new business

Cookie purveyor Chip City could open next month in Clarendon

By James Jarvis
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(Updated on 12/4/23) Chip City appears to be on track to open its first Arlington location in Clarendon as early as next month.

The New York City-based cookie shop announced earlier this year it planned to open two new locations in the county: at The Crossing Clarendon, at 2700 Clarendon Blvd, and the Village at Shirlington, at 4014 Campbell Avenue.

The Clarendon location is currently undergoing renovations and an electrician was on-site installing hardware when ARLnow stopped by last week to take a peek.

While an exact opening date has still yet to be confirmed, Theodore Gailas, the company’s co-founder and chief brand officer, told ARLnow that the Clarendon location is likely to open between “late October” and “early November.” Gailas noted Shirlington location is still slated for “early January.”

“That is of course you know, assuming no surprises,” he said.

Known for its large, gooey 5.5-ounce cookies, Chip City has a rotating weekly menu of 40 different flavors, including the classics, chocolate chip and triple chocolate, and more unique flavors, from cannoli to horchata.

If the Clarendon location opens this fall, as projected, patrons may get to squeeze in a seasonal pumpkin spice latte cookie.

The weekly cookie rotation at Chip City (via Instagram)

Chip City’s move into Arlington is part of a 40-store expansion in the D.C. area and across the country. This includes a Bethesda location Gailas also says could open in “early October.”

But Chip City will have some competition as cookie stores continue to gain popularity locally.

Captain Cookie and the Milkman opened in Courthouse earlier this year. Crumbl Cookies has plans to open this fall at the Lee-Harrison Shopping Center. And delivery-only local cookie purveyor MOLTN Cookies also operates a ghost kitchen in the Dominion Hills neighborhood.

Cookie purveyor Chip City is coming to Shirlington

By Matt Blitz
Chip City’s new location in Shirlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 4:55 p.m.) Cookie shop Chip City is making its move into Shirlington.

The New York-based cookie purveyor is opening a location in Shirlington at 4014 Campbell Avenue, next to Best Buns Bread Company. That’s the former home of Yogi Castle, which closed last year.

The 1,023-square-foot-shop is set to open in January 2024, the company tells ARLnow. The possibility of Chip City raising its flag in Shirlington was noted in May when ownership announced it was also moving into Clarendon. That location is set to open later in November of this year, we’re told.

“We liked Shirlington because it is a great neighborhood with lots of families and restaurant co-tenants,” a Chip City spokesperson wrote in an email.

Chip City is known for its “big, gooey five and half ounce cookie,” as CEO Peter Phillips told ARLnow earlier this year. It has a rotating weekly menu encompassing 40 different flavors, including classics like Chocolate Chip and Triple Chocolate and more unique flavors like Pina Colada, S’Mores, and Italian Rainbow.

Chip City’s rotating weekly menu (image via Instagram/Chip City)

Its move into Arlington is part of a big expansion effort that will see at least a couple of other Chip City locations opening in the region.

Shirlington has recently seen a mini-boom in notable eateries opening in the private, open-air development. Jeni’s Ice Cream, Our Mom Eugenia and Taco Bamba all have opened within the last nine months, while Astro Beer Hall in the old Capital City Brewing Co. space is aiming for next month.

New vape shop wafts in to prominent Wilson Blvd storefront in Courthouse

By Matt Blitz
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(Updated at 12:30 p.m.) A new vape shop is set to open in the coming months in a prominent Courthouse storefront on Wilson Blvd.

“Tobacco Vape Cigars” is moving into the former home of SuperStar Tickets at 2305 Wilson Blvd, the very visible building at the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. Wayne Street.

Where there once was SuperStar Tickets’ name in black, there’s now a new white, red, and yellow declaring the business set to waft in soon. The shop is in the midst of a build-out and isn’t open yet, building owner Omar Sider told ARLnow, but it is expected to start selling in the coming months.

SuperStar Ticket hasn’t shuttered but simply no longer needs a prominent, large storefront due to employees now working remotely, Sider told ARLnow. He owns SuperStar Tickets as well as the building. He said the business is doing quite well, with some live events setting attendance records.

