Amazon

Public art studio, complete with velociraptor sculpture, opens at Amazon HQ2

By Daniel Egitto
1/3

An art studio featuring free classes and a light-up scrapyard velociraptor opened its doors yesterday (Wednesday) in Pentagon City.

Catherine Anchin, executive director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington (MoCA), cut the ribbon for the new Innovation Studio + Store alongside several local officials at Amazon’s second headquarters. The project, a collaboration between Amazon and MoCA, seeks to take a fresh approach to connecting the public with contemporary art.

“It’s really about innovation and helping people to understand contemporary art a little bit better, and get excited about being creative,” Anchin said.

The studio at 525 14th Street S. will rotate through artists-in-residence every six weeks. The first of these creatives, Arlington artist Adam Henry, plans to take an active role in the neighborhood by sketching people and partnering with local restaurants and businesses — in addition to showing off his raptor.

“Our secret is, we make things we like and try to make them, like, really ‘wow,’” Henry said.

The creator soon plans to host the studio’s first class, which will be a vision board workshop. He will also start work on cardboard sculptures with the help of his 17-year-old son and apprentice, who is also named Adam Henry.

Patrick Phillippi, head of community engagement at Amazon HQ2, said the studio is part of Amazon’s broader focus on “being a good partner to this neighborhood.”

The tech giant has already bankrolled $14 million in renovations to Metropolitan Park, adjacent to HQ2. That park hosted the debut of a new farmer’s market when the first phase of the massive office complex opened in June.

New locations of local businesses, such as Conte’s Bike Shop and Good Company Doughnuts, have also opened in ground floor retail spaces since then.

Phillippi said he wants to further the mission of MoCA — formerly known as the Arlington Arts Center — which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. He spoke warmly of his experiences at the Virginia Square museum, which rebranded in 2022, during the ribbon cutting.

“You really just get an immediate sense that art is accessible, that art is open to everybody,” Phillippi said. “And this studio is such a great expansion of that. It is a privilege for Amazon to have you guys here.”

Guests at Wednesday’s grand opening included business leaders, who praised the project from both an arts and a business perspective.

Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, who leads the National Landing Business Improvement District, said she believes the project will serve as “a true cultural anchor” that serves the area’s needs.

“We’ve had a lot of business openings in the last year or so, but our community has really been craving more arts and cultural offerings and programming,” she said. “We’re so thrilled to, with MoCA, have a museum presence in our neighborhood.”

Kate Bates, president and CEO of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, is eager to see how the studio contributes to the area’s sense of community.

“The culture is a huge, important part of what makes Arlington a great place for our businesses to locate in, and those of us who live here as well,” she said. “Congratulations to MoCA. We look forward to 50 more wonderful years and then some.”

Makers Union set to open in Pentagon City next week

By James Jarvis
1/5

Makers Union, an upscale gastropub, is set to open its doors on the ground floor of Amazon’s second headquarters in Pentagon City next week.

Its first day open will be Tuesday, Dec. 5, according to the restaurant’s website.

This is the third Makers Union location in the D.C. area, following the debut of its Reston location three years ago and a recent opening at the Wharf in early October.

Open seven days a week, the 3,075 square-foot restaurant serves lunch and dinner on weekdays, and brunch and dinner on weekends. A happy hour is available from 3-6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and live music is scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

“It’s designed to be a pub where you can come and celebrate any of life’s occasions, whether that be wings and a beer at the bar, watching a football game, or coming in and enjoying some more elevated options,” Makers Union Director of Operations Alex Brown told to ARLnow.

The restaurant seats 84 indoors, including 34 at the bar and 50 in the dining area, and 80 outdoors, he said.

Brown recommended a few menu items, including the tomahawk steak with poached eggs, hollandaise and breakfast potatoes, and the grilled chicken alfredo pasta with garlic bread.

Makers Union joins a slew of new businesses and eateries, including Good Company Doughnuts & Coffee and Conte’s Bike Shop, on the ground floor of the first phase of Amazon’s second headquarters, also known as Metropolitan Park, which opened earlier this summer.

Last month, Peruvian Brothers, a D.C.-based Peruvian food truck and fast-casual eatery, opened its second location adjacent to the gastropub.

Thompson Hospitality, the pub’s owner, operates other local favorites including Matchbox, Big Buns Damn Good Burgers and Wiseguy Pizza.

