Shirlington

New beer hall coming to former Capitol City Brewing space in Shirlington

By ARLnow.com
1/4

At long last the large Capitol City Brewing Co. space in Shirlington, vacant since March 2018, is getting a new tenant.

Astro Beer Hall, a two-level bar and coffee shop from the owners of Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, will be opening in the space at 4001 Campbell Avenue next summer, according to a press release. In addition to 14,000 square feet of indoor space, the new beer hall will have a 80-seat outdoor patio.

Gone is Capitol City’s brewing equipment. In are pool tables, pinball and classic arcade games, along with garage doors that will open for “an indoor-outdoor feel when the weather is nice.”

Those behind the beer hall include a pair of local bar scene veterans, Geoff Dawson and Peter Bayne, whose past and present ventures include CarPool, Buffalo Billiards, Iron Horse Taproom, Penn Social and Highline RxR.

This will be the second Astro Beer Hall location. The first opened at 1306 G Street NW earlier this fall.

More from the press release:

The owners of Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, Elliot Spaisman and Jeff Halpern, together with Tin Shop – a creative bar and restaurant development group founded by Geoff Dawson and Peter Bayne – announce the expansion of Astro Beer Hall to Shirlington. The new Northern Virginia location is due to open in the Village at Shirlington in late summer 2022. The two-level beer hall and full-service coffee shop will operate all day with doughnuts and coffee in the morning, transitioning throughout the day to lunch and dinner fare with beer offerings. Located at 4001 Campbell Avenue, Astro Beer Hall Shirlington will also feature an expansive 80-seat patio facing the corner of South Quincy Street and Campbell Avenue.

Astro Beer Hall Shirlington will offer many of the features that have made the original location popular, including an all-day, full-service coffee program using La Colombe beans alongside Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken’s signature doughnuts and breakfast sandwiches. The kitchen will also offer lunch, happy hour and dinner with an expanded menu of Astro’s beloved fried chicken, sandwiches, salads, made-to-order cake doughnuts, bar snacks and more. A weekend brunch menu will also be available and the bar, which boasts 20 tap lines, will serve a variety of local draft beers, cocktails and frozen drinks.

The 14,000 square foot space will feature three roll-up garage doors along the patio side of the beer hall, allowing for an integrated indoor-outdoor feel when the weather is nice. Astro Beer Hall Shirlington will also be host to two game rooms with pool tables, and arcade games including Asteroids, Ms. Pacman, pinball and more. Guests will be able to watch sports and special events on large screen televisions throughout the space.

I-CE-NY in Shirlington appears to be closed

By Matt Blitz
I-CE-NY closed in Shirlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

I-CE-NY in Shirlington appears to have closed.

The windows of the Thai rolled ice cream shop are blacked out, the awning has come down, no equipment appears to be inside, and all signage is gone.

ARLnow reached out to the business for confirmation, but has yet to hear back as of publication. Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRIT), which owns the Village of Shirlington (as well as Pentagon City’s Westpost), also was not able to confirm the closure.

The franchised shop appeared to be listed for sale about a year ago, but the listing is no longer available. The Arlington location is still listed on the company’s website, however.

Earlier this week, a tipster sent ARLnow a photo that showed on a sign on the door that read “Store Closed,” before the windows were blacked out.

I-CE-NY opened in Shirlington at 4150 Campbell Avenue just over three years ago. Originally from Thailand, the company specializes in rolled ice cream with mix-ins. In the United States, it first opened in New York before expanding to more than a dozen shops across eight states.

Prior to I-CE-NY, Knits Etc. was in that location in Shirlington.

