Store closing signs at Macy’s in Ballston (staff photo)
Store closing signs at Macy’s in Ballston (staff photo)
Store closing signs at Macy’s in Ballston (staff photo)
Macy’s in Ballston (staff photo)
The Macy’s store in Ballston is slated to close this spring, as soon as March, ARLnow has learned.
The department store at the Ballston Quarter mall was one of five locations the company identified last week as set to close in 2024. Macy’s is also planning to cut some 2,350 jobs this year.
Signs are now up outside and inside the store, advertising a storewide 30% off sales. All sales are final as of Monday, Jan. 22, according to the signage.
A Macy’s spokesperson tells ARLnow that the clearance sale “will run for approximately 8-12 weeks.” The store is expected to close after that.
The Arlington County Board approved a redevelopment plan for the Macy’s site in December 2022. The plan calls for a 16-story, 555-unit apartment complex atop a grocery store and another 1,400-square-foot retail space.
Orvis at The Crossing Clarendon on Dec. 18, 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)
Sporting and outdoor goods store Orvis is set to close in Clarendon and is going out with a closing sale.
The closure may not be permanent, however, as the store has hinted at reopening elsewhere in the area.
Located in The Crossing Clarendon at 2879 Clarendon Blvd, the business is scheduled to shut its doors on Jan. 20 of next year. The popularity of the closing sale has led to items selling out quickly, however, potentially leading to an earlier closure if supplies run out.
“We have been running through inventory, so we’re not 100% sure that we will make it that long, but that’s the planned date,” a store employee told ARLnow.
The employee emphasized that Orvis had “no intention of closing the store” but were left with no choice when their lease was not renewed.
“After a wonderful 20-year run, supported by amazing customers, Orvis Arlington’s lease has expired and our landlord has chosen not to renew,” Orvis said in a press release.
“We’re very sad to leave this space but are actively looking for new locations in the area,” the release continued. “Meanwhile, we thank our loyal customers and ask them to support our Tyson’s Corner store, which is entering its 30th year of business!”
The owners are seeking to reopen in either Arlington or Alexandria, though there is no set timeline for a potential reopening, according to several store employees.
Multiple employees at the Orvis store claim that the space will be occupied by a bank, though the identity of the bank is yet to be confirmed.
Regency Centers, which owns The Crossing, did not respond to inquiries about why the lease was not renewed or who the new tenant will be.
Currently, shoppers at Orvis in Clarendon can enjoy a 30% discount on all clothing, with the exception of Barbour branded items. Additionally, fishing tackle and gear are available at a 40% discount.
A vibrant yellow stand selling Christmas trees (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Trucks brimming with Christmas trees have started arriving in Arlington, signaling it is time to pull out those holiday ornaments.
Several Christmas tree markets across Arlington are set to open this Friday, after Thanksgiving. However, holiday shoppers are being cautioned not to wait too long due to a reported shortage of trees this year.
Factors such as Canadian wildfires and drought continue to impact tree availability, posing challenges for local lots in securing their usual supply.
Due to these shortages, the Gazette Leader reported several traditional tree vendors in the area have had to limit the number of trees on sale this year, including the Optimist Club of Arlington.
ARLnow has compiled a list of markets that are confirmed to be opening.
Starts: Friday, Nov. 24 at noon
Knights of Columbus (5115 Little Falls Road)
In addition to garlands, wreaths and ornaments, the local nonprofit plans to sell 2,100 Christmas trees, including tabletop Fraser fir and white pines from Galax, Virginia.
The lot is open seven days a week, although times vary depending on the day.
The profits go towards Arlington youth sports and academic activities.
Starts: Friday, Nov. 24 at noon
Mount Olivet United Methodist Church (1500 N. Glebe Road)
Once again, Scout Troop 167 is hosting its annual tree sale near Ballston from Nov. 24-27. The sale begins at noon on Friday and Sunday and 10 a.m. on Saturday. The lot is open until 8 p.m. each day. In case of bad weather, a backup weekend is scheduled for Dec. 1-3.
Trees and wreaths can be pre-ordered and picked up on-site either Friday or Saturday. There is also a delivery option for a $20 fee.
