business closing

Cosi in Courthouse Has Closed

By ARLnow.com
1/6

The Cosi restaurant in Courthouse has closed.

Lunch-goers hoping for a Cosi sandwich or salad found instead a locked door. A sign posted on the door said the restaurant is closed.

“We truly appreciate your patronage and we apologize for any inconvenience,” the sign said.

It was not immediately clear if the closure was permanent or temporary, although the restaurant’s interior appeared to be in the process of being cleared out and a number of items from the restaurant were placed in and around the dumpsters behind the building.

The Cosi is located at 2050 Wilson Blvd, just steps from the Courthouse Metro station.

Update at 5:45 p.m. — A Cosi in Reston Town Center has also closed.

Update at 4:40 on 9/28/16 — The restaurant is permanently closed and its parent company has filed for bankruptcy. “It is never an easy decision to close a restaurant,” Cosi Marketing Coordinator Devin Dourney told ARLnow.com in an email. “The decision to close this restaurant was based on its financial performance and market density. At this time, we do not have any plans to reopen this restaurant.”

China Garden in Rosslyn is Planning to Close, Permit Application Suggests

By ARLnow.com
1/2

China Garden restaurant is terminating its lease, a permit application on this week’s County Board agenda suggests.

The long-time Chinese restaurant, at 1100 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn, is perhaps best known for its weekend dim sum lunches.

Monday Properties, owner of the 1000-1100 Wilson Blvd twin towers, is requesting County Board permission to convert the 10,000 square foot retail space currently occupied by the restaurant into new television studios.

The permit application does not name the soon-to-be “former restaurant” but its location on the mezzanine level of the building and floor plan match that of China Garden.

“As of the date of this application, one of the retail tenants located in the mezzanine level of the building has decided to terminate its lease and to vacate the property,” an attorney for the building owner said in a letter to the county. “In the Applicant’s experience, retail space on the mezzanine level has proven difficult to lease, given its separation from the pedestrian realm on the street level. As such, the Applicant proposes to convert the former retail space into two new television studios and associated support facilities.”

The application also does not name the tenant that will be using the new studios, but the building is home to television station WJLA and NewsChannel 8. Station owner Sinclair renewed its lease in the building this summer.

County staff are recommending the Board approve the application.

A China Garden employee said today that the restaurant’s manager would not be available for comment until Friday.

Carpool Sold But Will Remain Open for a Few Months

By ARLnow.com

Carpool (photo via Facebook)Popular Ballston bar Carpool has been sold to developer Penzance and is set to be replaced by a 22-story-apartment building.

The sale closed on Friday, said co-owner Mark Handwerger. The good news? Carpool is expected to remain open for a few more months.

“CarPool has leased back the property for a period of time, and the bar will remain open through at least the end of November,” Handwerger said.

In August, groups that used Carpool as a gathering spot for things like football games and other regularly-scheduled social events were told that Carpool was likely to close within a few weeks.

Pinkberry in Clarendon Has Closed, Again

By ARLnow.com
1/4

The Pinkberry frozen yogurt shop in Clarendon has closed.

A worker was changing the locks at the store this afternoon, which is usually a sign that a business has been kicked out by its landlord. Later in the evening, the door handles could be seen chained together from the inside, and a letter from Arlington County was visible on the floor.

Over the past two years Pinkberry has closed for the off-season, only to quietly open up again when the weather started to warm up. It’s yet to be seen whether Pinkberry will rise again, the lone survivor of the once–vibrant Clarendon frozen yogurt scene, or whether it has finally closed for good.

California Tortilla Has Closed in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com
1/6

The California Tortilla location in Crystal City location has closed.

The locally-based Mexican fast casual chain opened the location at 2450 Crystal Drive in 2012. It apparently closed this week.

A sign posted on the door reads: “California Tortilla is closing! We thank you for your patronage these past four years, and wish you the best of tacos in the years to come!”

An employee was removing the lettering with the restaurant’s hours from the door this afternoon.

Separately, the former Seattle’s Best Coffee location down the block is under construction. Permits displayed on the windows indicate that a Navy Federal Credit Union location will be moving in.

Hat tip to @34smiley

Il Forno in Ballston Has Closed

By ARLnow.com
1/3

As it turns out, Il Forno was ill fated.

The upscale Italian restaurant at 900 N. Glebe Road in Ballston closed last week after about three and a half years in business.

Paper now covers the restaurant’s windows, which is usually an indication that construction is taking place inside and another business is on the way. However, no construction permit applications have been filed, based on a check of the county’s permit system Tuesday afternoon.

In April, ARLnow.com reported that Il Forno was listed for sale on a business broker website. The listing noted that the restaurant was “investor owned” but in need of an “operator-owner.”

Il Forno was located next to the recently-opened Applebee’s.

Signs, Equipment from Hard Times in Clarendon Are Up for Auction

By ARLnow.com
1/9

Now is your chance to own a piece of the former Hard Times Cafe in Clarendon.

The restaurant closed last month after many years in business directly across from the Clarendon Metro station.

Hundreds of items from the restaurant are now being auctioned off online — just about everything you can imagine, including signs, tables, chairs, beer taps and kitchen equipment.

Most items currently have bids under $10.

Chili’s Has Closed in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com
1/3

The Chili’s near the corner of Jefferson Davis Highway and 23rd Street S., in Crystal City, has closed.

As of this afternoon, the store’s awnings had already been taken down and a sign was posted on the door.

“After many years we are sad to say that we have closed this location,” the sign says. “Please be sure to visit one of our other local Chili’s restaurants.”

The sign lists two Chili’s locations in Alexandria and another on Route 7 in Bailey’s Crossroads.

