Jeni’s Ice Cream in Shirlington is giving away free ice cream next week.
While the new shop at 4150 Campbell Ave has already been open for a couple of weeks, there will be a “grand opening” event on Wednesday, March 8.
At the event, employees will be scooping free ice cream starting at 7 p.m. until closing at 11 p.m, the company announced in a press release.
“All ice cream, up to and including a signature (three flavors), will be free,” a Jeni’s spokesperson confirmed to ARLnow.
Plus, the first 50 people in line at 7 p.m. will get “swag bags” with Jeni’s merchandise.
After nearly a year since the initial announcement, Jeni’s Ice Cream finally opened in Shirlington earlier this month. With the closings of Yogiberry and I-CE-NY over the last several years, there were no dedicated frozen dessert shops in the shopping center until the Columbus, Ohio-based ice cream shop made its debut.
The scoop shop is open every day from noon to 11 p.m., providing night owls a chance to satisfy their sweet tooth.
Jeni’s is not the only highly-anticipated opening in Shirlington. A block away, Astro Beer Hall (and its donut-making robot) plan to start serving in May.
The scoop in Shirlington is that Jeni’s Ice Creams is finally opening this week.
A reader tipped off ARLnow that they spotted the ice cream shop at 4150 Campbell Avenue holding a “friends and family night” earlier this week.
The shop is planning a public “soft opening” starting Thursday, Feb. 16, a spokesperson confirmed. A grand opening event is likely set for “early to mid March,” they said.
It’s been close to a year since we reported that the Columbus, Ohio-based premium ice cream chain was setting up shop in Shirlington. Besides window stickers, there were only a sprinkling of updates throughout 2022. Then, last month, the company confirmed they were looking to open early this year.
While the middle of February is usually not the ideal time for a cold treat, this Thursday’s weather looks to be unusually mild with temperatures expected to be in the mid-60s.
Jeni’s is filling a notable gap in Shirlington. With the recent closings of Yogiberry and I-CE-NY in late 2021, there were no dedicated frozen treat shops in the Village of Shirlington shopping center.
That has now been rectified.
“After a long wait we are looking forward to an ice cream store in the neighborhood!” our tipster said.
Elsewhere in Shirlington, Our Mom Eugenia still has yet to open though the plan was to start serving this month. The two-level beer-and-coffee venue Astro Beer Hall is also expected to open soon, with new banners around the building proclaiming a May 2023 date.
If you can’t wait until Thursday, there are also Jeni’s in D.C., Old Town Alexandria, and Tysons.
Hat tip to Thomas G.
The spring warm-up may herald the arrival of some cold treats in Shirlington.
Jeni’s Ice Cream is aiming to open its first Arlington location by early spring, a spokesperson tells ARLnow.
“As of right now, we are aiming to open in Q1 of this year,” the spokesperson said via email. “We’ll hone in on the grand opening date in the next few weeks.”
The Ohio-based ice cream shop is set to move into 4150 Campbell Avenue, the former home of rolled ice cream purveyor I-CE-NY. While this will be Jeni’s first location in Arlington, there are nearby scoop shops in Alexandria, Tysons, and D.C.
Signs announcing Jeni’s arrival first went up at the Village of Shirlington early last year, but until now there was only a sprinkling of details about an opening date. The location is still not listed on the company’s website.
Due to recent closings, Shirlington currently lacks a dedicated frozen treat shop. Yogi Castle shuttered last year while I-CE-NY closed in late 2021.
Jeni’s Ice Cream is not the only notable business set to open in Shirlington in the coming months. The well-regarded Greek restaurant Our Mom Eugenia should be opening soon as well as Astro Beer Hall, in the former Capitol City Brewing space.
Shirlington frozen dessert fans are getting the cold shoulder.
Frozen yogurt spot Yogi Castle at 4014 Campbell Ave appears to have closed a couple of months ago, with the interior now cleaned out and the awning removed. What’s left is an outline of a sign that once read “Yogiberry,” which was the business name prior to Yogi Castle.
