The team behind the now-closed Tysons Biergarten plans to bring the beer garden back as part of a new pop-up concept near the McLean Metro station.
Tysons Biergarten closed near the Greensboro Metro station in November to make way for a redevelopment that will add a new office tower at 8332 Leesburg Pike.
The team behind the beer garden has said it plans to debut a new concept consisting of themed, 40-foot shipping containers:
- “The Biergarten” — German and Belgium beers and German food
- Roll Bär — Asian fusion cuisine and Japanese whiskey
- Chalkboard BBQ — a rotating menu of barbecue and international craft beer
- Tysons EuroBar — Mediterranean fare
Matt Rofougaran, Tysons Biergarten’s CEO and managing partner, shared with Tysons Reporter more details on what people can expect when The ShipGarten opens this spring.
Like Tysons Biergarten, which had a three-year-lease, The ShipGarten will plans to be a pop-up for three years at the Scotts Run development, Rofougaran said.
“We want to do pop-ups all over the [D.C. area],” he said. “What we want to do is avoid having to leave everything in one building and start all over.”
Rofougaran said that using shipping containers will allow for mobility — what he calls “a traveling beer service.”
“Our landlord owns multiple properties throughout Tysons — The Mile and near [Tysons] Galleria,” he said.
Meanwhile, the new spot means that The ShipGarten will have three times the space — and three times the number of people — that Tysons Biergarten had at its old spot.
The ShipGarten will also fill a currently empty space that is slated to house a high-rise later on.
Rofougaran said he hopes the nearby restaurants and bars in the area, which include City Works and an upcoming beer garden called The Perch, will encourage people to move around from one spot to another.
“We love it,” Rofougaran said about the new location. “The more restaurants and bars near us, the better. It takes us away from being a destination location.”
Plans for The ShipGarten started two years ago and were inspired by similar concepts in New York and California, he said.
“What we are doing is a little bit different,” he said, adding that the ShipGarten will be on a larger scale. “It’s a cross between stuff you see in New York and what the real, true Oktoberfest is like in Germany.”
Rofougaran said he wants The ShipGarten to attract the same, wide range of people — “from college students to 70-year-old executives” — that Tysons Biergarten brought in, along with an emphasis on being family-friendly.
“Surrounding those containers will be your quintessential biergarten area, family friendly kids area, a fenced in dog area, and entertainment venue,” according to The ShipGarten’s website.
When The ShipGarten arrives in the spring, Rofougaran said that people can expect all four concepts to open at the same time.
Currently, Roll Bär is scheduled to take over local bar Hops N Shine (3410 Mt Vernon Avenue) from 1-6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, for a pop-up event to showcase items from the upcoming Roll Bär menu, like hand-rolled sushi.
“The goal is to test these concepts out in Scotts Run and if they work well, we put them everywhere,” he said.
Photo via The ShipGarten/Facebook
Conte’s Bike Shop is moving into Falls Plaza in the City of Falls Church.
A sign indicates that the new store will occupy a 3,767-square-foot space in the shopping center.
Conte’s has a store nearby at 7121 Leesburg Pike, Suite 101. A sign along the Washington and Old Dominion Trail points cyclists and pedestrians to the Leesburg Pike store.
Conte’s offers bikes, gear, car racks, lighting, maintenance and other things for bicycles. People can find stores in Florida, Virginia and D.C.
Rania’s Love Vegetarian Restaurant is now serving up Vietnamese vegetarian food in Falls Church.
Located near Staples in Falls Plaza (1200 W. Broad Street), a banner outside of the restaurant says that a grand opening was held earlier this month.
The menu includes starters, like salt and pepper oyster mushrooms, and noodle soup, including lemon leaf chicken soup and beef meatball noodle soup.
The restaurant is open from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sundays, according to signage on the door.
Ahead of its opening in Tysons, Wegmans is looking to hire people for 180 full-time positions now — and employ roughly 480 people in total.
The grocery chain announced today (Wednesday) the number of positions for hire, noting that the store is expect to open this falls at 1835 S. Capital One Drive.
Wegmans said it expects to hire roughly 480 people, “most of whom will be new to the company and hired locally,” according to the press release.
“These jobs offer competitive pay and benefits, flexible scheduling, and a fun workplace with caring people,” Tysons Store Manager Kevin Russell said in the press release.
People interested in the jobs, which range from entry-level management to line cooks, can look online or call 571-423-0707 for more information.
