Ready for a Mangorita? Tiki, a new pop-up bar will open next week at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue.
The former longtime home to The Sushi Bar was briefly converted into the Christmas-themed pop-up bar Joy On The Avenue, and more pop-ups at the location are being planned as plans for the final concept fall into place. For now, bamboo decorations are being put in place and Tiki masks have been painted on the walls.
It will take three-to-five years for Alexandria to economically work its way out of the pandemic, according to the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP).
That’s according to a recently released Alexandria State Of The Market 2021 Mid-year Report, in which AEDP outlined business trends and impacts.
After six months of waiting for the city’s Permit Center to approve an expansion of her nail salon, Kathleen Le was ready to throw her hands up in resignation.
“I tell my staff that if they hear me talk about opening another location or expanding to please kill me instead,” Le told ALXnow. “Don’t let me do it.”
Faced with a drastic disruption in foot traffic, Alexandria-based Comfort One Shoes had to pivot. The pandemic forced the company to focus its energy on online sales, bringing in more casual merchandise and closing the Union Station location in D.C.
Company President Garrett Breton says the efforts made 2021 sales higher than the pre-pandemic year of 2019.
There will soon be a second Chewish Deli bagel shop in Old Town, as the company officially announced it is working to open at the former Dunkin’ Donuts space at 1640 King Street.
Chewish Deli opened its first brick and mortar at 807 Pendleton Street in the Braddock area in October 2020. It began seven months before that as a food truck selling bagels, hot pastrami and Reuben sandwiches.
Local restaurants to require vaccination proof in January — “At least a few restaurants are asking diners to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination before dining indoors.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
COVID-19 cases more than doubled in past week — “Cases of COVID-19 in Alexandria more than doubled in the seven days ending on Tuesday, apparently fueled by the highly contagious Omicron variant combined with indoor holiday gatherings.” [Alexandria Times]
A number of New Year’s Eve parties are being voluntarily canceled in Alexandria, and some businesses scaling back their services. All of this, of course, is in response to a dramatic jump in COVID-19 infections over the last month.
According to the Del Ray Business Association, the following businesses have stopped in-person service:
The Sushi Bar at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue is closing for good tonight (Dec. 7), and will soon reopen as a Christmas-themed pop-up bar, owner Bill Blackburn informed ALXnow.
“Joy On The Avenue – A Christmas Pop-up Bar” will open in its place sometime next week, Blackburn said.
After seven years in Del Ray, Ascend Cycle (2417 Mount Vernon Avenue) is permanently closing by the end of the month.
Owner Kat Zajac made the announcement this week on social media, and said that the effects of the pandemic proved too much for her business.
A new co-warehousing company for digital commerce platforms has filed a special use permit to operate at 4700 Eisenhower Avenue.
With e-commerce on the rise in Alexandria, Colorado-based Saltbox, Inc. filed the permit for the light assembly, service and craft establishment on Nov. 15, and the last day for public comments is Dec. 15.
A salon in Old Town has announced plans for a grand reopening next week to celebrate a massive expansion into a former print service next-door.
Salon Meraki, an Alexandria-based salon, said in a press release the salon at 1101 Queen Street will be expanding into 300 N. Henry Street next door, formerly home to ARC Document Solutions. The expansion will boost the salon up to a total of 3,600 square feet.