Hat tip to Kiara Candelaria 

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Mattress Store Goes Night Night — From local tweeter @CartChaos22202: “The ⁦⁦Mattress Firm⁩ location along S. 15th Street in Pentagon City has closed… but try not to lose sleep over it.” [Twitter]

Santa Visiting Fairlington Next Week — “It was touch and go for a while, but it appears Santa Claus will be able to take part in an annual Fairlington tradition after all. The Fairlington Citizens Association is working to bring Saint Nick to the community for his annual ride on an Arlington County fire truck. The event is slated to take place on Saturday, Dec. 11.” [Sun Gazette]

Lane Closure for Bridge Maintenance — From Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services: “Routine deck maintenance work continues on Shirlington Road Bridge through Dec. 11. One travel lane closed at a time, 7am to 7pm including weekends. West sidewalk remains open.” [Twitter]

Opioid Test Strips Are in Demand — “Months after Arlington County’s Department of Human Services started the pilot program to dispense 100 fentanyl-testing strips, the county is renewing its opioid response grant as demand continues to grow. ‘We were out of those test strips within the first couple of weeks. Since then, since the middle of August, we’ve dispensed 604 test strips,’ said Emily Siqveland, who runs the county’s new Opioid Treatment Program.” [WTOP]

Elections Office Ready for Rerun — “Yes, Virginia, there may be a rerun of all 100 House of Delegates races in the new year. Maybe not, but possibly. If so, personnel in the Arlington elections office will be ready, they say. ‘We’ll just have to wait and see how this process plays out,’ said Gretchen Reinemeyer, the county’s director of elections, in a look-back-and-look-forward report to the county’s Electoral Board on Nov. 30.” [Sun Gazette]

Reminder: Arlies Voting — Don’t forget to cast a vote for your favorite bakery, ARLnow commenter, coffee shop or brunch spot. Voting in the Winter 2022 Arlies awards closes on Monday. [ARLnow]

It’s Friday — It’s going to be a bit windy today, with sunny skies, a low of around 40 and a high near 58. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Sunrise at 7:10 a.m. and sunset at 4:46 p.m. Saturday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 55 and wind gusts up to 20 mph. Sunday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 51. [Weather.gov]

The lights are coming on in Shirlington at a holiday event next week

By Matt Blitz
1/2

The lights are coming on at Shirlington next week.

On Thursday (Dec. 2), the Village at Shirlington is hosting the holiday event “Light Up the Village” from 6:00-8:30 p.m.

The event will feature a Christmas tree lighting, caroling from Bishop O’Connell students, strolling entertainment, performances from Signature Theatre, horse and carriage rides, and selfies with Santa. The evening is being emceed by NBC Channel 4’s Jummy Olabanji and will benefit event partner non-profit Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC).

While horse and carriage rides are free and there’s no need to sign up in advance, donations to AFAC are welcomed.

“Donations of non-perishables and cash to benefit AFAC will be accepted from those taking a horse and carriage ride,” writes a spokesperson for Federal Realty Investment Trust, which owns the retail and restaurant center, which is set for eventual redevelopment. “AFAC volunteers will be onsite at the horse and carriage rides to collect these donations.”

Attendees will be able to “sip and stroll” with an an alcoholic drink from a local, participating restaurant.

Performers and musicians from Signature Theatre’s current production of Rent will be performing about a half dozen holiday and winter songs during the event as well.

Shirlington has seen a number of new businesses put down roots recently. In the last two months, Bearded Goat Barbershop, CHIKO, and F45 gym all have opened.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Thanksgiving week in Shirlington (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

ACPD Thanksgiving Anti-DUI Event — “On Thanksgiving-eve, traditionally a time of celebrations with heavy alcohol consumption, ACPD, in partnership with WRAP, is hosting a Thanksgiving anti-drunk driving event to highlight the impact alcohol has on motor skills. This free event is open to the public and will take place on Wednesday, November 24, at N. Hudson Street and Wilson Boulevard, from 8:00-10:00 p.m.” [ACPD, Twitter]

Shirlington Apartment Employee Slashed — “An employee of the residential building discovered that the laundry room had been locked and upon opening it, discovered the unknown male suspect inside. The suspect produced a knife and struck the victim’s hand, causing a laceration. The suspect then fled the scene on foot. Arriving officers canvased the area with negative results. The victim was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.” [ACPD]

Bus Driver Protest in Ballston — “Arlington Public Schools bus drivers are protesting again, this time in Ballston. They’re chanting and getting passing drivers to honk in favor of better pay and fair treatment.” [Twitter, WJLA]

County Seeks Budget Feedback — “Each winter, the County Manager presents a proposed operating budget to the County Board in order to plan spending for the next fiscal year. We’d like to know your thoughts on how Arlington should prioritize necessary spending in FY 2023. Help us get better insight on questions such as: How would you rate the importance of County programs and services?” [Arlington County]