Giant menorahs to be lit in celebration of Hanukkah starting next week

By James Jarvis
Chabad Lubavitch of Alexandria-Arlington’s menorah lighting in 2015 (via Chabad Lubavitch of Alexandria-Arlington/Facebook)

Menorah lights are set to brighten up Arlington after Hanukkah begins next Friday.

On Sunday, Dec. 10 at 5 p.m., Chabad Lubavitch of Alexandria-Arlington, a local branch of the global Jewish outreach organization, will light its “giant 9-foot Menorah.”

The annual event will take place at Chabad’s community center at 1307 N. Highland Street in Clarendon.

The celebrations extend to Monday, Dec. 11, with another giant menorah lighting at 5:30 p.m. at Metropolitan Park (1330 S. Fair Street), close to Amazon’s second headquarters in Pentagon City.

Both events will have “lively Chanukah music” to set the festive mood, according to their respective event descriptions. Attendees can indulge in hot potato latkes, hot cocoa, donuts and chocolate gelt. They will also receive a complimentary dreidel.

Admission is free but registration is required, as reservations are open until each event reaches capacity.

“Security will be present” at both events, Chabad Lubavitch noted.

The menorah-lighting tradition, a fixture for over a decade, often draws local officials. Previously, the events were held at the Pentagon Row ice skating rink and outside the Clarendon Metro station.

Photo via Chabad Lubavitch of Alexandria-Arlington/Facebook

Morning Poll: How much has Amazon HQ2 actually changed Arlington?

By ARLnow.com
Amazon HQ2 Phase 1 (photo courtesy Amazon)

This week marks the five-year anniversary of Amazon’s decision to locate its second headquarters in Arlington.

The initial plan had HQ2 split between Arlington and New York City, but a few months later NYC was out and Arlington was the sole destination for the tech and retail giant.

In the five years since, Amazon has completed the first phase of its planned office complex and hired about 8,000 Arlington-based employees out of the 25,000 it says will eventually work here. Disappointing fans of the proposed “Helix” tower, however, it has delayed construction on the second phase of HQ2.

Arlington, and the dozens of cities that competed for HQ2, had visions of emerging as another Silicon Valley with the addition of a large Amazon presence. While Amazon certainly has provided a boost to the local tech scene, it’s hard to argue that Arlington is anywhere close to rivaling the Bay Area.

HQ2 is now a gleaming presence in Arlington, and adjacent Metropolitan Park has gotten a big upgrade from its former days as a defacto dog bathroom, but Pentagon City lacks the throngs of security-badged employees that one might expect around a major tech headquarters.

Meanwhile, fears of skyrocketing housing prices have only partially come to fruition. After the HQ2 announcement Arlington real estate prices rose disproportionately compared to the rest of the region, the Washington Business Journal reported, but that has since reversed, calling into question the true impact.

Housing prices and tech employment may be objective ways to measure the local HQ2 impact, but today we’re running a poll that takes a different approach: vibes.

Given your local knowledge, how do you assess the Amazon-driven changes in Arlington? How much of an impact do you think HQ2 has actually had?

Peruvian Brothers opens new restaurant at Amazon HQ2 in Pentagon City

By James Jarvis
1/8

Peruvian Brothers is officially open on the ground floor of Amazon’s second headquarters in Pentagon City.

The D.C.-based Peruvian food truck and fast-casual eatery officially opened its second brick-and-mortar restaurant this past Friday. The location at 1450 S. Eads Street is only open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. but “dinner and brunch services will launch in a few weeks,” according to a press release.

“We are so honored and excited to bring a large piece of our beloved Perú right to Amazon’s doorstep in Arlington,” co-owner Giuseppe Lanzone said in the release. “After years of perfecting our craft, we’re excited to have a space large enough to share the full experience of our culture, heritage, and flavorful Peruvian cuisine with our community.”

Amazon announced in July 2022 that the restaurant would move into a 2,000-square-foot space within its HQ2, among several eateries, including Makers Union and Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe.

The restaurant planned to open its first phase over the summer in April, however, the opening was pushed back “to ensure everything was 100% ready,” a spokesperson told ARLnow.

This marks a return to the area for Peruvian Brothers, which previously occupied a stand at the Crystal City Water Park before the park underwent renovations to add new food and drink kiosks. The water park re-opened earlier this month.

Co-owners Giuseppe Lanzone and his brother Mario relocated with their family from Peru to McLean in 1997. Before becoming a restaurateur, Giuseppe was a two-time Olympic rower for Team USA.

In 2012, the duo launched their Alexandria-based food truck and catering business. Nearly a decade later, the brothers opened their first brick-and-mortar spot in La Cosecha, a Latin American market in D.C.

