new store

LeoNora Bakery to Open Clarendon Storefront

By ARLnow.com

Arlington’s LeoNora Gourmet Bakery, which offers its artisan baked goods via delivery and through a couple of local retailers, will soon have its first brick-and-mortar storefront.

The bakery is opening a store at 1108 N. Irving Street. Clarendon’s grungiest block — home to the Red Top Cab parking lot and to the no-frills Sam’s Corner deli — will soon be filled with the aroma of fresh-baked bread, as LeoNora plans to do all its baking in-house, in a bakery area behind the front counter.

Colombian-born bakery owner Carolina Garcia says that after a year and a half in the delivery business, LeoNora is ready to have a storefront to call its own.

“We realized that people really wanted a retail store,” Garcia told ARLnow.com. “That’s why we decided to open… they want the option to go and pick it up somewhere nearby.”

Currently, LeoNora’s baked goods are available for purchase at local retailers like Whole Foods, Arrowine and Boccato Gelato. The bakery will still offer free delivery to customers in D.C. and parts of Northern Virginia when the store opens, but Garcia says the minimum order will increase from $30 to $50.

Garcia, who trained as a baker and pastry chef in France, makes French baguettes, sourdough loafs, cakes, quiches and various pastries. Her inspiring economist-to-bakery-owner story has been told by news outlets from TBD to CNN to Northern Virginia Magazine.

Garcia says she hopes to have the new store open in a couple of weeks.

“It’s going great, we are very happy,” she said.

Another Coffee Shop Coming to Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Crystal Drive might as well be called Coffee Drive. Another coffee shop is planning to open on the southern end of the office-heavy thoroughfare later this fall.

We’re told that a coffee shop recently approved for construction at 2450 Crystal Drive, near Buffalo Wild Wings, will be a Seattle’s Best Coffee franchise. The owners are hoping to open around mid-November.

The coffee shop will be located on a block that sits between two Starbucks — one at 2600 Crystal Drive and the other at 2231 Crystal Drive. Seattle’s Best, it should be noted, is a subsidiary of Starbucks.

Other coffee shops along Crystal Drive in Crystal City include Caribou Coffee, at 2100 Crystal Drive, and Dunkin Donuts, in the Crystal City underground near 18th Street.

Reminder: Free Froyo at Pinkberry Tonight

By ARLnow.com

With a brand new sign outside the store, and a freshly-constructed interior, California-based frozen yogurt seller Pinkberry (1220 N. Fillmore St.) is ready to start serving customers in Clarendon.

Pinkberry will open its doors from 6:00 to 8:00 tonight to offer free frozen yogurt samples. Among the expected flavors are sweet and tangy Original, Chocolate, Mango, Pomegranate, Watermelon, and Salted Caramel.

The store will have its first full day tomorrow, with doors expected to open at 11:00 a.m. and close at 1:00 a.m.

Pinkberry Plans Froyo Giveaway in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

The new Pinkberry frozen yogurt store in Clarendon (pictured) is planning a post-work froyo giveaway on Thursday, one day before its planned opening.

Pinkberry will give out free samples from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday. The store then plans to open to the public at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. Offerings include 6 different flavors of frozen yogurt and numerous toppings.

The Clarendon Pinkberry will be the California-based chain’s third D.C.-area location.

New 7-Eleven Coming to Virginia Square

By ARLnow.com

Arlington is about to get yet another 7-Eleven store.

Construction on a convenience store has just gotten underway in Virginia Square, according to a tipster. The store is located at 3461 Washington Boulevard, in the now-shuttered Georgetown Valet dry cleaners space. The new 7-Eleven will be located between Rocklands BBQ restaurant and the Casual Adventure store, directly across from a Giant supermarket.

Arlington currently has at least twenty 7-Eleven stores, according to listings on the company’s web site.

Discount Tattoo Removal Shop Coming to Ballston

By ARLnow.com

A new discount tattoo removal shop is coming to the corner of Wilson Boulevard and N. Pollard Street in Ballston.