“Live events are bigger than ever,” Sider said. “Covid’s silver lining… is that it gave us a reset button to restructure.”

With no reason to work out of the building, leasing out the space provided a chance for cash flow. There was other interest in the building but the vape shop was able to move in immediately, Sider noted.

The shop owners own “60 or 70” other businesses across the country. The lease is for three years, though the business owners initially wanted a longer commitment.

“We will see how it goes. They are paying what we are asking,” Sider said. “And they were pretty adamant.”

Sider was born in Arlington and currently lives in the Woodmont neighborhood. He’s owned the building since 2010 and put it back on the market in 2017, though he never ended up selling it.

Sider understands why some would want a business besides a vape shop in that prominent storefront but, he says, the building sat unused essentially for the last three years.

“It has to have some cash flow,” Sider said. “At least for now, it will be [a vape shop], but maybe in a couple of years, we will think about building it out for something different in the community.”

Ice cream shop coming to Crystal City, but flavor unknown

By Matt Blitz
Ground floor retail construction at 1900 Crystal Drive (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Update at 2:10 p.m.) A new ice cream shop is coming to Crystal City, and it might be trendy New York-based chain Van Leeuwen.

A ice cream shop is going into 1900 Crystal Drive, according to a permit applied for earlier this month. It’s expected to be on the ground floor in one of the two residential buildings going up at the site.

The address is 269 19th Court S., per the permit, so it may be located in some sort of alleyway.

After this article initially published, a tipster reached out to note that in a June presentation to the Crystal City Civic Association about the forthcoming construction, a logo for Van Leeuwen was on one of the slides. The company recently opened several D.C. locations, including in Georgetown.

It is not immediately clear which ice cream shop will be going in there, if not Van Leeuwen. ARLnow reached out to developer JBG Smith, which owns the buildings, but the developer declined to comment, per a spokesperson.

Arlington has a number of ice cream shops, several of which are in the midst of or recently have opened new locations. That includes Jeni’s in Shirlington, Mimi’s in Pentagon City, and Toby’s in Westover.

Mimi’s Handmade Ice Cream is opening its second location in the Mosaic District in August or September, and has leases signed for locations in Annandale, Falls Church, Chevy Chase, and Rockville. Owner Rollin Amore tells ARLnow that the forthcoming Crystal City shop is not his.

Toby’s, meanwhile, is set to open a shop in nearby Pentagon City, likely taking them out of the running.

Construction on the residential towers where the new ice cream shop will likely be located began in March 2021. Work could be completed as soon as next year.

Hat tip to Chris Slatt

A new branch of First National Bank is set to come to Ballston amid plans to expand in the D.C. area

By Hallie LeTendre
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Signs for a new First National Bank (FNB) location are posted across the street from Ballston Quarter.

This new location, at the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. Stuart Street, is set to open in 2024. The Ballston branch is part of the bank’s plans to expand its presence in Northern Virginia, a spokesperson for the bank told ARLnow.

The bank currently has two ATMs in Arlington at Giant grocery stores at 3450 Washington Blvd and 3115 Langston Blvd and two branch locations in Fairfax County.

“This location is ideal to serve residents and businesses in Arlington while also adding convenience for our customers in nearby communities,” the spokesperson said. “The planned Arlington office will be a full-service branch that will leverage our modern layout and innovative technology to facilitate a convenient and consultative banking experience for customers and businesses.”

When it opens, the Ballston branch will also have interactive ATMs that “allow clients to use video chat technology to conduct transactions with a teller during extended hours, including into the evening and on weekends,” the spokesperson said.

Last July, the company announced its plans to expand in the D.C. area with additional branches and at least 11 offices that will serve the D.C. area before 2024, as well as a loan origination center in Richmond.

“Our goal with expansion is to continue adding resources for the markets we serve in D.C., Virginia and throughout our multistate footprint,” bank CEO and President Vincent Delie Jr. said in the release.

It’s finally tee time for Columbia Pike’s Par Citi

By Matt Blitz
1/5

Today is finally tee time at Par Citi Golf on Columbia Pike.

