Two local businesses in Del Ray plan to cut the ribbon on their spaces later this month, celebrating new spots that have opened over the past few months.
The Del Ray Business Association will host ribbon cuttings at Lifestyle & Performance Fitness (202 E. Custis Avenue) and the Department of Beer and Wine (2805 Mount Vernon Avenue) on Saturday, May 16.
There are a variety of activities and events to take part in with loved ones this Mother’s Day weekend.
From themed bouquet making and painting to historical tours and live music, there’s something in store for all kinds of interests. Here’s the latest going on in the Port City from Friday, May 8, through Mother’s Day this Sunday, May 10.
Taco Tuesday this week promises to be something special in Alexandria as it coincides with Cinco de Mayo.
At Tequila & Taco (540 John Carlyle Street), the celebration of Mexico’s defeat over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 begins with 5-cent frozen margaritas from 9-10 a.m. The restaurant will also give out hundreds of straw sombreros and allow outdoor patio drinking until 10 p.m.
An Italian takeout and delivery spot in Old Town with customizable pastas is preparing to celebrate the launch of its new dine-in service.
Hank’s Pasta Bar, located above Hank’s Oyster Bar at 600 Montgomery Street, is officially launching dine-in service this Thursday, May 7, with a grand opening celebration scheduled next Thursday, May 14. The restaurant, an “elevated casual eatery,” has a full bar and offers a menu of “traditional Italian fare with contemporary touches,” according to a press release.
After spending months recovering from flooding, Crooked Beat Records is closing its Del Ray basement location for the last time this Sunday (May 3).
Store owner Bill Daly and his staff were forced to close the store after catastrophic flooding in the building at 2417 Mount Vernon Avenue on Jan. 11. The business closed briefly after losing an estimated $60,000 of merchandise, of which $23,500 was recovered through a GoFundMe campaign. The store reopened at the end of February.
A block party involving numerous independent boutiques is coming to Old Town this weekend.
The Old Town Boutique Community, an organization of 30 small businesses in Old Town, will host the Spring Fling: An Old Town Block Party, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday (May 2). The family-friendly block party will feature activities for all ages, including tarot card readings, build-your-own flower bouquets and other hands-on crafts, outdoor yoga sessions and snow cones.
A longtime Italian restaurant in Old Town is celebrating its rebranding with a special dinner tomorrow night (Thursday).
Il Porto Ristorante is working on “refreshing the brand” at 121 King Street, with plans for a new logo, revised website and updated menus “to reflect a more modern look while staying true to what Il Porto has always been,” a spokesperson told ALXnow.
An Alexandria-based food tour company is celebrating two years of teaching people about the local Korean culinary scene.
Alexandria resident Soomin “Mina” Kim spends her weekdays immersed in the world of law as a paralegal in Old Town. But her weekends are reserved for Annandale in Fairfax County, where she guides culinary Koreatown adventures for her small business, Virginialicious.
After being open for a year, a vintage gift shop in Del Ray is closing at the end of June.
Amy Sills Eggers, the owner of Stardust Vintage and Gift (1904 Mount Vernon Avenue), told ALXnow that she needs to focus on her family. She said she’ll be selling all of her merchandise and fixtures at a discount.
An opening date is on the horizon for a queer-owned, family-oriented café hoping to establish itself near Alexandria.
Friends of Dorothy Cafe founder Dorothy Edwards has raised about $25,000 for the café’s creation since launching a crowdfunding campaign last June. As the campaign’s first anniversary and Pride Month approach this June, Edwards told ALXnow the new business is aiming to open sometime next year.
A family that opened a coffee shop inside a recently closed Italian restaurant in Old Town North has launched a GoFundMe.
In January, Dream Chasers Coffee owners Leo and Brittani Maggio opened Valletta Espresso Bar inside Italian restaurant Valletta Port at 682 N. St. Asaph Street. On Friday (April 17), the restaurant abruptly closed. Maggio told ALXnow that he arrived at work to find the doors locked and the business shut down.