Called “Zap a Tat,” the shop is “a new concept in laser tattoo removal,” according to a help wanted ad on Craigslist. The store will attempt to undercut other tattoo removal services on price, according to the Linked In page of its owner, a Harvard MBA alum.

Zap a Tat will “provide high quality laser tattoo removal at a reasonable price,” according to the Linked In page. “We are testing our concept and will begin roll-out soon thereafter.”

The Ballston storefront, at 820 N. Pollard Street, is “our first retail location,” according to the Craiglist ad.

Tattoo removal is a booming business. About a quarter of the population between the ages of 18 and 50 has at least one tattoo, according to study published in 2006.

Hat tip to Tim J.

Larry’s Homemade Ice Cream Now Open in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Larry’s Homemade Ice Cream (3018 Wilson Boulevard) opened in Clarendon over the weekend.

The store offers a wide variety of ice cream flavors, as well as sundaes, milkshakes, frozen yogurt, fruit smoothies, baked goods and espresso drinks.

Larry’s is located next to BGR: The Burger Joint, on the ground floor of the Clarendon Center project’s north building. Starting next week, the store will be open from 6:00 a.m. to midnight, an employee said.

Larry’s operates an existing location at 2450 Crystal Drive, in Crystal City. More photos, after the jump.

(more…)

Henri Bendel Coming to Pentagon City Mall

By ARLnow.com

Henri Bendel, an upscale women’s specialty store, is coming to the Pentagon City mall.

The NYC-based retailer currently operates 11 stores nationwide, including its flagship Manhattan store on Fifth Avenue. Founded in 1895, Henri Bendel sells fashion accessories, cosmetics, fragrances, gifts and gourmet foods. It stopped selling clothing in 2009.

The company says it expects the Pentagon City store to open in September 2011. The store itself is located on the second level, next to Victoria’s Secret.

FroZenYo Coming Soon to Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

A FroZenYo self-serve frozen yogurt shop is under construction in Crystal City.

The store will be replacing a closed Quizno’s Restaurant, next to the Chipotle at 2231 Crystal Drive. No word on when it will be opening, but building permits are now posted in the windows.

New FroZenYo locations are also planned for Rosslyn and Ballston. Late last year the company told TBD.com that all three Arlington locations would be opening in 2011.

Hat tip to “Atleeelmont”

Ann Taylor Store Opens in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

A new Ann Taylor store opened in Clarendon over the weekend.

The store — not to be confused with Clarendon’s existing Ann Taylor Loft store — is located in the Market Common Clarendon shopping center. It replaced the shuttered Myer-Emco electronics store.

The women’s wear retailer was offering coupons to customers who stopped by over the weekend.

Greenberry’s Becomes “Bean Good: The Coffee Pub”

By ARLnow.com

Say goodbye to Greenberry’s (1737 Wilson Blvd) and hello to “Bean Good.”

After about eight years in business as Greenberry’s, the new owner of the coffee shop between Rosslyn and Clarendon has decided to go “indie.” Out is the Charlottesville franchise that just won a “Best of NoVA” award in the latest issue of Northern Virginia Magazine. In is “Bean Good: The Coffee Pub,” a brand of owner Shain Noorali’s own creation.

Without the legal constraints of a franchise, says Noorali, the cafe will be able to offer more items, including locally-roasted coffee, locally-sourced food and, of course, beer and wine.

“It gives us the freedom to do things we wanted to do,” said the McLean resident, who grew up on a coffee farm in Tanzania.

Later this summer Noorali expects to introduce new desserts — gelato and cupcakes are both possibilities. Then this fall she expects the license to come through to serve beer and wine. At some point Noorali also hopes to introduce live entertainment — local musicians, mostly.

While the name has changed and new offerings are being added, Noorali — who has owned the store for a couple months now — says that the low-key vibe will remain.

“There are not going to be any drastic changes… we’re not going to change the culture of this place,” she said. “We really want this to be a place where everyone feels comfortable… a living room away from home.”

H/t to Lauren Hassel

View More Stories