The virtual indoor golf facility at 3102 Columbia Pike is opening today, per a press release. It’s located inside of the old LoanMax building and next to the combination Baskin Robbins/Dunkin’ Donuts.

As a spokesperson told ARLnow back in May, the independently-owned Par Citi is set to be similar to Five Iron Golf in D.C.

“Our state-of-the-art facility is equipped with the latest technology, allowing you to simulate a round of golf on some of the world’s most renowned courses,” a press release reads. “Our simulators provide an immersive and realistic experience, allowing you to practice, compete and improve your game all in a climate-controlled environment.”

The complex will also feature a cafe and bar, though it’s unclear if the bar will be opening immediately with the Virginia ABC license still pending.

It was back in September when ARLnow first reported that Par Citi was set to take its swings on Columbia Pike. Initially, the plan was to open that fall and then in May, but it appears permitting delays pushed it back a few months.

On first look, Par Citi’s location may seem like a bit off the green. It’s occupying a building that once housed a car title lending company and is next to a Shell gas station-slash-donut shop.

But a spokesperson said that Columbia Pike’s eventual redevelopment with new condos, apartments, and mixed-use buildings provides lots of “potential” and a future source of golf-loving customers for the indoor virtual simulator complex.

“This is a golfers paradise built by avid golfers,” a press release notes. “We have thought a lot about the details we would want to find in a place where we will spend a lot of time playing and practicing.”

Expansion plans are already in the works for Par Citi with another facility planned for D.C. “in [the] coming months.”

The new “athletic country club” in Clarendon is sprinting to open next month

By Matt Blitz
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Clarendon’s huge “athletic country club” is hustling to open within the next few weeks.

The long-planned Life Time fitness center, inside of a renovated office building at 1440 N. Edgewood Street, is looking to open in early-to-mid July, a spokesperson tells ARLnow.

The original hope was to open by the end of this week — the website still lists June 29 as the opening date — but the company is currently waiting on its final permits, we’re told. Some builders and business owners have previously criticized Arlington’s permitting system for excessive delays.

Billing itself as an “athletic country club,” the four-floor, 113,000-square-foot Life Time Clarendon will feature high-end fitness facilities, multiple studios, childcare facilities, a salon and spa, a cafe and lounge, and a 28,000-square-foot coworking space.

A preview center opened in April.

It was nearly two years ago when Life Time first announced it was opening a facility in a converted office building at The Crossing Clarendon. Initially, an Equinox gym was supposed to move in but that company pulled out and was sued for breach of contract in early 2021.

Construction, meanwhile, has continued on Life Time for the past year or so as other new businesses opened around it.

There are several other Life Time locations in Northern Virginia, including in Fairfax, Reston, Centreville and Ashburn. The Clarendon location is roughly the same size in square footage as the Reston and Ashburn locations, but it will be the only one with a co-working space.

Juice shop now opening two new locations, in Ballston and Courthouse

By Matt Blitz
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A growing Northern Virginia juice shop chain is now coming to Courthouse, in addition to a previously-announced location in Ballston.

The Ballston shop will be squeezing itself into the former home of Philz at 4121 Wilson Blvd, which closed late last year. The hope is that it will open next month, perhaps by July 15, co-owner Reese Gardner tells ARLnow.

The second Arlington location is set for Courthouse, moving into the one-time home of Rāko Coffee at 2016 Wilson Blvd. That shop quietly closed late last year as well, claiming it was just temporary due to a “out of order” espresso machine. The next month, however, pieces of equipment and furniture were put up for public auction by the county, with the money going towards the company’s tax bill.

It’s not clear when Greenheart will open in Courthouse, though signage is now in place above the door.

This will be the juice shop’s fourth and fifth locations, with other shops in Vienna, Leesburg, and Aldie, Virginia. The menu is focused on cold pressed juices, smoothies, salads, and bowls.

In addition to co-owning the juice shop, which he acquired a few months ago, Gardner also owns a number of other local bars and restaurants. That includes Dudley’s Sport and Ale in Shirlington, Quinn’s on the Corner in Rosslyn, and Brass Rabbit Pub in Clarendon.

