There are a few stores opening, or shuffling around, at Tysons Corner Center mall over the next few months.
Arabian Oud, an oil and incense store, is scheduled to open sometime in early 2019 and signs on the store exterior say it is currently hiring staff.
The store’s oils and perfumes are higher end, with many priced over $100. The Royal Oud Set, described as a blend of roses and musk from Cambodia, will set you back $1,500.
Francesca’s, a trendy women’s clothing store on the mall’s second floor, is opening a new location on the mall’s first floor across from the food court. The store offers a variety of clothes, accessories and some home decor.
Next door, Aldo is also opening a second location in the mall sometime this spring. The store specializes in leather shoes and bags.
Photo via Facebook
There’s been a few Stuff the Bus events around the area lately, but none more accessible to Tysonians than one planned this Saturday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Walmart Supercenter.
Prepackaged supplies are available for purchase at the Walmart at 1500 Cornerside Blvd. Each paper bag of supplies costs $4.72.
The Stuff the Bus event in Tysons will benefit the Committee for Helping Others (CHO), an all-volunteer organization in Vienna that provides food aid, clothing, furniture and other emergency needs throughout the area.
Food pantries need us most right now, after holiday giving ends. Our #StuffTheBus campaign continues Saturday 2/2 at the Tysons Walmart & Village Center at Dulles Giant. Come and donate groceries to families in need. https://t.co/bbXhduipwV pic.twitter.com/3ot6SMF7Hs
— Fairfax Youth Thrive (@ffxyouththrive) January 30, 2019
A few Stuff the Bus events have already been held around Tysons, like one a few weeks ago at a Giant in McLean.
In addition to the Tysons event, one will be held in that Herndon Giant at 2425 Centreville Road from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m benefitting LINK.
If you can’t make it out to the Stuff the Bus event but still want to help, the CHO is in need of volunteers for the food, clothing, and emergency assistance programs, as well as drivers for the furniture program.
Donations to the group can be made by calling 703-281-7614 or emailing [email protected].
Photo via Facebook
Miss your chance to see Marvel mega-hit and Best Picture-nominated Black Panther? It’s coming back to AMC theaters this weekend, including the theater in Tysons Corner Center, for free.
Screenings are at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. from Feb. 1-7.
Today (Friday) also marks the start of celebrations for the Chinese New Year. TenPenh Tysons is offering a special Chinese New Year meal from today until Tuesday (Feb. 5). The offer includes four dishes — like lion’s head soup and vegetable lo mein noodles — representing different virtues. The meals are $36.68 per person.
Several local bars are also hosting Super Bowl parties, including Blackfinn Ameripub, Greenhouse Bistro, Caboose Tavern, and the Tysons Biergarten.
Saturday (Feb. 2)
- Deer Management Strategies (10 a.m.-12 p.m.) — Roger Zinn, Merrifield plant specialist, will host a discussion at the Merrifield Garden Center (8132 Lee Highway) on how to handle deer in your gardens, from water resistant plants and deer repellents.
- The Princess Bride – Family Flashback (10 a.m.-12 p.m.) — The Angelika Film Center in the Mosaic District (2911 District Ave) will hold a screening of The Princess Bride. Tickets are $12.50 and seating is reserved.
- Lunar New Year Celebration (11 a.m.-1 p.m.) — The Tysons Corner Center will host a cultural performance and celebration of the Year of the Pig in the court outside the Nordstrom. Arts and crafts will be available, with family-friendly activities.
- The Wizard of Oz (1 p.m.) — The Alden Theater in the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave) will host a production of The Wizard of Oz by Vital Theatre. The one-hour is a family-friendly musical. Tickets are $15 or $10 for McLean residents.
- Vienna’s African American History (2-3:30 p.m.) — Gloria Runyon and Sylvia Taylor from Historic Vienna Inc. will share insights on the African-American historic presence and contributions to Vienna and surrounding areas at the Patrick Henry Library (101 Maple Ave E).
Sunday
- Post Office Passport Fair (9 a.m.-12 p.m.) — The Merrifield Post Office (8409 Lee Highway) will host a passport photo to help locals obtain or renew a passport. Appointments are not required. A full list of necessary documents is available online
- Winter Forest Trail Walk at Wolf Trap National Park (1-3 p.m.) — Friends of Wolf Trap will host a winter hike through the park. Tickets are free but RSVP is required. The two-mile hike is open to families and leashed dogs. Sturdy shoes are recommended. The Hike starts at the Filene Center Box Office (1551 Trap Rd).
A man in the Tysons East area was arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty and other charges after police found evidence they believe indicates he killed his dog.
“The 41 year-old McLean man is facing four charges related to the death of his dog,” Fairfax County Police (FCPD) said in a press release. “Robert Hutchins was charged after officers were called to the 1600 block of Spring Gate Drive on Tuesday morning when residents reported a trail of blood leading to his apartment door.”
While performing a welfare check, FCPD said Hutchins was located with his deceased dog inside the apartment.
“Detectives and Animal Protection Officers were called to the scene to assist in the investigation,” the crime report continues. “Evidence was recovered implicating Hutchins’ involvement in the dog’s death.”
FCPD said the man was arrested the same day and charged with felony animal cruelty, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a felon and firearm use in the commission of a felony. He is currently being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond.
Police are asking that anyone who may have more information about the incident to contact Animal Protection Police Officer Enna Lugo at [email protected]
Photo courtesy Fairfax County Police Department
A sign is up, but little else is clear about Gem Tea, a new restaurant coming to 155 Maple Ave W.
Renovations are underway at the space between Marjan and the Vienna Carwash. The location was previously home to Swan Cleaners. The building is remaining intact, with interior work turning the space into a restaurant.
