Alexandria teen shot to death in D.C. — “According to a news release from D.C. police, officers responded to reports of a shooting in the unit block of Chesapeake Street in Southeast D.C. around 8:09 p.m., where they located Francis suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in a parked car.” [Alex Times]
Alexandria Schools start ‘Test to Stay’ program — “The new program will allow some students to return to school following five days of quarantine under a variety of conditions.” [Alexandria Living]
8 new and must-do black history experiences in Alexandria — “From a self-taught mathematician who mapped out the nation’s capital to abolitionist sisters who partnered with Frederick Douglass to the first Black player in the NBA, African American changemakers have shaped the history of Alexandria, VA and the United States.” [Visit Alexandria]
BoomChicky, ALX Pizza join Bee Street Eats — “The Beeliner Diner is open for take-out and delivery with a limited menu — but while eager diners await a full opening, there are more treats to try.” [Alexandria Living]
New job: Government relations manager — “The Vision Council (TVC) seeks an individual to lead the association’s advocacy to state and federal policymakers on issues importance to the optical industry and our members.” [Indeed]
Today’s weather: “Occasional light rain. High 64F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%… Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers later at night. Low 62F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.” [Weather.com]
Alexandria hotels are still hurting, but there may be some signs of relief on the horizon.
The ongoing battering of the hotel industry by Covid has been one of the biggest talking points in the budget so far: particularly because city leaders say it could lead to more tax pressure on the city’s residents.
Visit Alexandria COO Tom Kaiden said while recovery has been slow, some aspects of the hospitality industry could return to nearly pre-pandemic levels this year, while others will take longer to recover.
“There’s no question that a whole host of issues have impacted the sector,” Kaiden said. “the ongoing nature of the pandemic, the recent spike of omicron, the reduction in business travel, the supply chain and labor challenges, inflation — all of those are headwinds the sector has faced.”
Pre-pandemic, Kaiden said the occupancy numbers were tracking at record levels. Trajectories charted in late 2019 and early 2020 projected hitting record occupancy in summer 2020 — but that obviously didn’t happen. That spring, hotel occupancy dropped to 8%.
Kaiden said while the city saw a dramatic reduction in occupancy rates early in the pandemic, there have been some signs of recovery over the last year. The occupancy rate is back up to 53% compared to 34% this time last year.
“There’s national data that looks at the composition and forecasting what they think will happen,” Kaiden said. “We’ve been looking at data from Oxford Economics [that says] leisure will be back to normal in 2022 but business travel won’t recover until 2024. Long term view is business travel will recover but we’re still a few years away from that. This year we’re expecting business travel to be down 24%.”
Kaiden said that while people are ready to travel again, companies tend to be more reticent.
“Individuals seem ready to travel again, we’re seeing that in consumer confidence in the desire to travel,” Kaiden said. “They might not be wanting to travel in January, but they were still dreaming to travel when the immediate variant subsided. Individuals make that choice for themselves more freely. Employers are more risk-averse, more reticent, and are using tools like Zoom and hybrid meetings.”
While Kaiden said those are useful short-term strategies, the city is banking on in-person business travel eventually coming back. While the long-term effects of COVID on office space usage are unknown, Kaiden said in-person meetings have a value that can’t be fully replicated online.
Beyond COVID, one of the other major shake-ups in hospitality has been the rise of alternative lodging like Airbnb. The city started authorizing and collecting taxes from transient lodging in 2018, though that kind of lodging also took a hit from the pandemic. In terms of impact on local hotels, Kaiden said transient lodging doesn’t have as much of an effect in Alexandria as it might in other tourist destinations.
“We’ve seen Airbnb rise nationally but it is more of a long-term stay alternative, so their prevalence in markets like the DC metro… the impact is not as great here as it is in traditional mountain and beach destinations,” Kaiden said. “So yes, Airbnb is a factor, but less so here and honestly hotels are adapting their offerings and are essentially more nimble.”
In response to both Covid and transient lodging options like Airbnb, Kaiden said hotels are shifting to focus around guiding visitors around the locality as much as providing a room.
“Our hotels are very good at working with guests to guide the guest experience and make sure they get the most out of their stay,” Kaiden said. “At Visit Alexandria we work with them on a key city attractions package, which encourages people to get out in the community and explore museums. That level of personal service and the added benefit of the inclusion of attractions gives visitors a deeper, richer experience and enables them to get out into neighborhoods and discover the city in the way an unguided experience — like staying in an Airbnb style property — just isn’t as rich.”
Visit Alexandria has announced new details for the next Alexandria Restaurant Week, scheduled for Jan. 21-30.
The week (give or take three days) is a twice-annual event in Alexandria where around 70 restaurants across the city offer $35 per-person dinners.
“Special menus are available in-person at all participating restaurants, many with heated outdoor dining available,” Visit Alexandria said in a press release. “Fifty restaurants will also offer to-go options in addition to in-person meals. The online menu book makes it easy to browse delicious selections from dozens of Alexandria eateries and enjoy special menus at some of Alexandria’s winterized dining destinations or from the comfort of your own home.”
