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

Late-night sundae shop The Scoop N Scootery plans summer opening in Clarendon

By Katie Taranto
The Reign of Terror sundae from The Scoop N Scootery(via The Scoop N Scootery/Facebook)

An ice cream sundae shop with late-night hours, a delivery service and a popular online presence is expanding to Clarendon.

The Scoop N Scootery is coming to 1138 N. Irving Street, in the former Jimmy John’s space at the Beacon building. The franchise has amassed 2.3 million TikTok likes on videos of its elaborate sundaes — available for delivery until 2 a.m. — that come with toppings like buttercream frosting, brownie bites, graham crackers and blueberry muffin crumbles.

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News

Creator of demolished Black history mural at Hall’s Hill McDonald’s will paint replacement

By Katie Taranto
The space behind McDonald's on Langston Blvd, where a mural of Hall's Hill's Black history used to be (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

The original creator of a Hall’s Hill mural depicting the neighborhood’s Black history is returning to repaint the artwork, after McDonald’s demolished it last fall.

D.C. artist Roderick Turner will replace the mural on a paneled structure, which will be attached to poles at 4834 Langston Blvd facing the Langston-Brown Community Center, Wilma Jones, president of the John M. Langston Citizens Association, told ARLnow.

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Around Town

Three Notch’d nixes ax-throwing in Clarendon as restaurant plans move forward

By Katie Taranto
Signage in Clarendon advertising the new Three Notch'd Brewing Company (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Previous plans for an ax-throwing venue inside a forthcoming Clarendon restaurant have gotten the ax.

Three Notch’d Brewing Company no longer intends to let people throw axes at targets in its new restaurant on Barnes & Noble’s former ground floor. Instead, the Charlottesville-based brewery plans to focus the location primarily on dining, a whiskey distillery, tasting room and private event space, President Scott Roth told ARLnow.

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Around Town

Pupuseria prepares to reopen after fire damage in Ashton Heights strip mall

By Katie Taranto
Pupuseria Doña Azucena is preparing to reopen on N. Glebe Road (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Renovations are underway at a fire-damaged pupuseria in the Ashton Heights neighborhood, with the goal of reopening this summer.

Pupuseria Doña Azucena has been shuttered at 71 N. Glebe Road since August 2024, when a fire at the strip mall ravaged the space, requiring structural repairs. An exact reopening date has not been set, but “we’re aiming for the second week of June,” owner Heriberto Hernandez said.

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Around Town

Brazilian-Lebanese chicken spot Tio Pelé opens on Langston Blvd

By Katie Taranto
Crowds show up to Tio Pelé's grand opening day at 3110 Langston Blvd (courtesy of Tio Pelé)

A Brazilian and Lebanese-inspired charcoal chicken shop is now open for business on Langston Blvd.

Tio Pelé celebrated its grand opening last week at 3110 Langston Blvd in Lyon Village, slinging whole and half chickens, sandwiches, bowls and fresh juice. Customers lined up around the property to get a taste of the family-owned spot, located at the former site of The Block Oven, a Mediterranean restaurant and hookah lounge.

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Around Town

Ballston juice shop still opening, despite co-founder’s arrest

By Katie Taranto
Signs for Paradise Juice Bar in Ballston (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Plans for a new juice bar across from the Ballston Metro station are moving forward despite the arrest of one of its co-founders earlier this month.

Signs advertising Paradise Juice Bar have recently appeared at 4219 Fairfax Drive, where co-founders Saleh Salim and Sam Ahmed have planned the business since last summer. The juice shop still intends to open within the next month, following Salim’s March 18 arrest as local authorities investigated a regional drug trafficking ring.

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Around Town

Arlington Beer Garden and Clarendon 54 lounge close for redevelopment

By Katie Taranto
Clarendon 54 has closed in Clarendon (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

Two nightlife venues have closed in Clarendon ahead of a neighborhood redevelopment project.

Arlington Beer Garden is no longer in business at 3217 10th Street N., an employee told ARLnow, and the nearby Clarendon 54 club is now fenced off, with new signage advising of “on-site construction activity” at 3200 Wilson Blvd.

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Around Town

My Home Thai Bistro plans grand opening in Falls Church this weekend

By Katie Taranto
My Home Thai Bistro in Falls Church (courtesy of My Home Thai Bistro)

A local Thai restaurant chain with lunch specials and astrology-themed cocktails is celebrating its Falls Church debut this weekend.

After nearly a year of preparations, My Home Thai Bistro plans to host a grand opening this Saturday for its new restaurant at 1009 W. Broad Street. The new eatery aims to bring “a modern take on Thai cuisine with a refined yet welcoming atmosphere,” co-owner Anuchit “Andrew” Suthus-na-Ayuttaya told ARLnow.

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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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