auction

New District Brewing is auctioning off equipment, but still hopeful about remaining in Arlington

By Matt Blitz
New District Brewing in Green Valley (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Green Valley’s New District Brewery is auctioning off its equipment, ARLnow has learned, but the door is not fully closed on the local brewery opening elsewhere.

Arlington’s only production brewery is putting items like tanks, pumps, a keg cleaning system, tap heads, and furniture up for auction.

“Everything to start your own brewing business,” reads the website.

The auction runs through May 1.

This is in anticipation of New District Brewery closing its doors at 2709 S. Oakland Street by the end of May, as ARLnow first reported earlier this year. A rent increase and a lease disagreement are the reasons behind the plan to shutter. An indoor dog park and bar set to take the brewery’s place.

Co-owner Mike Katrivanos told ARLnow at the time that he remained hopeful that New District Brewery would find another landing spot in Arlington with ownership continuing to search for properties to purchase. The equipment liquidation seemingly points to the brewery closing for good, but Katrivanos tells ARLnow that is not necessarily the case.

The auction is simply a contingency plan “running in parallel” with the brewery’s continued search for a new space. If they were to able to purchase a new property, ownership could hold back some of the equipment for sale.

Plus, many of the tanks, kegs, pumps, and furniture were specifically designed, purchased, and “geared” for the particular location at 2709 S. Oakland Street.

“A chunk of it won’t work in other spaces… we would need to retool if we were to move,” says Katrivanos.

New District continues to be in the market for a 4,000 to 6,000-square-foot commercial property. Katrivanos says the brewery is only currently looking in Arlington. That may limit choices, he acknowledges, but it’s where the brewery’s customer base is and where Katrivanos grew up.

“If I can’t make it work in Arlington, we will shut down permanently,” he says.

There are potentials that may be in the works and it might all be sorted out within a few weeks, Katrivanos suggested. Until then, New District will continue to prepare for its closing in two months.

While it has not been fully planned out, there will be farewell gatherings and events at S. Oakland Street. Katrivanos says he’s thinking about doing special trivia nights, a major sale of some sort, and a “big thank you party for the community.”

Plus, the brewery “fully plans to honor” its commitments to serving New District beer at the Columbia Pike Blues Fest in June and the Arlington County Fair in August, with the help of several partner breweries.

Katrivanos is hopeful it will all work out and New District will remain in the only place it has ever called home.

“I want to continue to invest in Arlington and keep the business open. We’ve got to cover ourselves [with this auction] in case, God forbid, we shut down permanently,” he says. “We are all waiting to see how it all shakes out.”

Photos: Items from the closed Silver Diner in Clarendon now up for auction

By ARLnow.com
1/8

Silver Diner, a local staple since 1996, is auctioning off iconic decor from its Clarendon location following its closure this past weekend.

The diner’s staff is moving to a new, 6,700 square foot location in Ballston — set to open tomorrow (Wednesday) — but long-time decorations are now on the auction block for charity.

Items and current bid prices range from a two-top table for $35 to a “Time to Dine” clock for $600 and a retro tabletop jukebox for $1,800. Also up for auction are iconic neon signs, vintage chairs, and other items.

The online auction closes just before midnight on Thursday, Dec. 22 and will benefit Real Food for Kids, the local nonprofit that works “to end hunger and bring nutrition security to children in Arlington” and the greater Washington region.

Silver Diner operated its Clarendon location for more than 25 years, serving up classic American comfort food with a modern twist. The new location, at the corner of N. Glebe Road and Wilson Blvd, is set to have a full bar plus 244 seats — 191 indoors and 68 on a seasonal outdoor patio.

Ballston Church Set for Demolition Auctioning Off Everything from Bibles to an Organ

By ARLnow.com
1/5

Central United Methodist Church in Ballston is auctioning off hymnals, furniture and various equipment ahead of a planned redevelopment.

The online auction kicked off this week, after the final service in the church’s current building was held last month. Services are now being held virtually as the property at 4201 Fairfax Drive, across from the Ballston Metro station, is torn down and rebuilt as an affordable housing complex.

The new “Ballston Station” development will feature 144 committed affordable housing units, a childcare facility for up to 100 children, and a church space for up to 200 people. Demolition is set to happen this fall and construction is expected to wrap up in the winter of 2023-24.

The developer — the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing — plans to take possession of the building on July 31, according to a church newsletter, and will begin hazardous materials work to remove asbestos. Auction items, meanwhile, will begin to close on July 13 so that things like bibles, tables, air conditioning units and even an organ keyboard can be removed by then.

