local business | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published July 11, 2018 at 9:20AM

Bond Referenda Total Almost $250 Million — “Arlington voters in November will be asked to pass judgment on four bond referenda totaling just under a quarter-billion dollars, under a proposal slated for County Board approval on July 14… The bond package now on the table includes $103 million for schools; $75.57 million for transportation; $37.015 million for community infrastructure; and $29.33 million for parks and recreation.” [InsideNova]

Virginia Ranks High As Pro-Business State — CNBC has listed Virginia as the No. 4 top state for business in the U.S. Texas was ranked No. 1. Virginia was ranked seventh by CNBC in 2017. [Virginia.gov]

Around Town

Middle Eastern Restaurant Looks Set to Replace Earl’s in Ballston

By Melanie Pincus

Published July 10, 2018 at 4:45PM

New restaurant at 4215 N. Fairfax Drive

A restaurant called Medina appears to be preparing to open in the former Ballston location of Earl’s Sandwiches at 4215 N. Fairfax Drive.

A posting on the door of the site reads, in part, “coming soon,” and signs indicate that menu options will include shawarma and falafel.

Around Town

Coworking Space to Become First Office Tenant at Former NSF Headquarters in Ballston

By Alex Koma

Published June 26, 2018 at 4:45PM

A rendering of the renovated 4201 Wilson Blvd (photo courtesy Jamestown LLP)

A Brooklyn-based coworking space will become the first office tenant in the former home of the National Science Foundation’s headquarters, now known as the Ballston Exchange.

Industrious will open its third location in the D.C. area on the third floor of 4201 Wilson Blvd, according to a news release from the building’s owner, Jamestown LLP. The coworking space signed a 10-year lease at the location in a 24,795-square-foot suite.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published June 25, 2018 at 8:30AM

Dorsey Upped to Voting Member on Metro Board — Arlington County Board member Christian Dorsey has been appointed as one of the two principal voting members of the WMATA Board of Directors from Virginia. He previously served on the Metro board in a non-voting alternate capacity. [Arlington County, Twitter]

Miss Arlington Takes State Crown — Miss Arlington, Emili McPhail, has been crowned Miss Virginia and will compete in the Miss America pageant. [WDBJ7]

Around Town

Asian ‘Street Food’ Eatery Set to Open in Arlington Ridge Shopping Center This Month

By Alex Koma

Published June 12, 2018 at 2:45PM

A new fast casual restaurant offering all manner of Asian street eats is opening up this month in the Arlington Ridge Shopping Center.

Kovi Asian Street Food Kitchen will hold its grand opening on June 30, with a soft opening set for sometime in the “next few days,” lead chef and owner Vi Nguyen told ARLnow. The eatery will be located at 2921 S. Glebe Road, once the site of longtime restaurant the Arlington Diner.

News

Arlington Chamber Backs County Efforts to Win Amazon’s HQ2

By Alex Koma

Published June 11, 2018 at 10:45AM | Updated June 11, 2018 at 11:06AM

Arlington’s business community is throwing its support behind the county’s efforts to land Amazon’s second headquarters.

The county’s Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 750 businesses in the area, penned a letter to the County Board Friday (June 8) expressing its “utmost support” for Arlington’s work to secure the vaunted HQ2.

Around Town

Istanbul Grill Now Open for Business Near Ballston, Offering Traditional Turkish Fare

By Alex Koma

Published June 8, 2018 at 10:50AM

Istanbul Grill near Ballston (photo by Alex Koma)

A new Turkish restaurant is now open for business near Ballston.

Istanbul Grill started serving up kebabs and other traditional Turkish fare yesterday (June 7), according to owner Turgut Yiğit. The new eatery, located at 4617 Wilson Blvd, replaces long-time Mexican restaurant El Ranchero.

Around Town

Bob and Edith’s Could Open New Lee Highway Location By End of Year

By Alex Koma

Published June 7, 2018 at 9:55AM

Linda's Cafe along Lee Highway (photo by Alex Koma)

A new Bob and Edith’s Diner along Lee Highway could open its doors in the next six to nine months, a lawyer for the local chain’s owner tells ARLnow.

Attorney Ryan Brown says Bob and Edith’s owner Greg Bolton is planning “significant renovations” of the space that once held Linda’s Cafe (5050 Lee Highway) before opening his fifth restaurant in the Northern Virginia area there. Linda’s had operated out of the space for the last 20 years before Bolton bought the property last Thursday (May 31).

Around Town

The Simple Greek Set to Open in Rosslyn Next Week

By Alex Koma

Published June 6, 2018 at 4:45PM

The Simple Greek near Rosslyn (file photo)

Fast-casual restaurant The Simple Greek has tabbed this coming Monday (June 11) for its grand opening in a shopping center near Rosslyn.

The restaurant, located at 1731 Wilson Blvd in the Colonial Plaza shopping complex, will be the first location of six for the chain in the D.C. region, according to a press release.

Around Town

‘District Dumplings’ Set to Open New Location in Arlington Ridge Shopping Center

By Alex Koma

Published June 6, 2018 at 9:35AM | Updated June 11, 2018 at 1:29PM

The Arlington Diner T 2921 S. Glebe Road (Photo via Thomas Nelson)

(Updated, June 11 at 1:30 p.m.) A Fairfax dumpling restaurant will soon move into the space next to what was once the Arlington Diner in the Arlington Ridge Shopping Center.

District Dumplings, based in the Mosaic district, is planning to open a new location at 2923 S. Glebe Road, once the home of a Domino’s, according to a manager who answered the phone at the restaurant’s Fairfax location. She says the new eatery could be open as soon as next week.

Around Town

‘Women of Vision’ to be Honored by Arlington Commission on the Status of Women

By Melanie Pincus

Published June 5, 2018 at 4:45PM | Updated June 5, 2018 at 5:09PM

Sushmita Mazumdar -- Business Honoree (photo courtesy Arlington Commission on the Status of Women)

Three Arlington women will be honored by the Arlington Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the 32nd annual Women of Vision award ceremony on June 26.

Local artist Sushmita Mazumdar will be recognized for her success in business, after she launched “Homemade Storybooks” in 2007, through which she sells personally crafted editions of original stories that are often drawn from her own life. Five years later, Mazumar founded Studio PAUSE, which provides a space for community members to engage in art and storytelling, sometimes concurrently.

Around Town

Linda’s Cafe on Lee Highway Set to Close, Could Soon Be Replaced by Bob and Edith’s

By Alex Koma

Published June 4, 2018 at 3:45PM | Updated June 4, 2018 at 4:06PM

Linda's Cafe along Lee Highway (photo by Alex Koma)

Longtime diner Linda’s Cafe is closing its doors and could soon be replaced by another Arlington institution: Bob and Edith’s Diner.

General manager Joe Ellian told ARLnow he heard from attorneys for the restaurant last Thursday (May 31), informing him that they’ve purchased the small space at 5050 Lee Highway from his landlord and giving him 30 days to move out. Bob and Edith’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment on their plans for the property.