Update December 21 at 1:45 p.m. — &pizza will open on Wednesday, December 27 after a spokesman said the eatery hit “a few last-minute details that needed to be addressed and the team simply ran up against the Christmas break.” Multiple tipsters said that staff at the restaurant said it had run into permitting issues with the county.
Earlier: The new fast-casual pizzeria &pizza will open to the public on Thursday in Ballston.
The build-your-own-pizza restaurant will move into 3924 Wilson Blvd, next to Freshbikes near the intersection with N. Quincy Street. It will occupy more than 2,000 square feet of space in the building, facing Wilson Blvd and across the parking lot from Gold’s Gym.
Ahead of the full opening, &pizza is hosting a now-sold-out soft opening today and tomorrow (Wednesday). Each attendee will receive a complimentary pizza so that employees can practice.
“&pizza is a different kind of pizza shop — one where experience is the focal point, and every shop reflects the culture and people who visit most,” the invite reads. “With the opening our Ballston shop, we want to invite you to join us for a lunch or dinner on us.”
Guests can expect &pizza’s signature customizable oblong pizzas with unlimited toppings using local ingredients and no artificial flavors.
More from a press release, after the jump.
&pizza, the Washington D.C.-based fast casual pizza company, known for its trademark ampersand, inventive flavor combinations, localized shop design and dedication to the communities they serve, expands its D.C. footprint with the opening of their 26th shop on December 21, at 3924 Wilson Blvd, in Arlington, Virginia. The D.C.-based pizza brand joins a diverse array of agencies, corporations, colleges, condominiums and a professional sports team, within the commercially eclectic Ballston corridor–an area defined by design, development, innovation and expansion.
// THE SHOP
To celebrate the new Ballston shop, &pizza will offer free pizzas to the first 126 guests in line on grand opening day. As has become tradition when opening new shops, &pizza will also offer free tattoos of the brand’s trademark ampersand logo to the first 26 guests in line who request them. Those interested will get scheduled with Laughing Hyena and once inked, will receive free pizza for a year. Connection, inclusion and unity are the core values of the &pizza brand, and the meaning behind the ampersand logo.
&pizza is known for its unique, oblong-shaped pizzas that are made with high quality ingredients and bake in under two minutes. For just over $10, guests can either craft either own individual pizza with unlimited toppings or choose from nine classics, known as “The “Hits.” The Tysons location will include the Dirty Bird–a buffalo chicken pizza–rolled out just in time for football season. It will also feature the American Honey, a combination of spicy tomato, mozzarella, pepperoni, arugula, red pepper flakes, goat cheese and Mike’s Hot Honey, a Little Giant partner.
// THE COMMUNITY
The Ballston section of Arlington County is named for the Ball Family and dates back to 1740. Over the years, Ballston developed into a commercial hub, which included the national headquarters for the Hecht Company (Hecht’s) and later became home to several notable government agencies, such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the United States Coast Guard, the Office of Naval Research, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Ballston’s diverse corporate community includes AES (renewable energy), Accenture (consulting), and Raytheon (defense), as well as MobilePosse and BluVector (IT), among others.
With 2,124 square feet and a full parking lot, the 26th &pizza location features prime corner placement and sits adjacent to the former Al’s Motors showroom, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1948, the site was designed by architect J. Raymond Mims and features the Streamline Modeme-style, made popular between 1930-1955. The smooth surfaces and rounded corners were intended to evoke a feeling of motion and movement, similar to the automobiles themselves. The dealership was the oldest in Northern Virginia, when it closed in 2001.
“We had a unique opportunity to occupy a historic site, defined by a shared commitment to design philosophy and brand aesthetic,” Lastoria said. “We’re excited to carry the torch and bring &pizza to the already thriving Ballston community.”
Today, Ballston is experiencing unprecedented investment and commercial transformation. Immediate neighbors for the &pizza location include Mercedes Benz of Arlington and the new DARPA headquarters, as well as the practice facility and team offices for the NHL’s Washington Capitals franchise. One block away, the revamped shopping mall, Ballston Quarter — formerly known as Ballston Commons — is slated to reopen in 2018.
“&pizza couldn’t have arrived in Ballston at a better time, and they will give the east end of the neighborhood another much-needed fast-casual option,” says Tina Leone, CEO of the Ballston Business Improvement District. “Their addition to our neighborhood’s ever-changing dining scene reflects what our residents and workers want – delicious, local establishments that wholly embrace their community.”
Ballston is also home to a number of colleges and universities located two blocks away, including satellite campuses for George Washington University and Virginia Tech, along with the main campus for Marymount University.
The Ballston location will be open from 11AM- 11PM daily.