Parishioners and other churches were given a chance to request items before they were put up for auction, according to the newsletter. The church also posted a farewell video, below, as a tribute to the “much-loved” building.

Whitlow’s Is Being Auctioned Off, Piece by Piece

By ARLnow.com

This is the final week for Whitlow’s, at least in its current Clarendon location, but you can now bring a piece of the iconic local business home.

The long-time watering hole is auctioning off much of its decor and equipment online.

“Fans can still own a piece of Whitlow’s to keep the memories alive,” auction firm Capital Online Auctions said today in a press release. “Nearly 300 pieces of décor that gave the popular Arlington watering hole its iconic ‘funky charm’ are up for auction.”

Among the items hitting the virtual auction block are:

Whitlow’s is closing for good after one last bash this Saturday, June 26, though its owners have floated the possibility of opening in a new location down the road.

The auctions are set to start closing Thursday morning (June 24).

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Vote By Mail in June Primary — From Arlington’s elections office: “More than 3,900 mail ballots for the June 8 Democratic Primary are on their way.. Deadline to request a mail ballot: May 28 @ 5 p.m.” [Twitter]

Restaurants Cited For Covid Violations — “Twenty-nine Arlington restaurants were cited for violating Gov. Ralph Northam’s COVID-19 restrictions between Jan. 1 and April 4 of this year, according to data obtained exclusively by Patch from Arlington County Public Health.” [Patch]

Auction of Art Institute’s Equipment in Rosslyn — “Former Art Institute of Washington… has closed and will make a complete liquidation of super high end kitchen, catering and food service equipment including 1,000s of small wares, appliances, and high-end kitchen equipment… [plus] all technology, educational equipment, furnishings, A/V, business equipment and supply.” [Rasmus Auctions, Rasmus Auctions]

Local GOP Holding Online Meeting This Month — “The chairman of the Arlington County Republican Committee is anticipating face-to-face gatherings in coming months, but for now is sticking with an online format. ‘I am looking forward to holding in-person meetings again in the very near future,’ GOP chair Andrew Loposser said in an April 21 e-mail to the party rank-and-file. The e-mail noted that the monthly meeting set for April 28 would be held online via Zoom.” [Sun Gazette]

Arlington Native Named Head Basketball Coach — “Loyola women’s basketball has named Danielle O’Banion the program’s 12th head coach. The Arlington, Virginia native who played at Boston College, most recently was an assistant at Minnesota. She takes over for Joe Logan, the program’s all-time winningest coach who was relieved of his duties after the 2020-21 season. The Greyhounds finished 0-13.” [Fox 45]

Fundraiser for Murder Victim’s Family — “The family of Hernan Leiva, who was killed in a parking lot in the Skyline area of Bailey’s Crossroads April 17, launched a GoFundMe site to raise funds to help with funeral costs. Leiva, age 58, worked at the Target in Skyline. He was attacked by a coworker when he arrived at work early Saturday morning.” [Annandale Blog]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

APS Modifies Back-to-School Plan — “To better serve our students, we are announcing updates to the return-to-school plan, including revisions to the elementary and middle school hybrid/in-person instructional models and adjusted student groupings.” [Arlington Public Schools]

More on Silver Line Attack — “The woman was riding the train with her young child at about 11:35 a.m. Tuesday when a man assaulted her, tried to remove her clothing and exposed himself, Metro Transit Police said. The attack occurred between the McLean and East Falls Church stations.” [NBC 4]

CPRO May Get New Name — “The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization has been known by the name – and the acronym CPRO – for nearly 35 years. But plans are now in the works to provide a new name to describe the organization’s current mission. The renaming process ‘will probably happen over the next few months,’ CPRO executive director Kim Klingler said.” [InsideNova]

Rose Bush Auction This Weekend — “Hosted by Arlington Rose Foundation… Our auction with sound system will be held outdoors, where it is easy to social distance, in the lovely rose garden at Columbia Gardens Cemetery, 3411 Arlington Boulevard.” [ARLnow Events]

Adult, Two Kids Struck By Driver in Falls Church — ” At approximately 11:01 a.m. on October 7, City of Falls Church Police were dispatched to the report of pedestrians hit by a vehicle at the intersection of W Annandale Road and W Broad Street. Three victims – an adult and two minors – were transported to Virginia Hospital Center with non-life-threatening injuries.” [City of Falls Church]

One More Page Passes Fundraising Goal, Pays Bills

By Airey
1/3

Local bookstore One More Page (2200 N. Westmoreland Street) will be able to pay the bills after all, thanks to its auction last month.