An employee at Marjan, a Persian carry out and catering restaurant next door, said Gem Tea will be offering bubble tea and is likely to be opening sometime in April.
No website is available for the restaurant, and a similarly named Gem Tea in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, confirmed they are not opening a new location in Vienna.
A new, 86-bed assisted senior living facility could be on the way for 2347 Hunter Mill Road, adjacent to the United Methodist Church of the Good Shepherd in northern Vienna.
According to the application, the facility would primarily serve seniors living currently living within five miles of the property, or whose current caregivers live nearby. Senior living facilities around Northern Virginia can be scarce, though several are planned across the Tysons area.
The proposed facility would provide accommodations for people with dementia or memory loss, providing housing, meals, programming and supportive care services.
The applicant, Orr-BSL Hunter Mill, LLC, is proposing a two-story building with approximately 43,680 square feet of space. The application says the building will include outdoor courtyards and a garden accessible to residents of the facility.
The facility would operate 24/7 with a staff of 30 employees.
A Planning Commission hearing for the application is scheduled for June 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Photo via Google Maps
A brand new suite of retail options has just been announced for The Boro, a large development near the Greensboro Metro station planned to compete with the Tysons Corner Center mall as a commercial hub.
The largest of the new tenants is a two-story Ethan Allen furniture store, according to a press release from the Meridian Group. The store is relocating from a Route 7 location and opening a 11,500-square-foot location at the corner of Boro Place and Westpark Drive.
Six other new retail locations were also announced, including:
- Colour Bar Studio: a hair salon offering a variety of services including coloring and haircuts. The 3,400-square-foot salon, Colour Bar’s second in Northern Virginia, will be on the second floor of The Loft along Boro Place.
- Paris Baguette: a French bakery offering an assortment of breads, pastries and cakes baked daily, as well as chef-inspired sandwiches and salads. Paris Baguette’s second location in Northern Virginia, the 2,600-square-foot café will be located on the ground floor of Boro Tower at the corner of Broad Street and Solutions Drive.
- Akira Ramen & Izakaya: a restaurant that makes its own Soba noodles and features an open kitchen. This is Akira Ramen’s second location and they are opening a 2,000-square-foot restaurant on Boro Place, across from Whole Foods Market.
- Tysons Nail Lounge: the lounge will be an expansion of Mint Nail Lounge, a premier manicure, pedicure and waxing lounge in the Mosaic District. The 1,600-square-foot location on the second floor of The Loft.
- Poki DC: a 1,400-square-foot location offering poke as well as freshly-brewed bubble tea. Poki DC will open on Boro Place, adjacent to Akira Ramen.
- Verizon Wireless: will offer phones, accessories and support services. Its 1,400-square-foot store will be on Greensboro Drive.
The new stores are scheduled to open alongside the 69,000 square-foot Whole Foods Market, ShowPlace ICON Theaters, and other retail sometime later this year. The exact date has not been announced.
After some uncertainty about when or where the new Wawa in Vienna would arrive, plans have finally been submitted to Vienna’s Board of Architectural Review.
The new plans show the new Wawa will be located at 465 Maple Ave W.
The Wawa will be constructed on a property that was formerly a Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage location and has been vacant for over a year. The location is across the street from the controversial mixed-use development approved in October at the Vienna Wolf Trap Hotel.
The Board will review the plans at today’s (Friday) work session, which started at 8 a.m.
The new Vienna location is part of a regional expansion for Wawa, which has previously said that it plans to add 30-50 stores in the Washington, D.C. area.
Shinsekai Ramen, a new ramen eatery under construction at 234 Maple Avenue E., is just two weeks away from a planned opening.
Kevin Choe, regional operations manager for the Shinsekai, said the restaurant is scheduled to open on Monday, Feb. 11, though if there are delays he said the restaurant could open around mid-February.
Most ramens at the restaurant cost around $12 for lunch or $13 at dinner, with smaller dishes like steam buns and onigiri for $4.
The restaurant also has a variety of vegan options, including a veggie miso ramen and tempura bowl.
Also on the menu are a wide array of Japanese beers and sake.
The type of ramen at Shinsekai is a traditional type of ramen made from chicken bone broth. According to Choe:
“Ramen has many styles and with today’s pop culture it has become even more broad. Our style dates back in the old traditions where our chef owners Jin and Hideyoshi Matsu hometown of ashahikawa region only cooked chicken Bone broth ramen, which eventually made its way to the popular ramen city of Kumamoto, however today’s most popular style of ramen broth is made with pork bones (tonkutsu broth). We are using a very a underrated and yet a traditional style of chicken bone broth of ramen of Kumamoto. This style of ramen is highly underrated in the [United States].”
Choe said the type of broth used in the restaurant is a fusion of the popular “white broth” and the more traditional “clear broth.”
“Our core focus is to introduce to U.S palate to a beloved recipe… without the fancy price tag,” said Choe. “What better place to start their legacy in the diverse food community of Vienna.”
After three months of work, a bare wall behind the Vienna Shopping Center has been turned into a sweeping mural depicting the Tysons skyline and other prominent locations throughout the region.
The project was led by artists Eleanor Doughty, a Vienna native who now lives in Seattle, and Emily Herr, who lives in Richmond. Students from the nearby James Madison High School also lent a hand over a weekend in November.
The project was funded by Rappaport, owners of the shopping center at 180 Maple Avenue. The mural can be viewed at the end of Cottage Street.
The mural is complete at Vienna Shopping Center, showcasing the DC Metro sites like the cityscapes of Arlington, DC, and Tysons.
Check it out on your lunch break when you are visiting your favorite dining spots, like @TacoBamba, @panerabread, or @cava. #murals #art pic.twitter.com/TOyRKXTSdr
— Rappaport (@RappaportCRE) January 14, 2019
