Alexandria was spared from significant flooding this week after remnants of Hurricane Ida swept through the East Coast. The only flooding found was on lower King Street in Old Town, where businesses laid sandbags at windows and doorways.
“We’re open inside, but if you want to eat you’re probably going to have to come barefoot,” a hostess at Mai Thai told ALXnow on Wednesday.
Salon Meraki’s founding location at 1101 Queen Street will quadruple in size when it expands into a neighboring space this fall.
Kathleen Le opened her 900 square-foot nail salon on November 1, 2017, and hopes to keep the tradition alive with a November 1 opening at 300 N. Henry Street, which was previously occupied by ARC Document Solutions. She also owns a second salon at 320 King Street.
Proposed plastic bag tax meetings scheduled in Alexandria — “The first meeting is a virtual public information session on Wednesday, Sept. 8 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.” [Patch]
New restaurants on the horizon — “Three new restaurants are moving forward with plans to open — they all have applications for various permits on the Thursday, Sept. 9 Planning & Zoning commission docket.” [Alexandria Living]
There are still available tickets for the eighth annual Capes and Cocktails event benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Alexandria writer Jeannette Wages has hosted the event for eight years, and has helped raise more than $120,000 toward cancer research in honor of four-year-old Lewkas Rhone, who died in 2013.
While many business owners are just happy to have the lights on, Elizabeth Todd has major expansion plans in the works.
At 900 square feet, The Hive at 301 Cameron Street is just too small a space to house all the inventory Todd has in mind. She’s currently in the works to sign a lease down the street at 315 Cameron Street, a 2,000-square foot townhouse and former home to the A Galerie antique shop.
A 35-year-old Alexandria man is being held without bond after swallowing two bags of drugs and running away from police on foot through Old Town North.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, August 11, at around 9:15 p.m. Police were called regarding a bronze Toyota Camry with severe damage was “excessively changing lanes” before parking near the Harris Teeter at N. Saint Asaph Street and Madison Street.
Remnants of Hurricane Ida headed for Alexandria — “Tuesday will be cloudy with only reaching the mid-80s. Scattered thunderstorms will start Tuesday evening and will become more widespread into Wednesday dropping an estimated two to six inches of rain. Alexandria city officials will be handing out sandbags to residents Tuesday morning ahead of the storm.” [Alexandria Living]
City Hall lit blue for Opioid Awareness Day — “Wonder why City Hall was lit up last night? It’s lit up teal through September 1 in recognition of #InternationalOverdoseAwarenessDay! The City is also giving out free Narcan and fentanyl test strips–find out more at alexandriava.gov/123920.” [Twitter]
Mae’s Market & Cafe is open for business at the sprawling Atrium Building in Old Town.
The coffee shop/all-day food market opened last week in space formally occupied by Society Fare. The Atrium Building was built in 1978 and is undergoing an upgrade with other new tenants, including ALX Community.
Murphy’s reserves table for Marines lost in Afghanistan — “Last night, Friday, August 27, Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub on King Street reserved a table and set 13 places in honor of the 13 soldiers lost in Afghanistan earlier this week.” [Zebra]
4.1 million meals given to ACPS students during pandemic — “In March 2020, Alexandria City Public Schools called on Volunteer Alexandria to help distribute meals to students who were suddenly learning from home due to the pandemic… By the middle of August, Volunteer Alexandria and ACPS had delivered 4,106,889 grab-and-go meals and snacks to Alexandria students and their families.” [Alexandria Living]
First ALX Fit Fair set for this Saturday — “ALX Fit Fair, a day of wellness and fitness in the Carlyle neighborhood, is set for this Saturday, Aug. 28, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. There will be opportunities from more than a dozen local gyms and fitness studios to participate in 30-minute workouts every hour during the event, with workouts ranging from yoga, pilates, dance, and gymnastics to more intense workouts like boxing and CrossFit.” [Alexandria Living]
Old Town Cocktail Week serves up creative libations next month — “A week-long celebration of all things involving cocktails will return for a second year to Old Town Alexandria. The Old Town Cocktail Week will be held Sept. 10 to 19…” [Patch]
A former credit union (1630 King Street) roughly two blocks from the King Street Metro station could soon get turned into new barber shop.
An application scheduled for review at the Oct. 5 Planning Commission meeting describes the new business as:
