USPTO | ALXnow

Published April 13, 2026 at 9:15AM

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) cafeteria reopens under new management. (courtesy of Jay Premack/USPTO)

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s cafeteria has reopened under new management, coinciding with a busy season at the federal campus that recently welcomed the National Science Foundation.

USPTO’s Roundhouse Café officially reopened to the public March 30 at 600 Dulany Street in Carlyle, offering sushi, a made-to-order deli, salad bar, self-serve hot entrées and a hot bar, the agency announced. The venue plans to serve a rotating variety of “chef-curated” menus, seasonal promotions and guest restaurants.

News

USPTO WARN Notice reflects October layoffs, no new December cuts

By Ryan Belmore

Published October 23, 2025 at 3:45PM | Updated October 24, 2025 at 10:11AM

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria's Carlyle neighborhood (staff photo by James Cullum)

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification on Oct. 14, indicating 126 employees at its Alexandria headquarters will be removed from the payroll on Dec. 9, but a source familiar with the matter told ALXnow on Friday that these are not new layoffs.

The 126 employees were part of the reduction in force announced on October 1 and have been on administrative leave since then, according to the source. The WARN notice filed with the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement reflects when those employees will officially come off the agency’s books.

News

Patent office lays off staff, closes Denver office amid broader federal workforce cuts

By Ryan Belmore

Published October 1, 2025 at 2:15PM

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria's Carlyle neighborhood (staff photo by James Cullum)

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office laid off employees on Wednesday as part of a reduction-in-force plan that has been in development for months, according to multiple sources and internal emails reviewed by Bloomberg Law.

The Alexandria-based agency cut positions across several departments, including the communications team, the Office of Public Engagement, and the Patents Unit, according to Bloomberg Law. The layoffs occur as the federal government shut down on Wednesday due to a funding impasse in Congress, although the USPTO remains open and operational, funded by operating reserves from fee collections.

News

USPTO switches Southeast Regional Office from Atlanta to Alexandria, sparking congressional criticism

By Ryan Belmore

Published June 26, 2025 at 8:39AM

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria's Carlyle neighborhood (staff photo by James Cullum)

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will establish its new Southeast Regional Outreach Office at its Alexandria headquarters, reversing a previous decision to locate the facility in Atlanta, according to an announcement from the federal agency on June 6.

The USPTO had originally announced in December 2023 that it would launch the Southeast Regional Outreach Office in Atlanta in late 2025. However, the agency now says it “wants to begin serving the southeast region immediately from Alexandria.”