It’s not a great time to own a restaurant, particularly one that depends on masses of office workers crowding into a small space.
Amid the pandemic, Poke Bar in Rosslyn appears to have closed for good. The two-year-old, assembly line-style eatery on N. Lynn Street was empty this morning, with the furnishings gone.
The Boston Market restaurant at 3233 Columbia Pike has closed its doors permanently.
“Thank you for your support and patronage,” says a sign on the door. “It has been a privilege and honor to serve you. Unfortunately, this Boston Market restaurant has closed. It would be our pleasure to serve you at one of our nearby Boston Market restaurants.”
Another week has passed, and Arlington is still at least partially locked down.
But it feels like the dam has sprung a leak. The roads seem busier, more and more people are getting outside as the weather gets warmer, there are still plenty of people out shopping for food and other essentials, and there’s a sense that everyone is ready to resume something closer to normal life.
During the pandemic ARLnow has been thanking the small business that have stuck with us through these tough times.
We have more to thank, but we also would like to acknowledge some of our non-business sponsors, including George Mason University.
Mexicali Blues is the latest Arlington restaurant to pivot to takeout and delivery during the coronavirus pandemic.
The long-time eatery at 2933 Wilson Blvd in Clarendon reopened Monday with a new ordering and delivery system on its website. The restaurant is offering dinner from 4-8 p.m. daily, and is also delivering via Uber Eats and Doordash (which are, as of today today, in merger talks.)
The Crystal City Business Improvement District (BID) is working to enliven some of the local storefronts during the pandemic.
A new art initiative called #LoveNationalLanding is adding a little color to some of the local businesses across Pentagon City, Crystal City and Potomac Yard, an area that was collectively branded as “National Landing” when Amazon announced its move into the area. The Crystal City BID was also recently approved for a name change and boundary expansion to encompass the entire area.
If this were a Navy deployment, we’ve reached the part where “scuttlebutt” starts to spread throughout the ship.
Rumors and innuendo on where we are going and what the mission might be run rampant, especially through the lower ranks and the people who are the least likely to actually know what’s going on.
An Arlington pharmacy and a neighboring kabob restaurant have partnered to help feed hospital workers.
Preston’s Pharmacy (5101 Lee Highway) sits directly across the street from Arlington Kabob (5046 Lee Highway). While business during the pandemic has been active at Preston’s, an essential business, pharmacy owner Frank Odeh said he could tell it’s been hard on Arlington Kabob.
The show has ended Saffron Dance, a belly dance studio at 3260 Wilson Blvd in the Clarendon area, at least for now.
Founder and owner Saphira the studio said in an email that it would be going “on a hiatus” at the end of its current semester. After the last classes on June 7, Saphira said the studio’s leadership will take the summer months to consider their future.
Ireland’s Four Courts will once again be serving shepherd’s pies and fish and chips, starting Friday.
The long-time Courthouse watering hole closed on March 15, devastatingly just before St. Patrick’s Day. But customers have rallied around the pub and donated nearly $35,000 via a GoFundMe campaign to benefit Four Courts and its laid off employees.
Ballston Quarter (4238 Wilson Blvd) has launched a pair of initiatives to try to help restaurants hold on through the pandemic.
First, the mall is offering anyone who orders $50 worth of takeout or delivery from a Ballston Quarter restaurant and submits an itemized receipt a $20 prepaid Visa card as a reward.
With cabin fever setting in after weeks of mostly staying at home, large crowds gathered yesterday, on Cinco de Mayo, to pick up to-go tacos, margaritas and other Mexican fare at restaurants across Arlington.
Among the popular spots: Uncle Julio’s in Ballston, District Taco in Rosslyn, Guapo’s in Shirlington, and TTT and Don Tito in Clarendon. For some, it was a welcome boost for some local businesses. For others, it was an unnecessary danger.
