Lyon Village

Dog Pee Dispute Roils Lyon Village Neighborhood on Nextdoor

By ARLnow.com
1/3

A Lyon Village homeowner’s attempt to deter dogs from peeing on his prized bushes has prompted a major controversy on the local Nextdoor social network.

A post about the plastic “spikes” placed between the bushes and the sidewalk prompted outrage, hundreds of comments and even — reportedly — calls to police, despite the fact that it turned out to be a commonly-used product.

Eric Wang says he first became aware of the Nextdoor post when he noticed an ARLnow photographer taking photos of the blunt, somewhat bendy spikes, “as well as a number of people passing by and checking out the mats through the day.”

“I figured something was up, so I looked on Nextdoor and it was at the top of my feed,” he said in an interview over email. “I had stopped using Nextdoor for several months because of toxic content like this.”

The initial post alleged that the spikes — actually a product sometimes called a “scat mat” that’s advertised as an “gentle [way] to scare or irritate animals without harming them” — were “sharp” and could “do some damage to [dog] paws.”

Quickly, dozens of people piled on in condemning the homeowner, who Wang later identified as himself.

Among the comments that followed: “What a nut,” “what a sicko,” “clearly DGAF about anyone besides himself,” “just horrible,” “pure evil,” “pretty sick behavior,” “sociopathic behavior,” “what an ass.”

Wang’s modern home near the intersection of Key Boulevard and N. Adams Street, in the affluent neighborhood north of Clarendon and Courthouse, is distinctive. It has also caught the attention of local residents due to the prickly-worded signs Wang previously posted about dogs peeing on his bushes.

“Dear dog owners: your dog’s piss is killing these shrubs!” said the sign, a photo of which was posted in the Nextdoor thread. “Each of these shrubs costs $300. If you’ve been allowing your dog to piss on these shrubs, please kindly remit compensation for the damage you have caused.”

“After my first set of signs was not well-received, I relented and created a second set of signs (which nobody on Nextdoor bothered to post, which shows an intent to shade the facts here),” Wang told us, recounting how he finally decided to buy the mats.

“The second set of signs was meant to be humorous, and included a graphic of a smiling urinating dog with a red circle and slash through it and the words, ‘Please, no pissing on the shrubs.’ Neither set of signs was particularly effective, and they also weren’t very weatherproof,” Wang wrote. “So I went online and did some research and purchased the scat mats based on the product reviews I read — many of which were posted by pet owners.”

On Nextdoor, numerous people — who post using their verified full name and neighborhood — fretted that children, seniors and those with disabilities could fall and injure themselves on the spikes. They called for the mats to be reported to the authorities, for Wang to be sued, and for other forms of retribution.

  • “I called ACPD”
  • “Needs to be reported and the owners put on notice”
  • “The Animal Welfare League needs to pay this homeowner a visit”
  • “[An animal control officer] said he’ll check it out and make contact with the homeowner to inform them that there are concerns within the community.”
  • “If somebody sent pictures to this guy’s insurance company that might have faster results”
  • “I reported it to Arlington County. If more people do so, we would have a better chance if them doing something about it!”
  • “Has ‘sue me’ written all over it. Hope it happens!”
  • “We could all pee in bottles for a week and pour the contents on their bushes”

At least two people posted that they called police and were told nothing could be done. An Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman said she could find no record of calls regarding the spikes.

“The reaction is completely unhinged,” said Wang, an Ivy League-educated lawyer. (The person who started the thread is also an attorney, according to his LinkedIn profile.)

“The over-the-top… online pile-on represents the modern-day dangers of the Internet mobocracy,” continued Wang. “The knee-jerk reactions show a complete intolerance for facts and hatred for rational thinking. While this is a relatively minor example compared with phenomena like January 6, COVID denial, and anti-vaxxers, it is part of the same social pathology.”

Shortly after Wang started posting comments defending himself — “I’m sorry, but my property is not a public bathroom for the neighborhood dogs,” he said in one — many were removed and Wang was suspended from Nextdoor for not being “respectful to your neighbors,” according to screenshots reviewed by ARLnow.

Other comments that defended him were also removed, though accusations that those residents were somehow in cahoots with Wang, or were Wang using a false identity, remained. (Wang denied that he knows one particularly vehement defender, who posted dozens of comments before disappearing.)

The number of comments on the post were about 300 earlier today, down from 350 yesterday.

The criticism of Wang extended to commentary about his custom-built home.

“That house is an eyesore,” wrote one person.