Giuseppe and Mario say the cuisine, which includes sandwiches, empanadas, ceviches, rotisserie chicken and a Peruvian stir fry called saltado, is inspired by their upbringing in a port city within the sprawling metropolitan area of Lima.

Some noteworthy dishes at the HQ2 outpost include the pan con chicharrón sandwich — fried pork tenderloin on a French roll with sweet potato slices and a Peruvian salsa called criolla — and lomo saltado, a savory beef stir-fry with tomatoes, onions and fries.

The new space has both indoor and outdoor seating. Inside, a mural evokes scenes of La Punta, Perú, where the brothers grew up, and pays homage to Inti, the ancient Inca god of the sun.

The restaurant also has a bar that serves Peruvian beers, wines, liquor and a frozen cocktail formulated by the brothers: the Pisco Sour Slush.

Two nabbed in foot chases after vehicle theft attempt from Amazon HQ2 garage

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police vehicle responding to assist with foot chase in Pentagon City on Oct. 16, 2023

A pair of suspects led Arlington County police on extended foot chases through Pentagon City yesterday afternoon.

Police first responded to a parking garage below Amazon’s HQ2 building around 3:30 p.m. Monday after security observed suspects in ski masks trying to break into a car.

The suspects were later spotted in the area and took off running. Personnel from some federal law enforcement agencies with nearby offices — the DEA and the U.S. Marshals Service — helped police spot the fleeing suspects, according to scanner traffic. Both suspects were apprehended around 4:30 p.m.

More, below, from today’s ACPD crime report.

ATTEMPTED GRAND LARCENY AUTO, 2023-10160155, 500 block of 14th Road S. At approximately 3:30 p.m. on October 16, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined security personnel were inside a parking garage when they heard an activated car alarm and observed the two male suspects wearing ski masks allegedly tampering with the steering column of the vehicle. Security personnel verbally confronted the suspects and they exited the vehicle and fled the scene on foot. A lookout was broadcast and officers canvassed the area for the suspects. A short time later, officers located the suspects in the area of S. Fern Street and 12th Street S. and attempted to detain them during which both suspects ran from the area. Following foot pursuits, both suspects were located and taken into custody. During the course of the investigation, burglarious tools were recovered from the scene. No injuries were reported. [Suspect 1], 18, of Fort Washington, Md. was arrested and charged with Attempted Grand Larceny Auto, Possession of Burglarious Tools, Destruction of Property, Obstruction of Justice, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and Wearing a Mask in a Public Place to Conceal Identity. [Suspect 2], 18, of Alexandria. Va. was arrested and charged with Attempted Grand Larceny Auto, Obstruction of Justice, Conspiracy to Commit a Felony and Wearing a Mask in a Public Place to Conceal Identity.

Amazon delivery driver arrested for alleged assault in Penrose

By ARLnow.com
1/5

An Amazon delivery driver is facing charges after allegedly beating up a man in the Penrose neighborhood.

The incident happened Wednesday afternoon in a private townhouse development across the street from Penrose Square.

“At approximately 3:07 p.m., police were dispatched to the 2300 block of 9th Street S., for the report of an assault with injury,” Arlington County police spokeswoman Alli Shorb told ARLnow. “Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect, a delivery driver, was making deliveries in the area when he became involved in a verbal dispute with the male victim over a parking issue that escalated to a physical altercation during which the suspect allegedly assaulted the victim.”

”A witness separated the suspect and victim, who both remained on scene. The victim sustained minor injuries,” Shorb added.

Scanner traffic suggests that the victim was found bleeding and was evaluated by medics. Shorb said the suspect, a 30-year-old resident of Capitol Heights, Maryland, has been charged with assault and battery.

Colleagues of the driver resumed his deliveries after the arrest. One who spoke to ARLnow claimed the driver — who was operating an unmarked white delivery van — was harassed by a resident who questioned what he was doing in the private community.

Staff photographer Jay Westcott contributed to this report

Amazon holds its first product launch at HQ2 in Pentagon City

By James Jarvis
1/4

(Updated at 2:30 p.m.) Channeling the energy of an iPhone launch, Amazon unveiled its new line of AI-powered gadgets in Arlington on Wednesday.

While a September product launch is typical for the tech giant, this event was the first major unveiling Amazon has hosted at its new HQ2 in Pentagon City — and the top brass went all out for the occasion.