ARLnow hasn’t been able to reach the business owners to confirm exactly when and why it closed. Property owner Federal Realty Investment Trust also was not able to provide details about the shop’s departure from the Village of Shirlington.
Yogiberry first opened in 2010, replacing Maggie Moo’s ice cream.
For a moment, it appeared that Shirlington was not going to have to wait long for a new frozen dessert spot.
Back in April, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream announced that it was moving into a space just down the street from Yogi Castle at 4150 Campbell Avenue. It’s replacing a Thai rolled ice cream spot, which closed late last year.
While Jeni’s stickers plaster the storefront’s windows, it remains unclear when the scoop shop might open.
There is no estimated date or timeline for the Shirlington store’s opening, a Jeni’s spokesperson tells ARLnow in an email. The location is not listed yet on the company’s main site, and interior construction appeared to still be in the early stages a couple of weeks ago.
The Ohio-based ice cream company currently has shops in Bethesda, D.C., Alexandria, and Tysons, which opened in the spring of last year.
Arlington’s summer days have always consisted of a sweltering combination of high humidity and temperatures. This month has been no exception.
Yet summer is also the season to venture out, try new things, and explore new places.
In the interest of remaining active while cooling down, here are eight tasty, cold goodies in Arlington you can try before summer ends.
1. Nutella ice cream from Nicecream
Nicecream in Clarendon (2831 Clarendon Blvd) uses the process of freezing ice cream with liquid nitrogen. Its selection of ice cream flavors rotates weekly and has flavors spanning from white chocolate peanut butter to grapefruit creamsicle. However, Nutella is a must-try.
2. Nutella açaí bowl from South Block
Similarly, did you know you can get some of that addictive chocolate hazelnut spread in your South Block açaí bowl? We did, so we figured you would want to try that to cool off. Topping off South Block’s Nutella açaí bowl are mixed granola, banana, strawberry, coconut and Nutella.
3. Peanut butter icebox pie from Bakeshop
Bakeshop in Clarendon (1025 N. Fillmore Street) is no ordinary bakery. Offering a slew of flavors of cupcakes, bread, cakes, cookies, pies and macarons, Bakeshop also offers vegan and gluten-free options. Its Peanut Butter Icebox Pie is the perfect pick-me-up for peanut butter lovers.
4. Ice cream cookiewich from Bakeshop
One of the most popular summer treats at Bakeshop that is a must-try is its ice cream Cookiewich. This Cookiewich consists of two mouth-watering chocolate chunk cookies enveloping vanilla ice cream. Bakeshop’s Cookiewich is, in the opinion of this reviewer, beyond any ice cream sandwich you have ever tried.
A new Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams location is coming to Shirlington, though only a sprinkling of details are available so far.
Signs are up but the company and its PR reps have given the cold shoulder to ARLnow’s requests for more information.
The new ice cream shop is located in the former storefront of I-CE-NY, a Thai rolled ice cream purveyor which opened in 2018 and closed late last year. The windows of the 4150 Campbell Avenue location, near Signature Theatre and the Shirlington branch library, are now covered in colorful Jeni’s posters that say “Hello, Shirlington” and “Scooping Soon.”
There’s no word of an opening date and the location is not yet listed on the Jeni’s website.
The Columbus, Ohio-based premium ice cream company has existing scoop shops in Alexandria, Tysons, Bethesda and the District.
Hat tip to @DionMitchellVT
Opening an ice cream shop in the winter wasn’t exactly Rollin Amore’s plan, but he’s been pleasantly surprised by how good business has been so far.
“I’ve had at least 30 to 40 people the first four weeks basically come back two, three, four, five times,” Amore, owner and ice cream maker at Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream at Westpost in Pentagon City, says. “I’ve built up a loyal following in such a short period. That’s a testament to the product.”
Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream, named after the owner’s youngest daughter, opened in December (after initially aiming for a summer opening) in a space at 1201 S. Joyce Street that’s been a bit of a revolving door for businesses. The delayed opening was due to supply chain issues, a common refrain these days.
This is Amore’s first foray into the ice cream business, after spending nearly four decades in finance.
