Mount Vernon Avenue

Published July 2, 2026 at 11:45AM | Updated July 2, 2026 at 2:53PM

Crooked Beat Records at 2417 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (staff photo by James Cullum)

Del Ray is seeing a vinyl boom as another record store is coming to Del Ray this August, one block from the new location of Crooked Beat Records on Mount Vernon Avenue.

Michael Babin, principal at the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, confirmed to ALXnow that the company is closing Mulberry Lane Play Café at 2016 Mount Vernon Avenue and replacing it with a record store. The news comes as Crooked Beat Records recently announced that it is also aiming for an August opening at 2101B Mount Vernon Avenue.

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Crooked Beat Records aims for August reopening at new home in Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published July 1, 2026 at 1:45PM

Crooked Beat Records is moving to 2101B Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (staff photo by James Cullum)

Crooked Beat Records is staying in Del Ray.

Store owner Bill Daly announced on Tuesday (June 30) that the record store is expected to open at its new 2101B Mount Vernon Avenue location in August. Daly and his staff were forced to close their previous basement location up the street at 2417 Mount Vernon Avenue after significant flooding in January.

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Pak Soii Izakaya marks Del Ray opening with ribbon cutting today

By James Cullum

Published June 25, 2026 at 2:45PM

Pak Soii Izakaya and Bar soft-opened at 1909 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2025 (via Pak Soii Izakaya and Bar)

Eight months after opening on Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray, Pak Soii Izakaya and Bar will hold a ribbon cutting today (Thursday).

The Asian fusion restaurant serving Japanese sushi and Thai street food, the restaurant at 1909 Mount Vernon Avenue had a soft opening last October. The ribbon cutting will be held at 4 p.m. and will be attended by business leaders from the Del Ray Business Association.

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Del Ray eatery gives free milkshakes to customers catching water balloons thrown from roof

By James Cullum

Published June 25, 2026 at 11:45AM

Water balloons were recently thrown off the roof of Holy Cow at 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (via Holy Cow/Facebook)

Just in time for summer, Del Ray burger joint Holy Cow gave away a milkshake concoction earlier this month to customers who could catch a water balloon thrown from the roof of the business.

Restaurant staff recently channeled their inner David Letterman as a way to promote their monthly cereal-based milkshake series. This month’s milkshake is the Golden Graham, made of Golden Grahams cereal with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream and mini marshmallows.

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The Dog Store to close June 27 in Del Ray, vows to find new location

By James Cullum

Published June 23, 2026 at 3:45PM

The Dog Store at 2301 Mount Vernon Avenue will close on June 27, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Dog Store on Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray will shut down on Saturday, June 27, its owner said on social media.

Shop owner Paul Haire said that the shop is closing due to “circumstances beyond our control.” The 2301 Mount Vernon Avenue location remains open for in-store sales through June 27. After that, it will temporarily move from 2301 Mount Vernon Avenue to Haire’s dog boarding facility Your Dog’s Best Friends at 2000 Richmond Highway. The business will continue to offer online ordering with free delivery.

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Del Ray’s newest restaurant Little Birdie takes flight on Mount Vernon Avenue

By James Cullum

Published June 23, 2026 at 11:55AM

The ribbon cutting at Little Birdie at 1504B Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray, June 23, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria leaders were on hand Tuesday morning to cut the ribbon at Del Ray’s newest restaurant, Little Birdie.

After months of interior renovations, Matt Sloan and Eric Brannon opened the doors to their newest venture at 1504B Mount Vernon Avenue. Brannon and Sloan also own Matt & Tony’s All Day Kitchen + Bar (1501 Mount Vernon Avenue), which opened in 2022 across the street and is a finalist for a regional RAMMY Award. Sloan is a former managing partner of Alexandria Restaurant Partners, which owns The Majestic, Mia’s Italian Kitchen, Ada’s on the River and numerous other Alexandria restaurants.

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Little Birdie in Del Ray wants to use alley for more outdoor seating

By James Cullum

Published June 12, 2026 at 1:45PM

Little Birdie at 1504B Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (staff photo by James Cullum)

As it prepares to open later this month, Little Birdie in Del Ray wants to add more outside seating.

Restaurant owners Matt Sloan and Eric Brannon are asking the city for permission to install 16 additional outdoor seats in an unused alley, adding to the 10 seats already approved. In March, the city approved the change in ownership at the venue. The space at 1504B Mount Vernon Avenue was formerly occupied by Benny DiForza’s Pizza, which opened in February 2024 and closed last October.

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Alexandria seeks $35M in VDOT grants for King Street, Mount Vernon Avenue projects

By James Cullum

Published June 9, 2026 at 12:30PM

Plans to overhaul King Street access road near the Bradlee Shopping Center (image via City of Alexandria)

Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon is asking for City Council’s permission to apply for $35 million in state funding for two transportation projects approved in 2024.

City Council will consider Parajon’s proposal to apply for the Virginia Department of Transportation SMART SCALE funding at its meeting tonight (June 9). The funding requests include $27 million in mobility enhancements along King Street between Quaker Lane and Menokin Drive, and up to $8 million for pedestrian improvements on Mount Vernon Avenue at the intersections with Executive Avenue and Russell Road in the city’s Arlandria neighborhood. The city has a deadline of Aug. 1 to submit projects to VDOT for consideration.

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Del Ray Business Association celebrates ribbon cuttings for two new storefronts

By James Cullum

Published May 18, 2026 at 2:45PM

Council Members John Taylor Chapman and Sandy Marks join the ribbon cutting at Lifestyle & Performance Fitness in Del Ray (via Lifestyle & Performance Fitness)

Two local businesses in Del Ray held ribbon cuttings at their new storefronts Saturday (May 16).

The Del Ray Business Association hosted the ribbon cuttings for Lifestyle & Performance Fitness (202 E. Custis Avenue) and the Department of Beer and Wine (2805 Mount Vernon Avenue). The events were attended by City Council Members John Taylor Chapman and Sandy Marks, along with DRBA president Lauren Fisher and board member Gayle Reuter.

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Crooked Run Fermentation plans to open Del Ray taproom later in 2026

By Emily Leayman

Published May 12, 2026 at 1:45PM

Crooked Run Fermentation's future location in Del Ray (via Crooked Run Fermentation/Facebook)

Northern Virginia brewery Crooked Run Fermentation is planning to expand its footprint with a new location in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood.

After filing for a Virginia ABC permit earlier this year, the brewery confirmed it is planning a Crooked Run Brewery Taproom at 2003 Mount Vernon Avenue, the former location of Dolce & Bean. Crooked Run Fermentation, founded in Leesburg in 2013, also has a production facility and taproom in Sterling and a location at D.C.’s Union Market.

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Mount Vernon Avenue bridge fully closing for construction starting Saturday

By Emily Leayman

Published May 11, 2026 at 10:30AM | Updated May 11, 2026 at 11:33AM

The Mount Vernon Avenue/Arlington Ridge Road bridge in 2025 before construction began (via Google Maps)

The Mount Vernon Avenue/Arlington Ridge Road bridge between Arlington and Alexandria will be closed during upcoming construction beginning Saturday (May 16).

The bridge will be fully closed in both directions during construction hours from Saturday, May 16 to Saturday, May 23. Closures will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. There will be no construction or bridge closure on Sunday, May 17.