Inside the 2.1-million-square-foot complex, which wrapped up its first phase of construction in June, Amazon employees ushered attendees to their seats in the airy auditorium. Caterers served hors d’oeuvres, kombucha and cold-pressed juice. Pop music from the likes of Dua Lipa and Ellie Goulding played in the background.

Then, an ethereal voice put an end to the bustling activity, leading the crowd in a countdown and asking everyone to “silence their cellphones.”

Amazon Senior Vice President of Devices and Services David Limp took the stage first, making arguably the most consequential announcement of the day. He explained how generative AI — the buzzy tech that people use to create anything from raps to digital illustrations — will shape the future of Amazon’s products.

Limp demonstrated Alexa’s new enhanced AI-powered capabilities talking to the the company’s forthcoming $150 Echo Show 8, highlighting the smart home device’s capacity to comprehend complex requests and engage in more human-like interactions.

“We’ve studied what it takes to make a great conversation over the past nine years. It’s not just words, it’s body language. It’s understanding who you’re addressing. It’s eye contact, it’s gestures,” Limp said.

To create “much more conversational experiences” with Alexa, Limp said Amazon combined the sensors in an Echo — including its camera and ability to detect someone’s presence — with its newest Large Language Models. These “talk to” humans by processing large amounts of text on the Internet and predicting the right response.

After Limp, a cadre of Amazon executives introduced new products such as the $50 Echo Pop Kids smart speaker, the $180 Echo Hub Home, a control panel for managing smart devices, and a more aesthetic upgrade to its smart glasses, the $270 Echo Frames.

Each announcement sparked a flurry of keyboard activity from tech journalists in attendance — with resulting headlines in Engadget, The Verge and elsewhere — as well as applause from employees and stakeholders.

Before inviting the audience to try out demo devices, Limp said he believes this new technology can “redefine” the way people “interact” with their homes.

“Customers have now connected over 400 million devices to their Alexa Smart Home and they’re using Alexa to control those devices hundreds of millions of times each week,” he said.

Most devices will start shipping in October. Customers can pre-order through Amazon’s website.

The full list of products announced is below.

Local food bank avoids canned food shortage with donation from local Bloomberg office

By James Jarvis
1/2

The Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) says it avoided a canned goods shortfall with a timely donation from Bloomberg Industry Group.

Over Labor Day weekend, the local food bank said it received more than 3,600 canned goods from the Arlington-based affiliate of Bloomberg, which provides legal, tax and business reporting and services.

In a press release, AFAC says it was facing a week-long shortage of canned food donations, which “threatened to disrupt the lifeline they provide to thousands of Arlington families.”

The donation comes as the food pantry, which serves around 3,300 Arlington families a week, is seeing an uptick in clients. It attributes the uptick to inflation and rollbacks in Covid-era federal food assistance and child tax credits.

“As demands for food assistance exponentially increase due to economic setbacks like inflation and cuts in government assistance, AFAC’s mission to provide essential resources to vulnerable families has never been more crucial,” the nonprofit said in a press release.

That need is particularly acute in South Arlington, according to a recent study, which found the area has one of the highest concentrations of families in the nation who cannot afford basic necessities and childcare.

Overall, Bloomberg Industry Group — which has hosted food drives and helped bag food for AFAC before — collected 14,290 pounds of food for distribution.

“It was our privilege to lend a helping hand to AFAC in their time of need,” says Josh Eastright, CEO of the company, which has offices in Crystal City. “We’re proud to support the great work they do serving our local community, and I want to thank our team for their generosity supporting this effort.”

Last Saturday, employees of another company with a significant local presence volunteered with a food distribution event.

Amazon employees teamed up with nonprofit Food for Neighbors, which combats child hunger in the region, to collect nearly 20,000 pounds of food and toiletries, according to a press release.

After the collection, dubbed a “Red Bag” event, the items were distributed to more than 5,800 students across 42 secondary schools across Northern Virginia, including Arlington Community High School, Gunston Middle School, Kenmore Middle School and Wakefield High School.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Amazon as a Food For Neighbors Community Champion and sponsor of our first Red Bag food and toiletry collection event of the new school year,” Karen Joseph, founder and executive director of Food For Neighbors, said in the release.

The event was part of Amazon’s Global Month of Volunteering, “when tens of thousands of Amazon employees around the world will go out in their communities and do good together,” Melissa Robinson, principal program manager of Volunteering at Amazon, said in a statement.

Amazon previously helped feed Arlington Public Schools families last fall via a $155,000 donation to Food For Neighbors from Amazon Fresh, Joseph noted.