Starts: Saturday, Nov. 25 at 9 a.m.
Clarendon United Methodist Church (606 N. Irving Street)
Clarendon United Methodist Church has 300 Fraser Fir trees from Canada. The sale, an annual event since 2007, is set for Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 25-26) and the first weekend in December (Dec. 2-3). All proceeds go to Arlington Thrive.
Starts: Saturday, Nov. 25 at 9 a.m. Our Lady of Lourdes (830 23rd Street S.)
The Knights of Columbus tree lot at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Aurora Highlands will be open Tuesday and Friday evenings and weekends until Dec. 18, or until trees sell out. The profits will support charitable activities, including the Coats for Kids drive.
Starts: Friday, Dec. 1 at 5:30 p.m. Metropolitan Park (1321 S. Elm Street)
The National Landing Business Improvement District plans to sell Christmas trees supplied by Almost Heavenly Trees during its ski-themed holiday festival from Dec. 1-3 at Metropolitan Park, next to Amazon’s HQ2.
Starts: Saturday, Dec. 2 at 9 a.m.
Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church (4000 Lorcom Lane)
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church near Cherrydale is set to sell 200 trees from Vermont. The sale will run through the weekend and continue every Saturday and Sunday until sold out. According to the sale’s webpage, 85% of trees were sold on the first weekend last year.
Aware of any other local Christmas tree sales? Let us know in the comments.
The old Broyhill estate, now a vacant lot (via Matt Ammon/YouTube)
The old Broyhill estate, now a vacant lot (via Matt Ammon/YouTube)
The old Broyhill estate, now a vacant lot (via Matt Ammon/YouTube)
A man leaves with a piece of the Broyhill mansion during its ongoing demolition (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Demolition of the Broyhill mansion is underway (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Demolition of the Broyhill mansion is underway (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Demolition of the Broyhill mansion is underway (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Demolition of the Broyhill mansion is underway (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Demolition of the Broyhill mansion is underway (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Demolition of the Broyhill mansion is underway (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
In a new twist, the now-razed Broyhill estate in the Donaldson Run neighborhood is again on the market, billed as a development opportunity for anywhere between six and 36 homes.
Less than a year after its last sale, for $2.55 million, the estate near the Washington Golf and Country Club is once more on the market — this time as a 1.43-acre vacant lot, coming in at a cool $10 million asking price.
The agent, Leesburg-based Serafin Real Estate, says in a listing it “is pleased to present what is perhaps the single largest land offering to come available in Northern Virginia’s most desirable North Arlington (22207) within the last two decades.”
A brochure notes this property is ready for “streamline development” with up to six single-family residences — the way of the Febrey-Lothrop estate — or up to 36 Expanded Housing Option housing units, across two parcels, 11,145 square feet and 51,062 square feet in size.
Neither the agent nor the owners responded to a request for comment.
A video tour of the property at 2561 N. Vermont Street shows that construction fencing remains, as do some remnants of the former 10-bedroom home: brick steps, a wrought iron gate, and a small building corner.
It’s a far cry from the home husband-and-wife duo Mustaq Hamza and Amanda Maldonado told ARLnow they would build after buying the property earlier this year.
Shortly into demolition, they were fending off at least one vigilante preservationist who nicked pieces of the home on his way out. They also had had sharp words for neighbors they said alleged the duo would take advantage of the freshly-passed Missing Middle zoning code updates.
“They don’t believe two minorities can buy a lot for $2.5 million and build another single family house,” Maldonado said at the time. “They believe we’re going to flip it and build a bunch of condos.”
Donaldson Run Civic Association President Bill Richardson says a lingering concern for neighbors is how much of the property will be covered with an impervious surface, with elements such as a house or a driveway.
“Members are very concerned about that, generally, and as it relates to this property,” he said. “It applies whether it’s [developed with] single-family or Missing Middle… Nobody really knows. it’s being marketed for either purpose.”
Business sale question graphic (photo illustration by ARLnow)
Arlington is full of great local businesses, and sometimes those businesses change hands.
We occasionally check in on the state of local business by taking a look of the entities being offered for sale via BizBuySell, an online aggregator. The businesses are described but usually not named in the listings.
