salon

New Natural Hair Salon Opens in Ballston Amid Pandemic

By Sydney Hawkins
1/3

A new hair salon that helps natural hair to thrive has opened in Ballston despite the pandemic

After initially hoping to open on June 19 to commemorate Juneteenth, Thrive Hair Bar (1010 N. Glebe Road) first opened its doors on Aug. 9.

“Thrive Hair Bar provides two-strand twists, braids, and leave out styles for kinky, coily, & curly haired naturalistas on the go. Embracing your hair texture with an emphasis on hair health,” the website says.

The website said Thrive Hair Bar aims to “revolutionize the luxury hair salon experience.”

Located inside the Sola Salon Studio, which hosts a number of solo entrepreneurs, the salon services its clients during a one-on-one, client and stylist experience.

“Our goal isn’t just for us to give them a hairstyle and they walk away, it’s really to help educate women on how to maintain their hair and care for their natural hair,” said Ajia Minnis, owner and founder of Thrive Hair Bar.

However, the single stylist and client combination is not the experience Minnis envisioned.

“It was definitely something that we had to adjust to. I had envisioned a salon with at least three to four stylists,” said Minnis. “I did definitely want to keep it small, to have that personalized experience, so the stylists themselves wouldn’t be rushed and because we’re just starting. But with the coronavirus, I realized that that wasn’t going to work. It just didn’t seem like the safest thing to do and I recognized that.”

Getting used to the restrictions on who can be in the salon wasn’t the only challenge Thrive Hair Bar faced.

“We still haven’t had our grand opening event yet because I had envisioned doing something where we featured local artists in the community and with the coronavirus, that doesn’t seem like the safest thing to do, even with masks,” Minnis said.

The good news is that clients have responded to Thrive’s policies positively.

“I think they like being the only one in the salon,” Minnis said. “Nobody likes having to wear a mask all day but it’s for the benefit of not only our customers, but for our stylists too. We want to make sure that they’re safe, so everybody has been respectful and keeping their masks on. We’re also using disposable capes — one-time use and throw it out. We’re disinfecting all chairs, door handles and anything that anybody touches after every single client, and then obviously staying within normal salon standards for disinfection with using Barbicide.”

“I think our clients have been comfortable with the precautions that we’ve been taking,” Minnis said, adding that she is optimistic about the future of the business as the country continues to make progress in the coronavirus fight.

Photos courtesy Ajia Minnis

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County Board Defends COVID-19 Response — “Arlington leaders continue to push back against accusations they could be doing more to address the COVID-19 crisis within the county’s 26 square miles. A number of civic-activists used the public-comment period of the County Board’s April 25 meeting (held ‘virtually’ after the government received state authority to do so) to rap officials for not imposing more aggressive regulation of daily life.” [InsideNova]

More Contributions for Small Biz Grant Fund — “The Arlington County Industrial Development Authority has joined Arlington Economic Development’s (AED) efforts to help small businesses… [The authority] approved a contribution of $326,000 of its own funding. Together with the $674,000 of funding from the County, and the recently announced contributions of $100,000 each by the Crystal City and Rosslyn Business Improvement Districts, total GRANT program funding has reached $1.2 million.” [Arlington County, Rosslyn BID]

Ballston Hotel Donates Rooms to Healthcare Workers — “The Ballston BID is collaborating with local organizations to coordinate free accommodations at the Holiday Inn Arlington at Ballston for essential healthcare workers in the community. Chesapeake Hospitality, which manages the Ballston-based Holiday Inn on North Fairfax, is donating a complimentary block of 50 rooms per day… to frontline medical staff, their families, and those most vulnerable within the community.” [Press Release]

Arlington Gets Okay Social Distancing Marks — “Falls Church has a C+, Fairfax County has a C and Arlington gets a B- in social distancing grades from @Unacast. Virginia’s grade is D- and the U.S. as a whole gets a D+.” [Falls Church News-Press, Twitter]

New Deputy Chief for ACPD — “Arlington County Police Chief M. Jay Farr is pleased to announce the appointment of Captain Adrienne Quigley to the position of Deputy Chief of Police, effective Sunday, May 10, 2020. Deputy Chief Quigley will assume command of the Systems Management Division at a later date.” [Arlington County]

Historic Home and Huge Lot Not for Sale, Yet — “Long coveted by developers and planners for schools and parks, the home built just after the Civil War has stirred interest since the death in 2017 of owner Randy Rouse, the homebuilder and equestrian. But his widow still lives in the home. And this week, it appears that some speculation on marketing the house was premature, the chances that the county could purchase it almost nil.” [Falls Church News-Press]

COVID Case Shuts Down Credit Union Branch — “The Arlington Community Federal Credit Union is closing one of their branches after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, the credit union announced Monday morning.” [Patch]

Bankruptcy for Hair Cuttery, Bubbles — “Ratner Cos., the Vienna-based parent company of hair salon chains including the Hair Cuttery, Bubbles and Cielo, has filed for bankruptcy protection after closing more than 80 locations across the country in March. The company and related entities, including Creative Hairdressers Inc., filed for Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.” [Washington Business Journal]

Flickr pool photo by Lisa Novak

DC Lash Bar Closes at Ballston Quarter

By Ashley Hopko

After a little more than a year in business, the DC Lash Bar location in Ballston has closed.

