The shuttered Brown’s Used Car Super Center (3200 Columbia Pike) is set to become a new Audi dealership.
Architectural signs in the window indicate that the Arlington Audi dealership will be owned by Rosenthal Automotive, which also owns the Jeep/Chrysler dealership across the street. The Rosenthal Jeep/Chrysler site is set to be razed and redeveloped.
The Burger King at 3627 Columbia Pike is currently one of few Burger King restaurants in the United States offering an experimental delivery service.
The Columbia Pike Burger King is offering delivery between 11:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. seven days a week, for a $2 delivery charge. The minimum order is $10 and tip is not included in the delivery charge. Customers in a limited delivery area around the restaurant can order burgers, fries, bottled drinks and other lunch/dinner items via a new “BK Delivers” website or by calling 855-OrderBk (855-673-3725).
Backyard Chicken Debate Rages On — Egg-laying hens aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, according to an Arlington resident whose neighbor had an illegal chicken coop. “I can tell you that I thought we had excessive flies, we had rodents; the chickens do make noise and there is a smell,” Darryl Hobbs told WUSA9 at a community discussion about backyard chicken raising last night. Chicken supporters dispute claims that their coops are unsanitary, and say that egg-laying hens produce a steady stream of healthy, tasty and sustainable food. [WUSA 9]
Shoplifting Suspect Flees Down Metro Tracks — Metro trains were temporarily shut down near the Pentagon City station Tuesday night after a shoplifting suspect jumped on the tracks in an attempt to get away. The man, who’s accused of shoplifting from the Nordstom’s in Pentagon City, was eventually caught by Metro Transit Police. [NBC Washington]
Hee Been’s nearly 80-foot-long dinner buffet features some 85 different items representing three different types of cuisine: Korean, Japanese and Thai. The buffet offerings include soups and salads, a wide selection of freshly-prepared sushi and sashimi, hot and cold noodle dishes, grilled-to-order steaks, various types of seafood and Korean specialties, plus fresh fruit and desserts (tip: try the cold cinnamon tea).
The family-owned restaurant has been off to a relatively slow start since its Christmas Day soft opening, thanks in part to its inconspicuous location. Hee Been is located at the back of the off-street cluster of eateries and shops on the ground floor of the relatively new Eclipse condominium building in the far southeast corner of Arlington County. Though in close proximity to busy Jefferson Davis Highway (Route 1), the restaurant’s existence is hardly noticeable to anybody who doesn’t live in the Eclipse.
‘Bookhouse’ in Bluemont Profiled — The Washington Post profiles the Bookhouse, a rare book business in Bluemont run by Natalie Hughes, 80, and her husband Edward, 91. The couple say they plan to close the business — which features a collection of about 30,000 volumes — in a year or two. [Washington Post]
Board Declines to Appoint Tie-Breaker — The Arlington County Board, down to four members since Barbara Favola resigned on Dec. 31 to start her new career as a state Senator, has opted not to appoint a designated tie-breaker, as permitted by state law. Instead, measures that garner a 2-2 tie vote will simply fail. [Sun Gazette]
A recently-updated app called It Happened Here detects your location and tells you interesting things that happened around you. Currently the app has information on six metro areas, including Washington. Among the interesting waypoints it will tell you about in Arlington:
It Happened Here was developed by Ken Dodelin, an Arlington resident, with the help of some students in an Entrepreneurial Journalism class he teaches at Georgetown University’s Clarendon campus.
Life-Like Simulators at Arlington Nursing School — The Chamberlain College of Nursing in Arlington is using simulated humans to train its students. The life-sized, life-like simulators can sweat, breathe, talk, and even give birth — and can be treated by new students without risking life or lawsuit. [WUSA9]
Local Indie Book Store Recognized — One More Page Books (2200 N. Westmoreland Street) in the East Falls Church area has been named one of the “Best Indie Bookstores on Twitter” by Mediabistro. The store, which specializes in books, wine and chocolate, has 857 Twitter followers. [GalleyCat]
Rehabbed Bridge to Be More Ped-Friendly — Arlington County is preparing to rehabilitate the Carlin Springs Road bridge over George Mason Drive, and the bridge’s chosen design will make it much more pedestrian-friendly. Currently, the bridge only has a pair of 5 foot sidewalks. The new bridge will have 8 foot sidewalks and 5 foot bike lanes on either side, but with narrower lanes for cars and no center divider. [Greater Greater Washington]
Arlington HQ’d Firm Gets New Name — The security contractor formerly known as Blackwater — now headquartered in Arlington — has a new name. The company’s name was changed to ‘Xe’ about three years ago, amid controversy over Blackwater’s role in civilian deaths in Iraq. On Monday the name was changed again, to ‘Academi.’ [Washington Post]
Vote Set for Sign Changes — The Arlington County Board is scheduled to vote Saturday on a set of significant changes to the county sign ordinance.
Conte’s Now Freshbikes — Last month the Conte’s bike store in Ballston (3924 Wilson Blvd) quietly changed its name — and outdoor signage — to “Freshbikes.” We’re told the store, along with a Bethesda location, split from the Virginia Beach-based Conte’s franchise in order to free itself of the requirements that come along with the franchise agreement.
The shop — which offered gourmet cuts of locally-sourced meats — closed last week after butcher shop proprietor Bruce Saunders decided to call it quits. Now, we’re told, the shop is coming back with many of the same meat options, but under new management.
The Westover Market Facebook page says the shop will be offering a $16.99 special tonight on two cuts of beef and two sides, in celebration of the re-opening.
Looming Defense Cuts Worry Some in Crystal City — Some Crystal City business owners are worried about the ripple effects that could be caused by billions in looming Defense Department cuts. Others, however, are more optimistic about the prospect of military-related offices moving out and a more diverse employment base moving in. [Public Radio International]
Zimmerman Endorses Bondi — Democratic County Board candidate Melissa Bondi has scored another relatively high-profile endorsement. County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman has joined fellow Board member Walter Tejada in endorsing Bondi’s campaign. [Bondi for County Board]
The change follows several weeks of renovations, which followed the repurchase of Harry’s by one of its original co-founders. Michael Sternberg says he quit his job as an executive at the restaurant operator he sold Harry’s to in 2008, in order to follow his passion for running a restaurant up close.
“For the last 4 months, I haven’t been happier,” Sternberg said.