Clement: Fewer Signs Stolen This Year — “In her annual election wrapup at the first Arlington County Board meeting after the votes were in, perennial protest candidate Audrey Clement told board members that she’d been able to gather up a good portion of her campaign signage from medians. ‘I recovered about 450 signs, or two-thirds of the total,’ she told board members. ‘This is a significant improvement over 2020, when two-thirds of my signs were trashed.’ Clement ran second in the four-candidate County Board race.” [Sun Gazette]

It’s Monday — A chance of showers today, mainly before 10 a.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Northwest wind 7 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Sunrise at 6:59 a.m. and sunset at 4:49 p.m. Sunny tomorrow, with a high near 43. Northwest wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. [Weather.gov]

CHIKO, popular Chinese and Korean eatery, opening in Shirlington this week

By Matt Blitz
1/5

CHIKO, a popular D.C.-based Chinese and Korean eatery, is opening its first Virginia location in Shirlington on Wednesday (Nov. 10).

First announced in July, CHIKO is opening at 4040 Campbell Avenue and is taking over space formerly occupied by DAK Chicken, which closed in summer 2020.

“We look forward to being part of Shirlington’s vibrant restaurant scene and hope to be cooking for the greater Arlington community. Danny and I felt this was a perfect spot for our first foray into Virginia,” co-owner Scott Drewno wrote in the press release.

The fast casual restaurant is owned by Drewno and partner Danny Lee, who make up what they call the Fried Rice Collective and who run other concepts in the region.

This is CHIKO’s fifth location, including the fourth in the area. The other regional locations include Dupont Circle, Capitol Hill, and Bethesda. There’s also a shop in California.

“Federal Realty is excited to add another CHIKO location to our DC-metro portfolio,” writes Stuart Biel, Senior Vice President of Federal Realty Investment Trust, which owns the Village of Shirlington as well as Westpost in Pentagon City. “The Bethesda location has seen incredible success during a very challenging time, and we look forward to the same in The Village at Shirlington. CHIKO’s incredible reputation and loyal following mean yet another quality food option in the neighborhood.”

The eatery is known for its dim sum, double-fried chicken wings, and fried rice. Each location has its own speciality fried rice dish, with the one in Shirlington serving up charred siu pork fried rice.

Relatedly, there’s a new “Fried Rice Passport,” which offers a $25 gift certificate for those who try the fried rice at every local location. A new blueberry kaffir lime custard dessert is also exclusive to the Shirlington location.

The restaurant is about 1,500 square feet, has seating inside for 30, and offers carryout as well as delivery. The interior is designed by D.C.-based Natalie Park Design Studio.

Only dinner will initially be available, though lunch and brunch will come later this winter, according to the press release.

At the opening on Wednesday, the first 50 people to come to the shop will receive a free dumpling order.

CHIKO joins Bearded Goat Barber and F45, a gym, among the businesses to open in Shirlington this fall.

JUST IN: A rabid raccoon was on the loose at the Shirlington Dog Park

By Matt Blitz
A raccoon (via Jonnelle Yankovich/Unsplash)

There was a rabid raccoon on the loose in Arlington that came into contact with a number of dogs.

Last week, Arlington animal control responded to an incident involving multiple dogs and a raccoon at the heavily-visited Shirlington Dog Park at 2710 S. Oakland Street.

The raccoon was removed and, later, tested clinically positive for rabies — a disease that both humans and animals can get from a scratch or a bit from an infected animal.

This is not the first time in recent memory a rabid animal has threatened Arlington humans and their furry best friends. In May, a potentially rabid fox bit two people near Lacey Woods Park. In February and March, a rabies outbreak in raccoons had pet owners thinking about their own quarantine for their animals.

Animal control is asking residents to make sure their pets are up to date on their vaccines, to keep dogs on a leash and cats inside, to feed pets inside and not to approach wildlife. The department is also asking residents to remove wildlife attractants, such as compost and unsecured garbage cans, from their yards.