When ARLnow last checked in this past October, we highlighted eight businesses for sale, including restaurants, a moving company and a salon.
Today, we have a dozen to highlight, including one that appeared — for some reason — via a real estate listing.
Perfect Location with Huge Potential Deli. Deli has demonstrated its pandemic proof with steady sales generated by a well-established core customer base within the neighborhood. Great business opportunity for first-starters.
European café and market. Serving breakfast, lunch, evening snacks and deserts. All types of coffees, lattes, and teas. Pastries and bagels. Sandwiches, soups, and salads. Chips, candy, cigarettes’, and Ice cream, Refreshments, select micro beers, and fine wines. Inside and outside seating. A real must see.
High volume restaurant & bar in a prime location of Arlington surrounded by residential & office buildings. This restaurant has been in business for over 10 years and averages an immaculate $3,200,000 in annual sales. Beautifully built out with a full service bar serving some of the best wines and specialty cocktails in the area.
Specialty dessert & gift franchise locations for sale. For a low price of $149,000 you can be the owner of 2 dessert franchise businesses located in Arlington & DC. The current owner of these locations is absentee and we are looking for a new hands on owner to take this established business to the next level.
Top rated gourmet Burger with potential growth in different directions. Located next to a bustling high-rise residential area. It is not just a burger joint, but also a bar and a hanging out place for the community. With top sales and great revenues, it’s evident that this burger have become a favorite among locals and visitors alike.
A home at 4433 18th Street N. that the county is set to buy in Waverly Hills (via Google Maps)
A home at 4423 18th Street N. the county is set to buy in Waverly Hills (via Google Maps)
Arlington County is poised to purchase two additional homes for stormwater management in the Waverly Hills neighborhood.
The pair of homes are a few doors down from the first home it purchased last month on 18th Street N.
The county will pay $1 million for the home at 4423 18th Street N. and $1.3 million for the other at 4433 18th Street N., per county reports prepared for each sale contract. The Arlington County Board is set to review these contracts during its meeting on Saturday.
The two will be torn down for $350,000 apiece and the land will be replanted to create green spaces that will act as overland relief — essentially a safe pathway for water to flow during large flooding events, such as the floods of July 2019. Such flooding events have particularly impacted the Spout Run watershed, where the county is targeting its land acquisition efforts.
Neither home has a historic designation nor architectural significance but staff from the county’s Historic Preservation Program recommend that viable parts of the home be salvaged and photos taken of the interior and exterior for the program’s archives.
Sales are expected to be settled in about five months and the residents will have two months beyond that to move out.
Arlington County previously told residents of the Waverly Hills and Cherrydale neighborhoods it is considering several stormwater management strategies but voluntary property acquisition will be “necessary” for reducing flood risk.
At the time, it said it would first focus its efforts on the Waverly Hills neighborhood and touted benefits of selling to the county such as lower closing costs and peace of mind.
For sale sign in front of a business district (photo illustration by ARLnow, background image generated by DALL-E 2)
In Arlington, as elsewhere, local business is not static.
Stores and restaurants are continuously being opened, closed or sold. In this ongoing series, we list some of the businesses being offered for sale via BizBuySell, an online aggregator.
The businesses are described but not named in the listings. Eagle-eyed readers who have followed our previous business sale posts this year, however, may have noticed at least one apparently listed business that has since closed and another that is changing to another restaurant.
Though this is a time of inflation and economic uncertainty, the owners of small local businesses may be looking to move on for a variety of reasons, including retirement or a desire to focus on another business venture.
Some of the businesses in Arlington that appear to have been listed for sale since our post this past summer are below.
This is a successful hair salon with Variety of beauty and spa services in Arlington Virginia. The owners have been in business for about 30 years. They moved to the current location in 2010. They are highly dedicated and experienced. Services offered are color, balayage, foil highlighting, skin care, manicures and pedicures for men and women. If you are looking for a designer hair cut with beautiful look and wonderful customer service and relaxing to restore your natural beauty this is the place to go to.