“House as ugly as sin,” wrote another

“That house is heinous… our eyes are offended,” said a third.

(more…)

BREAKING: NWS Confirms Tornado Ripped Through North Arlington Neighborhoods

By ARLnow.com
1/57

(Updated at 9:30 p.m.) The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado caused the widespread damage seen in several North Arlington neighborhoods today.

The tornado struck around 9 p.m. Thursday night, touching down near the intersection of Lee Highway and N. Glebe Road. It was rated as an EF1 — the second-lowest on the Enhanced Fujita scale — and cut a 125 yard-wide path of damage as it made its way east through several neighborhoods, before moving into D.C. Maximum winds were estimated at 90 mph.

The twister’s 4.4 mile path ended on the National Mall, between the Washington Monument and the White House. A second tornado, rated EF0, struck near H Street NE in the District, according to forecasters.

Tornado path (via National Weather Service)

In Arlington last night, the tornado uprooted trees, tore siding and shingles off houses, and turned trampolines and branches into projectiles.

Residents tell ARLnow they had just seconds from when their phones started blaring the Tornado Warning, shortly before 9 p.m., and when the rotating storm struck and caused havoc.

Much of the reported damage happened along the well-defined, roughly west-to-east line from the City of Falls Church and through Tara-Leeway Heights, Waverly Hills, Cherrydale and Lyon Village, before crossing the Potomac into D.C. along the National Mall.

Waverly Hills and Cherrydale suffered the worst of the storm’s fury, starting around Woodstock Park and moving along an easterly route just south of Lee Highway. The extent of the damage was evident this morning after the sun came up and chainsaws started buzzing over a large stretch of the neighborhoods.

At Woodstock Park this morning, children were playing despite the tree carnage that littered the park with fallen trees, branches and leaves. Jill Rabach was out surveying the damage to her house, just south of the park. An oak tree was leaning on her home’s roof and her next door neighbor’s fence was crushed by multiple falling trees.

“We heard the Tornado Warning and went to the basement,” Rabach recounted. “About 15 minutes later when all the noise died down we came upstairs and saw a little bit of damage not much. Power was out. By morning it was clear there was much more damage. All the houses on the street lost significant trees.”

“We’ve lived here for 15 years and there haven’t been many storms that blow that hard, that fast,” she added.

The damage continued along 20th Road N., east of the park, with tree crews hard at work clearing branches. Turning right onto N. Utah Street, the road was still blocked by a large fallen tree at 19th Road N.

Heading back up the street, more signs of a violent storm: Multiple downed trees damaged roofs, broke windows and crushed fences; siding from an unknown house lay next to a sidewalk; trash cans were lifted up and blown into neighboring yards. And stuck in a tree near the road was an unusual sight — a large trampoline.

A family in the area said their storm door swung upon so violently it became lodged into and damaged a railing.

“We got the Tornado Warning and within 30 seconds, our front door burst open. And the whole house shook and rattled,” said René Madigan. “Like it all had to have all happened at once. It pulled down all of our power lines… the house next door, it blew their door wide open, too. They have a lot more damage to their home than we have. We were blessed.”

Madigan recounted the sound of the storm as it struck the normally quiet residential neighborhood.

“I heard a horrible sound. Like it was a really horrible sound. And then the whole house just was doing this,” she said, shaking her arms. “And it just happened so fast.”

“Tornado! Get in!” Madigan recalled shouting as the family took cover.

“I heard it and I was in the basement,” Madigan’s husband said of the noise. “First I thought like a big china cabinet fell down. It sounded like… a really loud explosion.”

One street over, and also to the east, residents were out cleaning up. One house had a blue tarp on the roof, but a neighbor said nothing fell on it — shingles were ripped off at the height of the storm.

Over on N. Stafford Street, Jeff Jackson was picking up tree branches across the street from St. Agnes Catholic School in Cherrydale. The Arlington native now lives in Portland, Oregon, but is home taking care of his mother. He was at a friend’s house nearby as the storm approached.

(more…)

Herndon Man Arrested After Stabbing Near Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

A man was stabbed early Saturday morning in the Lyon Village neighborhood near Clarendon.

Police were called to the 3100 block of Key Blvd, a quiet residential area about 3-4 blocks from the Clarendon nightlife spots along Wilson Blvd, around 1:30 a.m.

“Upon arrival, officers located the male victim suffering from stab wounds and immediately rendered first aid until the arrival of medics,” an Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman said. “He was transported to an area hospital in stable condition.”

A neighborhood witness tells ARLnow the group had recently left a local bar.