“If you, your child, or your pet may have come into contact with any wild animals including bats or raccoons, please call Arlington County Animal Control at 703-931-9241 immediately,” the Animal Welfare League of Arlington said in a message posted on social media. “It is fatal if medical care is not given promptly.”

“Arlington County Animal Control is also urging residents to remain vigilant and if they see any animal that appears sick, lethargic, disoriented, or aggressive to stay away from the animal and call Animal Control immediately,” AWLA said. “If you come across a deceased rabies vector animal (including cats, dogs, foxes, raccoons, and groundhogs) in your yard or a public space please do not handle the animal and contact Animal Control promptly.”

Photo via Jonnelle Yankovich/Unsplash

Bearded Goat Barber opening next week in Shirlington

By Matt Blitz
1/4

Bearded Goat Barber is opening its third location next week in Shirlington.

The 1,0888 square-foot full service barber shop turns on its shears Monday, November 1 in the former Hair Cuttery space at 4150 Campbell Avenue, next to I-CE-NY and Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub.

Bearded Goat Barber Shop is co-owned by serial entrepreneur Scott Parker and barbers Eric Renfro and Jon Dodson. Its first location in Ballston opened in 2019 and the second opened last year in D.C.’s Navy Yard. The expansion to Shirlington was first announced in February

With the region emerging from the pandemic, Parker believes that now is the time to grow.

“The Bearded Goat brand is stronger than ever,” Parker wrote to ARLnow via email. “There is currently a 4-5 week wait to get a cut at our first two locations. Since restrictions were loosened, we are busier than ever. It is the perfect time to expand, and we are slowly starting to look for our fourth location.”

As for where that fourth location of Bearded Goat could be, no further details were provided.

The barber shop offers haircuts, shape-ups, beard sculpting, grey blending, and straight razor hot towel shaves. It’s also “committed to following all CDC guidelines,” which includes sanitizing workspaces, tools, chairs, capes, and the waiting area between all visits.

Scott Parker is probably more well-known for his bars and restaurants. Those include Don Tito in Clarendon, Barley Mac in Rosslyn, Bronson Bierhall in Ballston, and, soon, Poppyseed Rye in Ballston and Nighthawk Pizza in Pentagon City.

That pizza spot with “a 90s vibe and a beer hall-like atmosphere” was initially supposed to open this fall, but it’s been pushed back to “early 2022,” according to a spokesperson.

Parker is also co-founder of BASH Boxing.

Renfro and Dodson were barbers at Hendricks Barbershop in Clarendon before partnering with Parker on Bearded Goat.

“Jon and Eric decided to start their own shop, and asked me to be a part of it,” Parker told ARLnow back in 2018. “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.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Tracking the Hunter Moon from Rosslyn (Flickr pool photo by Joanna Hiatt Kim)

Taller Crystal City Buildings? — “With all of the new projects proposed for the area, developers have been increasingly urging Arlington County to consider bumping up maximum building heights to allow for striking new designs to remake the Crystal City skyline. Led by the area’s dominant property owner, Amazon landlord JBG Smith Properties, this effort has the county on the precipice of allowing more structures there to reach 250 or even 300 feet tall along Richmond Highway.” [Washington Business Journal]

New Scooters on Local Roads — “Bird is rolling out its Bird Three, the world’s most eco-friendly shared scooter, in Arlington. Arlington will be one of the first cities in the DMV to have an exclusive fleet of Bird Three e-scooters. When Arlington residents choose to ride a Bird Three down to dinner at the Crossing Clarendon or to start their holiday shopping early on Rosslyn, they’ll have the safest and smartest riding experience possible.” [Press Release]

Public Comment Policy Pilloried — “Are Arlington County Board rules for community comment at its meeting violating the constitutional rights of the public? That was part of the message of one speaker at the Oct. 14 County Board meeting, criticizing the board’s policy of hearing only one speaker per topic during its ‘public comment’ free-for-all that starts off the monthly meetings. ‘You are venturing very, very close to serious violations, violating people’s political speech,’ local resident Juliet Hiznay said.” [Sun Gazette]

