A new spot for hookah and Turkish cuisine is coming to Columbia Pike.
Huqqa Lounge will be the tenant at 2330 Columbia Pike, owner Ahmet Yilidiz told ARLnow, filling the space vacated by Manoukian Brothers Oriental Rugs earlier this year.
A Spanish tapas restaurant will soon call Pentagon City home.
El Mercat Bar de Tapas will be moving into Westpost at National Landing, replacing Asia Bistro at 1301 S. Joyce St, according to a permit filing.
While summer is often a slower season for many businesses, BizLaunch has been hard at work supporting Arlington entrepreneurs and preparing an exciting lineup of fall programs. From business growth strategies to inspiring founder stories, there are plenty of opportunities ahead for small business owners looking to learn, connect and grow.
Arlington Growth Accelerator
Ready to take your business to the next level?
The Arlington Growth Accelerator is a selective, cohort-based leadership program designed for established businesses poised for growth. Offered in partnership with SCORE, the program features six hybrid half-day sessions that guide participants through the development of a practical four-year growth strategy focused on operations, financing and long-term success.
Participants will leave with:
- A customized four-year growth plan
- A detailed Year One execution roadmap
- Access to experienced mentors
- An opportunity to participate in a capital matching day
Whether you’re planning your next phase of expansion or looking to strengthen your business foundation, this program provides the tools and support to help you grow with confidence. Join us for an info session about the program on Aug. 5 at 12:00 p.m. Program kicks off Sept. 25.
Chefpreneur Chat: Unidos Somos Más (Together We Are More)
Join us Oct. 13 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. for a special Chefpreneur Chat celebrating this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month theme, Unidos Somos Más (Together We Are More).
Hosted by BizLaunch in partnership with Arlington Public Libraries, this interactive event will spotlight the entrepreneur behind Panamericana Bakery. Attendees will enjoy a live fish preparation demonstration while hearing firsthand how the business was built and grown in Arlington.
The conversation, moderated by Dov & Company, will explore entrepreneurship, culture, community and resilience. Guests will gain practical insights from a successful business owner while celebrating the contributions of Hispanic entrepreneurs who help shape Arlington’s vibrant business community.
To continue the celebration, BizLaunch will also launch a social media campaign highlighting stories of collaboration, partnership and the collective impact of Hispanic-owned businesses across Arlington. Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when registration for this event opens.
Stay Connected
Fall is just getting started.
In addition to a full lineup of educational programs and networking opportunities, BizLaunch will soon open registration for its annual, 2027 BizLaunch Transformational and PitchFest program, a five-week cohort experience where participants compete for cash prizes while strengthening their businesses.
Stay up to date on upcoming events, workshops and resources by subscribing to the BizLaunch newsletter. Learn more at www.bizlaunch.org.
Arlington County officially added 7.5 acres of undeveloped land along N. Glebe Road to its holdings this past fall.
For now, however, there are no plans to do anything of note to the property.
A $1.2 million Lyon Village home has gone up for sale with a planned condition — it can’t be redeveloped as a multi-family residence.
“Prior to settlement, the seller will put in a covenant to restrict the property to a single family residence,” reads the Redfin posting for the four bedroom, two bathroom home built in 1954.
Join the Rosslyn BID and Arlington Arts at the 34th Rosslyn Jazz Fest 2026 featuring live jazz, food trucks, local vendors, and family-friendly activities in the heart of Rosslyn! This year’s lineup is bringing a diverse mix of performers and bands redefining the jazz music genre including Plena Libre, Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars, Parlor Greens, and Dogo du Togo & the Alagaa Beat Band.