Shop selling snacks “from all seven continents” opens at Pentagon City mall

By Matt Blitz
1/3

A new “weird” shop specializing in collectibles and snacks from around the world has opened at the Pentagon City mall.

Highs & Lows is now open on the mall’s third floor, across from the children’s clothing store The Children’s Place. This is the fourth location of Highs & Lows, after two stores in Springfield and the original on Richmond Highway in Alexandria

The Pentagon City shop primarily sells snacks and treats from “all seven continents,” per an employee at the Richmond Highway location, while the others focus more on collectibles, antiques, and apparel.

The Arlington location opened late last week, a mall spokesperson told ARLnow.

“Highs & Lows is quickly becoming the weird place you can’t help but love! Come in and bear witness to the wackiest place around! Look up, Look down, Look all around, because if you don’t, you may just miss that one perfect thing for you,” reads a description of the store description on the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City’s website.

It also notes that the store has the “biggest selection of exotic sodas and snacks” in all of Virginia. That includes numerous snacks and candies from Japan.

Highs & Lows isn’t the only small, independently-owned business that has announced its move to the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in recent months. Steel Life Booksellers is also planning an opening at the mall soon.

A new veterinarian urgent care in Buckingham is pawing for an opening this weekend

By Matt Blitz
1/2

A new pet urgent care is hoping to open this weekend in Buckingham.

Urgent Animal Care of Arlington at ​​249 N. Glebe Road hopes to start caring for furry best friends by the weekend, per co-owner Kayleen Gloor. The business claims it’s the first “sole dedicated [animal] urgent care in any capacity within Arlington,” though others like Bond Vet in Clarendon bill themselves as combination urgent and primary care for pets.

The veterinarian urgent care is from the team behind Clarendon Animal Care, which has locations in Clarendon and on Columbia Pike.

ARLnow first reported the pet urgent care was making its move to Buckingham back in January. It’s in the space once home to a SunTrust Bank branch, which closed more than four years ago. Following the style of the shopping center, the clinic is topped by art deco neon signage that glows at night.

While initially the opening was planned for the winter, the need to upgrade power led to a push.

“Delays were due to increased power needs due to the equipment we have (new HVAC and X-ray machine), so we were waiting on the power upgrade in order to get final inspections,” co-owner Natasha Ungerer told ARLnow via email.

An urgent care clinic for a pet differs from an emergency room in terms of the severity of the issue and what can be treated. The clinic is intended for “pets in stable condition that cannot wait to see their regular veterinarian,” per the website, with issues “that fall between a primary veterinarian practice visit and an emergency.”

The conditions that can be treated at a veterinarian urgent care include:

  • Serious cuts
  • Vomiting and diarrhea
  • Trouble walking
  • Difficulty urinating
  • Prolonged low appetite
  • Limping
  • Mild injuries
  • Ear and skin problems

The clinic is appointment-based but walk-ins are often still available. The hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Mondays with weekend hours running from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The hope is to go to seven days a week, so adding Tuesday and Wednesday hours, starting in mid-July, Ungerer said.

Amazon-owned One Medical is coming to Rosslyn

By Anya Wareck
The One Medical coming to Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A new One Medical office will open in Rosslyn this fall.

The office will provide “full lab services, preventative and everyday health visits, chronic illness management and mental health support,” a spokeswoman told ARLnow.

A “coming soon” sign is posted on the lower level of the recently-built Cortland Apartments building (1788 N. Pierce Street). The clinic will sit in between a new location of a Foxtrot market and the main entrance to the high rise.

The N. Pierce Street location is the latest for the company — which partnered with MedStar Health in June 2020 to increase its foothold in the D.C. area — but the first in Arlington. There are several full-service clinics in the area, including one each in Tysons and the Mosaic District.

At the time, the clinic noted in a press release that it offers a straightforward appointment-making experience as well as as comprehensive and affordable medical services through its work with MedStar.

Amazon, which is preparing to debut the first phase of its second headquarters in Pentagon City next month, purchased One Medical in February. The acquisition marked a shift for the company, which tried, unsuccessfully, to start its own telemedicine and primary care provider.

Hat tip to Edward MacNabb and Josh.

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