Road Closures in Shirlington Tomorrow — “The 2021 Shirlington Shucktoberfest will take place on Saturday, October 23, 2021 from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Set-up for the event will begin at approximately 6:00 a.m. and clean-up should be completed by 7:00 p.m. The Arlington County Police Department will conduct the following road closures during that time in order to accommodate the event.” [Arlington County]

Washington Gas Woes Persist — “Complaints about Washington Gas have come up again and again in the NBC4 Responds call center. Customers report having no one pick up calls, an inability to get service and waiting on hold for hours. A Maryland man reported being put on hold for about four hours… In an exclusive interview, a Washington Gas executive promised better customer service and said the company is grappling with a staffing shortage. ” [NBC 4]

It’s Friday — Updated at 8:15 a.m. — 🌤 Partly sunny today, with a high near 70. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph. Sunrise at 7:25 a.m. and sunset at 6:19 p.m. Saturday will be partly sunny, with a high near 68, and Sunday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 70.

Flickr pool photo by Joanna Hiatt Kim

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Rosslyn skyline, with Tysons in the background (Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf)

Update on Shirlington Area Shooting — “At approximately 9:40 a.m., police were dispatched to the report of a shooting in the 4400 block of 31st Street S. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect approached the area in a vehicle, exited and fired shots towards two individuals sitting outside a residential building. The suspect then reentered the vehicle and fled the scene. No injuries were reported.” [ACPD]

Passenger Recounts Metro Derailment — From NBC 4’s Adam Tuss: “EXCLUSIVE — we talk to a passenger tonight who was on last week’s derailed Blue Line Metro train. Noelle Purcell says there was smoke, no communication, and she didn’t know if she was going to make it out.” [Twitter, Twitter]

Beyer Pushes for More Buses — From WAMU’s Jordan Pascale: “Rep. Don Beyer out with a statement telling WMATA to ‘maximize bus service’ as 7000-series sidelined for an undetermined amount of time… Metro says no go on bus increase, ‘all of our available operators and buses are already in service.'” [Twitter]

New Restaurant in Pentagon City –“The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Pentagon City has revamped its restaurant as a Mediterranean place that serves modern meze, small pours of glamorous Napa wines, and an espresso martini built with a brand of chocolate rum owned by Bruno Mars. Santé opened over the weekend at 1250 S. Hayes Street in Arlington, Virginia, for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner.” [Eater]

Unusual Protest Outside DEA — “A group called ‘Anonymous Apes’ placed a nine-foot monolith outside the Drug Enforcement Administration’s headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. The protest was staged by criminal justice and drug policy reform activists dressed in ape costumes who wanted to decry the DEA for preventing ‘research into the therapeutic uses of many natural plants and substances,’ the activists said to the District of Columbia Marijuana Justice Organization in a press release.” [NBC 4]

Spotted: Wienermobile — Arlington motorcycle officers spotted the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile while on patrol yesterday. [Twitter]

Howl-O-Ween in Rosslyn — “The Rosslyn BID and the Rosslyn Dog Owners Group (R-DOGS) are teaming up for a Halloween themed evening of dog-friendly activities, treats and fun in celebration of Rosslyn’s new Interim Dog Park at Gateway Park West! Beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday, October 22, Rosslyn’s pet community is invited to enjoy local pet-themed vendors, speakers, a social media dog costume contest and giveaways.” [Rosslyn BID]

It’s Thursday — ☀️ Today will be sunny and just about perfect, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Sunrise at 7:24 a.m. and sunset at 6:21 p.m. Tomorrow will be cooler and partly sunny, with a high near 69.

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

UPDATED: Firefighters battle a blaze near Shirlington

By ARLnow.com
1/5

(Updated at 1:30 p.m.) Firefighters from Arlington and neighboring jurisdictions battled a house fire near Shirlington.

Fire companies were initially dispatched to the Windgate townhouse development on the 2500 block of S. Arlington Mill Road for a reported electrical fire. The fire turned out to be at the nextdoor Heatherlea condo complex, along 28th Road S.

Flames were visible from the outside of the residence when the first firefighters arrived on scene, according to radio traffic. The fire was mostly contained to the home’s exterior and was extinguished before it could spread further.

Everyone was able to get out of the home and so far no injuries have been reported.

View More Stories