Alex Vans wants guys to have more friends.
With American men in the midst of a nationwide friendship recession, the Alexandria resident recently launched the newest version of Choros, an application dedicated to helping men in the D.C. area make real connections. The app sifts through more than 100 events for groups of three to six guys based on their preferences, from ax throwing to playing pool and watching the World Cup,
Finn & Fire, an upscale Peruvian and Japanese fusion restaurant focused on steak and seafood, began its soft opening in Old Town.
The restaurant at 111 N. Pitt Street comes from owner Ghazal Amir, who also owns Crab Cab Bar and Kitchen in Fairfax County. It replaces Kismet Modern Indian, which closed in 2025 after nearly four years.
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.
King Arthur Baking Company is setting its sights on later this year for the opening of its permanent location in Old Town Alexandria.
A cafe serving smoothies, paninis, fresh juices and bowls has submitted a request to open in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood.
If approved, franchise owner Vijay Balusu’s Fresh Healthy Cafe special use permit request would transform the former home of a Starbucks at 2040 Jamieson Avenue into a cafe with 12 indoor seats and four outdoor seats.
State Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-39) and her business partner are launching a new maternity and children’s consignment boutique in Del Ray this weekend.
Bennett-Parker and Allie Rubinoff, who both live in Del Ray, will launch Little Chickadee with a pop-up event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (June 13) at Gustave Boulangerie (2213 Mount Vernon Avenue). Bennett-Parker said that the boutique will operate mostly online from a space above Mulberry Lane.
Just in time for the hot summer months, Old Town’s ice cream scene continues to expand with the arrival of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.
The New York City-based ice cream brand has announced it will hold a grand opening on Thursday, June 18 for its new shop at 400 King Street. Customers can receive celebratory $1 scoops from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on opening day, and the first 100 guests will get a branded tote bag.
An earlier version of this article said the Little Birdie preview will happen Saturday, May 23. The preview is being rescheduled for next Saturday, May 30.
Little Birdie, the sister restaurant of Matt & Tony’s All Day Kitchen + Bar, will host a preview ahead of its June opening in Del Ray.
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.
In 2023, Jess Moak left behind a career as a program manager for large nonprofits to start her own interior design shop in Old Town.
The New York native opened her store Eries Interiors opened Eries Interiors at a 300-square-foot space at 101 S. St. Asaph Street in October 2024. The following month, a fire next door at 103 S. St. Asaph Street temporarily shuttered three women-owned businesses. The landlord spent nearly a year renovating the 1,800-square-foot space and approached Moak with a proposal to help design the interior and move in. Last October, Moak signed a lease and opened in time for Black Friday at 103 S. St. Asaph Street.
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.
