All was not quiet in Arlington this past Christmas weekend.
Arlington County police responded to several notable incidents, including a man who allegedly ate at a Courthouse area restaurant, left without paying, and then flashed a gun at an employee.
The dine-and-dash incident happened around 2 p.m. this past Saturday on the 1900 block of Clarendon Blvd, the same block as Sushi Rock restaurant.
“At approximately 1:56 p.m. on December 23, police were dispatched to the report of a person with a gun,” said an ACPD crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined the male suspect dined at the business and exited without payment during which an employee confronted him. The suspect lifted his shirt exposing what appeared to be a firearm before leaving the scene on foot.”
“Responding officers canvassed the area for the suspect yielding negative results,” the crime report continues. “No injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing.”
The next day, around 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, a driver was robbed by two armed male suspects who took his wallet and phone, police said.
“The victims were in their parked vehicle when two male suspects approached on foot, brandished firearms and demanded the driver’s wallet and phone,” ACPD said. “The suspects then fled the scene in a maroon SUV. No injuries were reported. Responding officers canvassed the area for the suspects yielding negative results.”
Bluefish Bistro Sushi & Kitchen, a new sushi restaurant, has quietly opened at Centro Arlington on Columbia Pike.
Located at the corner of S. George Mason Drive and the Pike, the 1,450-square-foot sushi restaurant celebrated its grand opening last month, taking up residence on the ground floor of the mixed-use development next to the Harris Teeter and the Vietnamese eatery Pho Saigon Pearl.
Andy Park, the owner, previously owned and sold a sushi restaurant in Illinois before moving to Northern Virginia in late 2020. He spent the last three years working at Ariake Japanese Restaurant in Fairfax before opening Bluefish.
A prominent “Grand Opening” banner has been displayed above its entrance for several weeks, welcoming diners to savor its various sashimi and sushi rolls, such as the Red Dragon, made with spicy tuna, soft shell crab, cucumber and spicy mayo.
So far, however, Park says the restaurant has not been getting the foot traffic it hoped.
“We didn’t do any advertising,” he told ARLnow. “People don’t know we’re open.”
Centro Arlington, which replaced the long-standing Columbia Pike Village Center in 2019, is a six-story complex that also houses medical and professional offices, an Orangetheory fitness studio, a veterinary practice and apartments.
As a newcomer to the local dining scene, Bluefish faces some competition on the Pike.
In October, Japanese street food and sushi restaurant Ryu Izakaya opened on the ground floor of the Days Inn. Last year another Japanese eatery, Takohachi, opened down the Pike at Penrose Square after relocating from the now-redeveloped Westmont Shopping Center.
Three people were seriously hurt in a fight that resulted in multiple stabbings Friday night.
The stabbings happened around 6 p.m. in a residential building on the 5100 block of Columbia Pike, in the Arlington Mill neighborhood, according to Arlington County police. Five people, who all knew each other, were fighting in a stairwell when three were stabbed, ACPD said.
The victims — two men and a teen boy — were rushed to local trauma centers and are all expected to survive, after being found wounded in three separate locations. One of the men was initially reported to be in critical condition.
The stabbings prompted a large police response at multiple scenes and some partial road closures. Police have not announced any arrests and said today that they’re still investigating.
More, below, from an ACPD press release.
The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is investigating a stabbing that occurred in the Arlington Mill neighborhood on the evening of December 15, 2023.
At approximately 6:08 p.m., police were dispatched to the report of a stabbing in the 5100 block of Columbia Pike. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male subject suffering from a laceration and immediately began rendering aid. Responding officers canvassed the area and located an additional adult male subject in the 1000 block of S. Frederick Street and a juvenile male subject in the 5000 block of 8th Road S. also suffering from lacerations and rendered aid. Medics responded and all three patients were transported to area hospitals with serious injuries. At this time, all three patients are in stable condition and their injuries are considered non-life threatening.
The preliminary investigation indicates a physical altercation between approximately five subjects, who are known to each other, occurred in a stairwell inside a residential building in the 5100 block of Columbia Pike, during which the three individuals sustained their injuries. During the course of the investigation, a knife was recovered.
This remains an active criminal investigation. Anyone with information or home surveillance that may assist with the investigation is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). For additional community resources and contact information, visit our website.
A new restaurant specializing in traditional Honduran and Salvadoran cuisine is opening on Columbia Pike tomorrow.
Located at 3709 Columbia Pike, Variedades Catrachas is expected to welcome its first customers starting at 5 a.m. this Friday, the owner Jessica Canas told ARLnow.
Offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menu includes a variety of items such as soups, tacos, enchiladas, tamales and several egg-based dishes.
Canas also owns a Honduran restaurant in Alexandria called Las Catrachitas but this is her first foray into the Arlington food scene.
Variedades Catrachas joins the Pike’s bustling scene for Central and South American cuisine, including the recent additions of Mpanadas, Sabores and Taqueria el Poblano.