Saying that retirement isn’t for him, he decided to turn his longtime passion of cooking into a new business. One of the biggest thrills he has is watching people enjoy what he makes.
“This is a real passion, a labor of love,” he says, speaking to ARLnow on the phone while behind the counter at the shop. “I don’t need to work, so this isn’t for money.”
Amore makes all the ice cream in-house and says he’s hyper focused on quality and flavor. That means roasting bananas for hours or grilling ubes (purple yam from Asia).
“Most everything comes from scratch. I’m not using any flavorings because they tend to be unnatural. I try to get the flavor from whatever it is I’m making. By doing that, the [ice cream] is a little better than most.”
Amore also has given himself the unfortunate job of being the taste tester, having a creamy spoonful of every single batch that comes off the line.
“That’s the hardest part of the job,” he jokes.
One of every five or six batches doesn’t make the cut and gets thrown out, he notes.
The ice cream purveyor finds inspiration everywhere. On a recent trip to a local Harris Teeter, a whiff of spearmint led him to make a whole new flavor of ice cream. Quickly creating a small batch, his spearmint ice cream sold out nearly as fast.
Mimi’s menu of flavors consists of a mix of traditional favorites (mint chocolate chip and strawberry) and more eclectic ones, like ube, beet, and a flavor that Amore calls “Szechuan Spicy Girl.”
That one has roasted peppercorns, peanuts, and it’s savory as opposed to sweet. Plus, it’s got a “kick,” he says.
Amore is hopeful that the Pentagon City location is just the first of a chain of Mimi’s across Northern Virginia. While he’s a longtime D.C. resident, he thinks the Virginia suburbs is a better market for his brand of ice cream because the flavors appeal to “children and adults alike.”
As Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream settles into Westpost, along with a slew of other new restaurants and businesses, Amore is thrilled to be serving up scoops of ice cream he made himself to pleased customers. Even on a cold, winter’s day.
“The ice cream business is the best business in the world,” says Amore. “Because everyone is happy.”
Hotel Redevelopment Plan Paused — “The redevelopment of one of Arlington’s oldest hotels looks to be on hold indefinitely, as the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic disrupt the hospitality-focused project. Grant Investment Properties is asking county planners for more time to complete its overhaul of Rosslyn’s old Best Western Iwo Jima, now known as the Red Lion Hotel Rosslyn Iwo Jima, at 1501 Arlington Boulevard. A site plan for the project projected that it would be finished by March 2022, but the Chicago-based firm filed papers last week to ask for an extension through March 2025.” [Washington Business Journal]
Proposed APS Changes Questioned — “Based on feedback from the Arlington School Board, the Arlington Public Schools system is focusing on what they call more equitable grading practices. The preliminary proposal calls for: No late penalties for homework… No extra credit… Unlimited redoes and retakes on assignment… No grading for homework.” [WJLA, Washington Post]
Hit and Run Crash in Bluemont — From yesterday afternoon: “Several lanes of Wilson Blvd and N. George Mason Dr are closed after a reported hit-and-run crash in the intersection. Police and Fire Dept. on scene.” [Twitter]
Video: Crash on I-395 — From Dave Statter: “Watch: Another left turn in the middle of an interstate ends badly. 1p, I-395S at Rt 1. Third one recorded at this spot in the last month.” [Twitter]
Toby’s May Be Expanding to Vienna — “Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream, which saw a boost in sales over the summer thanks to the debut of its cicada sundaes, appears to be branching out. The Arlington-based shop, located along a Washington Boulevard in the Westover neighborhood, plans to open a new location at the Cedar Park Shopping Center in Vienna, according to Fairfax County permit data.” [Washington Business Journal]
Nearby: Fire and EMS Staffing Stretched — ” Fairfax County saw its largest-ever increase in coronavirus cases among fire and emergency medical responders this month, mirroring a surge in case rates compared to 2020. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department data shows that there are 53 positive cases and 14 in quarantine, all staying at home to curb the spread of COVID-19.” [FFXnow, DCist, Twitter]
Crash and Arrest Block the Pike — Columbia Pike was blocked at S. Greenbrier Street yesterday evening after a crash in which one of the drivers reportedly refused police commands to exit the vehicle and was later tased. [Twitter]
It’s Thursday — There will be drizzle and possible fog before 2 p.m. on an otherwise cloudy day, with a high near 55. Sunrise at 7:26 a.m. and sunset at 4:54 p.m. Tomorrow, on New Year’s Eve, expect mild weather, with cloudy skies, a high near 60 and a low around 51. [Weather.gov]
I-CE-NY in Shirlington appears to have closed.
