local business | ARLnow.com

New Office Buildings Planned for Clarendon

Published June 17, 2011 at 2:13PM | Updated June 17, 2011 at 5:16PM

New details have been released about a major office development in Clarendon.

Real estate investment firm Penzance says it’s about to complete its final site plan filing with Arlington County for the block bordered by Washington Boulevard, 11th Street, N. Highland Street and N. Garfield Street. Penzance wants to turn the block — which currently contains a bank, a bar, a used car dealership, a cemetery monument manufacturer and other small businesses — into a 300,000 square foot office development, complete with a 10-story office building, an 8-story office building, ground-level retail and a four-level underground parking garage.

News

Cadillac Crashes Into Lee Highway Beauty Salon

By ARLnow.com

Published June 13, 2011 at 1:05PM

The scene wasn’t pretty, but thankfully nobody was injured when a Cadillac crashed into a Lee Highway beauty salon this morning.

The crash happened just before 11:30 a.m., when an elderly female driver lost control of her vehicle in a strip mall parking lot. The car slammed through the front into Saira’s Beauty Salon, at 5117 Lee Highway, coming to rest partially inside the store. The driver then backed out of the store and into the parking lot, leaving broken glass, twisted metal and smashed bricks in the car’s wake.

Opinion

Morning Poll: Groupon Return Visits

By ARLnow.com

Published June 9, 2011 at 9:35AM | Updated June 9, 2011 at 10:08AM

While consumers only see the great money-saving bargains — for instance, $40 worth of food at a local restaurant for $20 — merchants have to accept that running a Groupon-type deal is probably going to be a money-losing proposition in the short term. Since Groupon typically gives merchants 50 percent of its deal revenue, that means that Joe’s Restaurant is only receiving $10 for giving away $40 worth of food. Low-margin businesses like restaurants will often lose money on that — and the losses will add up, since Groupon can sell hundreds or even thousands of coupons at a time.

The silver lining for businesses that use Groupon — and the entire premise of ‘daily deals’ in general — is customer acquisition. The idea is that by getting a whole bunch of people to try your food (if you’re a restaurant) or services (if you’re, say, a yoga instructor) you can get a certain percentage of those deal purchasers to come back later and pay full price.

Around Town

Pricey Rent at Ballston Common Mall

By ARLnow.com

Published June 7, 2011 at 11:15AM

Arlington County leases a 3,119 square foot store, on the second floor near the entrance to Macy’s Furniture Gallery, to house the Woodmont Weavers program. The privately-run but publicly-funded program allows adults with cognitive disabilities to learn how to weave, to sell their creations (placemats, pillows, totes, scarves, hats, etc.) and to earn a wage in the process. The county subleases the space to St. Coletta of Greater Washington, which runs the program on behalf of the Department of Human Services, for a nominal $1 rent.

On Saturday the board is expected to approve a lease and sublease renewal for the mall storefront. According to the staff report, the base rent for the store from Nov. 1, 2011 to Oct. 31, 2012 will be $67,528.80 per year. Add in taxes and utilities, and the expected annual cost rises to $93,911.40.

Around Town

Boccato Gelato Expanding with Boccato Lounge

By ARLnow.com

Published June 1, 2011 at 10:42AM

The new “Boccato Lounge” will serve as a “place for families and the community to gather,” according to co-owner Cristian Velasco. Featuring beer, wine and live entertainment, the lounge will similar to Tryst in Adams Morgan — a hybrid coffee/alcohol hang-out spot.

Velasco says the lounge will allow Boccato to give its coffee and espresso program the attention it deserves, while giving customers more room to enjoy their drinks. There will, of course, be free WiFi.

Around Town

Online Fundraiser Seeks New Router for Pike Coffee Shop

By ARLnow.com

Published May 31, 2011 at 10:11AM

Gooljar wants to raise $200 to get local, independent coffee shop Rappahannock Coffee & Roasting (2406 Columbia Pike) some new WiFi gear. It seems that the cafe’s existing wireless router is slow, outdated and can barely accommodate more than four simultaneous WiFi users. To remedy the situation, Gooljar is asking customers to make donations to help update the equipment.

“It’s a small coffee shop and the owners don’t make that much to be spending it on things like this but people are here all the time and we could benefit from a new router!” he wrote on ChipIn.com, a web site that helps users conduct grassroots fundraisers.

Around Town

Moon-Linked Sheraton National Hotel Sold

By ARLnow.com

Published May 27, 2011 at 7:30AM | Updated May 27, 2011 at 8:57AM

The hotel, located just off of Columbia Pike at 900 S. Orme Street, had been owned by National Hospitality Corporation, a company linked to Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church.

HEI Hotels and Resorts purchased an ownership interest in the hotel for an undisclosed sum. The company owns 39 hotels in 16 states, including the Sheraton Crystal City.

News

Colony House Furniture to Become Hotel

By ARLnow.com

Published May 26, 2011 at 9:36AM | Updated May 26, 2011 at 10:18AM

The recognizable building has been sold to the B.F. Saul Company, the Bethesda-based developer behind the recent Clarendon Center project. Last week representatives from Saul presented their redevelopment plan to the North Rosslyn Civic Association. Under the plan, an eight story extended stay hotel will be built on the 1.2 acre site at the corner of Lee Highway and N. Quinn Street. The hotel will include eight stories of guest rooms on top of two stories of above-ground parking.

(The parking must be built above ground since the site sits on solid rock. The building will technically be ten stories high from the Lee Highway side, but will only be considered eight stories due to the steep elevation near the rear of the site.)

Around Town

Italian Restaurant Coming to Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Published May 25, 2011 at 3:55PM

Padrino’s Fine Italian Cuisine hopes to first open its doors at some point near the end of June, according to owner Sami Khan, who said he’s excited to be opening a restaurant on the Pike.

“This is a beautiful place,” he said of the still-developing strip.

Around Town

Still Awaiting Construction at Trader Joe’s Site

By ARLnow.com

Published May 25, 2011 at 3:03PM

Interior construction of the hotly-anticipated grocery store has yet to begin. In November a Trader Joe’s rep told the County Board that they hoped to have the store open by “mid-2011.” Now, that seems highly unlikely.

Reached for comment yesterday, all Trader Joe’s spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki could tell ARLnow.com is that the store is on track to open by the end of the year. She said the company never actually promised an earlier opening.

Around Town

Jimmy John’s Coming to Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Published May 25, 2011 at 9:33AM | Updated May 25, 2011 at 11:01AM

The restaurant will be opening next to a new Sandy Spring bank branch at 550 N. Quincy Street, adjacent to the still under-construction Founders Square office development.

No word yet on an exact opening date for Jimmy John’s, but it just posted a help wanted ad on Craigslist yesterday. The restaurant is seeking sandwich makers, delivery drivers and bike delivery riders.

News

Board Approves Limited Live Music at Westover Beer Garden

By ARLnow.com

Published May 18, 2011 at 5:00AM

Westover beer garden (courtesy Alan Howze)

Westover Market manager Devin Hicks has agreed to abide by 14 conditions, which were laid out by county staff in response to the concerns of residents who own homes near the beer garden. (Initially, staff recommended against the permit, but were instructed by the Board to come up with conditions more acceptable to concerned neighbors.)

The conditions include: