Author: Matt Blitz

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.

In late January, employees at three Union Kitchen stores in D.C. filed union petitions, as DCist reported. Within days, workers at the Ballston location joined those efforts, Union Kitchen union organizing committee member and Ballston employee Mckenna Willis tells ARLnow.

Now, employees at all five open locations have signaled their intent to unionize. That includes eight eligible employees in Ballston.

A mail-in election is set for Tuesday, March 8 with a count planned for March 28. Workers are holding a “pre-election rally” in D.C. this Saturday.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 400 would be the collective bargaining agent for the store’s employees if the vote passes.

Union Kitchen started as a food accelerator, helping food and beverage startups by providing business and technical expertise, and has since grown into a retail shop and restaurant. The Ballston location opened at 4238 Wilson Blvd in August 2020, offering a mix of packaged food, beverage and convenience items for sale as well as a takeout menu of breakfast items, sandwiches, salads, melts and pizzas.

Many of the reasons for organizing are common across all of the locations, but Willis explains that a number of these grievances are acutely felt at the Ballston location.

Earlier this year, management stopped providing customers the option to tip on their payments. This has effectively cut employees’ pay by three or four dollars an hour, according to Willis.

In February, management sent a notice, which was provided to ARLnow by Union Kitchen CEO Cullen Gilchrist, to workers that they were “increasing compensation by almost 20% on average across all positions.”

Willis says that increase does not come close to making up for the lost wages from losing tips. She explains that the Ballston location has more “established” employees — those with families, mortgages, and long-term relationships — than the other locations and can not afford what is effectively a pay cut.

Union Kitchen management, which has said it won’t voluntarily recognize the union, wrote that employees’ compensation is “industry leading pay.”

“We pay a minimum wage of $18/hr with an average compensation in our Ballston store of $28.5/hr,” Gilchrist wrote to ARLnow in an email. “We are very proud of our ability to pay so well.”

As for why tips were cut, Gilchrist said this is what customers wanted.

“The vast majority of customers don’t tip, and many of those who did felt pressure to do so,” he told DCist. “We’re trying to make our customers comfortable.”

Sick leave is also an employee concern, with Willis calling Union Kitchen’s Covid policy “horrible.” During the pandemic, Willis says employees wanted to take sick leave as a precaution but didn’t want to risk not getting paid.

Willis says she lives with her father and when he contracted Covid, she told work she wasn’t coming in because “it was the right thing to do.” She was told it would be unpaid leave.

Additionally, “severe” staffing shortages have hit the Wilson Blvd location of Union Kitchen hard. While Willis acknowledges that this is an issue across the industry at large, she says management is not handling it appropriately.

(more…)

New seafood spot casting its line in Clarendon, hoping to catch an August opening

By Matt Blitz
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New seafood eatery Seamore’s is looking to open in Clarendon in the late summer, possibly by August, co-owner Jay Wainwright tells ARLnow.

The New York-based chain first announced its move here in November. It will be the restaurant’s first location outside of New York City. Ownership chose the D.C. region, specifically Clarendon, due to its proximity to the Chesapeake Bay.

“Seamore’s ethos is about local and sustainability,” Wainwright says. “We think the Potomac and Chesapeake Region is the next great place for us for our concept.”

Seamore’s touts fresh seafood from local sources. A large portion of what will be served at the restaurant will be from the Bay, he says.

Wainwright also noted that Clarendon’s demographic is a “perfect fit” due to the vibrancy and walkability of the neighborhood.

Seamore’s will splash into newly-rebranded The Crossing Clarendon, at the corner of N. Edgewood Street and Clarendon Blvd, a spot that was previously the home of Baja Fresh. The space has been without a tenant for more than three years and the building recently underwent major renovations.

The 2,605 square foot restaurant is next door to Tatte Bakery, the Boston-based cafe that opened in September.

Seamore’s decor and menu in Arlington will differ from the New York locations.

“We are working with some local artists to add some Chesapeake accents which we think will stand out,” a restaurant spokesperson told ARLnow in an email in regards to decor. “Keep an eye out overhead when you dine for a school of fish that may be swimming by.”

Much of the menu is still to be determined, says Wainwright, and will be at the discretion of the local executive chef the company is currently looking to hire. But it will also be dependent on what’s being caught locally.

“Essentially, we only serve what the [fishermen] catch,” the spokesperson said. “As a result, our menu changes daily if not hourly based on what the local [fishermen] are bringing us.”

There are currently six Seamore’s locations, all in New York. The menus include local oysters, lobster rolls, monkfish, crispy squid, scallops, steelhead trout, catch of the day, seared tuna, and “fisherman’s stew.” There are also non-seafood options like chicken tinga tacos, kale and avocado salad, and churro ice cream sandwiches.

While this is Seamore’s first foray into Arlington, that’s not the case for Wainwright. He opened the first Cosi in America in the mid-1990s and quickly expanded the fast casual chain. For a number of years, there were several locations in Arlington before the last one closed in Rosslyn early last year.

He also helped grow Le Pain Quotidien in the mid 2000s, which has a location in Clarendon directly across the street from where Seamore’s will be.

Ballston bridge illuminated in blue and yellow in support of Ukraine

By Matt Blitz
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The Ballston pedestrian bridge is shining blue and yellow tonight in support of Ukraine.

The two-year-old pedestrian bridge that stretches over Wilson Blvd, connecting with Ballston Quarter mall, will be running “blue and yellow lights 24/7 for the time being,” a county spokesperson tells ARLnow. It is a show of solidarity with the country that remains under attack by Russia.

Officials worked quickly with Arlington public arts staff to make this happen, after ARLnow was previously told that something of this nature was not in the works.

This comes as other neighboring localities, like D.C. and Alexandria, have enacted similar symbolic gestures in recent days.

On Monday night, the County Board issued a resolution condemning Russia’s “unprovoked attack” on Arlington’s sister city Ivano-Frankivsk in southwestern Ukraine.

“The Arlington County Board… stands in support and solidarity with the people of Ivano-Frankivsk and all of Ukraine in their defense of sovereignty and democracy,” said the resolution.

Ukrainian-American hangs flags over I-66 in show of support

By Matt Blitz
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Constantin remembers growing up in Ukraine and his mother taking him to the streets to protest against the Soviet Union’s occupation of his homeland.

Those memories were at the forefront while Constantin, now an Arlington resident who works in blockchain technology, embarked on a mission.

Over the course of Monday afternoon, he hung Ukrainian and American flags side-by-side on a dozen I-66 overpasses, running east from the Falls Church area to Rosslyn.

“[I’m doing this] to express gratitude towards everything that the United States has done for Ukraine so far,” Constantin, who did not want his last name used out of safety concerns, tells ARLnow. “It’s a unifying message that represents both what America and Ukraine stand for, which is democracy and freedom.”

Since Russia invaded Ukraine last week, there has been an outpouring of support for the country internationally, across the U.S. and here in Arlington. Local officials expressed support for Ukraine immediately after the invasion and last night the County Board condemned Russia’s “unprovoked attack” on Arlington’s Ukrainian sister city, Ivano-Frankivsk.

Constantin immigrated to America in 1993 and has lived in North Arlington for about two decades, after first moving here after grad school. He’s a U.S. citizen, but has never forgotten his Ukrainian roots. Over the years, Constantin says he has continued to fundraise, support, and bring awareness to Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty. That includes pressing Congress in 2014 to pass the Ukraine Freedom Support Act.

Yesterday, as soon as he started hanging the flags on the overpasses, he saw an outpouring of support for the Ukrainian cause.

“As soon as I put the Ukraine flags up, people started honking,” Constantin says. “To me, as a Ukrainian American, it is such a positive and inspiring note of support.”

On the overpasses where there was foot traffic, people shared their words of support and some stopped to help him put up the flags.

One woman with a child in the backseat of her car even pulled up beside him to give Constantin $100 cash to “do the right thing.” He says he’ll be donating the money to Ukrainian recovery efforts.

As of this morning (Tuesday), most of the flags remained. The one on the Glebe Road overpass seemed to be gone, either blown away by the wind or taken down.

“There is a pro-Putin set of Russians in D.C. and [the] U.S., in general,” Constantin notes. Public works employees are also tasked with removing items displayed on overpasses, though it’s often a low priority.

Constantin plans to put more flags up, saying Beltway overpasses are next. He also says he’s working with a network of volunteers to send thousands of helmets to Ukraine for civilians and the military.

Constantin still has family and friends in the country that he speaks to and worries about. They are living in constant fear, he says, hearing explosions and seeing fireballs in the streets.

Though he agrees with the measures that the U.S. has taken so far against Russia, and is hopeful that this is the last time Russia will fight a war with Ukraine, he’s also realistic.

“I’m proud people are paying attention now, but fearful that eventually will become desensitized to the horror… and move on. And Russia will keep going,” Constantin says. “This is why the flags could be a reminder to continue the support.”

County Board condemns Russia’s attack on sister city Ivano-Frankivsk

By Matt Blitz
Chair Katie Cristol issuing a resolution condemning Russia’s attack on Ukraine (screenshot via Arlington County/YouTube)

The Arlington County Board has issued a resolution condemning Russia’s “unprovoked attack” on Arlington’s sister city Ivano-Frankivsk in southwestern Ukraine.

At last night’s special County Board meeting, Chair Katie Cristol announced a resolution declaring the county’s solidarity and support for the Ukrainian city of Ivano-Frankivsk. Last week, a missile hit the city’s airport amid Russia’s ongoing, bloody invasion of Ukraine.

“The Arlington County Board… stands in support and solidarity with the people of Ivano-Frankivsk and all of Ukraine in their defense of sovereignty and democracy,” reads the resolution, in part.

The resolution also defends Ukraine’s right to be independent and self-governing. It condemns the invasion and attacks on Ivano-Frankivsk, which has also made international headlines during the conflict due to the hundreds of Indian college students that are stranded there.

Ivano-Frankivsk is one of five Arlington sister cities. The designation became official in 2011 when, in March of that year, then-Board chair Chris Zimmerman was joined by the city’s mayor for a signing ceremony in Crystal City.

A number of Board members have visited the city of about 240,000 people, Cristol noted in her remarks.

The relationship also extended to first responders with Ivano-Frankivsk firefighters having become “friends and students” of their Arlington counterparts. There was also a student exchange program with Swanson Middle School.

“It has been a sister city in every sense of the word,” Cristol said.

In recent days, both D.C. and Alexandria have lit up government buildings and monuments in a show of solidarity with Ukraine. While Arlington has no current plans to do that, a county spokesperson tells ARLnow, the resolution shows the connection the county has with the eastern European country.

“We are keeping our sister city and all of the people of Ukraine in our thoughts and hearts at this time,” Cristol said. “And I know many members of our community are joining us in doing so.”

Full resolution is below.

SUPPORTING ARLINGTON COUNTY’S SISTER CITY IVANO-FRANKIVSK DURING THE RUSSIAN MILITARY INVASION OF AND ATTACK ON UKRAINE

Whereas, on March 4, 2011, the Arlington County Board voted to establish a partnership with the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, the purpose of which is to foster friendship and promote mutual tolerance and understanding by establishing ties between the citizens and institutions of the two communities.

Whereas, our two communities through its Sister City partnership have welcomed opportunities to participate in mutual exchanges of people, culture, and ideas, including a student exchange program with Swanson Middle School.

Whereas, the Arlington County Board has welcomed several exchanges to share information and expertise with public safety responders in our Sister City and the Board has participated in formal meetings with government officials, while the Government of Ivano-Frankivsk has similarly participated and welcomed delegations of our own Government and staff.

Whereas, in the spirit of friendship, understanding, and mutual respect of our cultures and histories, we believe it is important to speak out against unjust actions and demonstrate our support for our friends and partners.

Whereas, we learned on February 24, 2022, a Russian missile struck the airport in Ivano-Frankivsk, Arlington’s sister city in Ukraine, only hours after leaders of the Russian Federation launched an invasion into the sovereign country.

Resolved, that the Arlington County Board –

Condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and unprovoked attack on our Sister City, Ivano-Frankivsk.

Reaffirms our community’s unwavering belief in the principles of international law and in the right of sovereign nations like Ukraine to be respected and safe within their established borders, independent and self-governing, and free to follow their own values and build their own future.

Stands in support and solidarity with the people of Ivano-Frankivsk and all of Ukraine in their defense of sovereignty and democracy.

Spicy chicken shop Hot Lola’s is expanding into Rosslyn

By Matt Blitz
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Spicy chicken sandwich purveyor Hot Lola’s is opening a second Arlington location, this time in Rosslyn.

The restaurant is opening at 1501 Wilson Blvd, sandwiched between Taco Rock and Miracles Salon. A Virginia ABC permit notice on the door announces the eatery’s intention to serve beer, wine, and mixed beverages.

Hot Lola’s first location at Ballston Quarter, which opened in May 2019, does not sell alcohol, though it’s available for purchase by another vendor inside the Quarter Market food hall.

DCist was first with the restaurant’s intent to open in Rosslyn.

Hot Lola’s is replacing Mediterranean fast casual eatery Roti, which appears to have closed a few months ago, after 10 years in business at that location.

ARLnow has reached out to Hot Lola’s about when the Rosslyn location may open, but has yet to hear back as of publication. The restaurant’s windows are papered over, making it difficult to see the construction progress inside.

The eatery from noted D.C. area chef Kevin Tien is known for its spicy “Nashville x Sichuan hot fried chicken sandwiches.” Other popular options include seasoned waffle fries and chicken tenders.

Hot Lola’s made some news when it instituted a 4% “Fair Wage + Wellness” charge to every check, to help pay for employee health insurance, including dental and vision.

Tien has had other ties to Arlington as well, having previously operated his Wild Tiger BBQ collaboration as a pop-up at Bun’d Up in Pentagon City.

A 34,000 square foot Target is opening in Pentagon City in early April

By Matt Blitz
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A 34,000 square foot Target store is opening early April in Pentagon City, filling the space once occupied by Bed Bath & Beyond.

Signs on the building at the corner of Army Navy Drive and S. Joyce Street at Westpost announce the store’s expected Sunday, April 3 opening. There are also signs noting the location is looking to hire employees. Inside, construction is still ongoing but nearing completion.

The location is not yet listed on Target’s website with store hours unknown at this point.

A building permit was first applied for in June 2021 for a Target to replace the Bed Bath & Beyond, which closed in September 2020 and one of nearly 200 locations that has closed over the two years. It had been in that location at Westpost for nearly two decades.

This will be the third Target in Arlington, joining the relatively new store in Ballston and a smaller location in Rosslyn which opened in 2015.

There are also nearby Targets in Falls Church, Potomac Yard, Skyline, and Seven Corners.

This opening is part of a larger transformation of Westpost that dates back to its rebranding in December 2020. The former “Pentagon Row” has seen a plethora of new stores, businesses, and buzzy restaurants come to the shopping center near the Pentagon City Metro station.

Just in the next two months, the development could see a high-end sushi and sake Japanese restaurant, a food and beer hall with a “90s vibe,” and a Baltimore-based “taco temple” all open.

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.”

Be it making up for lost time, the need to get out after another pandemic winter, or the fact that the first day of March Madness also falls on the holiday, bars are preparing for huge numbers this year. For many, large crowds will be welcomed.

“[St. Patrick’s Day] is the biggest business day of the year for us,” Dave Cahill, General Manager at Ireland’s Four Courts in Courthouse. “We are all going to be making up for missing the last two years.”

Michael McMahon, co-owner of Celtic House on Columbia Pike, agrees, saying that they are prepping for an entire weekend of festivities in hopes of spreading out the crowds a bit.

He notes with the holiday falling on a Thursday this year, he anticipates there will be four straight days of crowds and big business at his pub.

If St. Paddy’s Day 2022 ends up being seen as a turning point, it will have come full circle for many local bar owners — March 17, 2020 was the day that Celtic House, along with a number of other local restaurants, shut down due to the emerging coronavirus.

Two years later, there’s a cautious optimism that this year’s St. Patrick’s Day may signal a return to some semblance of normalcy.

“I do hope this is close to the end,” says McMahon. “But I’m not a scientist or a doctor.”

Below is a list of Arlington restaurants and pubs that are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this year.

(more…)

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

By Matt Blitz
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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.

When the man couldn’t break through the front door, he threw a brick through the restaurant’s glass window. Then, he walked through the broken window, broke the cash register on the floor, grabbed approximately $50 in cash, and fled on foot. The suspect also damaged the glass front door of an adjacent business, the police report notes, but didn’t force entry.

The crime will cost the family-owned restaurant thousands, as its business continues to recover from the pandemic.

Arlington police caught up with the suspect a short time later, a few blocks away at N. Glebe Road and Washington Boulevard.

Police arrested an Arlington man and charged him with burglary, petit larceny, destruction of property, and identity theft for providing false information to police. He was already wanted by the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office for failing to appear in court and violating a condition of an earlier release, confirms ACPD spokesperson Ashley Savage.