“There were two men and two women involved at the intersection of Key and Hartford,” the witness said. “One woman was screaming hysterically that her boyfriend was dying and the police arrested one of the guys.”

Police say the stabbing started as a dispute between two men who knew each other.

“The investigation determined that the victim and known suspect became involved in a verbal dispute which escalated into a physical altercation, during which the suspect allegedly produced a knife and stabbed the victim,” said ACPD spokeswoman Ashley Savage. “The suspect remained on scene and was taken into custody without incident by responding officers.”

A 25-year-old Herndon resident, Michael Hill, was arrested and held without bond, Savage said. He has been charged with Aggravated Malicious Wounding and Drunk in Public.

File photo

Lyon Village Garage That’s Been Providing Food To Families for a Year Closing Down

By Matt Blitz
1/4

A food pantry operating out of a residential garage in Lyon Village is closing down, after exactly a year of providing food to needy families.

On March 22, 2020, David Knepper was like many of us when the world shut down — housebound and unable to focus.

The 75-year-old had recently retired from being a home remodeling contractor and was using his garage near the corner of N. Cleveland and 18th Streets as a workshop for small projects.

But he was growing restless and wanted to help others who were struggling. So, he turned his garage into a makeshift food pantry.

“I decided… to share what I have with the people who are losing their jobs and can’t afford food to put on the table,” he tells ARLnow.

Knepper filled his garage with beans, rice, canned vegetables, peanut butter, tuna, oats and other non-perishables. He put out signs written in English, Spanish, and Arabic (thanks to a tenant from Saudi Arabia). People came immediately.

“Quite a few people came to pick up food right from the start,” he says. “Word just spread.”

Over the past year, he estimates that he’s gone through about 950 pounds of rice and hundreds of cans of vegetables.

Knepper declined to share exactly how much money he spent on the food, but estimates it was about the same amount he would have spent if he was feeding a family of seven or eight on a regular basis.

Despite its start as an individual initiative, the food garage became a community effort.

Knepper says dozens of people have dropped off food for donation, including a core group of 15 or 16 who did it on a regular basis.

“They would bring food, sometimes quite a lot of it,” he says. “I’d go out there and the shelves would be absolutely loaded with food.”

There’s one story of the man who caught sight of the garage on the way to visit his daughter. He worked at a Chevy Chase soup kitchen that was getting regular shipments of food but wasn’t using all of it. So, he dropped some off at Knepper’s garage.

Over the last year, Knepper has gotten to know a number of families who regularly picked up good.

“They are always so grateful,” he says.

David Knepper and his food garage (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

More than once, a family would come get food and then, a bit later ,would come back after they’ve gotten a paycheck and donate food themselves, Knepper said.

Knepper has lived in his house with his wife Sally for more than three decades but has never seen his neighborhood come together like they have during the pandemic.

“The neighborhood is very supportive,” he says. “My neighbors are great and even better during the pandemic. I’ve gotten to know neighbors I’ve never known before.”

After 365 days, however, Knepper is finally shutting the pantry down. He believes it’s time: the pantry is not being used as often and economic impact payments are in the midst of being sent.

“The last two months, I’ve noticed people are not picking up as much stuff as they did before,” he says. “One year is a good time to close it down.”

He started taking down signs and reclaiming his garage on Monday. All the leftover food is being donated to the Arlington Food Assistance Center.

Knepper says he feels good about the community banding together to help to those in need.

“It’s been such a heartwarming experience,” he says. “Everybody pitched in.”

94-Year-Old Water Main Under Key Blvd To Be Replaced

By Matt Blitz

A 94-year-old water main that runs under the residential area north of Clarendon to Courthouse is finally set to be replaced.

On Saturday, the County Board approved a contract for the construction of a new water main along Key Blvd, running from N. Jackson Street to N. Danville Street in Lyon Village. It passed as a consent item, meaning it was deemed non-controversial and was acted upon by a single vote.

The new water main will replace the existing one, which was built in 1927. The new main will improve fire flow capacity and meet neighborhood demand, county staff wrote.

The staff report notes that the aging water main has “had an excessive number of breaks in the past few years.” This includes most recently in July, Arlington’s Department of Environmental Services (DES) confirms.

This project is one of a number of recent efforts to replace old, unlined cast iron pipes, which can more easily break and become corroded.

The contract for the Key Blvd water main was awarded to the lowest bidder, Crown Construction Services, which provided an estimate under the county engineer’s estimated cost. As approved, the authorized contract total is $1.4 million, including contract contingencies.