Located in the outdoor, open-air portion of Ballston Quarter mall, the salon’s second location — after its original Georgetown location — originally opened in November 2018. It recently closed because “DC Lash Bar has decided not to renew its lease with Ballston Quarter,” a spokesperson told ARLnow.

It is unclear what business might eventually replace the salon but the DC Lash Bar signs have been removed and the space appears empty.

Going forward, the DC Lash Bar wants to open another location but isn’t sure where, the spokesperson said.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Home Prices Up in 2019 — “Data from Bright MLS, a multiple listing service that analyzes real estate data in the Mid-Atlantic region… revealed the average home sale price in Alexandria City, Arlington and Fairfax counties, collectively, rose by 4%, from $590,582 in 2018 to $614,236 in 2019.” [WUSA 9]

Endorsements for Choun — Chanda Choun, who is running in the Democratic Arlington County Board primary against incumbent Libby Garvey, has received the endorsement of a pair of current and former elected officials: former County Board member Jay Fisette and, most recently, current Commissioner of Revenue Ingrid Morroy. [Twitter, Chanda Choun]

Chain Salon Locations to Close — “The parent company of Hair Cuttery, Bubbles, and other salon chains will close more than 80 locations around the country starting later in January… A full list of the stores that will shutter was not disclosed. There are more than 30 Hair Cuttery locations, 20 Bubbles locations, 14 Salon Plazas and three Salon Cielos in Greater Washington.” [Washington Business Journal]

Musical Performances at DCA — “Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) will host its annual Black History Month celebration of achievements and contributions to American history by African Americans with musical performances for passengers traveling through both airports each Thursday during the month of February.” [Press Release]

Dorsey Absent from WMATA Board Meeting — Arlington County Board and WMATA Board member Christian Dorsey was absent from the latter body’s meeting yesterday, raising an eyebrow. A WMATA spokesman tells ARLnow that Dorsey was not at the meeting because we was “going to Richmond to provide testimony.”

Monday: MLK Day of Service in Arlington — “Celebrate the National MLK Day of Service by joining EcoAction Arlington to clean up trash and debris from Four Mile Run and surrounding streets. Everyone is welcome; we will provide supplies and snacks.” [ARLnow Events]

Bearded Goat Barber Shop Set to Open in Ballston Next Week

By Airey
1/2

A new Ballston barber business is opening next week.

Dubbed the “Bearded Goat Barber,” the shop is owned by serial entrepreneur Scott Parker, who says the business will welcome customers starting next Monday. The Bearded Goat is located at the Ballston Exchange development on Wilson Blvd.

Previously, Parker told ARLnow that he’d be opening shop with barbers Eric Renfro and Jon Dodson who were striking out on their own after working at the Clarendon’s Hendricks Barbershop, which opened in 2016.

“They’re awesome guys with a combined 20-plus years barbering,” Parker told ARLnow. “It was a no brainer.”

In addition to “awesome cuts,” Parker said patrons can expect “hot towel service and cold brew on tap.”

The barber’s location at the Ballston Exchange development was formerly occupied by the National Science Foundation. These days the development is adding eateries like Shake Shack and Philz Coffee, among others, which Parker said last year that he and his team were “really excited to be among.”

Parker launched several restaurants in Arlington — Ballston’s A-Town, Clarendon’s G.O.A.T. and Don Tito, and Rosslyn’s Barley Mac — before venturing into other businesses.

He’s also backing a new boxing studio in Rosslyn called Bash Boxing, which recently opened, and he has plans to expand the gym into Ballston as well. It will be located in the Ballston Quarter development, across from the Ballston Exchange.

It’s scheduled to open its doors in early 2019 and is now “coming soon,” according to its website.

Patrons Invited to ‘Get a Buzz and Get Buzzed’ at New Salon in Crystal City Sports Pub

By Alex Koma
1/3

The Crystal City Sports Pub no longer offers just beers and bites to eat — the restaurant now has its own barber as well.

“Crystal City Cuts” opened up on the first floor of the bar in mid-February, with a small salon in the back corner of the restaurant (529 23rd Street S.).

A sign outside the bar invites patrons to “get a buzz and get buzzed.”

The new barbershop, which only has room for one or two customers at a time, is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Anyone hoping for a trim on Saturday can swing by from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

The bar is one of the longest tenured watering holes in Crystal City, and even the county as a whole, and has served up beers since 1994.

New Men’s Barbershop Bound for Ballston Quarter

By Alex Koma

A high-end barbershop for men will soon join the new Ballston Quarter development.

The Grooming Store is “coming soon” to the revamped Ballston Common mall (4238 Wilson Blvd), according to the company’s website and Ballston Quarter’s online directory.