“We received donations of wine, window washing service, and many other items,” said owner Eileen McGervey, of the items the store auctioned off. “It was really quite overwhelming.”

In total, the online auction raised $20,374.32, passing its goal of $20,000.

The highest bid item was an original cartoon by the late Richard Thompson, which was donated by his wife Amy Thompson — it sold for $1,111.50. The item the fetched the second highest bit was naming rights to a character in the the Wine Country mystery series by Ellen Crosby, which sold for $725.

McGervey described the auction as a “wonderful success” to ARLnow and said the money raised was enough to cover the vendors she wasn’t able to pay after the building owner raised her rent by 30 percent in July. The spike in rent was caused largely by changes to the county’s real estate valuation method for the type of condominium building that houses One More Page.

The building’s property tax liability more than doubled this year, even after an appeal that knocked $700,000 off the valuation.

Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey tells ARLnow he has been working with the parties involved to try to make sure One More Page could meet its obligations and stay in business.

“Shortly after this issue raised itself in the public eye, I spoke with the owner and we tried to see what we could do and what would be available,” Dorsey said.

Dorsey encouraged any small businesses affected by the real estate valuation change to contact Arlington Economic Development’s BizLaunch division.

Dorsey said he was “deeply sympathetic” to the bookstore’s plight, noting that the establishment is one of his family’s favorites. But he added that the valuation changes was necessary because “for years we were not taxing at the appropriate levels, which create larger issues of equity.”

In the meantime, McGervey said that the bookstore is looking into holding more events to help it stay afloat. She’s also started a Patreon membership program after would-be auction buyers said they were interested in supporting the bookstore that way.

“The whole experience has invigorated us and our customers to make sure we stay here,” McGervey said.

One More Page Books Holding Auction to Cover Rising Rent

By Airey
1/5

A local bookstore is holding an auction to raise money after the owner says rent increased by 30 percent this year due to property tax changes.

One More Page Books, located in the East Falls Church neighborhood at 2200 N. Westmoreland Street, is hosting a silent auction fundraiser from Friday, August 2 at 6:30 p.m. until Sunday, August 18 at 5 p.m. The bookstore is currently finalizing the item list, which currently ranges from artwork and chocolates, to bike tours and book manuscript consults.

Owner Eileen McGervey said she was excited for the auction, which kicks off with the store’s regularly-scheduled wine and cheese party Friday night. She told ARLnow that customers came up with the idea of the auction, which has since gathered items like handmade shawls and a dinner with media members who cover the Capitals.

The auction was arranged after McGervey said the landlord informed her last month that the real estate taxes for the building went up significantly. The end result? A 30 percent rent increase, applicable to the current year.

McGervey said that’s a challenge for the independent bookstore not only because it operates on small profit margins, but also, “unlike other businesses we don’t have the option of raising the prices because books come with prices on them.”

The tax hike was the result of the county changing the way it calculates the value of some commercial buildings, like the mixed-use commercial condo building One More Page inhabits. The change more than doubled the assessed value of One More Page’s space — and thus also its assessed taxes — even after it was lowered on appeal.

(That’s on top of the County Board approving a real estate tax hike which increased the amount owners pay by two cents for every $100 in assessed property.)

“Unfortunately, in the case of the condominium that houses One More Page, this meant an increase in the assessed value of the property from CY 2018 of $2,351,100.00 to a CY 2019 valuation of $5,591,100.00,” Board Chair Christian Dorsey wrote in a letter to McGervey, who had asked if the Board could offer any assistance to the bookstore.

Dorsey continued:

This is indeed a large jump in the assessed value of the building. The County is bound by the Constitution of Virginia and State Code to assess all real estate at fair market value, and this methodology provides a more accurate assessment of commercial condominium values than did the previous. This methodology took into consideration the actual income and expense data submitted by the owner of the property along with similar condominiums in Arlington.

While the owner chose not to appeal the assessment with the County’s Board of Equalization this year, the owner did file an administrative appeal, resulting in a $700,000 reduction in the CY 2019 assessment, to $4,907,500. With the assessment reduction, the total tax bill for the building in Calendar Year 2019 is $56,485.00, up from $26,228.67 in CY 2018.

One More Page has been able to cover the rent raise in the past month, but at the expense of paying some of its vendors. Asking for help covering these bills is awkward, McGervey said, but better than the alternative.

“You don’t want to just be gone one day and have people not know that you could have been there,” McGervey said.