The county has previously worked with Crown Construction on the Glencarlyn Park renovations.

Construction is expected to start this spring, a DES spokesperson tells ARLnow, with completion set for fall 2022. Water disruption notices will be sent to all affected residents.

Planned water service disruptions will “typically less than a day,” according to the county staff report, and will be limited to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Map via Arlington County

Sweet Science Coffee Opens in Old Java Shack Location This Week

By Jo DeVoe
1/4

After 10 months of delays, D.C. coffee favorite Sweet Science Coffee opened its doors on Monday inside the former Java Shack building in Courthouse.

The soft opening this week will culminate in an open house on Saturday, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with coffee and pastry samples. The shop is open from 8 a.m.-p.m. this week, and this coming Monday will transition to its regular hours of 7 a.m.-4 p.m.

Sweet Science founder Sandra Wolter told ARLnow on Tuesday that she is ready to kindle in her customers a love of great coffee. Her philosophy can be taste-tested at 2507 Franklin Road, where she said the unpretentious space will make high-quality coffee feel approachable.

“We are doing the best we can to show a good variety of complex flavors while being open and welcoming,” she said.

In November 2019, Wolter announced her plans to move in after the community hub, owned by Commonwealth Joe, said it would close by Thanksgiving. But the road to opening was bumpier than Wolter anticipated.

The acclaimed coffee shop closed its basement location in Adams Morgan and moved to D.C.’s NoMa district in January 2020. Wolter planned to open in the Lyon Village neighborhood last March or April, but renovations and the coronavirus delayed the opening for 10 months.

First, the building needed new plumbing and electricity. By the time the unanticipated construction ended, summer was over, cases and restrictions were mounting and her NoMa location was struggling. She once more pushed off the opening.

“But hey, now we’re here,” she said.

Once Wolter receives her outdoor seating permit and a wine and beer license, she will extend her weekend hours so people can visit for coffee and a pastry, before slowly transitioning to a glass of wine and a snack — a nod to her European roots.

“I grew up like that,” said the Berlin native. “Over there, it’s so normal.”

The shop offers house drip coffee and espresso drinks as well as seasonal roasts. The beans are sustainably sourced, sometimes directly from farmers. A chef makes the pastries in-house and from scratch.

Still, Wolter is careful to avoid intimidating people into uncomfortably ordering “just a cup of coffee.”

“I don’t want people to walk in and feel like they need a code word to order,” she said. “If [a coffee] piques your interest, we’re more than happy to talk about it.”

She only wishes she can devote less time to surviving and more time to sharing flavors and menus with others.

“That would be really nice,” she said.

Two Vehicles Overturn in Crashes Within Minutes of Each Other

By ARLnow.com
1/9

(Updated at 3 p.m.) Arlington had an unusual occurrence this morning: two drivers in two separate parts of the county struck parked cars, flipping their vehicles over, within 5-10 minutes of each other.

The first incident happened on N. Danville Street, in the Lyon Village neighborhood near Clarendon. The driver of a white Toyota sideswiped a parked SUV, flipping the sedan on its side.

By the time ARLnow arrived on the scene, a crowd of neighbors had gathered and a tow crew had already placed the car back on all four wheels. No injuries were reported.

Minutes later, police and firefighters were called to the 200 block of S. Barton Street, in the Penrose neighborhood, for another overturned vehicle.

This time, a young male driver of a black Jeep sideswiped a parked vehicle, flipping the Jeep on its roof.

The driver was able to get out but was in a daze, a neighbor said. He was transported to a local hospital after initially refusing medical treatment, we’re told.

Police closed both sections of road while the wrecks were cleaned up. Officers could be heard remarking at the uncanny timing of the two crashes.

Busy 72 Hours for Police with Chases, Thefts, and Brandishings

By ARLnow.com

Social distancing is keeping lots of people at home, but that hasn’t necessarily resulted in a drop in notable police incidents in Arlington.

In just the past 72 hours, there have been multiple police chases, incidents involving guns and thefts.

Around 12:30 p.m. today, police swarmed the Lyon Village Shopping Center after a report of a fight in progress. It turned out to be a robbery in which the victim was assaulted and ultimately transported to the hospital.

“At approximately 12:39 p.m., police were dispatched to the report of a fight in the 3100 block of Lee Highway,” Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “Upon arrival, it was determined the suspect approached the victim and stole his cell phone. When the victim confronted the suspect, the suspect assaulted him. The suspect was taken into custody by arriving officers. Charges are pending.”

