Around Town

(Updated at 11:55 a.m.) Two years ago, Grace Community Church held its meetings at the Thomas Jefferson Middle School auditorium.

Now, it is hosting big acts in contemporary Christian music at its new home in Ballston Quarter, which seats 500 people.


Around Town

Pizza Roma in Ballston has closed, making way for a new fast-casual Italian eatery called Scolapasta.

ARLnow received a tip last week that the longstanding pizzeria at 4219 N. Fairfax Drive — in operation for at least 15 years — had shut its doors, with “Coming Soon” signs for Scolapasta now gracing the windows. This week, the sign for “Pizza Roma” was also gone.


News

Signs for the new Ballston Harris Teeter are up, signaling that the first phase of the three-part project is nearing completion.

Last month, the owner applied for an occupancy permit for the new grocery store, which tenants do before they can officially move in. Inspection is still pending, per the county website.


News

A grim anniversary quietly passed last month: four years since the still-unsolved murder of Scott Ratigan.

The 24-year-old was found dead with “trauma to the upper body” in his Ballston apartment in January 2020. The 911 caller reported a strong smell of bleach in the apartment, according to scanner traffic at the time.


Around Town

After a nearly five-month wait, Maryland-based Roggenart Bistro & Café is set to open in Ballston later this month.

Located inside the former Republik Coffee Bar at 4401 Wilson Blvd, the European-inspired coffee shop and bakery chain is planning to hold a soft opening at the end of February, aiming for a grand opening by mid-March.


News

Two women from D.C. are facing charges after police say they robbed a store in Ballston while pushing a child in a baby stroller.

The alleged crime happened around 11 p.m. Thursday night on the 4200 block of Fairfax Drive, across from the Metro. A 7-Eleven is the only store on that block that appears to keep late night hours.


Around Town

Lee’s Sandwiches, which bills itself as the “World’s Largest Bánh Mì Chain,” has temporarily closed its doors in Ballston but may reopen under new ownership.

The Ballston location at 801 N. Quincy Street appears to have been closed for at least a month and is listed as “temporarily closed” on Google Maps and on a sign posted inside the door.


Around Town

The CVS Pharmacy inside the Target in Ballston is closing.

The pharmacy’s last pick-up date is Friday, Feb. 16, according to signage posted at a checkout desk inside the store at 740 N. Glebe Road. All prescriptions will be automatically moved to a different location.


News

A man was carjacked in Ballston last night, leading to a police chase — but no arrests yet.

The carjacking happened around 10:30 p.m. on the 4000 block of Wilson Blvd, when two male suspects forced the victim out of his parked car and drove off.


Around Town

Arlington’s first halal barbecue restaurant is up and running in Ballston.

Hal & Al’s BBQ in Quarter Market, the food hall in Ballston Quarter, opened in December. It is best known at this point for its beef brisket, though it also serves beef ribs and turkey sausage and sides such as chili and mac and cheese.


News

The cost to park in many of Arlington’s busiest neighborhoods could change March 1.

The most popular places to park along the Rosslyn-Ballston and Route 1 corridors could ultimately cost up to $5 per hour, according to a county report. Less popular spots, meanwhile, could become less expensive than the current rate.


News

The Macy’s store in Ballston is slated to close this spring, as soon as March, ARLnow has learned.

The department store at the Ballston Quarter mall was one of five locations the company identified last week as set to close in 2024. Macy’s is also planning to cut some 2,350 jobs this year.


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