A clerk at the 7-Eleven convenience store at 3023 Duke Street was shot in the leg in a robbery early this morning.

At around 2 a.m., a man dressed in black wearing a black mask went into the store, displayed a handgun and walked behind the counter, according to staff. The suspect reportedly shot into the floor behind the counter and the bullet ricocheted and hit the clerk in the leg.

The clerk was “seriously injured with non-life threatening injuries,” APD tweeted.

Police were dispatched to the scene after a report of the suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of cash from the register.

The store is located across the street from Bishop Ireton High School and a block away from the Alexandria Commons Shopping Center.

No arrests have been made in connection to this incident. Anyone with information can call the police department’s non-emergency line at 703-746-4444. Callers can remain anonymous.

Notification:: In response to a commercial robbery/shooting there is a moderate police presence in and around the 3000 block of Duke Street. One person was seriously injured with non-life-threatening injuries. APD is on the scene and investigating. pic.twitter.com/3PWZFEvuqt

— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) April 17, 2023

Map via Google Maps

Crooked Beat Records will move from Old Town North to its new Del Ray home the week after Record Store Day on April 22 (Saturday), owner Bill Daly tells ALXnow.

The store’s last day at at 802 N. Fairfax Street will be on Saturday, April 29, after which it will be open on weekends. The new store at 2417 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray will likely open in June.

“I’ve been starting to move in little by little,” Daly said of the new location. “I just installed the speakers for the stereo system.”

A former DJ at North Carolina State University, Daly worked for a record shop chain for years before founding Crooked Beat Records in 1997 in Raleigh. He moved the business to Adams Morgan in D.C. in 2004 and then to Alexandria in 2016.

Daly is now restocking his used vinyl records with a few estate sale deals.

“We haven’t been buying used records for more than a year to free up storage space,” he said. “Our used records are depleted 80%, and I’m now in talks to pick up 20,000 records in an estate collection.”

Record Store Day is Daly’s biggest day of the year, when world-famous artists release new work in vinyl, like Taylor Swift’s “folklore: the long pond studio sessions.” The store opens at 9 a.m. that day, and there’s a doorman to ensure 25 are allowed in at a time.

“You’ll see 300 people lined up around the block to get records,” Daly said. “A lot of high school girls are calling me about the Taylor Swift album. For some of them it will be the first record they ever bought.”

Record sales climbed 20% nationally last year, accounting for $1.2 billion in sales, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. It’s also the first time since 1988 that record sales have outpaced CDs.

“There’s a lot of factors to account for it,” Daly said. “Some would say records have a warmer sound, that they’re a physical medium and more tangible than CDs. For all our 25 years of being open, the vinyl customers are the most loyal. They just continue to come, sometimes from two and three hours away just to buy from us.”

Via Crooked Beat Records/Facebook

No one was injured after robbers fired a gun and stole a cash register inside the 7-Eleven at 800 Franklin Street in Old Town, according to the Alexandria Police Department.

The incident occurred just after midnight today (April 12). Police were dispatched to the store for a report of the theft and a single gunshot inside the store. The suspects reportedly fled the area in a black SUV.

Anyone with information on the robbery can call the APD non-emergency number at 703-746-4444. Callers can remain anonymous.

Notification:: In response to a shots fired incident/commercial robbery, there is a heavy police presence in and around the 800 block of Franklin Street. No injuries were reported in connection with this incident. APD is on the scene and investigating. pic.twitter.com/y4QQchu0EO

— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) April 12, 2023

via Google Maps

No arrests were made after gunshots were reported in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven convenience store at 6464 Lincolnia Road on Thursday afternoon.

No one was injured after the incident, which occurred at around 4:45 p.m. The building was not struck and no one was injured, store staff confirmed to ALXnow.

Alexandria Police were dispatched to the area to search for a silver Honda, which fled the area at high speed.

Anyone with information on this incident can call the APD non-emergency number at 703-746-4444. Callers can remain anonymous.

Notification:: In response to a shots fired incident, there is a moderate police presence in and near the 6100 block of Lincolnia Road. No injuries or property damage reported in connection to this incident. APD is on scene and investigating. pic.twitter.com/rGJYt6biKh

— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) March 30, 2023

Map via Google Maps

Want to go into business in Alexandria?

The latest listings on BizBuySell show all kinds of companies for sale in the city.

The website aggregates numerous business sale listings, and the names and locations are generally left out.

Reasons for selling, when provided, typically do not mention economic hardship, but more often involve the owner retiring or not having time to actively run the business.