On Sunday evening, a Virginia State Police pursuit of a vehicle that originated in the Alexandria area ended in Arlington’s Long Branch Creek neighborhood. The Fairfax County Police helicopter hovered overhead while police searched for suspects that bailed out near the intersection of Army Navy Drive and 28th Street S.

“At 4:56 p.m. Sunday, Virginia State Police attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle traveling north on Route 1 near Ft. Hunt Road in Alexandria. The vehicle refused to stop and a pursuit was initiated,” VSP spokeswoman Corinne Geller told ARLnow today. “The pursuit ended in Arlington County at 28th Street and Army Navy Drive and three male subjects ran from the stolen vehicle on foot. All three were apprehended a short time later with the assistance of Arlington County Police. Two of the three were male juveniles and one adult male was transported to Arlington County Adult Detention Center.”

Early Sunday morning, Arlington County Police were involved in another foot chase just a couple of blocks away in the Long Branch Creek neighborhood. A trio of suspected of breaking into and stealing cars allegedly rammed a police cruiser and tried to flee the scene.

More from an ACPD crime report:

GRAND LARCENY (significant), 2020-04120036, 1500 block of 28th Street S. At approximately 5:05 a.m. on April 12, police were dispatched to the report of multiple suspects tampering with vehicles in the area. Arriving officers located numerous suspects inside a vehicle, which was later determined to have been previously stolen. The driver allegedly put the vehicle in reverse, causing it to strike a police vehicle and all suspects attempted to flee on foot. Officers in the area located and detained three juvenile male suspects. During the course of the investigation, officers located two additional stolen vehicles, another vehicle which had been damaged, and multiple vehicles which had been tampered with and items of value stolen. Petitions for Suspect One were obtained for Grand Larceny – Motor Vehicle Theft, Hit and Run – Attended Property, Obstruction of Justice and Conspiracy to Commit a Felony. Petitions for Suspect Two were obtained for Grand Larceny – Motor Vehicle Theft (x2), Unauthorized Possession of 2+ Credit Card Numbers and Conspiracy to Commit a Felony. Petitions for Suspect Three were obtained for Grand Larceny – Motor Vehicle Theft (x2) and Conspiracy to Commit a Felony. The investigation is ongoing.

On Friday and Saturday, police responded to two incidents — one in Long Branch Creek, the other in Virginia Square — involving suspects that brandished firearms.

From ACPD:

BRANDISHING, 2020-04110090, 1700 block of 26th Street S. At approximately 2:48 p.m. on April 11, police were dispatched to the report of a person with a gun. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victims were inside their apartment when they heard the unknown suspect allegedly kicking at their door and observed him displaying a firearm. Arriving officers developed a possible suspect description and canvased the building. The suspect then exited his apartment and was taken into custody without incident. [The suspect], 40, of Arlington, Va., was arrested and charged with Brandishing, Possession of a Firearm While In Possession of Drugs, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Schedule I/II Controlled Substance. He was held on no bond

BRANDISHING, 2020-04100066, 3500 block of Wilson Boulevard. At approximately 12:38 p.m. on April 10, police were dispatched to the report of a brandishing. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim, an employee, and the suspect were engaged in a dispute inside a business. The victim asked the suspect to leave, which he initially complied with, but then re-entered the business attempting to take a photograph of the victim. The suspect then entered his vehicle, and, as the victim attempted to photograph his license plate, he displayed a firearm and threatened the victim. The suspect is described as a black male. The vehicle is described as a black Dodge pick-up truck. The investigation is ongoing.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Students: Keep the Career Center’s Farm Animals — “A staff proposal to revamp the animal-science program at the Arlington Career Center, including the removal of on-site large non-domesticated animals, is drawing brushback. The proposal calls for focusing more on smaller, domestic animals at the expense of farm animals, which have been part of the program for years and have come to be a beloved part of the Career Center family.” [InsideNova]

NBC 4 Profiles ACFD Mass Shooter Plan — “The Arlington County Fire Department is leading a national shift in how rescue squads respond to mass shootings.” Arlington fire trucks are now equipped with bulletproof vests and personnel are trained to treat victims as soon as possible. [NBC 4]

Arlington Rent on Par with D.C. — “The District and Arlington County are virtually tied for average apartment rent, at $2,233 and $2,236 respectively. Rents in D.C. and Arlington County are both up 4.3% in the last year.” [WTOP]

