local business | ALXnow

ALXnow’s top posts this week in Alexandria

Published April 30, 2021 at 3:30PM

An Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Cullum)

It was a busy week in Alexandria. Here are some of the highlights.

Governor Ralph Northam and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited Alexandria this week. Northam stopped by Pacers Running in Old Town, and afterward met with Cardona, Mayor Justin Wilson, National Education Association of the United States President Becky Pringle and Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane at Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School. Cardona was at the school as part of his “Help is Here” school reopening tour.

News

Restaurants, salons and other businesses for sale in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published April 30, 2021 at 9:30AM

Considering going into business?

The latest listings on BizBuySell show businesses for sale in and around Alexandria. Many are restaurants, which have been heavily impacted by the pandemic.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published April 30, 2021 at 5:00AM

Virginia mask mandate tweaked by governor — “The amended executive order follows CDC guidance that fully vaccinated people do not need to wear a mask outdoors when alone or in small gatherings. Masks remain required in shared indoors settings as well as outdoors at large crowded events such as concerts, sporting events or graduation ceremonies.” [Patch]

Federal grand jury charges Arlington lawyer with paying underage victims for sex — “Matthew Erausquin, 46, was arrested in November after a 1.5-year-long investigation. He was charged in Alexandria federal court with sex trafficking minors, producing child pornography, and charges related to transporting or forcing victims to cross state lines for sex.” [ARLnow]

News

Governor Northam and U.S. Secretary of Education Cardona visit Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published April 28, 2021 at 2:30PM

Governor Ralph Northam (center) with First Lady Pamela Northam (in blue), Mayor Justin Wilson (far left) with staff of Pacers Running at 1301 King Street in Old Town, April 28, 2021. (Photo by Jason Taylor)

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam was in Alexandria Wednesday, and with Mayor Justin Wilson welcomed U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School.

Northam stopped by Pacers Running at 1301 King Street before the event with Cardona, where he met Wilson and spoke with employees about raising the minimum wage. Pacers has been paying its employees $15 an hour since last year.

Opinion

Poll: Should expanded outdoor dining and takeout remain after COVID?

By Vernon Miles

Published April 27, 2021 at 2:30PM

Enjoying the weather and outside seating on lower King Street in Old Town. (staff photo by James Cullum)

When Virginia first started loosening restrictions around the delivery of alcohol, Mayor Justin Wilson and other leaders noted that it was going to be difficult to get that particular cat back in the bag once the pandemic is over.

Eased restrictions around alcohol was just the start, and in the year since the city went into lockdown during the pandemic, the city has loosened some of its restrictions on outdoor dining, takeout, and curbside pickup parking spots to help struggling local businesses.

News

Del Ray restaurant The Garden to bloom into new outdoor area

By Vernon Miles

Published April 26, 2021 at 2:15PM

A Del Ray beer garden is headed to the Planning Commission on Tuesday, May 4, with hopes to grow beyond the venue’s current confines.

The Garden at 1503 Mount Vernon Avenue is requesting to expand its outdoor seating from 100 to 146 seats and expand hours of operation from the current 10 p.m. closing time to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

News

Restaurants, salons, laundromats and other businesses for sale in Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published April 21, 2021 at 10:45AM

Want to go into business?

The latest listings on BizBuySell show businesses for sale in and around Alexandria. Many are restaurants, which have been heavily impacted by the pandemic.

News

Stracci Pizza files special use permit to operate at former Nectar Coffee & Wine Bistro in Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published April 19, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated April 21, 2021 at 9:51AM

Stracci Pizza at 106 Hume Avenue in Del Ray. (Photo via Stracci Pizza/Facebook)

Roman-style pizza is finding a permanent home in Del Ray.

Stracci Pizza submitted a special use permit (SUP) to run a restaurant out of the former Nectar Coffee & Wine Bistro at 106 Hume Avenue.

News

Deadline tonight to vote in Del Ray restaurant matchbook contest

By James Cullum

Published April 15, 2021 at 2:15PM

The deadline to vote on the 12 choicest matchbooks in Del Ray is 11:59 p.m. tonight (April 15).

Alexandria artist Laurel Prucha Moran has painted watercolor matchbook designs of more than 30 Del Ray restaurants, including Los Tios Grill, Thai Peppers, The Dairy Godmother and Spice Kraft.

News

Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published April 15, 2021 at 5:00AM

The George Washington National Masonic Memorial in the springtime. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

ACPS opens contest for students to design new logo for renamed T.C. Williams High School — “T.C. Williams was named after Thomas Chambliss Williams, ACPS superintendent of from the mid-1930s until 1963. Williams was a known segregationist who argued that Black and white students learned differently and should remain in separate schools.” [WJLA]

The Old Town Shop Celebrates Four Years — “Over the past four years, the store has introduced a variety of Virginia goods, including the world-famous Hubs peanuts. More locally, the shop features a variety of local, curated artisan items that are normally offered only at the Alexandria Farmers’ Market. Featured vendors include Truly Life (bath and body items), Capital Candles (soy candles), Watermelan Designs (jewelry), Together We Bake (granola and trail mix) and Napier Farms (jams & jellies).” [Alexandria Living]

News

Silberberg addresses old defeats and new challenges in campaign to reclaim mayorship

By Vernon Miles

Published April 14, 2021 at 4:45PM

Former Mayor Allison Silberberg very publicly didn’t plan on running against Mayor Justin Wilson in the Democratic primary, but as weeks slipped by and no other challenger came forward — and Council Member Mo Seifeldein dropped out — Silberberg said she felt she needed to step up.

Three years after Silberberg lost her reelection bid to Wilson, she’s back to reclaim the position.