An Alexandria-based frozen custard shop has been announced in the fifth-annual American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation‘s “Backing Small Historic Restaurants program.”
Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats is situated in a historic ice house at 200 Commerce Street in Old Town and is one of four local businesses to receive the $50,000 grant.
It’s been an intense week in Alexandria. Here’s a look at our top stories.
Our most-read story is on a woman found dead outside her apartment during an eviction process on Wednesday, Aug. 19. The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office reported on social media that deputies were conducting an eviction at an apartment at 400 Madison Street at around 9 a.m., when they found the adult woman dead outside the building. The woman’s identity and the circumstances surrounding her death have not been released.
More than a dozen current and former Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) tenants protested unfair treatment from their landlord at ARHA headquarters (401 Wythe Street) Wednesday, Aug. 20.
The protestors held signs and shouted at ARHA CEO Erik Johnson and his staff. Johnson, who made a statement addressing resident concerns last week, told ALXnow that he inherited the organization’s problems when he started the job 11 months ago. He also acknowledged that residents have faced challenges, including delayed rental payments from ARHA to landlords, paperwork backlogs, caseworker abandonment, and more.
Alexandria and the Old Town Farmers’ Market are looking for volunteers to deliver food to residents in need as part of the Bike for Good program.
The groceries are collected as the market outside City Hall (301 King Street) in Old Town winds down, and volunteers can expect to make deliveries from between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., according to the city.
Welcome to Friday, Alexandria! Here’s our recap of the most-read stories.
Our top story this week is on two Alexandria business owners charged with possession of an illegal gambling device for operating skill games. The news marks the first indictments against Alexandria business owners for the devices. Dozens of skill game machines operate at multiple convenience and grocery stores in the West End and Arlandria neighborhoods, despite police hand-delivering warning letters to more than a dozen offending businesses. Skill games were outlawed as illegal gaming by the Virginia legislature in 2020, and Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter told ALXnow that his office is assessing “all potential investigative leads.”
Tenants from several Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority apartments will stage a protest next week at ARHA headquarters (401 Wythe Street) in Old Town.
The tenants are protesting “ongoing issues,” alleging delayed rental payments from ARHA to landlords, paperwork backlogs, caseworker abandonment, and more. The protest will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
With pedestrian-only blocks near the Potomac River to local businesses along picturesque red brick sidewalks, King Street in Old Town was just listed as one of the top 100 main streets to walk in the United States.
The King Street mile from the waterfront to the King St. Metro station was listed as 53rd in the new list, “Top 100 Best Main Streets in U.S. to Walk”, compiled by Assisted Living Magazine, behind W. Washington Street in Marquette, Michigan. Main Street in Lake Placid, New York, topped the list. The ranking, first reported by Secret DC, is the result of a survey taken by more than 3,000 Americans, according to the magazine.
After a wedding, graduation, or significant event, wouldn’t it be nice if folks could upload their phone pictures and videos to a single gallery?
Alexandria-based entrepreneur Elizabeth Kukla did just that. In the spring of 2021, Kukla’s cousin was getting married. As a gift to the happy couple, Kukla designed a card based on the wedding invitations and printed out cards with QR codes to be placed on the guest tables for the reception. Guests who scanned the code uploaded their favorite pictures to one place, and a week later, the bride’s younger sister reached out and asked for the same services at her own nuptials that summer. With that, SnapSpaces was born.
Four women arrested and charged with shoplifting in Maryland have been linked to the theft of thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise from a Lululemon store in Old Town.
On Feb. 19, the Gaithersburg Police Department arrested Precious Spivey, 18, Mone Herndon, 27, Shawn Stewart, 27, and Tanaysia Stewart, 18, all of Washington, D.C., for stealing more than $10,000 in merchandise from Bath & Body Works in Germantown and a LensCrafters and Lululemon store in Gaithersburg. The department said the group was engaged in an “organized retail theft ring.”
Virginia Tech plans to renovate its Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center in Old Town to improve accessibility with a new elevator, sprinkler system, and handicapped-accessible ramp, according to a request going before the Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
The building at 1001 Prince Street was loaned to Virginia Tech by Alexandria in 1980, and the school bought it in 1989, according to city records.
A quiet off-the-beaten-path area just off King Street in Old Town is getting an upgrade.
Simpson Development Company recently filed plans from Louis Barbieri, Cole & Denny Architects to renovate the entry vestibule at 100 N. Pitt Street and the small, rear plaza adjacent to 115. N. St. Asaph Street in Old Town. The request for alterations and signage will be presented to the city’s Board of Architectural Review on Wednesday, September 3.