She noted that she’s now exploring the idea of a membership program to cover future rent needs.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Board Member Wants Lower School Costs — “In remarks to a local service organization, Matt de Ferranti telegraphed the likelihood that Arlington property owners would see a higher real-estate-tax rate this year, in part to pay for higher school costs. But at the same time, he said the days of gold-plated school facilities must come to an end.” [InsideNova]

Arlington No. 5 on ‘Women in Tech’ List — Arlington County ranks fifth on a new list of “the Best Cities for Women in Tech in 2019.” D.C. ranked No. 1. [SmartAsset]

Isabella Restaurant Gear Up for Auction — “Rasmus Auctions is advertising online auctions for kitchen equipment, dining room contents, decor and more at Yona, Pepita and Kapnos Taverna in Arlington until about noon March 13.” [Washington Business Journal]

County Expanding Drug Take-Back Boxes — “In the first calendar year of the Permanent Drug Take-Back Box program, residents safely disposed of 1008 pounds of unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications. Due to the success of the program, an additional permanent drug take-back box has been installed at Arlington County Fire Station #5.” [Arlington County]

AWLA Calls for More Pet Foster Families — “We need your help! Our kennels are full and we are in URGENT need of foster homes for medium-large adult dogs and kittens undergoing treatment for ringworm.” [Facebook]

Falls Church Becoming ‘Un-boring’ — The sleepy City of Falls Church is attracting younger residents amid a development boom, cheered on in an editorial by the little city’s newspaper. [Falls Church News-Press]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Hope: No Impeachment Filing Yet — Updated at 9:50 a.m. — Del. Patrick Hope (D) says he’s delaying filing articles of impeachment against Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D), who is facing two accusations of past sexual assaults. “An enormous amount of sincere and thoughtful feedback… has led to additional conversations that need to take place,” Hope said. [Twitter, Twitter, Twitter]

More Trailers for Arlington Tech — “Students coming into the Arlington Tech program at the Arlington Career Center for the next two years may find themselves spending more time in trailers than they had thought, and more time than School Board members are happy about.” [InsideNova]

Auction for Restaurant Items — The former furnishings of now-shuttered Rolls By U are up for auction by Arlington County, to help pay its overdue tax bill. [Arlington County]

Car vs. Columbia Pike Restaurant — It appears that a car ran into the front of Andy’s Carry Out restaurant on Columbia Pike. [Twitter]

State Split on Northam’s Fate — “Virginians are deadlocked over whether Gov. Ralph Northam (D) should step down after the emergence of a photo on his 1984 medical school yearbook page depicting people in blackface and Ku Klux Klan garb, with African Americans saying by a wide margin that he should remain in office despite the offensive image, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll.” [Washington Post]

Beyer on Face the Nation — “Democratic Virginia Reps. Don Beyer and Jennifer Wexton renewed their calls for Gov. Ralph Northam and Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax to step down over their respective controversies” on CBS’s Face the Nation Sunday morning. [CBS News]

Local Chef on CBS This Morning — Chef David Guas of Bayou Bakery in Courthouse made an extended appearance on CBS This Morning Saturday, talking about his food, his restaurants and how his aunt inspired his love of cooking. [CBS News]

Flickr pool photo by TheBeltWalk

Fairlington 5K Tomorrow to Benefit Girl with Rare Disease

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3:15 p.m.) The Fairlington 5K Run and Walk tomorrow will raise money for an Arlington girl with a rare, degenerative disease.

In 2011, Ellie McGinn was diagnosed with LBSL (leukoencephalopathy with brainstem and spinal cord involvement and lactate elevation), which causes impaired nervous system functioning that can lead to muscle stiffness, tremors, weakness, poor balance and difficulty coordinating body movements.

The nonprofit organization “A Cure for Ellie” has been set up in her name to raise awareness of LBSL and funding for research. McGinn appeared on the Today Show last year for her and her parents’ work in their search for a cure.

Tomorrow’s non-competitive run/walk in Fairlington aims to promote general health and physical fitness while also supporting McGinn, who is a third-grader at Abingdon Elementary School. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. at Abingdon Elementary (3035 S. Abingdon Street) and registration is $35 for adults, $20 for children ages 6-16 and free for children five and under.

Arlington County police will oversee the following road closures from approximately 7-9:30 a.m. to accommodate the race:

  • Abington Street between S. 29th Street and S. 36th Street
  • 36th Street between S. 34th Street up to, and including, Stafford Street
  • Wakefield loop off S. 34th Street
  • Utah Street between S. 32nd Street and S. 34th Street

Photo via A Cure for Ellie

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