local business | ARLnow.com

Published November 16, 2018 at 9:45AM

The food hall will sit above the Rosslyn McDonald's.

Hungry diners in Rosslyn will need to wait a bit longer for a new food hall slated to open in one of the neighborhood’s new skyscrapers.

Social Restaurant Group, the same company behind Clarendon night-life spots Bar Bao and Pamplona, plans to someday open the “Common Ground” food hall in the Central Place building at 1800 N. Lynn Street. However, SRG co-founder Mike Bramson told ARLnow that the company is currently targeting the “end of spring 2019” to open its doors, despite previously hoping to do so before the end of this year.

Around Town

New ‘Open Road’ Restaurant in Rosslyn Skyscraper Pushes Back Opening to Next Year

By Alex Koma

Published November 13, 2018 at 4:55PM

The red awnings mark where Open Road hopes to open a location in the CEB Tower in Rosslyn (via Metropolitan Hospitality Group)

A new bar and restaurant bound for the ground floor of the CEB Tower in Rosslyn is pushing back its opening date slightly, now aiming to start serving patrons next year.

The Metropolitan Hospitality Group, which also operates Circa Bistro in Clarendon, announced plans to bring a second “Open Road” restaurant to the area last summer. The firm had hoped to open it up sometime this fall, but MHG President Matt Carlin told ARLnow that “the permit process has definitely taken longer than we thought.”

News

With Amazon On Board, Leaders Look to Quell Concerns Over Incentives for the Tech Giant

By Alex Koma

Published November 13, 2018 at 3:50PM | Updated November 14, 2018 at 10:16AM

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) Concerns about the wisdom of doling out millions in incentives to lure Amazon to Arlington have abounded ever since rumors first kicked up that the company could head to the county — but Tuesday’s celebration of the move in Pentagon City didn’t betray much trepidation among state and local leaders.

Instead, Gov. Ralph Northam and a cadre of others devoted the afternoon to hailing the tech giant’s decision to bring a new headquarters to Arlington as a transformative one for the region.

News

Ballston Quarter Looks Set to Open Some Stores This Week

By Alex Koma

Published November 13, 2018 at 3:00PM

Regal Cinemas on the newly renovated Ballston Quarter's third floor.

Ballston Quarter could open to customers as soon as this week, marking an unofficial end to the years-long redevelopment of the old Ballston Common mall.

Signs posted around the development’s elevator banks list Thursday (Nov. 15) as the site’s opening day. Specifically, the signs advertise that the two main floors of Ballston Quarter — including the first floor with “street-level access” and the second floor with an area dubbed “Instagram alley” — will open this week.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 9, 2018 at 8:45AM | Updated November 9, 2018 at 9:45AM

WWI Commemoration Sunday — “At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, World War I ended with the signing of the armistice. One hundred years later, we are gathering to commemorate the end of the Great War with a ceremony at the Clarendon War Memorial to mark the hour and day the armistice was signed.” [Arlington County, Arlington County]

County Board Election Map — In Tuesday Arlington County Board election, John Vihstadt captured most of the precincts in residential North Arlington, as well as few in South Arlington — including Aurora Hills and Fairlington — but Matt de Ferranti won by capturing the precincts along the Metro corridors and around Columbia Pike. [Blue Virginia]

Around Town

Wendy’s on Columbia Pike Closes for Major Renovations

By Alex Koma

Published November 8, 2018 at 1:45PM

Wendy's on Columbia Pike, under renovation

The Wendy’s on Columbia Pike has temporarily closed for major renovations.

Workers are currently in the process of fully overhauling the fast food restaurant, located at 3431 Columbia Pike, stripping away some of its exterior and clearing out its interior as well.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 8, 2018 at 8:45AM | Updated November 8, 2018 at 9:12AM

Suspect and Murdered Wife Both Marines — “A woman found dead in [an Arlington] hotel room on Saturday and the man arrested in connection with her murder are both U.S. Marines… The two were seen earlier in the evening at the Marriott while attending their unit’s military ball to commemorate the Marine Corps’ 243rd birthday.” [Newsweek, Task and Purpose]

Arlingtonian Named ABC 7’s Hero of the Week — “In his dedication to the community, Aaron Codispoti switches gears constantly — in the truest sense of the word. He manages a team of more than a thousand people within the State Department, volunteers as an auxiliary police officer with Arlington County — often on bike patrol — and organizes blood drives twice a year.” [WJLA]

Around Town

Health Food-Focused ‘Dirt’ Plans Expansion in Ballston Exchange Next Year

By Alex Koma

Published November 7, 2018 at 3:45PM

A rendering of Dirt, coming to the Ballston Exchange (courtesy of Dirt)

A new eatery coming to Ballston is inviting diners to eat “Dirt” — not quite literally, though.

The Miami-based restaurant plans to open its first location outside Florida in the Ballston Exchange development, located at 4121 Wilson Blvd, according to a press release.

Around Town

Bob and Edith’s on Columbia Pike Reopens, As Owner Insists Diner Will Stay Put

By Alex Koma

Published November 7, 2018 at 2:45PM

The original Bob and Edith’s Diner on Columbia Pike is back open after a brief closure for maintenance, and its owner is looking to reassure nervous fans that the restaurant isn’t going anywhere any time soon.

The diner closed for maintenance last Tuesday (Oct. 30), leaving would-be patrons a bit mystified. But Ryan Brown, a lawyer for Bob and Edith’s owner Greg Bolton, told ARLnow that the closure only lasted two days, to allow for the installation of a new grease trap.

Around Town

Coffee and Juice Bar Serving Up Smoothies, ‘Superfood’ Debuts in Clarendon

By Catherine Douglas Moran

Published November 6, 2018 at 10:45AM

Exterior of Waterhouse Coffee and Juice Bar.

A new shop serving up smoothies, coffee and “superfood” recently opened in the lobby of an office building in Clarendon.

The Waterhouse Coffee and Juice Bar debuted last Tuesday (Oct. 30) with a soft opening for the office building tenants to sample the food and drink, Connie Kim, the owner and manager, told ARLnow.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published November 6, 2018 at 8:00AM

Polls Are Open — Voting in Arlington started at 6 a.m. this morning and will continue until 7 p.m. Don’t be surprised to see TV crews at local polling places: a number of international news outlets will be on hand to document democracy in action in Arlington. [Twitter, Twitter]

HQ2 Driving Real Estate Interest — Real estate agents are seeing increased interest in Arlington and Alexandria as a result of the increasingly-likely prospect of Amazon’s HQ2 (or, at least, a portion of it) coming to the area. Crystal City residents, meanwhile, are both excited and apprehensive about the tech and e-commerce giant moving into the neighborhood. [Washington Business Journal, WJLA]

Around Town

Punch Bowl Social Looks Set to Open in Ballston Quarter Next Month

By Alex Koma

Published November 5, 2018 at 4:45PM

Punch Bowl Social (photo courtesy Ballston Quarter)

Punch Bowl Social, a combination bar and entertainment venue that’s a key part of the new Ballston Quarter development, now seems set to open its doors next month.

Details remain scarce on when the newly revamped Ballston Common mall will open its doors, with the development blowing past proposed opening dates in both September and October. But new ads for Punch Bowl Social posted inside the Ballston Metro station indicate the establishment is planning a “grand opening” on Dec. 8.