Here are some that are currently listed:

1. Prime Location Full Service Restaurant & Bar MRB VA 1141 — “Full service restaurant & bar located in the heart of Alexandria. This restaurant is in a prime location on a main road surrounded by residential, retail and office buildings with high walking traffic. Highly sought after area in Alexandria. This large restaurant seats 250 people inside with outdoor seating as well. High end furniture & fixtures along with a full service bar surrounded by TVs. Large kitchen with top of the line equipment ready for any menu. This restaurant can be converted to fit most menus & concepts. Great opportunity for anyone looking to expand a current restaurant to the next level.”
2. Dog Boutique Accessories and Food — “Incredible dog boutique store in charming and wealthy Old Town Alexandria. The business has been growing since inception in 2010.The high visibility location draws in hundreds of customers each week. This business does NOT sell or re-home dogs.”
3. Former hair salon in Fairlington — “Formerly a hair salon by the name of Primary Colors, a hair salon that was in business for twenty years. Now the space is open, and is still built out to be a hair salon, but the space can also be altered to become a different business.”
4. Deli with R.E. property — The owner is retiring after 30 years in business. The restaurant is open five days a week for breakfast and lunch.
5. Well-established laundromat — “All Washer and Driers in Excellent condition. NO Coin! Card only! Owner stops by the store once a week. 50 washers, 52 Driers.”
6. Profitable restaurant for sale — “Great location, great visibility, long lease term, plenty of parking spaces, in a busy shopping center with many other businesses that crowded with customers on the daily basic, this restaurant is built up from the cold cell condition with new kitchen equipment, freezer, cooler, HVAC….., that’s clean and presenting a long useful life for new owner to do business in years to come without any major upgrading. This restaurant can be converting to other cuisine given there is no other restaurant of that cuisine is currently operated within the shopping center.”
7. Profitable High Volume Bakery & Cafe MRB VA 1107 — “By purchasing this Bakery, Café, and Catering Company that is for sale in a very busy shopping center in Fairfax County, Virginia and you will be ready for business your first day! This well-known operation produces $1.8 million from its multiple foodservice revenue streams. It is Fully Equipped and gives you the opportunity to serve up a full restaurant menu, special occasion cakes, sweet treat pastries, and baked goods, including gluten-free items, sugar-free treats, and food for allergy-sensitive patrons.”

Thinking about going into business in Alexandria?

It can sometimes be easier to buy an existing business, and the latest listings on BizBuySell show all kinds of companies in and around the city.

The website aggregates numerous business sale listings, and the names and locations are generally left out.

Reasons for selling, when provided, typically do not mention economic hardship, but more often involve the owner retiring or not having time to actively run the business.

Here are some that are currently listed:

1. High Profit Restaurant & Bar in Prime Location MRB VA 1150 — “Large restaurant and bar for sale in Alexandria VA with outdoor seating. This restaurant is approximately 10,000 square feet with 2 large dining rooms, a private event room, 2 large full service bars, storage room as well as a massive kitchen including top of line line equipment and 3 walk in coolers/freezers. Seating for 268 people as well as room to expand to accommodate large crowds and private events. Menu can be kept the same or converted to fit most concepts. The current owner is hands on part time and profiting an average of $500,000 per year. This restaurant still has plenty of opportunity for growth and increased profits. Great opportunity to take over this highly profitable restaurant and take it to the next level. Must show proof of funds to be qualified.”
2. Prime Location Full Service Restaurant & Bar MRB VA 1141 — “Full service restaurant & bar located in the heart of Alexandria. This restaurant is in a prime location on a main road surrounded by residential, retail and office buildings with high walking traffic. Highly sought after area in Alexandria. This large restaurant seats 250 people inside with outdoor seating as well. High end furniture & fixtures along with a full service bar surrounded by TVs. Large kitchen with top of the line equipment ready for any menu. This restaurant can be converted to fit most menus & concepts. Great opportunity for anyone looking to expand a current restaurant to the next level.”
3. Dog Boutique Accessories and Food — “Incredible dog boutique store in charming and wealthy Old Town Alexandria. The business has been growing since inception in 2010.The high visibility location draws in hundreds of customers each week. This business does NOT sell or re-home dogs.”
4. Former hair salon in Fairlington — “Formerly a hair salon by the name of Primary Colors, a hair salon that was in business for twenty years. Now the space is open, and is still built out to be a hair salon, but the space can also be altered to become a different business.”
5. Deli with R.E. property — The owner is retiring after 30 years in business. The restaurant is open five days a week for breakfast and lunch.
6. Well-established laundromat — “All Washer and Driers in Excellent condition. NO Coin! Card only! Owner stops by the store once a week. 50 washers, 52 Driers.”
7. Profitable restaurant for sale — “Great location, great visibility, long lease term, plenty of parking spaces, in a busy shopping center with many other businesses that crowded with customers on the daily basic, this restaurant is built up from the cold cell condition with new kitchen equipment, freezer, cooler, HVAC….., that’s clean and presenting a long useful life for new owner to do business in years to come without any major upgrading. This restaurant can be converting to other cuisine given there is no other restaurant of that cuisine is currently operated within the shopping center.”
8. Profitable High Volume Bakery & Cafe MRB VA 1107 — “By purchasing this Bakery, Café, and Catering Company that is for sale in a very busy shopping center in Fairfax County, Virginia and you will be ready for business your first day! This well-known operation produces $1.8 million from its multiple foodservice revenue streams. It is Fully Equipped and gives you the opportunity to serve up a full restaurant menu, special occasion cakes, sweet treat pastries, and baked goods, including gluten-free items, sugar-free treats, and food for allergy-sensitive patrons.”
9. Dog waste removal company — “Currently have 500 active customers and growing quickly! Fully staffed and great reviews. Owner is looking to relocate and invest in a new venture.”

