Mount Vernon Avenue | ALXnow

Matt & Tony’s opens at former Charlie’s On The Avenue in Del Ray

Published March 16, 2022 at 10:45AM

Matt & Tony's at 1501 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (via Matt & Tony's/Instagram)

Ready for all-day brunch in Del Ray? Matt & Tony’s opened today (March 16) at the former Charlie’s On The Avenue.

Alexandria Restaurant Partners bought the 3,000 square-foot space at 1501 Mount Vernon Avenue last fall with the intention of turning it into a concept called Joe’s Kitchen, but those plans were scrapped when ARP managing partner Matt Sloan announced he was leaving to open his own restaurant. ARP offered the space to Sloan, who moved to D.C. a year-and-a-half ago from Michigan to be the general manager of ARP’s Ada’s On The River and The Majestic.

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Kiskadee closing store in Del Ray in April

By James Cullum

Published February 24, 2022 at 1:00PM

Del Ray boutique Kiskadee will be closing its doors when its lease expires on April 30, shop owner Celeste Crutchfield recently announced.

Crutchfield said she felt zapped on energy and full of dread when facing another two-year renewal on her lease.

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Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap wins 2022 Heart of Del Ray award

By James Cullum

Published February 11, 2022 at 2:15PM

Del Ray Business Association Board Members and past Heart of Del Ray award winners present the 2022 Heart of Del Ray to Lena's Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap. Joey Civali of the Yates family represented Lena's in accepting the award. (Via Bill Blackburn)

The thoughtful dining experiences have paid off. Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap was awarded the Heart of Del Ray award on Friday (Feb. 11), beating out four other local businesses.

More than 1,000 voters cast ballots for the spot that captured the heart of the community. The Del Ray Business Association presented the restaurant with a large heart-shaped award on Friday morning — just in time for Valentine’s Day on Monday, Feb. 14.

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Bonaventure unveils new shopping center plans on Mount Vernon Avenue

By James Cullum

Published February 9, 2022 at 1:00PM

A conceptual design for Bonaventure's property at 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. (Via Bonaventure)

Local developer Bonaventure hopes their new shopping center in the middle of Del Ray could be constructed as early as summer 2025. That’s if all goes according to their plan.

Right now the plan for 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue is still in its conceptual phase, but includes a four-story, 43-foot-tall building with 12,530 square feet of retail and 79 rental units on the one acre lot. Bonaventure is not planning on including any affordable housing units in the project, and will instead contribute to the city’s Housing Trust Fund.

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Matt & Tony’s to open at former Charlie’s On The Avenue at the end of March

By James Cullum

Published January 26, 2022 at 1:15PM

Matt & Tony’s will open for all-day brunch this spring at the former Charlie’s On The Avenue, the new restaurant’s owner tells ALXnow.

Alexandria Restaurant Partners bought the 3,000 square-foot space at 1501 Mount Vernon Avenue last fall with the intention of turning it into a concept called Joe’s Kitchen, but those plans were scrapped when ARP managing partner Matt Sloan announced he was leaving to open his own restaurant.

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JUST IN: The Sushi Bar closing in Del Ray, reopening soon as Christmas-themed pop-up bar

By James Cullum

Published December 7, 2021 at 1:00PM

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.

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VIDEO: Here’s the countdown and lighting of the Del Ray Christmas Tree

By James Cullum

Published December 6, 2021 at 1:00PM

Hundreds of people turned out for the lighting of the menorah and Christmas tree at Pat Miller Square in Del Ray on Sunday night, December 5.

The evening was full of families and friends caroling with hot chocolate with marshmallows.

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Citing pandemic struggle, Ascend Cycle in Del Ray is closing at the end of the month

By James Cullum

Published December 3, 2021 at 1:00PM

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.

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Messy turnover at Al’s Steak House sees resignation from former owner’s son and longtime grill cook

By James Cullum

Published October 28, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated October 28, 2021 at 8:47PM

For the first time in more than 50 years, a member of the Severson family is not making Philly cheesesteak sub sandwiches at Al’s Steak House in Del Ray.

Nelson Rodriguez says it’s regrettable that Bo Severson, the son of former owner John Severson, and cook Mark Williams didn’t work out. It was only a month ago that Rodriguez took over at the Del Ray institution, and at the time he said he was going to keep the old hands to ensure that the cheese steak tradition continues.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published October 7, 2021 at 5:00AM

A runner along the Potomac Trail in Potomac Yard (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

River Farm gets taken off the market — “Local residents cheered over email and text messages Wednesday after learning that the American Horticultural Society’s board — or what remained of it — decided not to sell its 27-acre property overlooking the Potomac River.” [Alexandria Living]

Northern Virginia AFL-CIO presents award to Rep. Don Beyer — “When the bus drivers in Alexandria – the DASH workers (who had been trying to unionize over decades, actually), Alexandria City hired a union buster and Congressman Beyer stepped in and was very forceful with his language in making the city aware that the DASH workers had a right to organize.” [Zebra]

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When do you know you’re in Del Ray? New public art at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square will help

By James Cullum

Published October 4, 2021 at 2:15PM | Updated October 4, 2021 at 3:15PM

How do you know you’re in Del Ray? Visitors can wonder no longer, as a new 15-foot-tall marker will be unveiled later this month at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square.

The marker was designed by Maryland artist Kirk Seese, has been in the works since 2018. It was open to the public for last Saturday’s Art On The Avenue festival, and the tentative date for its official unveiling is October 15, according to Visit Del Ray.