From the crime report:

The investigation determined that at approximately 9:16 p.m., a witness observed the suspect force entry into the business by throwing an item through the window, breaking the glass. The suspect then allegedly damaged the cash register and stole an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing the scene on foot. No other items were reported stolen. During the course of the investigation, it was determined the suspect also damaged the glass front door to an adjacent business, however no entry was believed to have been made inside. During the course of the investigation, the suspect provided false identifying information, however,  the officers were able to subsequently properly identify the suspect. [The suspect], 58, of Arlington Va., was arrested and charged with Burglary, Petit Larceny, Destruction of Property (x2), and Identity Theft. He was also served with outstanding warrants out of the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office. He was held on no bond.

The previous warrants are related to a misdemeanor charge from earlier this year, according to court records.

While the suspect only made out with about $50, the damage caused by the break-in could cost upwards of $7,000, owner Yvonne Risheq tells ARLnow. Besides the window, front door, and cash register, the suspect also damaged tables, chairs, the point of sales system, and the floor.

“This was just a single guy… who wanted easy cash,” Risheq says. “The money wasn’t much… because nobody pays in cash anymore. And, after the last time, we don’t keep any cash in the register.”

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Ballston pierogi stand Rogi has closed, but its owner hopes to keep serving the area

By Matt Blitz
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Pierogi stand Rogi at Ballston Quarter’s food hall has closed, chef and owner Ed Hardy tells ARLnow.

The pierogi stand’s last official day was Super Bowl — Sunday, February 13. There were several reasons behind the decision to close the eatery after only a little over a year of operations, Hardy says.

One is that the brand is focusing on getting its USDA certification in order to be able sell its filled pastry products in stores. Additionally, the last two months — during the Omicron wave — were particularly hard on the business even compared to the last two pandemic years, a sentiment echoed by a lot of local eateries.

“We took some moon shots and took a risk,” Hardy said of his effort to make a pierogi stand work in the competitive Ballston market.

While Hardy is from Richmond and spent a large portion of his career in New York, he’s no stranger to Arlington — and he’s hoping to remain active here.

Prior to Rogi, he was teaching classes at the Ballston location of Cookology Culinary School. Shortly after the pandemic shut down in-person classes, Hardy shifted from teaching to cooking and opened a “ghost kitchen” inside of Cookology serving up pierogies calling it “Zofia’s Kitchen.”

A short time later, space at nearby Ballston Quarter opened up and Hardy moved all operations there, officially becoming “Rogi.”

With Rogi’s closure, Hardy had planned to replace his pierogi concept with a series of collaborations and pop-ups from other regional restaurateurs, but those plans are currently in flux while details are being worked out with Ballston Quarter. He remains hopeful that this pop-up plan will bear fruit soon, though its future is unclear.

Should he get the go-ahead, among the first up would be an international meatball-centric concept called “Chef Ed’s Flyballs,” followed by empanada, crepe and other pop-ups centered around specific foods.

Sushi restaurant Kusshi rolling into Pentagon City this spring

By Matt Blitz
Sushi restaurant Kusshi at Westpost (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Kusshi, known for its sushi and sake, is aiming for an early April opening at Westpost.

The Bethesda-based, high-end Japanese restaurant first announced it was coming to the Pentagon City retail center in June 2021, filling the space once occupied by Nepalese eatery Namaste Everest. That restaurant closed about two years after opening.

Now, Kusshi is hoping to open its doors in less than two months at 1201 S. Joyce Street.

Kusshi was initially supposed to start serving by the end of last year, but delays typical these days (supply chain, permitting, materials) forced the opening back by several months.

Kusshi co-owner Tony Chow tells ARLnow that they decided to make the move to Westpost because the development is owned by the same developer Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRIT) as Bethesda’s Pike & Rose, where the restaurant opened its first location in 2018.

Chow also notes Amazon’s growing presence in the neighborhood as another major reason for choosing Pentagon City for its next location.

There will be indoor and outdoor seating and the menu will be “similar” as the Bethesda location, Chow says. That includes sushi, sashimi, ramen, katsu, sake, and other Japanese fare. The restaurant also offers omakase, a formal meal left to the chef’s choice.

Westpost has changed drastically over the last two years. That even includes the center’s name, changing from Pentagon Row to Westpost in late 2020.

A number of buzzy restaurants opened last year, including Cathal Armstrong’s Mattie and Eddie’s, Lucky Danger, and Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream.

There are still several more looking to start serving in 2022, including Nighthawk Pizza and Banditos Bar & Kitchen. Target is also planning to open a 34,000 square-foot store in the former Bed, Bath, & Beyond space.

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