Prime location restaurant and cafe on a main road in Arlington opened only 5 days a week. Surrounded by office buildings, apartments and retail makes this a great location given the high volume walking traffic during work hours and evenings. This restaurant has been in business since 2016. The current menu consists of soups, salads, sandwiches and much more but can be converted to fit most menus/concepts.
Looking for Potential Buyer for my pizza restaurant Located just 5 miles from white house. Our 5 Miles delivery area covers DC, Regan Airport, Mclean, Tysons Corner, Falls church,Annandale and surrounding areas. Restaurant has Dine In Capacity and customer restroom, located on one of the busiest road that connects VA,DC & MD. Unfortunately, I cannot give enough time to store as I have another venture.
Fast casual restaurant & bar with outdoor seating located in a prime location in Arlington. This restaurant has been in business since 2019 and has been profitable ever since. To date this business has had very little marketing attention due to the fact the current owner has another business outside of the restaurant to run full time. In need of a hands on owner operator to take this business to the next level.
Profitable free standing restaurant in Arlington VA located on a heavy traffic road surrounded by residential. This restaurant has been in business since 1998 and has EXTREMELY LOW RENT for this area. The current menu and concept can be converted to almost any type of food or be kept the same. Very big kitchen great for catering and to accommodate large orders. With a rent of $5,700 per month and annual sales around $800,000 this is an excellent money making opportunity.
Being a small business owner is tough and sometimes, for any number of reasons, you need to sell what you’ve built.
Even a large and affluent market like Arlington is no exception, with plenty of business turnover in a given year, especially among retail-level consumer businesses like restaurants and personal services.
One way business owners get matched with business buyers is through online listing aggregators like BizBuySell. Below, we have again compiled ten of the more interesting, current listings in Arlington from the site.
The listings generally do not name the business that’s for sale, but the descriptions in each provide some clues. The asking price is also included.
Well run and maintained convenience store for sale in a busy area and walking distance nearby apartment complexes. It is the perfect opportunity for an owner-operated business or absentee owner.
Dine in and carry out BBQ restaurant for sale in Arlington VA. High end kitchen equipment and great build out ready to fit most concepts. This restaurant is ABSENTEE OWNED and profiting $50,000 annually. With a new hands on owner and an updated menu to include more items this turn key business can be extremely profitable. Very low rent for Arlington with a great lease. Must see. Purchase price includes a FOOD TRUCK. CHEAP RENT.
This 10 year old business has survived Crystal City’s desolation and Covid and it primed for Amazon HQ2 and all the new businesses, people, and energy flowing through. The lease is month too month but you can lock it in if you like. 50% of revenue is from yoga and pilates classes and 50% is from massage and body work. The studio is 5200 sq ft, has 3 yoga rooms (one is a hot room and is 1800 sq ft), 3 treatment rooms, 2 large changing rooms with showers, 2 infrared saunas. It runs itself but could level up which I’m not interested in doing after working a full time job and running and working in this business for 10 years.
High profit restaurant and bar in the heart of Arlington VA. This popular restaurant has been in business for over 6 years and is currently averaging over $3,000,000 in annual sales. The current owner is profiting an average of $300,000 per year and the business is debt free. Beautifully built out with 230 seats inside, 120 seats outside, a large full service bar including craft beers on tap and a spacious kitchen with all high end equipment. The current menu can be kept the same or converted to fit most concepts. While owning other restaurants, the current owner does not have enough time to watch over this location and run it to its full potential.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity! This business operates in a very robust Co-working market in Virginia, renting office space to small business owners or remote sales reps on 6-12 month terms. The building resides in a great outdoor freestanding location in the business district and civic metro area. It is a flexible franchise solution that adapts to change and has consistently been the most profitable business in the industry.
Covid. Inflation. Labor shortages. Rising rent. A sinking stock market.
It’s not easy being a small business owner in 2022 — or any year, for that matter. Thus it should come as no surprise that some are seeking to sell their businesses.
The following come from listing aggregator BizBuySell, which generally doesn’t name the business that’s for sale, but the descriptions in each listing provide some clues. The asking price is also included below.
Ramen Restaurant for Sale on the Main Road — $520,000 — “Well-established Ramen Restaurant with bar for sale in heart of Arlington. Turnkey operation. This authentic ramen restaurant is a local favorite. It has a 4.4-star online review. High-end finishes & well maintained in the very busy location. Owner built & operating since July-2015.”