Visit Alexandria highlighted BARCA Pier and Wine Bar as a new participant. The riverside restaurant opened in March and features Mediterranean dishes and drinks. Other new restaurants include Thai Signature, The Rub Chicken and Beer and St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub.
“Alexandria Restaurant Week showcases the inventiveness of local chefs in neighborhoods throughout the city, including Old Town, Del Ray, Carlyle and Eisenhower, and the West End,” Visit Alexandria said. “Guests will savor the flavors of Alexandria’s distinctive collection of eateries, from casual neighborhood favorites to elevated date night destinations and beyond.”
A series of daily events starting later this week will have the dual benefit of helping out local businesses and Alexandrians looking to get some Christmas shopping done.
The ‘Shop Small Week’ started as a mostly digital event last year to help local businesses slammed by the pandemic. The retail events, put together by Visit Alexandria, start on Friday, Nov. 26, with “Plaid Friday” followed by a Small Business Saturday event on Nov. 27.
“Alexandria Shop Small Week kicks off with Plaid Friday,” Visit Alexandria said in a press release. “Nearly 50 independent shops are touting one-of-a-kind deals on designer and coveted merchandise, including home décor, chic fashion, gourmet food, classic toys and gifts for pets.”
On Saturday, Visit Alexandria said there will be live music on KinG street and discounts at various local boutiques in Old Town and Del Ray.
For both events, parking at the following garages in Old Town will be free:
- Courthouse Square Parking Garage — 111 S. Pitt Street
- Market Square Parking Garage — 108 N. Fairfax Street
- USP Parking Garage — 220 N. Union Street
- Thompson’s Alley Parking Garage — 10 Thompsons Alley
Through the following Thursday, there are daily discounts and events planned:
- Museum Store Sunday (Nov. 28) — Visit Alexandria said there will be 20% discounts at Alexandria museum stores, discounts on select merchandise, and stocking stuffers available at the Alexandria Visitor Center.
- Cyber Monday (Nov. 29) — Roughly 40 Alexandria stores are offering discounts, free gifts with purchase, and free shipping on Monday.
- Giving Tuesday (Nov. 30) — Some Alexandria shops and restaurants will donate a percentage of purchases to Alexandria non-profits in partnership with the Old Town Business Association.
- Giveaway Wednesday (Dec. 1) — Visit Alexandria will be sharing giveaway information for hotel stays, massages, and gift cards.
- Moonlight Merriment (Dec. 2) — Giving up slightly on the weekday theme, Visit Alexandria said carolers and musicians will be serenading at local shopping and dining establishments in Old Town from 5-8 p.m. that evening.
Alexandria’s recovery from the pandemic is going faster than expected, according to Visit Alexandria.
Alexandria’s tourism bureau, in its annual meeting last week, reported that consumption-based tax revenue for fiscal year 2021 came in at $59 million. That’s $6 million more than the initial forecast of $53 million, but well below the all-time high of $66 million in fiscal year 2019.
“So far, leisure travel has been the backbone of our recovery,” said Patricia Washington, president and CEO of Visit Alexandria. “But as we move into fall and winter, some return of business travel will be critical.”
Washington said that a number of initiatives kept businesses afloat, including the ALX Promise health accreditation program, the opening of the 100 block of King Street to pedestrian-only traffic, and the gradual return of public events.
In the meantime, Visit Alexandria focused advertising on the city’s dining, waterfront and historic tour experiences.
It also helps that Conde’ Nast has chosen the city as one of the best small cities in the country several years in a row, Washington said.
As for hotel occupancy, the bottom fell out of the market in April 2020, and Alexandria’s recovery has been gradual. Now occupancy is back to just over 50% for the first time since the pandemic began — a far cry from more than 80% occupancy in 2019.
“Clearly we still have a long way to go,” Washington said.
Alexandria lost 4% of its businesses during the pandemic, which Washington said is a testimony to the resilience of businesses, loyal customers and the responsiveness of city agencies.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation is also expecting a gradual recovery, anticipating an improvement of more than 20% in tourism in fiscal year 2022, but still more than 20% down from 2019 levels.
Visit Alexandria’s blog also achieved record annual page views, with 785,000 digital marketing impressions in FY21, an increase of more than 110%.
Last year, the bureau also created Shop Small Week to expand the momentum of Black Friday and Small Business Saturday into a full week.
Alexandria appoints flood mitigation manager — “Effective Oct. 11, Daniel Medina will serve as the Flood Action Alexandria program manager. The new position will include coordination across city departments on the flood mitigation program and manage the city’s stormwater capital project lineup.” [Patch]
McAuliffe, Youngkin unload in feisty final Virginia debate — “Terry McAuliffe and Glenn Youngkin bickered their way through the second and final debate of Virginia’s competitive governor’s race on Tuesday, trading attacks and accusations from the start of the hourlong meeting.” [Politico]
Taste of Old Town North is Thursday — “Don’t miss The Taste of Old Town North, September 30 at 4p.m. Great food, music and more at this free event happening at Montgomery Park.” [Twitter]
Here’s a list of great walks in Alexandria — “Known for its walkable lifestyle, Alexandria is a city best experienced on foot.” [Visit Alexandria]
Today’s weather — “Mostly sunny. High 73F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph… A mostly clear sky. Low 52F. Winds light and variable.” [Weather.com]
New job: Pet sitter and dog walker — “Alexandria Pet Care seeks an experienced career pet expert to work with animals in their homes.” [Indeed]
Visit Alexandria launched a new advertising campaign last week focusing on attracting Black visitors. Using federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, Visit Alexandria hired D.C.-based Creative Theory Agency to develop the “Drop-in” campaign with help from business owners and leaders around the city.