What We Learned About Arlington as ARLnow Interns

By ARLnow.com

Welcome to Arlington Sign

After interning for the past three months at ARLnow, we all had different experiences working in and learning about the area.

The three of us came in from different backgrounds: One of us is an Arlington native (Jackie Friedman), another is a New Yorker who moved last year to the D.C. area (Adrian Cruz) and the other (Omar DeBrew) commutes from Maryland.

As a result, we all had different experiences and opinions to share about our summer covering news in Arlington.

Cruz:

While I had lived in Arlington for most of the past year, there were still a lot of places and areas I had no idea existed. Because I lived in Lyon Park, I tended to stick around the Orange Line corridor, wandering into Pentagon City and Columbia Pike once in a blue moon. Throughout the summer, my work has sent me to all corners of the county, allowing me to explore and learn about neighborhoods I had never even known existed. Now, I can say with confidence that I know my way around the county and that names such as Cherrydale, Buckingham and Fairlington aren’t just stereotypical names for small English towns.

Arlingtonians as a people are an interesting bunch. The county is extremely diverse with people from all walks of life and one never knows what to expect. Just in my time working here, I have encountered people ranging from a lawyer who’s a finalist on “American Ninja Warrior” to a grumpy British man. Also, by reading our comments section, I’ve also learned they’re an opinionated and sarcastic bunch, with lots to say.

As a place to live in, Arlington is what I’d like to call Washington’s Disneyland. What I mean by that is that it’s cleaner, safer, quieter than anywhere I’ve ever lived in, almost as if it was designed by Walt Disney himself. Coming from New York City, I’m used to a dirty, gritty city with lots of crime and weird stuff going on. In contrast, the weirdest things that happen in Arlington are weekends in Clarendon. I currently live in Buckingham, an area that many call “Arlington’s ghetto.” I come from the South Bronx. Buckingham is no ghetto. What it does have is a thriving Latin American community with many amazing restaurants. The only drawback about living in Arlington is that it’s expensive! Finding a decent meal under $10 in Clarendon is close to impossible, and as my fellow interns will attest to, finding cheap parking is just as difficult. Nonetheless, this is definitely somewhere I could see myself living in the future.

Friedman:

While I have lived in Arlington my whole life, I wasn’t really aware of everything that goes on in the area. It’s amazing how someone can live in the same place their whole life, but have no clue about the people living around them. Your next door neighbor could be a craftsman like Jeff Spugnardi or the person working out next to you at the gym could have starred on “America Ninja Warrior” or even be 100 years old. Interning this summer at ARLnow allowed me to meet different people living in my community and learn about their interesting stories and lives. Everyone has an interesting story, especially in Arlington, so I encourage you to get to know the people around you. Maybe if you strike up a conversation with a stranger about how sad you are about Minh’s closing (I’m still mourning the loss), you could find out that the person you are talking to happens to be an Olympic gold medalist. But beware that person could go on and complain to you about the Clarendon stores that keep their doors open during the heat or how their child’s swimming instructor has man boobs.

DeBrew:

Covering Arlington as a videographer is easy with all the history and new development taking place. Any issue big or small has some meaning to the community, such as a restaurant closing, a new 7-Eleven, or a fire station about to be demolished. The coverage helps Arlingtonians form opinions and decide for themselves. My only advice to those driving in Arlington is to take Metro when possible, and if you have to drive, find 24-hour parking areas near parks. Some spots are free; with others, you’ll have to pay. But that parking is cheaper than city areas.

Carpool Expected to Close Next Month

By ARLnow.com

Carpool (photo via Facebook)(Updated at 4:35 p.m.) Popular Ballston watering hole Carpool will close next month, according to an email reviewed by ARLnow.com.

The bar has been informing groups that it will be closing within the next few weeks. We’re told that it is likely to close in early-to-mid September.

Carpool’s owners are seeking a new location for the bar, but a final decision on that has not been made, we hear.

Developer Penzance is planning to build a 22-story apartment building on the Carpool site. That development was approved unanimously by the Arlington County Board in December.

So far, no demolition permit applications have been filed for the address (4000 Fairfax Drive). A Penzance representative said he did not have an update on a timeline for the development.

Carpool has a second location, in Herndon.

Update at 5:45 p.m. — A closing date for Carpool has not been set, says co-owner Mark Handwerger.

“The property has been under contract with Penzance for quite some time,” Handwerger said. “There is no definitive timeline for the sale of the property and subsequent closing of the business at this time. With the sales contract in place, however, we have indeed been looking around for an appropriate location nearby, but as of yet have been unable to identify one.”

Photo via Facebook

La Maison Owner to Sell, Close Cherrydale Business

By Adrian Cruz
1/3

A French-inspired home and gifts store in Cherrydale is set to close soon.

La Maison, which opened at 3510 Lee Highway in 2013, will close once owner Jeeun Friel sells the business.

The store sells “everything from candles, totes, jewelry, local art, handmade furniture, pins, just a lot of unique one-of-a-kind things,” Friel said. “That’s what’s kept us interesting for the last three years.”

Friel added that her reason for closing the store is to spend more time with her kids, specifically her youngest son.

“I opened the shop originally because, at the time, my firstborn was three years old and entering preschool so I had a lot of time on my hands and it was kind of a hobby,” she said. “It’s bittersweet because I really created this little place from scratch but I’m happy being home with my baby.”

Friel said the shop could close as early September, as long as someone buys it by then.

“I was hoping by September, but it could be longer,” Friel said. “We don’t have a definite date right now. I still have to run the shop and we’re still running on a daily basis until we figure out what’s going to happen.”

The store will hold sales throughout the rest of the summer to sell off the remaining merchandise, Friel said. At the moment, everything in the store is half off.

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