Established Dessert and Drink Store in Prime Location — $180,000 — “Easy to operate dessert store located in a very popular shopping center in Arlington, VA. Owner currently only visits the store twice a week. Delivery sales generates about $3K-4K per month from uber eats, postmates, and door dash. Clover POS data is available.”
Pet Grooming and Organic Supplies in NoVA — $99,000 — “For health conscious pet owners in Arlington VA, this specialty organic pet food store offers other meticulously selected pet products and expert pet grooming services conveniently located near apartment buildings, offices and metro. Ample street parking in front of store. All-in rent including NNN indicated at roughly $3,000/month makes this an affordable space in an excellent location.”
Highly Profitable and Growing Restaurant — (No listing price) — “Located along an active mixed-use commercial corridor in affluent Downtown Arlington, VA, the well-known franchise is located in a 3,700 square-feet space, completely modernized with a $1.7M+ buildout in the last 3 years. Lease goes thru October 2025 with 2 x 5 year options, an increasing year-over-year EBIDTA, this is a unique play to acquire a well-operated growing business generating over $3.068M per year.”
Profitable BBQ Restaurant in Arlington — $169,000 — “Dine in and carry out BBQ restaurant for sale in Arlington VA. High end kitchen equipment and great build out ready to fit most concepts. This restaurant is ABSENTEE OWNED and profiting $50,000 annually. With a new hands on owner and an updated menu to include more items this turn key business can be extremely profitable. Very low rent for Arlington with a great lease.”
Infrared Stretch & Sauna Biz — $295,000 — “Lowest rent in building, take over lease @ negotiated rate. This business is a franchised location of Stretch Smart in a highly affluent, well-educated area in Clarendon, 10 min from Amazon HQ2. As Amazon grows, so does the opportunity to grow our memberships!”
2Mill net Yr Absentee owner Super MKT safe Area — $12,500,000 — “Safe area, can grow better… Approx, Rent: 37,000. month (inc, Cam, taxes). Lease: 2.5 yrs + three 5 yrs option Open hour: 8 am-9 pm.”
Established Nail Salon & Skin Care business in N. Arlington — $100,000 — “Great location & low rent. Recently remodeled. 4,7 star google reviews. Over 500 plus clients in database. High end products ( organic) and services. Free parking. Highly visible on major highway, over 12,000 cars daily. Once pandemic is over, this business has a great potential. Nail techs stay, if new owner desires.”
$2.947M Allstate Agency — $899,000 — “Established 20 plus year agency is located in a very desirable location. This $3M plus earned premium agency consistent of a preferred auto/homeowner customer base with excellent opportunity for growth in cross sales as well as life/financial services. Good potential to increase revenues through new & renewal commissions as well as performance bonus based on growth, retention, etc.”
Independent and Profitable Optician in NoVA — $695,000 — “Well-established optician in dynamic Arlington VA with decades of satisfied multi-generational customers and an excellent reputation for providing professional service and high-quality eyewear. Valuable referral network that includes several top ophthalmologists in the DC / Northern Virginia area.”
Note that some listings may be for businesses that already closed.
A local Christmas tree lot (courtesy of Peter Golkin)
(Updated at 6:30 p.m.) With cold weather here, holiday music returning, and Thanksgiving a week away, it’s time for many to pick out that perfect Christmas tree.
Arlington has several Christmas tree sales, though that number seems to have diminished in 2021 compared to recent years. Unsurprisingly the pandemic is playing a role, but another cause is a reported tree shortage.
Supply chain issues, wildfires and heat waves in the Pacific Northwest, shipping delays, and a pine tree pest infestation in Kentucky are all contributing factors to the nationwide shortage.
The Knights of Columbus Christmas tree lot at Our Lady of Lourdes, on 23rd Street S. near Crystal City, won’t be having a sale this year, after cancelling in 2020 due to Covid-related concerns. This time around, the shortage is the primary reason.
“Our supplier for the last 15 years recently informed us that he had supply chain issues and would not be able to provide us with trees this year,” a spokesperson told ARLnow. “We contacted various other farms in North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia but none were able to provide trees either.”
