Author: Katie Taranto

Katie Taranto is a reporter at Local News Now, primarily covering business, public safety and the city of Falls Church. She graduated from the University of Missouri in 2024, where she previously covered K-12 education at The Columbia Missourian. She is originally from Macungie, Pennsylvania.

Around Town

New ‘Club Pilates’ plans July opening in Clarendon

By Katie Taranto
Urban Kempo's former space at 3000 Washington Blvd (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A different kind of exercise is coming to the site of a longtime martial arts studio in Clarendon.

Club Pilates plans to open in late July at 3000 Washington Blvd, joining the neighborhood’s growing landscape of gyms and wellness industry businesses. It replaces Urban Kempo, a martial arts studio that closed last year after a decade in business.

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Around Town

Boutique dentistry chain ‘Tend’ opens new Pentagon City office

By Katie Taranto
Tend's new office in Pentagon City (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Boutique dental chain Tend cut the ribbon on its new Pentagon City office yesterday (Wednesday).

Appointments are now available at the new dental studio at 1421 S. Hayes Street, which promises a “kind, judgement-free team” that provides care in a soothing atmosphere.

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News

Vacant Giant grocery store in Lyon Village might become a Sprouts

By Katie Taranto
A worker taking down signage at the Lyon Village Shopping Center's Giant in March 2024 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

It appears a new grocer has its eyes set on the vacant Giant at the Lyon Village Shopping Center.

A commercial addition permit application filed Monday on behalf of Sprouts Farmers Market calls for “tenant improvement of an existing grocery store into a new grocery store” at 3115 Langston Blvd.

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Events

American Legion post plans new Memorial Day art exhibit in Va. Square

By Katie Taranto
American Legion Post 139 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Virginia Square’s newly renovated American Legion Post 139 plans to host its first-ever veterans art exhibit over Memorial Day weekend.

Highlighting art by Northern Virginia veterans, the gallery opening on Saturday, May 24 at 3445 Washington Blvd will “explore themes of service, conflict, healing and duty,” Commander Richard L. Rodriguez, who served in the Marines, Navy and Navy Reserve, told ARLnow.

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Around Town

New facial studio plans to open in Clarendon this fall, replacing Verizon store

By Katie Taranto
Verizon's upcoming space at 2900 Clarendon Blvd (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Clarendon’s Verizon store is preparing to relocate this summer as a new facial studio hopes to open there this fall.

The Verizon at 2930 Clarendon Blvd is moving less than a block away to Le Pain Quotidien’s former space at 2900 Clarendon Blvd. Meanwhile, skin care studio franchise Glowbar intends to open at Verizon’s current address later this year.

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Around Town

New creperie and cafe by Pupatella founders plans May opening in Falls Church

By Katie Taranto
The Little Falls Cafe (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

A new cafe in a historic Falls Church building is expected to open in two weeks.

Little Falls Cafe, a project by the founders of Pupatella, has set an early May opening date in a renovated building at 106 Little Falls Street, co-owner Anastasiya Algarme told ARLnow. It plans to offer European fare with a colorful, vintage interior full of thrifted decorations.

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Events

Arlington bookseller plans weekend giveaways for Independent Bookstore Day

By Katie Taranto
The interior of One More Page bookstore in East Falls Church (courtesy photo)

Free books, puzzles and prizes are coming to One More Page Books this weekend in celebration of Independent Bookstore Day.

The woman-owned shop in East Falls Church has planned a day of giveaways from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. this Saturday at 2200 N. Westmoreland Street.

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Events

How to celebrate Earth Day in Arlington: Volunteering, yoga and more

By Katie Taranto
Trees in Glebe Road Park (staff photo)

Celebrations of nature and environmental protection are happening across Arlington and Falls Church in honor of Earth Day today (Tuesday).

An array of nature hikes, stream cleanups, yoga sessions and other activities are scheduled to continue through this weekend and beyond, offering local residents a chance to participate in the global effort to support conservation.

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Events

Free outdoor arts festival returns to Clarendon this weekend

By Katie Taranto
Art showcased at a past Arlington Festival of the Arts Festival (courtesy of Howard Alan Events)

The Arlington Festival of the Arts returns to Clarendon this weekend, bringing back its free outdoor arts showcase for an 11th year.

The annual festival — featuring paintings, sculptures, jewelry and photography from over 125 artists — will take place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday at 1051 N. Highland Street.

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Around Town

Dance studio and daycare open at West Falls in F.C., with more businesses on the way

By Katie Taranto
Ribbon cutting at the new West Falls Tierra Encantada daycare (via Tierra Encantada West Falls Church/Facebook)

A full slate of new businesses have opened in recent weeks and months at the West Falls development in Falls Church.

A daycare, dance studio, Chase Bank and Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls are just some of the project’s newest retailers — and even more restaurants, including an ice cream parlor and a ramen bar, are on their way this spring and summer.

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News

Clarendon store at No. 1 in new ranking of Arlington’s most transit-accessible grocers

By Katie Taranto
The Clarendon Trader Joe's storefront (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

The Clarendon Trader Joe’s is Arlington’s most accessible grocery store for walkers, bicyclists and transit users, according to a new ranking for a local advocacy group.

Other winners in Sustainable Mobility for Arlington County’s ranking of 18 Arlington grocery stores include grocers in Bluemont, Cherrydale, Pentagon City and Penrose. The lowest-ranking businesses, based on the group’s rubric, were a pair of grocers in Yorktown.

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Around Town

Lost Dog Cafe considers closing amid Columbia Pike construction and tough times ahead

By Katie Taranto
"Road closed" signage on Columbia Pike, near Lost Dog Cafe in April 2025 (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Lost Dog Cafe’s owner is weighing his options as ongoing Columbia Pike construction and region-wide challenges for restaurants have him concerned about his bottom line.

The restaurant at 2920 Columbia Pike experienced a 10% drop in sales from 2023 to 2024, and if the current trend continues, owner James Barnes expects that number to dip another 8.75% by the end of this year.

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