The restaurant will be open from 5-2 a.m. on Monday, Thursday and Friday; 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday; 6-2 a.m. on Saturday; and 7-2 a.m. on Sunday.
After a several-month delay, 2910 Kitchen & Bar is gearing up to open next month on Columbia Pike pending final permit approvals, according to the restaurant owner.
The family-owned American-style eatery takes its name from its Columbia Pike address, previously the site of P. Brennan’s Irish Pub. The cavernous, two-level bar and restaurant closed its doors in 2017 and remained vacant until last year.
Initially, 2910 Kitchen & Bar had set its sights on a summer opening. However, husband-and-wife owners Raheel “Ray” Khan and Griselda Giselle Fernandez say they had to postpone the launch after discovering some issues with the building, which caught the attention of the county’s historic review board.
“The previous tenants had done a couple of things they shouldn’t have,” Khan told ARLnow. “Until those issues were fixed, we were not able to move forward.”
Several “opening soon” signs are displayed in the windows, and the number “2910” now occupies the space where the old P. Brennan’s sign once stood.
The restaurant interior has undergone some dramatic changes, including revamping the staircase, redoing the bar and adding chandeliers. The restaurant will have an upstairs VIP area, complemented by a more casual dining option on the lower level.
The renovations are nearly done, Khan says, and he’s just waiting for a final inspection.
The menu will include classic American cuisine, including steak and pasta dishes, but the dishes and desserts will rotate seasonally, says Khan.
Earlier this year, Khan and his wife brought on Rob Szydlowski as their executive chef. He has helped with more than 50 restaurant openings over his career, including several Well-Hung Vineyard restaurants in southern Virginia.
If all goes well, Khan hopes to open 2910 Kitchen & Bar soon after the new year.
“We’re hoping for Jan. 8 to do the soft opening, but if not, then the middle of January,” he said.
After 64 years of serving subs and pizza in Arlington, The Broiler has expanded into Maryland, per the company’s social media accounts.
The long-time eatery, a local institution that opened back in 1959 on Columbia Pike, held a grand opening for its second location, in Clinton, Maryland, in late October. It announced the move to Clinton, which is about a 20-minute drive east of National Harbor, earlier this fall.
A video tour accompanying the grand opening announcement included footage inside and outside the restaurant as well as a montage of its famed cheesesteak sandwiches and pizza.
Khalid Elayan, the owner, opted not to comment on the new location.
The Broiler has crossed the river https://t.co/5ajujN9o67
— SRtwofourfour (@SRtwofourfour) November 18, 2023
Photo via The Broiler/Facebook
Despite weathering the pandemic, small businesses along Columbia Pike are now facing a new set of economic challenges, including rising rent, inflation, new developments and ongoing road work.
Deputy Director of the Columbia Pike Partnership Amy McWilliams sat down with ARLnow’s James Jarvis to delve into the economic hurdles that these small businesses are still confronting, nearly four years post-pandemic. McWilliams offers insight into the enduring strength of the small business community, emphasizing its continued resilience.
Listen below or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn.
A man whose stroke on the pickleball court was most unwelcome has allegedly been identified and arrested.
Police say a 49-year-old Arlington resident was taken into custody Monday after a peeping incident along Columbia Pike Friday night.
Just before 7 p.m. Friday, according to Arlington County police, the man was spotted masturbating while peeping into a business on the 1000 block of S. Edgewood Street. A source tells ARLnow that the business was a boxing gym.
Police were only told about the incident the next day, but a “review of evidence in the case” led them to the suspect, who was then also linked to a public masturbation incident on the morning of May 3 at the Walter Reed Community Center pickleball courts.
ARLnow previously reported about a pair of masturbation incidents at the Walter Reed courts in April. A police press release makes no reference to those incidents.
The suspect is currently being held in jail on two counts of public masturbation and one count of peeping, according to police.
More, below, from the ACPD press release.
The Arlington County Police Department’s Patrol Section is announcing the arrest of a suspect following investigations into exposure incidents. Alexei Rodriguez, 49, of Arlington, VA is charged with Public Masturbation (x2) and Peeping. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.
At approximately 1:45 p.m. on November 4, police were dispatched to the 1000 block of S. Edgewood Street for the late report of a peeping. Upon arrival, it was determined at approximately 6:55 p.m. on November 3, the occupants of an open business allegedly observed the suspect peeping through a window and masturbating before leaving the scene on foot. Following the review of evidence in the case, officers identified the suspect and obtained warrants for his arrest. He was taken into custody on the morning of November 6.
As a result of the ongoing criminal investigation, officers identified Mr. Rodriguez as the suspect in an exposure incident from May and obtained an additional arrest warrant. At approximately 10:44 a.m. on May 3, a patrol officer was contacted by a community member regarding a male suspect allegedly observed masturbating by the courts of the Walter Reed Community Center located at 2909 16th Street S.
Crime prevention and control is a key initiative of the Arlington County Police Department and officers are committed to conducting active patrols throughout Arlington and comprehensive follow-up investigations to identify, deter and prevent criminal activity. Community members observing in-progress criminal activity should report information immediately for police investigation by calling the Emergency Communications Center at 703-558-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.