Photo (1) via AFAC/Facebook

Makers Union pub slated to open this fall in Pentagon City

By James Jarvis
1/5

(Updated at 4:40 p.m.) Get ready to raise your forks and pint glasses.

Makers Union, a gastropub known for its upscale menu, is coming to Amazon’s second headquarters in Pentagon City this fall.

Alex Brown, the restaurant’s director of operations, tells ARLnow doors will open by mid-October, though a specific opening date has yet to be confirmed.

“I’ll put it at 90% — unless something comes up,” he told ARLnow.

This will be the third location for Makers Union, which first opened in Reston three years ago and is planning to open a second location in D.C. at the Wharf in September.

Makers Union joins a variety of new businesses and dining establishments slated to get in on the ground floor of the first phase of Amazon’s HQ2, known as Metropolitan Park, which opened earlier this summer.

“[Makers Union] is all about having fun with different events and just being that place where guests can celebrate any of life’s occasions,” Brown said.

Guests can “grab wings and a beer at the bar,” partake in bottomless brunch or celebrate a birthday or anniversary with “elevated options” such as crab cakes and ribeye steaks, he added.

The pub’s owner, Thompson Hospitality, also operates Matchbox, Big Buns Damn Good Burgers and Wiseguy Pizza, among several other local restaurant concepts.

Thompson Hospitality launched three decades ago with the purchase of several Bob’s Big Boys. It has since become a nearly billion-dollar company, with most of its restaurants still in the D.C. area., including Matchbox and Wise Guys Pizza.

Arlington-based South Block looks to expand in D.C. area and beyond

By Caroline Gage
1/3

(Updated at 4:25 p.m.) Fueled by its signature açai bowls, local juice bar South Block is hitting a growth spurt.

The smoothie, juice and açai bowl spot opened its newest location in Amazon’s HQ2 in July, marking its 15th storefront in the D.C. area and fifth in Arlington in the last 12 years.

Its founder, Amir Mostafavi, says he has no intentions of slowing down, either. Armed with the company’s first capital raise, he aims to add another 15 locations to the D.C. area while exploring other regions of the U.S., as well.

“I still think there’s there’s opportunities in Arlington County alone, let alone the [D.C. area],” he said. “But, you know, we do we do have aspirations to go into new markets as well.”

ARLnow caught up with Mostafavi to discuss the wave of success South Block is riding and the new course he is charting. He says the key is not growing so quickly the brand loses sight of its mission to make a positive impact on customers, the environment and employees.

“We’re going to grow [South Block] at whatever pace we can keep up with to maintain the same quality of product and company culture, because I’ve seen too many awesome brands fail because they try to grow too fast,” the founder said.

For instance, Mostafavi says he will continue using fair trade açai and will not take shortcuts for cheaper ingredients or labor. The booming popularity of the antioxidant rich fruit in the United States has resulted in cheaper product tied to child labor flooding the market.

Mostafavi also emphasizes leadership development and guest experience because of his negative experiences in the food service industry.

“I really strive, even to this day, for perfection in the quality of the product, but mainly in what we stand for and how we treat our people — the people that work for us [and] the people that come through our doors,” he said.

These are lessons Mostafavi said he and his team learned because South Block got its start in Arlington — which continues to lead the nation as the fittest “city.”

“Customers in Arlington, they know what they’re looking for,” Mostafavi said. “They’re health conscious, and they will ask questions, and so, you know, if you’re trying to take shortcuts or if your product is inferior, I think Arlington customers are very savvy and aware of that.”

Mostafavi started South Block after five years of running a popular juice bar called Campus Fresh at George Washington University. He chose a 700 square-foot space on the south block of a new building at 3019 11th Street N. to house the new business.

“The name ‘South Block’ kind of represents that idea of building a community on your block,” Mostafavi said, referencing the company’s mission.

Mostafavi says he did not open the smoothie shop with expansion plans. About two years in, when lines were stretching out the door, he realized it was time for South Block to grow.

As South Block continued adding locations, Mostafavi considered ways to give back as well.

In 2019, he started the nonprofit Fruitful Planet, which provides fresh produce to people in need. A percentage of all of South Block’s proceeds, are put towards the initiative. The Fruitful Planet Cafe, which operated during pandemic, gave 100% of its proceeds to the nonprofit. Fruitful Planet says it has donated nearly 65,000 pounds of produce.

“Our mission statement is to build healthier communities one block at a time,” Mostafavi said. “So the way I look at that is that’s everyone in our community, not just people that can afford, you know, a $10 smoothie.”

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