But a store employee tells us they’re not closing shop, they’re just low on stock. A new shipment should be arriving soon, we’re told.
So don’t worry, it seems that you will still be able to order Vera Wang-designed wedding invitations in the heart of Clarendon.
The changes were mandated by the county’s zoning enforcement office, which acted upon noise complaints from two neighbors.
In terms of the music, Westover Market had neglected to apply for a live music permit before it started hosting performances. Such a permit requires county board approval. Market manager Devin Hicks says they have since applied for the permit, forking over most of the $1,200+ application fee in the process. The earliest the board could act on the application is November, at which point outdoor concerts are out of the question for all but the hardiest music fans.
Next week Dunkin’ Donuts will hold an information session in Tysons Corner to discuss franchise opportunities with interested local entrepreneurs. Among the localities where the company wants to expand are Arlington, Fairfax, Charles and Prince George’s counties.
Arlington is home to four Dunkin’ Donuts stores, excluding location in National Airport. Current locations include Crystal City, Pentagon City, Columbia Pike and Lee Highway — so far, none in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
Back to School — The nearly 21,000 students enrolled in Arlington Public Schools are returning to class today. Watch out for school buses on the roads this morning.
Arlington Parents Like Their Kid’s School, Teachers — On Friday, we reported that a survey conducted on behalf of Arlington Public Schools found that parents were very much opposed to redrawing school boundaries. Now comes more evidence that parents of APS students are happy with their kid’s current school. Asked to grade their child’s school, teachers, and quality of education, parents gave each a 4.4 out of 5 on average. More from the Sun Gazette.
Painted on the side of a cinder block warehouse and facing the popular Shirlington dog park, a large mural of happy dogs, bones and paw prints seems like a nice addition. And it would be fine with county regulators — if it wasn’t for the fact that a dog-related business commissioned it. But since the mural belongs to a small doggy daycare it’s considered advertising under county zoning code — and may eventually have to be painted over. For now, a blue tarp covers the $4,000 mural.
Thus is the paradox of county regulations intended to protect Arlington from commercial eyesores but permit public artwork — even if the “advertisement” is actually beautifying a monolithic wall in a run-down neighborhood, it is considered a violation. Yet if the doggie daycare were to paint airplanes or fire trucks or elephants on the side of the wall — which is in plain sight of a steady procession of defecating dogs — it would be perfectly fine.
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell will stop by Arlington on Wednesday to participate in a grand opening ceremony at the new offices of New Media Strategies in Rosslyn.
NMS recently moved into larger offices at 1100 Wilson Boulevard, and the governor will help CEO Pete Snyder formally dedicate the space. No word yet on whether Snyder will break out the jumbo ribbon-cutting scissors for the second time this month.
Hit-and-Run Bus Driver Facing Discipline — The Metrobus driver accused of rear-ending a car in Ballston and then driving off “will be disciplined,” a WMATA spokesperson tells TBD. Metro says the accident was “preventable” but is refusing to release the results of drug and alcohol tests performed on the driver after the accident.
Local Technology Firm Sold — Arlington-based ICx Technologies has agreed to be purchased by Oregon-based Flir Systems for $274 million. ICx manufactures high-tech sensors that can detect radiation, chemicals, explosives, and biological agents. Some of ICx’s largest clients include the U.S. military and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. More from the Oregonian.
Popular local cover band Gonzo’s Nose was the last band to play at the “old” Clarendon Grill. A restaurant rep says the new Grill will still host bands and have a dancefloor — but refused to divulge any additional details.
Clarendon Grill will remain under the same management, the rep said. It’s unclear whether it will retain its name.
The strange case of Haze Restaurant, Bar and Lounge is coming to a close.
Essentially an old house gussied up in goth black paint and gaudy decorations, Haze looks severely out of place between the Arlington Arts Center and a soon-to-be yoga studio (formerly Curves). It was apparently meant to be a lounge-y kind of a place, which could have brought some nightlife to the relatively dead section of Wilson Boulevard near the Virginia Square Metro, but it was brought down by some very poor planning.
There’s no way of knowing whether there is a correlation with the county’s pro-bike efforts, but according to a published report, local bike stores are doing quite well in a down economy.
Revolution Cycles, which now has two Arlington locations, is on pace to see a $1 million jump in sales this year, according to Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. Revolution’s flagship Clarendon store alone has seen sales increase by 60 percent in April and by more than 30 percent for the year.
“I usually get stares like ‘whoa what is it’ or ‘hey that’s cool,'” Hewitt said during his lunch break.
A Trikke, for the uninitiated, looks kind of like a pair of overgrown Siamese-twin scooters. The aluminum device is described in promotional literature as a “carving vehicle,” after the forward-leaning, side-to-side, inline-skating-esque motion that propels it forward.
Locals may know Elevation Burger for their strip mall storefronts on Lee Highway in Arlington and Falls Church. But the restaurant industry knows Elevation Burger as #56 on last year’s annual FastCasual.com Top 100 list of movers and shakers.
The nascent chain has seven restaurants open right now and expects to open more than 100 restaurants from LA to NYC to Kuwait by 2013. A Rosslyn location is also in the works, and a Ballston location may not be too far behind. The company hopes to open a few dozen stores in the D.C. area in coming years.
