor Bill Euille and locals Gayle Reuter and Bill Blackburn with convincing Mahmood to extend the lease.
Dream Chaser’s Coffee is back.
Three months after being forced to close their new coffee shop in Old Town North, Leo and Brittani Maggio have found a new home for the business. On Saturday (July 25), the shop reopened in a large commercial flex space at The Garden Alexandria at 5380 Eisenhower Avenue (Suite C), joining Building Momentum, Saltenna and Dominion Electric Supply, and guaranteeing a steady stream of customers who’ve relied for years on brewing single-cup coffee pods.
Old Town stationery store Penny Post is getting ready for its biggest day of the year.
Penny Post (1201 King Street) will hold its fifth annual Stationery Store Day, an in-store-only event to celebrate all things pen, paper and analog. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1.
An Alexandria artist who has invented a puzzle game has started a crowdsourcing campaign to bring it to stores and to customers’ doors.
Maritza Maxwell of Hatch Skills came up with the concept for Trapdoors, a tabletop map in which players take turns sliding tiles to match the challenge image while avoiding trapdoors that take pieces.
As federal reductions have caused uncertainties for federal contractors, one Alexandria-based firm feels confident about its future.
Systems Planning & Analysis, located in the West End near the Mark Center, has been headquartered in the city since its 1972 founding. Its more than 3,000 employees worldwide work with clients from the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, federal intelligence and other agencies to deliver mission engineering, advanced analytics, operational insights, and technology solutions.
The Fish Market, a fixture on lower King Street in Old Town, will celebrate its 50th anniversary this Thursday (July 23).
The one-night-only party starts at 5 p.m. with live music, a throwback menu and 32-ounce beer schooners.
A new sandwich and wine shop is opening Sunday (July 19) at the Bradlee Shopping Center.
Chord Bread & Bottle will soft launch with complimentary appetizers and wine tastings from 6-8 p.m., right after the end of the World Cup final. The space at 3690 J King Street was previously home to the Unwined wine shop, which closed at the end of 2024. The soft opening was announced on Instagram.
As the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership is working to launch a business accelerator for tech companies, another for food businesses is on the horizon.
AEDP is partnering with the MOVE Chamber for minority business leaders on the new Alexandria Food & Beverage Business Readiness Program for entrepreneurs looking to start a restaurant, food truck, bakery, catering company or packaged food brand. It will run Aug. 5 to Sept. 9 from 4:30-7 p.m. on Wednesdays.
