What a week it’s been in Alexandria.
Our top story this week was the report that Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. sends one of his children to Bishop Ireton High School. In case you missed it, the story first broke in Theogony, the T.C. Williams High School newspaper.
As the first-ever Old Town Oyster Week draws to a close in Alexandria, an oyster eating contest with Del Ray and Old Town business owners resulted in a tie.
Bill Blackburn, of Pork Barrel BBQ in Del Ray and Trae Lamond of Chadwicks in Old Town tied by both eating 103 sea stone oysters in the Pearl of Alexandria Oyster Eating Contest held at Whiskey & Oyster on Thursday, October 15. The competition ended when the restaurant ran out of oysters.
Virginia Voter Registration Deadline Extended to Thursday Night — “BREAKING: Virginia’s voter registration deadline has been extended until Thursday, October 15 at 11:59pm. If you still need to register or update your information, you can do it online at vote.virginia.gov–you can also register and vote early at your registrar’s office.” [Twitter]
City Asks for Feedback on Adding Affordable Housing to Arlandria — “At a virtual meeting Tuesday night (another meeting is set for Wednesday night), members of the Alexandria Office of Planning and Zoning presented their vision to improve affordable housing in the Arlandira-Chirilagua area.” [Alexandria Living]
There’s a new tobacconist on King Street in Old Town, and it’s right across the street from another tobacconist.
Old Virginia Tobacco Company unsuccessfully tried last year to buy the The Scottish Merchant/John Crouch Tobacconist at 215 King Street. The deal was in the works for months, and ultimately fell through. Instead, Old Virginia Tobacco moved across the street to the vacant storefront at 210 King Street.
Aw, shucks. Oyster fans will be pleased to learn that next week marks the first-ever Old Town Oyster Week.
The event, which runs from October 12-17, was created by the Old Town Business Association and Guinness Beer. Participating restaurants will offer two Guinness products and an assortment of oyster dishes.
(Updated 12:10 p.m.) Alexandria Nearing 4,000 cases of COVID-19 — “The latest update from the City on COVID-19: Positive tests up 6 to 3,938 in the City (84 in last 7 days) 7-day Positivity Rate down to 4.0% 0 new hospitalizations Still safer at home, wash hands and wear masks.” [Twitter]
The Majestic Reopens After 8-Month Hiatus — “Diners can expect an all-new menu offering seasonal dishes such as Roasted Parsnip Agnolotti with black truffle, bacon jam and parmesan ($12), vegetarian Preserved Smoked Beet Tartare ($9) with crispy capers, horseradish yogurt, shallots and almonds, and of course there’s the Majestic Burger ($17) or Rigatoni & Eggplant for $18.” [Alexandria Living]
In the market to buy a business? Sometimes it can be easier than starting from scratch.
We took a look through Alexandria listings of the website BizBuySell and found a number of businesses for sale. Many are restaurants, which have been heavily impacted the last several months due to the pandemic.
The Alexandria City Council on Tuesday will consider a proposal to further ease outdoor restrictions for restaurants, retail stores and health and fitness businesses.
Participants will be allowed to set up outdoor dining in parking spaces outside of their establishments, according to a staff report that Council will review at its monthly legislative meeting.
In a year dominated by the coronavirus, Inova Alexandria Hospital was named the overall business of the year in the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce’s annual Best In Business Awards.
The chamber’s annual event, now in its 27th year, was held virtually over the course of eight hours on Friday, Oct. 1. Nominees for the awards rotated into the United Way building in Old Town to receive their awards, which were live streamed on Facebook.
A new fitness studio is opening in the West End on Saturday, October 10.
E60 Fitness, which has had a location in Rosslyn since 2017, will formally open its doors to the public with a grand opening at its newest location in the West Alex project at King and Beauregard Streets.
Avanti Holdings is planning on moving the 50-year-old Alexandria Lighting Supply in Old Town in the West End.
The Eisenhower West-Landmark Van Dorn Implementation Advisory Group was briefed on the plan last week by property attorney Cathy Puskar.
