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

Java Loco boba cafe to replace shuttered Starbucks at Ballston Metro

By Katie Taranto
Starbucks' former space at the Ballston Metro station (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A locally owned cafe and bubble tea shop is coming to the Ballston Metro station.

Java Loco is planning to replace the former Starbucks at 901 N. Stuart Street, co-founder Nam Tran told ARLnow. The family-owned cafe, led by Tran and his wife, Nga Ho, serves espresso drinks, Vietnamese coffee, smoothies, pastries and a variety of sandwiches and salads.

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Around Town

Cup of Bliss cafe opening at Lee Harrison Shopping Center later this year

By Katie Taranto
Signs for Cup of Bliss at the Lee Harrison Shopping Center (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

The founders of a new cafe at the Lee Harrison Shopping Center are hoping to bring some Vietnamese flair to Yorktown later this year.

Tina Dam and David Le are preparing to open Cup of Bliss “in the summer to early fall” at 2439 N. Harrison Street, Dam told ARLnow. They plan to serve coffee, baked goods and Vietnamese specialities from a retail bay that had been vacant for more than three years.

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Around Town

Paint Nail Bar shutters near Rosslyn after five years, holds close-out sale

By Katie Taranto
Paint Nail Bar in Rosslyn (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A family-owned nail salon franchise that opened during the throes of the pandemic has closed for business near Rosslyn.

Paint Nail Bar, a nationwide chain franchised by local couple Kevin and Amber Donohoo, closed at 1520 Clarendon Blvd this week after more than five years in business. The salon is holding a final sale to get rid of merchandise, supplies and furniture at discounted prices through this Saturday.

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Around Town

Arlington fast casual spots make strong appearance in RAMMY Awards semifinalists

By Katie Taranto
Surreal's mezze mancheri (courtesy of Jennifer Chase)

Restaurateurs with projects in Arlington and Falls Church are stepping into another RAMMY Awards season with plenty of recognition to go around.

Restaurants and hospitality groups with a foothold in the local area have received nearly two dozen RAMMY semifinalist nominations at the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s annual program spotlighting excellence in the region’s culinary scene.

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News

Va. Square-based AI company goes public after merger with health tech firm

By Katie Taranto
Fuse at Mason Square (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Arlington has a new publicly traded company after a local AI cloud computing platform completed a merger with a California-based health technology firm last week.

Virginia Square-based Corvex finalized a reverse merger with Movano Inc. — a group that develops “wearable solutions” for users to track their personal health data — last Thursday. Movano is now called “Corvex” and remains under the “MOVE” symbol on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

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Around Town

New Maman cafe in Ballston plans to open next month

By Katie Taranto
Signs for Maman in Ballston (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

The French-inspired cafe chain Maman is coming to Ballston next month, joining the neighborhood’s shifting breakfast-and-brunch landscape.

The New York City-based business, known for its blue-and-white floral aesthetic and Oprah-approved cookies, is preparing to open its second Arlington location at 4121 Wilson Blvd in “early April,” a spokesperson told ARLnow.

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Around Town

‘Pilates on the Mat’ fitness studio plans new location in Crystal City

By Katie Taranto
Pilates on the Mat is "coming soon" to 269 19th Court S. (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A new Pilates studio is rolling out plans to open in Crystal City.

Signs advertising “Pilates on the Mat” have appeared on the ground floor of The Grace and Reva apartments (269 19th Court S.). A website for the upcoming business advertises “a revolutionary fitness concept providing reformer-quality Pilates classes at a fraction of the price,” in addition to “corporate wellness” classes offered at offices and apartments.

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Around Town

Mellow Mushroom pizzeria eyes Arlington for new D.C.-area expansion

By Katie Taranto
Mellow Mushroom pizza and sides (courtesy of Mellow Mushroom)

A pizza franchise with a flair for the psychedelic has its eye on Arlington and Alexandria as it plans a major new expansion into the D.C. area.

Mellow Mushroom has named the two localities among its “highest-priority growth markets on the East Coast,” a spokesperson told ARLnow. The business — known for its “stone-baked pies,” appetizers and kaleidoscopic colors — is planning to open eight to 10 new locations in the region, according to Jamie Cecil, vice president of franchise development.

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Around Town

Thai restaurant Rien Tong closes for ‘complete transformation’ in Clarendon

By Katie Taranto
Rien Tong in Clarendon (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A longtime Thai restaurant and sushi bar has closed for business in Clarendon, but it appears the business won’t be gone for long.

Rien Tong Thai Asian Restaurant & Sushi Bar plans to spend the next 10 months rebranding at 3131 Wilson Blvd, located just across the street from the Clarendon Metro station. A message posted in the restaurant’s windows teases improvements under new management.

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Around Town

Twins Ace Hardware plans to open in Crystal City next month

By Katie Taranto
Twins Ace Hardware "coming soon" in Crystal City (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

An Ace Hardware store is opening soon in Crystal City.

Arlington’s second Twins Ace Hardware is preparing to soft open at 2051 S. Bell Street on Tuesday, April 7, owner Jeff Smith told ARLnow. This will be followed by a three-day grand opening with “swag, gift bags, giveaways, and plenty of surprises” from May 29-31.

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Around Town

Paint-your-own-pottery studio plans grand opening in Shirlington this weekend

By Katie Taranto
Paint Your Heart Out's Shirlington storefront (courtesy of Paint Your Heart Out)

A new pottery studio offering customers a chance to paint their own bowls, mugs and figurines is opening in Shirlington this weekend.

Paint Your Heart Out is throwing a grand opening starting at 11 a.m. this Saturday for its new studio at 2780 S. Arlington Mill Road, where Shirlington Cleaners used to be. The grand opening will include a $50 gift card raffle, and the first 50 guests to make a $50 purchase will be given a complimentary mug to decorate.

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