Local Tech Firm Not Meeting Job Hype, Yet — “Blockchain software developer Block.one promised in September to add 170 jobs in Arlington over three years, so we’re checking in on where its local employee numbers stand. Out of the 231 employees the company has listed on LinkedIn, 24 are now located in the D.C. area.” [Washington Business Journal]

How One Young Resident Affords Housing Here — “In 2013, [Mallory Scott] and one roommate moved into a three-bedroom, World War II-era Arlington house where the monthly mortgage and property taxes totaled $1,200. She had a connection that helped her find the place: Her parents, who now live in Nevada, purchased the home in 1991 for $190,000 when the Army assigned Scott’s father to Arlington. Today, it’s worth roughly $800,000.” [WAMU]

Neighborhood Near Clarendon Profiled — “Lyon Village is a chic, charming neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia, that resides regally just across the river from Washington, D.C. The 191-acre community of 6,000 residents, which was established in the mid-1920s by developer Frank Lyon for whom it is named, still retains a small-town, good-to-see-you feel yet offers access to all the cultural activities and amenities of the nation’s capital.” [Mansion Global]

County Working to Repair Water Main Break, Valve Leak

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County is working to fix a pair of water infrastructure issues ahead of an expected evening snowstorm and freezing overnight temperatures.

A six-inch water main burst on the 1600 block of N. Jackson Street in Lyon Village this morning, potentially knocking out water service to some 70 customers. Repairs are expected to wrap up by 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, a valve leak on the 4800 block of 1st Street S. in the Arlington Forest neighborhood is affecting the water service of up to 50 customers. Repairs are expected to be complete around 3 p.m.

In both instances, traffic is blocked around the water work; drivers should expect detours.

Map via Google Maps

Sweet Science Coffee to Take Over Java Shack Space

By ARLnow.com
1/5

(Updated at 6:45 a.m.) The Java Shack near Courthouse is closing soon, but a new local coffee shop will be taking its place.

D.C.-based Sweet Science Coffee, which was called “the best coffee shop in Washington” by the Post’s Tim Carman in 2017, is expanding into Arlington and taking over the long-time cafe space at 2507 N. Franklin Road. It had an existing location in Adams Morgan and a new D.C. location is on the way.

Sweet Science Coffee announced the plans Thursday afternoon, saying that it hoped to open by March after some renovations.

“We were not actively looking for a second location at this time, but when the opportunity came along, our decision to go for it was unanimous,” said founder Sandra Wolter, in a press release. “We will change the look, and upgrade fixtures to reflect our concept, but it won’t be a total 180. It’s about making people feel welcome, and we really hope that the neighborhood will like what we do with the place.”

More from the press release:

Good news for local coffee lovers: The Java Shack on Franklin Road will continue to be a Coffee House after the current tenants leave.

D.C. based Specialty Coffee Shop Sweet Science has signed a ten year lease and will officially take over in January.

“We were not actively looking for a second location at this time, but when the opportunity came along, our decision to go for it was unanimous,” says founder Sandra Wolter. As both of her partners, Ricardo Iglesias and Jad Bouchebel, have roots in the local community, the group was quickly sold.

For those who have not heard about the concept, Sweet Science Coffee is best known for their meticulous manual brews, often made with traditional tools like German Karlsbad Brewers or Chemexes.

Another staple are their hands-on classes and events that aim to make specialty coffee fun and approachable.

But no one needs to fear long wait times as the brew bar is only one part of the shop. Espresso based drinks, quick drip coffees, teas and seasonal specials are made with just as much care, but faster.

The new owners will rename the space, but say they are respectful of the almost 25 year long tradition of the Java Shack. “We will change the look, and upgrade fixtures to reflect our concept,” says Wolter, “but it won’t be a total 180. It’s about making people feel welcome, and we really hope that the neighborhood will like what we do with the place.”

As for offers besides coffee and tea, the menu will feature pastries made from scratch by the groups’ pastry chef in DC, rotating soup and toast options for lunch, as well as snacks. Eventually, a small wine and craft beer selection is planned as well, for guests to enjoy in the evenings.

Sweet Science Coffee plans to open by March 2020.

The Coffee Project Group behind Sweet Science Coffee consists of Ricardo Iglesias, Entrepreneur, Realtor and Builder in Arlington for more than 30 years, Jad Bouchebel, Marketing Professional and serial Entrepreneur (Wilson Hardware, JBC Events, Provision no 14) and Sweet Science Founder Sandra Wolter, a fifth generation Coffee Professional, Coffee Business Consultant and former TV Journalist.

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