“Interviews are conducted by appointment only and hiring for part-time jobs will begin at a later date,” according to the press release.
The upcoming 80,000 square-foot store will be a part of Capital One’s campus next to the McLean metro station.
The store will include a Market Café with indoor and outdoor seating, The Burger Bar and a 1.2-acre rooftop park atop the building that will house the store, residential units and parking.
Photo courtesy Wegmans
“Relay-Palooza Battle of the Bands” is coming back in Vienna this upcoming weekend.
Hosted by Relay For Life of Northern Virginia, the annual event raises money for the American Cancer Society. At the event, participants will vote for their favorite band and the winner will be able to headline the 2020 Relay For Life event in May.
A full dinner and drink menu will be available, according to the event page.
Vienna-based Java Sparrow posted on Facebook that the band plans to perform at the event.
“Relay-Palooza” is set to take place at 1 p.m. — doors open at noon — at Jammin Java (227 Maple Avenue E.) on Sunday (Feb. 23). General admission tickets are $15, while “premier plus” tickets are $25.
“The Premier Plus section is a raised area with great views and reserved seats and tables,” according to the event page. “There is a dedicated server for faster service.”
Image courtesy Relay for Life of Northern Virginia
Bloggers and social media gurus have an opportunity to network at an upcoming event at Tysons Corner Center later this week.
From 6-8 p.m. on Thursday (Feb. 20), entrepreneurial women from the area are invited to attend a gathering sponsored by BrandBox where they can meet Alison Barker from the Babes Who Create Executive Team.
The event is celebrating the launch of Babes Who Create DC — a branch of the California-based marketing and media company that operates regional communities of content creators across the U.S.
Attendees can play with puppies, drink and eat appetizers, take photos and try out a variety of services including hair and makeup touchup stations, according to the event page.
The first 75 women to attend will also receive a goodie bag full of sports items and beauty products, according to the event page.
The event is free and will be held on level two of the mall next to Old Navy and Urban Outfitters.
Anyone who wants to learn more about the D.C. chapter of Babes Who Create can check out the group’s Instagram.
Image via Babes Who Create/Facebook
The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.
We’ve scoured the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!
Wednesday (Feb. 19)
- Ribbon Cutting for Periodontics and Implant Center of Northern Virginia — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Periodontics and Implant Center of Northern Virginia (243 Church Street NW) — People are welcome to celebrate the introduction of a new business in Vienna. This event is free and light refreshments will be served, according to the event listing.
Thursday (Feb. 20)
- b8ta Grand Opening — 7 to 9 p.m. at b8ta Tysons Corner (8086 Tysons Corner Center) — A new store in Tysons Corner Center offers people the change to celebrate b8ta’s grand opening with champagne and appetizers. This event is free but RSVP is suggested.
- WIT Connect — 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Valo Park Drive (7950 Jones Branch Drive) — This event from Women in Technology will allow people to learn about how technology is changing healthcare. Networking begins at 6 p.m. and the conference starts at 6:45 p.m. Tickets start at $45.
Friday (Feb. 21)
- Storytime and Crafts with Local Children’s Author, Shelby! — 10 to 10:30 a.m. at Famille Cafe (700A W. Broad Street) — Families and kids can come and meet Shelby Hoefling, the author of recently published “Grandma’s in the Phone!” After the meet and greet, kids will be able to make crafts as well.
Saturday (Feb. 22)
- Black History Forum — 2 p.m. at Justice High School (3301 Peace Valley Lane) — This event will feature Alexandria’s first African-American Poet Laureate, KaNikki Jakarta. People will also be able to watch a trivia competition highlighting African-American Achievements in history, according to the website.
Sunday (Feb. 23)
- Live Music with Blue Book Value — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Famille Cafe (700A W. Broad Street) — This NoVA band is known for their rock n’ roll, according to the event listing. They’ll be hosting a free performance for people hoping to enjoy some live entertainment.
- Jazz Worship & Pancake Brunch — 10 a.m. Lewinsville Presbyterian Church (1724 Chain Bridge Road) — Everyone, regardless of church affiliation, is welcome to enjoy Jazz Worship Service and a Shrove Pancake Brunch. Breakfast quiches, casseroles and crepes will also be served.