“We’re thrilled to roll out this major new campaign to build on our last 8 years of painting a more complete and inclusive picture of Alexandria,” said Visit Alexandria President & CEO Patricia Washington. “Our destination is more ready than ever for this campaign given the City of Alexandria’s investment and development of new Black history experiences through the Office of Historic Alexandria, citywide priority around race and social equity, as well as newly-opened businesses and the transformation of our waterfront.”
The below one-minute campaign video will be viewed by visitors within five miles of Alexandria across “YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Pathfinders Magazine,” according to Visit Alexandria.
Featured locals include Stuart Robinson, manager of Misha’s Coffee, Manumission Tour Company owner John Taylor Chapman and Brandon Byrd, owner of Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats.
Over 70 restaurants city-wide are planning to host special deals on meals for the biannual Restaurant Week.
The local event is organized by Visit Alexandria and features meal specials at restaurants across the city — though most of them are in Old Town and Del Ray.
There are a few restaurants highlighted in the city’s west end: like Clyde’s at Mark Center (1700 N Beauregard Street) and City Kitchen (330 S Pickett Street) near the former Landmark Mall.
The event is scheduled to start tomorrow (Friday) and run until Sunday, Aug. 29.
According to the Visit Alexandria website:
Enjoy Alexandria Restaurant Week from August 20 to 29, 2021 and show your support for the city’s large community of locally owned restaurants. For 10 days and two weekends, more than 70 restaurants in Alexandria, Virginia, will offer a $49 in-person and/or to-go dinner for two. Nearly 50 of the participating restaurants will offer solo diners a $25 in-person and/or to-go dinner for one in addition to serving the $49 dinner for two.
Restaurant Week first launched in 2009. A press release from Visit Alexandria noted that the dinner-for-one option was added during the Winter Restaurant Week due to increased interest from single diners during the pandemic.
A full list of participating restaurants is available online.
The city’s annual sidewalk sale is scheduled for August 14 and 15, and according to Visit Alexandria, the program is on track to be the largest one so far.
According to Visit Alexandria, over 70 local boutiques have signed up for the seasonal sale. The sale is located along several city sidewalks in Old Town and Del Ray, with a focus this year on the pedestrian-only blocks at 700-1100 King Street. The stores will be featured in outdoor exhibits with deeply discounted merchandise.
Activities are also planned along King Street and throughout Del Ray, including jazz music on the 1000 block of King Street on Saturday, from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30-2:30 p.m. On Sunday, local singer-songwriter Dan Barry will perform from noon to 3 p.m.
“Explore local items ranging from fashion and jewelry to home decor, culinary goods and environmentally friendly products for your everyday needs,” Visit Alexandria said in the press release. “Check out new Sidewalk Sale participants, including Goldfinch, Harambee Books & Artworks, Kate & Lo (pop-up boutique), Lilly Pulitzer, Mason & Greens, Mint Collective and RocketFizz Alexandria.”
During the event, parking will be free at four of the city’s garages on Saturday and Sunday.
- Courthouse Square Parking Garage – 111 S Pitt Street
- Market Square Parking Garage- 108 N Fairfax Street
- USP Parking Garage – 220 N Union Street
- Thompson’s Alley Parking Garage – 10 Thompsons Alley
The event is a partnership between Visit Alexandria, the city, the Old Town Boutique District, the Old Town Business Association, Old Town North and the Del Ray Business Association.
With Alexandria being represented at the Olympic games, some local restaurants are celebrating with special events and meals.
According to a list put out by Visit Alexandria, there are some of the local specials and events planned for the Olympics.
- The Dog Games at Barkhaus (529 E. Howell Avenue) — Saturday, Aug. 7, 5-8 p.m. The dog-friendly bar, restaurant and dog park at Potomac Yard will host “The Dog Games” — a dog competition with free dog medals, along with food and drink specials for the humans. A portion of the proceeds will support the Special Olympics.
- Olympic Donut from Elizabeth’s Counter (804 N. Henry Street) — starting Friday, July 23. Formerly Sugar Shack, the Braddock vegan food stop will have special “Olympic Donuts” — vanilla glazed with a blend of red, white, blue, gold and silver stars.
- Olympic Viewing Prix Fixe Menu at Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap (401 E Braddock Road) — Del Ray restaurant Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap is hosting specials in the restaurant’s beer garden, which also features five TVs for viewing the games. Specials include Bronze, which is a 10″ pizza and a draft beer or glass of wine for $25, Silver, which is Bronze but with a white bean dip or spinach artichoke dip for $37, or Gold, all the above and a dessert for $47.