Arlington Dems Going to Convention — “The chair and deputy chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee are saddling up and getting ready to participate in the Democratic National Convention. Steve Baker and Paul Ruiz won Virginia-at-large national-convention seats during the recent Democratic Party of Virginia state convention.” [Gazette Leader]
Sinkhole Repair in Ballston — From Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services: “Road crew performing emergency repairs on Wilson Blvd between N Randolph St and N Stuart due to a sinkhole. Work during daytime hours and may extend through at least Sunday. Open traffic lanes will favor rush-hour directions.” [Twitter]
Trash Collection Change Extended — “Through the end of July, crews will pick up curbside trash, recycling and organics starting at 6 a.m. to take advantage of cooler morning temperatures. Residents should place carts at the curb no later than 5:30 a.m. on their scheduled collection day.” [Press Release]
Reminder: ART Bus Changes — “Starting Monday, July 1, Arlington Transit (ART) will increase fares, discontinue three routes, and add a new route in north Arlington… The ART regular fare will increase from $2 to $2.25.” [Arlington County]
Police Pride Event — “During the final days of Pride Month, Arlington County first responders spent the day talking — and celebrating — with LGBTQ+ community members. The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) hosted the 4th annual Pride with the Police event at Freddie’s Beach Bar alongside fire, sheriffs and other emergency personnel. Among their goals at the event was to promote their LGBTQ+ Liason Team.” [DC News Now]
Arlington Company Acquired — “Arcadia, a leading data platform for healthcare, today announced the acquisition of CareJourney (based in Arlington, VA) – a top provider of clinically relevant healthcare data and AI-powered analytics and insights with data across 300M beneficiaries and 2M providers… CareJourney (now CareJourney by Arcadia) has been led by Aneesh Chopra, the first U.S. Chief Technology Officer (appointed by President Obama), and Dan Ross, Co-Founder and CEO.” [Globe Newswire]
It’s Friday — Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 84 degrees, accompanied by a gentle 8mph breeze coming from the northeast and shifting southeast later in the afternoon. Cloud cover will increase during the night, bringing temperatures to a low of around 71 degrees, with southeast winds ranging from 6 to 10 mph. [NWS]
Flickr pool photo by Emma K. Alexandra
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Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
🕗 News recap
The following articles were published earlier today — Jun 27, 2024.
- 9:30 am: Uniqlo, two others coming to Pentagon City mall | 🗣️ Comments
- 10:30 am: Crumbl Cookies reportedly no longer coming to Lee Harrison Shopping Center | 🗣️ Comments
- 11:30 am: McDonald’s on Langston Blvd to be demolished, replaced with modernized building | 🗣️ Comments
- 1:15 pm: Clarendon UPS Store closes, citing redevelopment plans for office building | 🗣️ Comments
- 3:30 pm: Pentagon City Sector Plan, overturned by state court, is returning for County Board vote | 🗣️ Comments
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on Friday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
- 10:00 am: Pages on the Plaza
- 2:30 pm: Innovation Station
- 5:30 pm: Zumba Power Hour
- 7:30 pm: “The Simon & Garfunkel Songbook” Tribute
☀️ Friday’s forecast
Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures reaching around 84 degrees, accompanied by a gentle 8mph breeze coming from the northeast and shifting southeast later in the afternoon. Cloud cover will increase during the night, bringing temperatures to a low of around 71 degrees, with southeast winds ranging from 6 to 10 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
– Albert Einstein
Thanks for reading! Feel free to discuss the day’s happenings in the comments.
The Pentagon City Sector Plan, which the Virginia Court of Appeals voided last month due to insufficient public notice, is heading back to the Arlington County Board for another vote.
However, county staff have indicated that they do not intend to make any substantive changes to the plan, suggesting that the construction of several controversial apartment towers at the RiverHouse property is still likely to proceed.
The UPS Store in Clarendon has closed its doors ahead of proposed changes to the building.
A series of tipsters have contacted ARLnow in recent days about the store’s closure at 3033 Wilson Blvd, next to the just-opened Láylí Mediterranean restaurant.
Major improvements are in the plans for the McDonald’s at 4834 Langston Blvd.
The fast food restaurant intends to completely demolish the aging building, replacing it with a modernized restaurant next year “to serve our customers better,” area construction manager Michele Miller told ARLnow.