After a nearly 50-year ride, Papillon Cycles on Columbia Pike shuttered on Tuesday.
The bike shop, founded by Ted Decapiteau in 1976 and later acquired by Bailey Garfield in 1989, shared a heartfelt goodbye on its Facebook page yesterday.
April fool’s 1976-Halloween 2023. It’s been a long strange trip, and Awesome! Thanks Customers Friends Family, STAFF! Owners, BAILEY! and long ago TED! But honestly ALL of you crazy riders. We are closed officially tonight. LOVE PEACE PEDALS!
Although his retirement was already on the horizon, Garfield, 70, shared with ARLnow he had hoped to hand over the reins to a new owner. However, the business had become increasingly unprofitable post-pandemic due to a combination of factors, including a lack of foot traffic, supply chain issues and the soaring rent costs.
“The bicycle industry, in general, is not good right now. Every week some of our major suppliers are showing signs they’re in economic distress… It’s a perfect storm,” he told ARLnow, adding that he knows several other small business owners on the same block who are also still struggling.
The building at 2801 Columbia Pike — housing Papillon and other neighboring retailers on the block — may be razed for a mixed-use development, according to filings with Arlington County.
The Christopher Companies proposes building an 88-unit, 7-story building with 5,800 square feet of retail space, UrbanTurf first reported in 2022.
Garfield said he is in the dark about the project but observed that Alexandria-based Seaport Properties hasn’t renewed long-term leases for several building tenants, including Papillon.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. Eventually, they’re gonna put in a 6- to 8-story mixed-use building here and we’re seeing what they’re doing all up and down the Pike. I don’t see how this is going to be any different,” Garfield said.
Rappahannock Coffee is set to close at the end of November, making way for a new café with a different name.
Located at 2406 Columbia Pike, the independent coffee shop first opened in May 2001, according to its website. Owner Gi Lee said that after two decades of brewing coffee, he is ready to retire.
“I’m too old,” Lee told ARLnow as he served a line of caffeine-deprived customers Tuesday morning.
While ARLnow could not confirm the exact last day of operation, Lee’s landlord, Yao Yao, said it would likely be in the final week of November.
The same week Rappahannock Coffee closes its doors, a new café plans to open under a different name, according to Yao.
“He’s gonna sell coffee and sandwiches… his plan is to start his business here as soon as possible,” Yao said.
Jose Lopez, the owner of the upcoming café, did not respond to requests for comment before our publication deadline.
A handful of other retail stores along Columbia Pike surround Rappahannock Coffee, including vape shop Thicker Cloudz and electronic repair shop Wireless Rxx.
At one point, the commercial strip that houses the businesses was slated to become a mixed-use development. Local developer B.M. Smith submitted plans to Arlington’s Historic Affairs and Landmark Review Board in 2013 and in 2020 the County Board approved a special use permit.
B.M. Smith sold the properties to Yao in 2020, he said. The new owner put the plans on hold in 2022, citing economic conditions.
Yao maintains that he has no plans to revive the mixed-use development proposal any time soon, citing high interest and construction costs.
“The business environment and the economy are not very conducive for to the new development at this time,” he said.
The new café will operate in the interim and will have big shoes to fill. Over its nearly two decades in business, Rappahannock Coffee built a loyal following that has kept it afloat despite competition from the Starbucks that opened in the Penrose Square development across the street in 2015.
For Rappahannock, its following comes down to its in-house roasts.
“Big corporate coffee shops can’t control the time between roasting and brewing, giving up on achieving true coffee flavor,” the website reads.
Police and medics responded to a serious pedestrian crash and a collision with multiple injuries Sunday night.
The crashes happened just a half hour apart, with the pedestrian crash at Columbia Pike and S. Greenbrier Street first reported around 9:45 p.m.
Initial reports suggest that a middle-aged man was struck by the driver of a Toyota. The intersection remains closed and police are still on scene investigating as of publication time, which is usually indicative of a crash involving a very serious injury or fatality.
Around 10:15 p.m., another significant crash was reported, this time in northern Arlington. Initial reports suggest that at least three people, including a juvenile, were hospitalized after two cars collided at the intersection of Langston Blvd and Lorcom Lane.
After a cleanup, the intersection reopened about an hour later.
No further details were immediately available about either crash.
LOCATION: Columbia Pike / S Greenbrier St.
INCIDENT: Traffic Collision
IMPACT: Columbia Pike from S. Frederick St. to S Greenbrier St. is closed. Seek an alternate route. pic.twitter.com/1U05rrqe6p— Arlington Alert (@ArlingtonAlert) October 30, 2023
INCIDENT: Traffic Collision
LOCATION: Langston Blvd (Rt. 29)/Lorcom Lane
IMPACT: The intersection of Langston Blvd (Rt. 29) and Lorcom Lane is closed in all directions. Seek alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/RhQ25BN4BM— Arlington Alert (@ArlingtonAlert) October 30, 2023
