Around Town

After nearly a year in development, a new café and wine bar in Old Town is soft opening this week.

Owner Ksenia Varakina is opening Cherry On Top at 1021 Queen Street from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday (June 24), and told ALXnow the grand opening will be on July 10. The shop is expected to offer selections of wine, espresso beverages, charcuterie and pastries.


Around Town

A new bridal boutique is preparing to open its doors in Old Town on Friday, June 26.

The White Magnolia Bridal Collection will open its doors at 123 N. Henry Street, offering a curated collection of bridal gowns priced between $1,800 and $6,000 from designers including Antonio Gual, BECCAR, Calla Blanche, and Sara Gabriel. The business will be open Tuesday to Saturday by appointment only.


Around Town

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.


Around Town

A new perfume boutique with an emphasis on niche fragrances is opening on Cameron Street in Old Town next week.

Arielle Shoshana will officially open its doors at 313 Cameron Street next Wednesday, Jan. 14, with a ribbon cutting scheduled at 5:30 p.m. Mayor Alyia Gaskins will be in attendance, the business announced this morning (Thursday).


News

The largest beauty retailer in the world is coming to Potomac Yard this spring.

After months of construction, “opening soon” signs have been erected for Ulta Beauty at 3501 Richmond Highway in the Potomac Yard Center. That’s the former home of Dressbarn, which closed in 2019, along with hundreds of other Dressbarn locations around the country.


Around Town

A new dessert shop that serves churros has filed paperwork to open in a vacant storefront on King Street in Old Town.

Churrok’s is asking the city to make small modifications to 1022 King Street, the former home of the now-closed Alexandria Cupcake storefront. The application goes before the Board of Architectural Review on Dec. 17.


Around Town

A new home decor boutique recently opened on King Street in Old Town.

Interior Instincts opened for business last month at 1124 King Street, in the former longtime home of Imagine Artwear. The shop is owned by Alexandria resident Shireen Alhasawi, who spent four months reimagining it into a space selling neutral and contemporary Mediterranean pieces.


News

Georgetown Olive Oil Co. is opening at the end of this month at 1314 King Street in Old Town, its owner tells ALXnow.

Emil Merdzhanov and his team have been working on the interior of the space since July, and said he’s excited to reopen a brick and mortar location since his Georgetown location closed on M. Street four years ago. The company was founded in 2016, and bottles and sells dozens of olive oil and balsamic vinegar flavors, among other items, in their warehouse, distribution center and showroom at 4719 Eisenhower Avenue.


News

Welcome to Friday, Alexandria! Here’s a look at ALXnow’s top stories of the week.

With less than a month until the Nov. 4 general election, this week’s most-read story is on the controversy surrounding Virginia’s Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones. The National Review broke the news last Friday (Oct. 3) that in August 2022, Jones sent text messages to Del. Carrie Coyner (R-75), “fantasizing about shooting then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert and his children,” according to the Virginia Mercury story posted on ALXnow.


News

Alo Yoga started construction at 814 King Street in Old Town.

The California-based yoga chain has gutted the interior of the space that was previously home to the Random Harvest furniture store. According to contractors working on site, the renovation should be completed within a month.


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