They plan on coming back next year, however.
“We will work during the offseason to establish a relationship with a new supplier and plan on opening next year,” the group said.
The Arlington South Lions Club also won’t be having its sale near the intersection of Columbia Pike and Four Mile Run Drive in 2021, a club member said. It would have been the sale’s 59th year. The cancellation is not Covid- or shortage-related, we’re told.
Below is a list of sales that ARLnow has confirmed are happening.
The Optimist Club of Arlington is holding its 75th annual sale at the corner of N. Glebe Road and Lee Highway, directly behind the Wells Fargo Bank and next to Metro 29 diner. It starts at noon on Friday, Nov. 26, the day after Thanksgiving. The sale will be daily until the trees are sold out. Organizers claim it to be “the LARGEST tree lot in all of Northern Virginia by volume” and sell about 2,500 trees a year. All trees are grown on the Virginia and North Carolina border and cut on Nov. 23 and Nov. 30. They recommend buying early since it’s anticipated they’ll sell out by Dec. 12. Proceeds go to youth sports programs and scholarships.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church at 4000 Lorcom Lane in Cherrydale also kicks off its sale on Friday, Nov. 26, the day after Thanksgiving. Two-hundred trees will from Vermont will be offered. The hours are Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Organizers are recommending buying early since 85% of the trees were sold during the first weekend. Volunteers are needed.
The Clarendon United Methodist Church at 606 N. Irving Street is holding its pre-sale now with tree pick-up starting on Saturday, Nov. 27. There will also be a lot set up for those who wish to come in person. However, only 200 trees are available (plus a number of wreaths) and the church expects to sell out quickly. All the trees come from Canada, cost $75, and proceeds will go to the non-profit Arlington Thrive.
The boys and girls of Scout Troop 167 are partnering with Mount Olivet United Methodist Church at 1500 N. Glebe Road in the Ballston area this year for a Christmas tree sale. The sale will only be for three days, the weekend after Thanksgiving. It starts Friday evening and runs through Sunday afternoon. A rain date will be the following weekend. Wreaths, medium, and large trees will be available. There’ll be no small trees this year due to drought but bigger trees can be trimmed. Pre-ordering and, even, home delivery are available this year.
Boy Scout Troop 162 is again hosting its Christmas tree sale at the Dominion Hills pool parking lot at 5960 Wilson Blvd. The sale kicks off on Friday, Nov. 26 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Regular hours are Monday-Friday from 4-8 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wreaths and garlands will also be sold. Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted. “Boy Scout Troop 162 has been selling Christmas trees to their Arlington neighbors since the early 1970’s,” says the troop’s Facebook page. “We are proud to say that we have sold trees to generations of families and look forward to many more years!”
Aware of any other local Christmas tree sales? Let us know in the comments.
“Due to uncontrollable circumstances related to parking availability, we made the decision to sell our building and move into a shared property relationship with Arlington Church of the Brethren,” according to the church’s website. The church has only tiny lots for drop-off, and there are few available street parking spots within easy walking distance.
The church building has been on the market since then, according to Saul Corral, of Fairfax Realty of Tysons, who represents the church.
“It’s such a beautiful building, inside and out,” he said, adding that there are impressive old beams that are hard to come by in modern architecture.
Contracts have been drafted with potential buyers three times already, “but unfortunately, they’ve fallen through,” Corral said.
The fourth time could be the charm for the church. A potential buyer is studying whether or not the investment is feasible, and this study period expires at the end of April, he said.
Previous buyers have had their contracts cancelled based on what they intend to do with the building, he said.
“That’s where the contracts fall through,” Corral said. “Buyers that have other intentions put a contract on it and they’re not approved” by the Arlington County Zoning Department.
The church lot is zoned for single- and multi-family dwellings, according to a county zoning map.
Although the church is vacant, the founding location of a full-time preschool, Children’s International School, continues to operate on the site.
The preschool school has been housed in the church since it was founded in 1985, and has since expanded to three more locations in Arlington and Alexandria. It expects to be able to continue operating from the building, managers have told parents.