The shop applied for a building permit at a 1,300-square-foot space in the development back in November, county records show, though it’s unclear where in the mall it will be located.

The barbershop offers hair cuts and beard trims with online reservations available, according to its website. It also sells a whole host of skincare and haircare products.

The Ballston location will become the company’s second overall: the other is located in Ashburn.

The Grooming Store becomes the latest retailer to join Ballston Quarter, with stores in the development slowly opening to customers over the course of the last two months.

The mall’s new upscale food court is set to open sometime next month, and developer Forest City hopes to have the bulk of stores in the development open by this spring.

New Hair Salon Coming Soon to Ballston, Replacing ‘Zapatat’

By Catherine Douglas Moran
1/4

A new hair salon opened on Monday, Jan. 7, in Ballston.

Signs in the storefront’s windows indicating Kenny’s & BG Hair Salon was “coming soon” to 820 N. Pollard Street popped up in November. The “zap” sign from the tattoo removal shop Zapatat, which arrived in the space in 2011, was still in the store.

Chris Slavin, the owner of Zapatat, told ARLnow that the tattoo removal shop closed at that location about nine months ago and relocated to 2731 Washington Blvd.

The space on the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. Pollard Street is below condos and neighbors Willy’s Barber Shop.

Drybar Set to Open Today at Ballston Quarter

By Catherine Douglas Moran
1/5

Drybar, a national hair salon chain that specializes in blowouts, is set to start styling today (Nov. 15) in Ballston Quarter.

Located at 4238 Wilson Blvd, the salon is behind the CVS on the first floor of the mall. It neighbors DC Lash Bar.

“No cuts. No color. Just blowouts,” reads a framed menu with a listing of cocktail-inspired blowouts hanging in the storefront window. Styling available includes the “Manhattan” for sleek and smooth hair, the “Mai Tai” for a messy and beachy look, “Cosmopolitan” for loose curls and “Dirty Martini” for tousled and textured hair, along with three more, the sign says.

This is Drybar’s second location in Virginia, after its Tysons Corner debut in March 2016. The new Ballston Quarter spot is just one of half of a dozen upcoming locations across the country, including North Carolina, Arizona, California and Hawaii.

Drybar announced Jan. 1 on Facebook nearly two dozen locations are set to open in 2018, including the Arlington one and another in Alexandria, which does not have an announced location yet.

The store’s opening makes it among the first new businesses to open up shop in Ballston Quarter following its redevelopment, following a series of delays. A variety of other stores on its first two floors are set to open as soon as today.

Prolific Restaurateur Scott Parker Plans New Barbershop for Ballston

By Alex Koma

A new upscale barbershop is on the way for Ballston next year.

Scott Parker, the co-founder of a bevy of businesses throughout Arlington, announced in a Facebook post yesterday (Monday) that he plans to help open “Bearded Goat Barber” in early 2019. He said he hopes the Bearded Goat will be a “premier barbershop specializing in tailored haircuts, hot lather shaves and sculpted beard trims.”

Parker subsequently told ARLnow that the barbershop will be located at 4201 Wilson Blvd, as part of the Ballston Exchange development, the former home of the National Science Foundation.

“We’re really excited to be among all the awesome new tenants that are coming into that project like Shake Shack, Cava, and Philz Coffee, among others,” Parker said.

Parker himself has previously focused primarily on the restaurant business, backing bars like A-Town in Ballston, the G.O.A.T. and Don Tito in Clarendon and Barley Mac in Rosslyn. He’s also recently helped start a new boxing gym, Bash Boxing, with locations set for Rosslyn and Ballston.

But Parker said that he plans to team up with a pair of barbers, Eric Renfro and Jon Dodson, on this latest venture. They previously worked at the Hendricks Barbershop, another high-end barber that opened in Clarendon in 2016.

“Jon and Eric decided to start their own shop, and asked me to be a part of it,” Parker said. “They’re super talented guys with almost 20 years of combined experience in barbering. For them it was a chance to finally realize their dream, and, for me, a great opportunity to work with two very passionate, accomplished people.”

Photo via @beardedgoatbarber

Par Hair Design Leaves Williamsburg for Westover

By Alex Koma
1/2

A hair salon in Williamsburg has relocated to Westover, and one of its stylists is trying to re-connect with old customers after the move.

Par Hair Design, formerly located in the Williamsburg Shopping Center near the intersection of Williamsburg Blvd and N. Sycamore Street, has set up shop at 5852 Washington Blvd instead.

According to a sign posted at its former location, it made the move in May, and is now located across the street from Westover Beer Garden.

However, a dueling sign posted at the shop notes that “Tram Hairstyles” didn’t make the move to the Westover location, instead heading to Queen King Salon in McLean. Tram wrote on the sign that she’s “really missing all customers” who she got to know at Par Hair Design, urging anyone missing her as well to call the new McLean salon.

As for the old space in the Williamsburg Shopping Center, the 1,018-square-foot location is currently listed for lease.

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