local business

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Amazon HQ2 under construction in Pentagon City, with the Pentagon in the foreground (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Construction Milestone for HQ2 — “Metropolitan Park, the first phase of our second headquarters’ development in Arlington, Virginia, is taking shape as we celebrate an important milestone: the ‘topping out,’ or completion of the highest floor of the building. So much has changed since we began construction more than two years ago in National Landing, and we can’t wait to welcome Amazon employees and the Arlington community to Metropolitan Park in 2023.” [Amazon, Twitter]

Covid Rate Low in the ER — From Virginia Hospital Center emergency department chief Dr. Mike Silverman: “This past week was the best COVID week we’ve had in a long time in the ER. We actually didn’t have any positive cases among our ‘symptomatic’ patients and just a handful or so among all comers to the ER. Our percent positivity rate was <2%. Hospitalizations remains low and we are returning to normal with in-person meetings and some options about mask wearing in non-clinical areas.” [Facebook]

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Around Town

TTT in Clarendon temporarily closed amid another rebranding

By Matt Blitz
Buena Vida in Clarendon (staff photo by Matt Blitz)

TTT in Clarendon is rebranding, again, and offering all-you-can-eat Mexican fare starting next month, moving away from a more pandemic-friendly grab and go style.

The tacos, tortas, and tequila-focused (hence, “TTT”) eatery at 2900 Wilson Blvd closed earlier this month in order to become Buena Vida Restaurant & Lounge starting in April. It will offer an “unlimited tasting menu,” in much similar fashion as its sister restaurant Ambar across the street.

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Around Town

Local pie shops are baking up surprises for next week’s Pi Day

By Matt Blitz
Acme Pie owner Sol Schott puts a tray of pies into the oven. Pies cook for just over an hour (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Two Arlington pie shops are baking up some surprises for Pi Day, now one of the biggest days of the year for their sales.

March 14 (aka 3.14) is Pi Day, honoring math’s greatest mystery  It has become a day of celebration for mathematicians and dessert enthusiasts alike. Locally, Arlington’s two dedicated pie shops have taken full advantage of this baked good boon.

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News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
ART bus in traffic in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Crashed Car Still Along Riverbank — “Two months after a man’s car careened two hundred feet off George Washington Parkway in Virginia, the National Park Service is developing a plan to remove the vehicle from an embankment next to the Potomac River… Police tape surrounds the car, which remains resting upside down. The driver’s papers and personal belongings are still scattered next to the car, which has graffiti painted on it.” [Patch]

February Rents Up Slightly — “The median monthly rental for an apartment in the county last month was $1,982 for a one-bedroom unit and $2,399 for two bedrooms, according to data reported March 1 by Apartment List. Compared to the period immediately preceding the arrival of the pandemic in March 2020, Arlington rents are up 0.5 percent.” [Sun Gazette]

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News

Employees of Union Kitchen in Ballston are looking to unionize

By Matt Blitz
Union Kitchen in Ballston (staff photo)

(Updated, 5:00 p.m.) Employees at Union Kitchen in Ballston are looking to unionize, joining colleagues at other area locations.

The employees cite pay cuts, lack of sick leave, and staffing shortages among the reasons for organizing.

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News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

No Mardi Gras Parade Today — Clarendon will not be hosting a Mardi Gras parade this year. What was formerly an annual tradition remains on hold, perhaps permanently. The last parade was held in 2018.

Retail Rents Rising on the Pike — “Arlington economic-development officials say they will assist where possible, but in many cases, small-business owners wishing to stay in the corridor will have to do the hunting on their own… The arrival of Amazon not far down the road in the Pentagon City area is just one factor that is impacting rents in the Columbia Pike corridor, once known as a low-cost alternative to Arlington’s Metro corridors.” [Sun Gazette]

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Events

Here’s how local pubs will be celebrating this year’s highly anticipated St. Patrick’s Day

By Matt Blitz
Ireland’s Four Courts in Courthouse (Photo courtesy of Ireland's Four Courts)

Local bars are planning St. Patrick’s Day events and preparing for crowds that area expected to be the largest in a couple of years.

After two years of Covid-related restrictions and muted St. Patrick’s Day festivities, management at several local Irish pubs tells ARLnow that they expect this year’s holiday on March 17 to be “mayhem.”

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News

A Ballston Mediterranean cafe is broken into for the second time in a year

By Matt Blitz
Aftermath of the break-in (photo courtesy of Olive Lebanese Eatery)

For the second time in less than a year, Olive Lebanese Eatery in Ballston is cleaning up broken glass after a break in.

On Tuesday night (Feb. 22) at about 9:15 p.m., according to the police report, a witness spotted a man attempting to break in through the front door of the restaurant at 1100 N. Glebe Road. At the same time, a security camera was also recording the burglary in progress.

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News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Raindrops on a tree branch in Westover (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Beyer’s Statement on Ukraine — From Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) last night: “Praying for the Ukrainian people tonight. America stands with Ukraine.” [Twitter]

HQ2 Phase 1 to Feature 14 Retailers — “JBG Smith also revealed Tuesday that it has identified and executed leases with 14 retailers set to open by the end of 2023 at Metropolitan Park, though it didn’t identify those brands. That’s a jump from what the real estate company had announced in November during a tour of the HQ2 site, at that time noting plans for between seven to 12 retailers on the ground floor. Two of those retailers have been announced: District Dogs and Rāko Coffee Roasters.” [Washington Business Journal]

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News

Sen. Warner focuses on access to assistance during events with Arlington business owners

By Matt Blitz
Sen. Mark Warner speaks with Black local business owners at Dama Restaurant on Columbia Pike (staff photo by Matt Blitz)

Many small businesses in Arlington are hurting amid the pandemic, and that’s on top of some of the unique issues faced by Black and female business owners.

That was the topic of a pair of discussions held by Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) in Arlington on Friday (Feb. 4)

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News

As the ranks of freelancers swell, the taxman cometh for those in Arlington

By Jo DeVoe
Money (by Sharon McCutcheon/Unsplash)

The pandemic has seen a rise in freelance and contract work from those looking for job flexibility.

What new freelancers may not know is that Arlington tax code says they need a permit to work from home and need to pay local business taxes, just like any other business or contractor.

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