Nearly two years after filing for bankruptcy, Seattle-based kitchenware retailer Sur La Table will reopen in Old Town on Thursday, March 10.

Sur La Table opened at 326 King Street in 2013, and closed half of its 121 stores around the country after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020. It was acquired by Marquee Brands and CSC Generation for $89 million.

The company, which was founded in Seattle in 1972, is also the largest provider of non-degree cooking classes in the U.S.

The following cooking classes have been announced for the Old Town store:

• Date Night: From Paris with love — March 11, at 7 p.m.
• French Baking: Brioche — March 12, at 9 a.m.
• Date Night: Evening in Chianti — March 12, at 4 p.m.
• Date Night: Evening in Chianti — March 12, at 7 p.m.
• Great British Baking — March 13, at 10 a.m.

Sur La Table is also looking to hire a general manager and assistant store manager in Old Town.

The store will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Alexandria Police are investigating a robbery committed by five people at the Home Depot at 400 S. Pickett Street in the West End.

A Home Depot employee followed five people out of the store on Jan. 17, after they walked past the point of sale and out the exit with a shopping cart full of hand tools, gardening tools, and electric and gas-powered tools, according to a search warrant.

The suspects fled the scene in two vehicles with Maryland plates — a gray Honda CRV and a dark blue Nissan Maxima.

“(A)n employee of the Home Depot… attempted to grab the shopping cart full of items that was being pushed by one of the suspects,” police said in the search warrant. “The suspect pushed (the employee) and they began to struggle. (The employee) disengaged when a second suspect exited the Nissan Maxima. Those two suspects grabbed one item each and left the scene.”

The previous day, on Jan. 16, the owner of the Honda CRV reported that it was stolen from Prince Georges County. The Honda CRV was pulled over during a traffic stop in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 30, and the driver, who did not have a key fob for CRV, was arrested for vehicle theft.

Via Google Maps

Local developer Bonaventure hopes their new shopping center in the middle of Del Ray could be constructed as early as summer 2025. That’s if all goes according to their plan.

Right now the plan for 2525 Mount Vernon Avenue is still in its conceptual phase, but includes a four-story, 43-foot-tall building with 12,530 square feet of retail and 79 rental units on the one acre lot. Bonaventure is not planning on including any affordable housing units in the project, and will instead contribute to the city’s Housing Trust Fund.

The 88,500-square-foot building is the former Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services. Bonaventure bought it for $22.5 million in the summer of 2019, along with the properties at 2401, 2403 and 2411-2419 Mount Vernon Avenue.

Bonaventure also owns the 144-space parking lot across from Pat Miller Square on Mount Vernon Avenue and E. Oxford Avenue, which will be available for residents of the new building, but shoppers will be relegated to parking on the street.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the developer wants the plan to go to the City for review in November, followed by the final site plan and building permit process, and then upward of a year-and-a-half for construction.

“If things go according to our schedule, we would go to public hearing in November,” said Cathy Puskar, an attorney for Bonaventure. “Following the public hearing, there’s a final site plan process and building permit process, and we would look to start construction in the fourth quarter of 2023, and the building would be completed in 18-to-20 months.”

Via Bonaventure

Multiple persons of interest have been identified after an attempted break-in and arson at a 7-Eleven store in the West End.

At around 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 3, four-to-five males walked into the 7-Eleven at 2 S. Jordan Street and “using incendiary devices committed the offense of arson,” according to a police search warrant affidavit.

No arrests have yet been made.

The fire may have been started as a “possible precursor to the offenses of grand larceny and burglary, based on similar cases throughout the District of Columbia metropolitan area,” police said in the warrant.

As previously reported, officials are investigating similar fires at 7-Eleven stores in the region. The most recent was a fire reported early New Year’s Day in Forestville.

Significant damage was made to the store, and police are actively investigating the incident with the Fire Mashall’s Office.

“Investigators recovered evidence from the incident and have submitted the evidence for analysis,” Alexandria Fire Department Raytevia Evans told ALXnow. “Investigators have identified several persons of interest who may have been involved.”

Images courtesy Will Mahoney (@HeelWillMahoney)