Alexandria Cupcake owner Adnan Hamidi likes to wash his hands so much that he just bought a natural soap company.
Hamidi’s got big plans for his Scentual Soap Co. and envisions eventually opening a brick and mortar location in Old Town.
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local business
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Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Annie Lennox… It’s been sounding a lot like Christmas inside Crooked Beat Records for the last month. Even though the record shop missed a few beats when it closed in April and May, sales have increased due to a new generation of hobbyists.
The hobbyists have turned sales back on the right track, according to Crooked Beats’ Paloma Alcala.
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(Updated 4:25 p.m.) Alexandrians are being urged not to travel or gather in groups for the holidays, so Alexandria Restaurant Partners is putting together a series of specials to diners to take home and enjoy in 2-4 sized groups.
“Always committed to providing a total guest experience, this year’s ARP Christmas menus feature a la carte, Prix fixe, and packaged to-go menu options highlighting innovative twists on classic holiday dishes,” a spokesperson for the restaurant group said.
Sometimes buying an existing business is easier than starting from scratch.
The latest Alexandria listings on BizBuySell show a number of businesses for sale. Many are restaurants, which have been heavily impacted by the pandemic.
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New Torpedo Factory Art Features Local Waste — “The AlexRenew Wastewater Treatment Facility treats a mix of sewage and storm water. The facility runs the wastewater through a series of settling tanks and treatment processes to remove nutrients before discharging it to tributaries of the Potomac River. The brown-colored media was crowdsourced from thousands of area toilets, according to Len.” [WWD Magazine]
Work Resumes on the Fairfax Building with the Massive Fire — “It’s been 10 months since a devastating fire at the South Alex construction site near Alexandria, Virginia, but the project is back up and running.” [WTOP]
A fall in late November at indoor climbing gym Sportrock (5308 Eisenhower Avenue) led to a hospitalization for one climber.
On Nov. 29, a climber lost control during a climb and fell, at which point the belayer lost control of the rope and was unable to stop the fall, according to Sportrock. Fire Department spokesperson Raytevia Evans confirmed the department responded to a medical call at the facility for a fall.
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Buying an existing business can often be easier than starting from scratch.
We looked through Alexandria listings on BizBuySell and found a bunch of businesses for sale. Many are restaurants, which have been heavily impacted the last several months due to the pandemic.
Women’s clothing store LOFT (423 King Street) has permanently closed.
The store had mostly positive reviews and was often busy, but was victim to Ascena Retail Group’s wider bankruptcy filings. The store had survived earlier rounds of closings this summer, which had claimed the stores in the Tysons Corner Center and Potomac Mills Mall but was closed as of early December.
This weekend was both Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, and for many local stores it was a hope that holiday shopping could keep local stores alive into 2021.
If you didn’t shop local, it’s not too late to show some support for small businesses in Alexandria: Visit Alexandria is currently sponsoring a Shop Small Week scheduled to run through Sunday, Dec. 6.
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Alexandria Lighting & Supply, a feature of the Braddock neighborhood for the last 50 years, could be making the move to the West End of Alexandria if approved at a Planning Commission meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) and a City Council meeting after that.
After moving away from its current location at 701 N. Henry St, the store is planning to open in a new building called Avanti 550 at 550 South Pickett Street.
Police Investigate More Shots Fired — “The Alexandria Police Department is investigating a “shots fired” call for service in the 5400 block of Richenbacher Avenue. Expect police activity in the area.” [Twitter]
Local Businesses Hopeful for Holiday Shopping Season — “Victoria Vergason, owner of a vintage barware store, says holiday shoppers this season could make or break some small businesses. ‘[It] is a very, very critical time for small businesses to be able to make their profits and run into the next year,’ she said.” [WUSA9]