Photo via Famille Cafe/Facebook
When people walk into Fava Pot in Falls Church, they’re greeted with the smell of freshly baked pita bread made in a traditional wooden, along with a dozen menu options for traditional Egyptian cuisine.
Dina Daniel, the restaurant’s owner, opened the Falls Church Fava Pot back in 2017 after owning an Arlington food truck and has been serving up a variety of fare since, including vegan and vegetarian options.
Daniel said her favorite item is the Táamya, which she considers to be the eatery’s specialty. She called it an “Egyptian falafel” — the tiny ball has a crunchy exterior with a soft, veggie-filled inside. Unlike other types of falafels, the snack is made with fava beans instead of chickpeas.
Other best-sellers include Baba Ganoush, a tangy dip that comes covered in pomegranate seeds, combination platters that include lamb, chicken and veal and a variety of bowls and snacks.
When people stop by the restaurant, Daniel said she wants people to feel at home — comfortable, welcome and well-fed with wholesome fare with fresh veggies and whole wheat grains.
Daniel said that she wants people to feel as if they’re “having a feast at grandma’s house,” when they eat at Fava Pot. She added that many of the meals made at the Falls Church location are unique to that specific location and take more than 12 hours to prepare.
Unlike Fava Pot’s food truck or new pop-up in Union Market, the Falls Church location offers guests sit down meals with the help of Stephen Samuels, the area manager, and Elmer Ramos, the head chef. Fava Pot is also planning on expanding to Rosslyn later this year.
“Our business isn’t only about the back area, it’s about how you interact with the customer,” she said while waving to a regular customer across the room.
When Daniel first opened the restaurant, she said she worried that people’s unfamiliarity with Egyptian food would scare away potential customers, so she spent time in Tysons handing out free samples for several weeks.
Since the restaurant is a “travel destination,” Daniel said she was concerned before the grand opening in 2017 that people might not want to make their way to Falls Church to eat at the restaurant. But she said that concern has turned out to be unfounded.
Several days ago, Voice of America Asia featured Fava Pot on its YouTube channel as part of its “Food Bites” mini-series.
“I believe America has misconceptions of Egyptians,” she told Tysons Reporter, noting that Egypt has a distinctive cultural identity from the rest of the Middle East.
The walls of the Falls Church location are covered with the stories of famous Egyptians, including athletes, academics and musicians. To give back to her home country, some of the money made from Fava Pot goes directly to benefit a group called Coptic Orphans, which assists underprovided kids in Egypt.
As for the location’s clientele, she said that about only 20% have Egyptian heritage, which gives her a chance to act as a cultural ambassador for the community.
Part of her breakfast customer base originally came from overflow from the adjacent pancake house, until people got over their hesitation about Egyptian breakfast and decided to give the cuisine a shot.
“After God’s grace, it is what made our business stay,” she said.
Founded in late 2018, Tysons Reporter covers Merrifield, Falls Church, McLean, Vienna and, of course, Tysons.
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Haven’t gotten around to buying Girl Scout cookies yet?
The Northern Virginia Girl Scouts have an ongoing sale in the Mosaic District. They will be selling them every day of the week, though the hours vary.
Cookies will be on sale on Mondays-Thursdays from 5-7 p.m. On Fridays, they will be available from 5-8 p.m. The cookies will also be on sale all day on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Sundays, they will be on sale from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Girl Scouts will be selling the cookies from the lobby of the Target (2905 District Avenue, Suite 400).
Here are some other places around Tysons Corner where you can pick up a box your favorite girl scout cookies this week from Thursday-Sunday (Feb. 20-23):
- Metro Station (1824 Dolley Madison Blvd): Thursday: 3:30-7:30 p.m.; Friday: 3:30-7:30 p.m.
- Silver Diner (8101 Fletcher Avenue): Friday: 4:30-8:30 p.m.; Saturday: 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Marshalls (8353 Leesburg Pike): Friday: 4:30-8:30 p.m.; Saturday: 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Sunday: 1-3 p.m.
- TJ Maxx (8389 Leesburg Pike): Friday: 5-9 p.m.; Saturday: 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
- 7-Eleven (1931 Old Gallows Road): Saturday: 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Petsmart (8204 Leesburg Pike): Saturday): 11 a.m.-5 p.m
- OLGC Church (8601 Wolftrap Road): Sunday: 7-10 a.m.
For a full list of the places and times where you can get Girl Scout cookies after next week, an online list and app provide updated information.
Photo via Facebook
