Old Town

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Revamped ‘ESP’ on King Street Ditches Old Ownership and Controversies

By Vernon Miles
Killer ESP at 1012 King Street has closed and will reopen as a new concept next month (Staff photo by James Cullum)

Erik Muendel wants the new ESP Tea and Coffee to be what the old Killer E.S.P. should have been.

The coffee shop at 1012 King Street was a beloved, hip hangout spot in Old Town featuring sorbet, pie and espresso, that latter from which the bistro derived its name. Behind the scenes, however, its controversial owner Rob Shelton clashed with staff who alleged inappropriate behavior toward women and minors working at the shop. The conflict culminated with the entire staff quitting in early 2020 followed by the replacement staff quitting just months later.

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Old Town Tourism Company Hopes to Convert Historic Building to Live Music Venue

By Vernon Miles
Garden portion of The Rectory set up as music venue during the pandemic in 2020. (via Classical Movements)

Last year was a particularly rough time to be a travel agency, but one local company is trying to reinvent themselves.

Classical Movements, a wing of travel management and tour company Blue Heart Travel at 711 Princess Street, is a local tourism agency that specializes in travel focused on international classical music venues from South Africa to Prague. But with the pandemic effectively killing their industry over the last year, Classical Movements has filed an application to adjust the Old Town business into a live music venue.

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Citizens Group Vilifies Heritage High Rise Project in Old Town

By James Cullum

Old Town residents have banded together against what they say is overdevelopment with the planned construction of the 750-unit, seven-story Heritage apartment buildings.

Made up of more than 80 neighbors, the Citizens Association of the Southwest Quadrant (CASQ) launched a website, sent emails to news organizations and created an online petition against the development, which they say will result in hundreds of additional vehicles on area streets, affect property values and destroy the historic charm of the area.

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Alexandria Bartender Gets 375+ Signatures in Petition Asking for Curfew on Inauguration Day

By James Cullum

An Alexandria bartender wants the city to impose a 6 p.m. curfew on inauguration day on Wednesday, and has started an online petition that has garnered more than 375 signatures.

Erin Kennedy, a bartender at O’Shaughnessy’s at 1324 King Street in Old Town, didn’t like the feeling she got on the night of Jan. 6 when pro-Trump supporters drank at the bar and aggressively talked about how they participated in the siege at the U.S. Capitol.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

COVID-19 Deaths Now at 94 in Alexandria — “The latest update from the City on COVID-19: 2,929 Alexandrians vaccinated; 3 additional deaths (94 total); Positive tests up 80 to 8,387 in the City (637 in last 7 days); 7-day Positivity Rate up to 10.5% 2 new hospitalizations.” [Twitter]

Northam Says Virginia Ready for Inauguration — “Virginia Governor Ralph Northam said his state is ‘ready’ as the FBI warned of possible violent demonstrations at capitols across the country, ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.” [Twitter]

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New Boarding House Planned Over Old Town Barber Shop

By Vernon Miles

If you plan to stay at the new boarding facility at the intersection of N. Fayette Street and Queen Street, you’ll always have a convenient place to get your hair cut.

The planned affordable roominghouse for men above Heads Up Barbershop (300 N. Fayette Street) — and owned by the same family — is scheduled to go to the Planning Commission on Tuesday, Feb. 2. The four-bedroom unit will have individual bathrooms and a shared central kitchen and laundry facility. The application notes that most residents do not own cars and no off-street parking will be provided.

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum
Christ Church at 118 N. Washington Street in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Beyer Offers Condolences to Family of Fallen Capitol Officer — “Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick gave his life in the line of duty to keep us safe. I mourn his loss, and I send my deepest condolences to his family.” [Twitter]

Governor Making State of Commonwealth Speech Tonight — “Tune in tomorrow at 7:00 PM for my 2021 State of the Commonwealth address.” [Twitter]

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Stomping Ground Expands Southern Cuisine Franchise Into Old Town

By Vernon Miles
The Atrium building at 277 S. Washington Street in Old Town (image via WC. and A.N. Miller Development Company)

A coworking space, food market and restaurant are all coming to The Atrium (277 S. Washington Street) in Old Town.

Companies W.C. & A.N. Miller Development Company and Avison Young announced in a press release that new restaurants Mae’s Market & Café and Virginia’s Darling Restaurant would be opening in the building over the next few months. Both restaurants are new ventures from Stomping Ground in Del Ray, which also expanded to Tysons in 2018 and bagel shop Bagel Uprising next door in Del Ray in 2019.

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