The windows of the Thai rolled ice cream shop are blacked out, the awning has come down, no equipment appears to be inside, and all signage is gone.
ARLnow reached out to the business for confirmation, but has yet to hear back as of publication. Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRIT), which owns the Village of Shirlington (as well as Pentagon City’s Westpost), also was not able to confirm the closure.
The franchised shop appeared to be listed for sale about a year ago, but the listing is no longer available. The Arlington location is still listed on the company’s website, however.
Earlier this week, a tipster sent ARLnow a photo that showed on a sign on the door that read “Store Closed,” before the windows were blacked out.
I-CE-NY opened in Shirlington at 4150 Campbell Avenue just over three years ago. Originally from Thailand, the company specializes in rolled ice cream with mix-ins. In the United States, it first opened in New York before expanding to more than a dozen shops across eight states.
Prior to I-CE-NY, Knits Etc. was in that location in Shirlington.
Hat tip to Kiara Candelaria
Local Man Charged in Bailey’s Xroads Shooting — “Fairfax County police have charged a 33-year-old Arlington man in connection with a shooting that occurred Nov. 20 at the Food Star supermarket at 5521 Leesburg Pike. According to police, officers were called to the store at 6:43 p.m. by Harvey Coleman, of Arlington, after he reported to police he had shot someone in self-defense… Following several interviews and the review of surveillance footage, detectives have charged Coleman with malicious wounding and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.” [Sun Gazette]
Ice Cream Store Now Open in Pentagon City — “Have I got a scoop (get it?) for my followers! For those who may be in search of a sweet treat this afternoon, Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream opened today at @PentagonRow (Westpost). Impressive variety.” [Twitter]
Arlington Vet Chooses Health Career — “After graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point, she was commissioned as an Army officer and chose to attend flight training, following in her late father’s footsteps. Soon, she was soon piloting Blackhawk helicopters… it was the time she was in the military that really prepared her for physician-assistant school.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Monday — Today will be mostly sunny, with a high near 46. Northwest wind 10 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Sunrise at 7:06 a.m. and sunset at 4:47 p.m. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 51. South wind 5 to 8 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. [Weather.gov]
Dave Grohl Rocks Local Studio — “Dave Grohl doesn’t seem terribly interested in taking a day off. Shortly after the 9:30 Club announced the Grohl-led Foo Fighters would play a surprise show Thursday, the former Nirvana drummer reunited with D.C.-based punk rockers, at Inner Ear Studio — the legendary and soon-to-close Arlington, Virginia, recording studio owned by Don Zientara.” [WTOP]
Fmr. Fire Chief on Arlington’s 9/11 Response — “‘It was truly an all-hands-on-deck endeavor,’ Schwartz said at the historical society’s annual banquet, held Sept. 9 at Washington Golf & Country Club. ‘We’re all in this together. There’s not a single agency or even a single jurisdiction that can handle this by themselves.’ Schwartz pointed to the county’s then-fire chief, Edward Plaugher, for his work building relationships with agencies like the FBI. Plaugher ‘was ahead of his time’ in being concerned about terrorism.” [Sun Gazette]
Night Paving at Busy Intersection — “Nighttime paving continues overnight this week at the Langston Boulevard (Lee Highway)-Glebe Road intersection improvements project… lasting into Friday, Sept. 17.” [Twitter]
Nicecream Hits Rocky Road — Nicecream, the handcrafted ice cream shop that expanded after finding success with its first location in Clarendon, is closing its Shaw store in the District. [PoPville]
