Bruster’s Real Ice Cream on Avenir Place is closing for the winter later this week.
A sign on the door says that the location (2672 Avenir Place) by the Dunn Loring Metro station will temporarily shut down beginning Thursday (Oct. 31).
The chain serves up a variety of cold treats including ice cream, shakes, floats, sodas and cakes.
Partons can grab a sweet-treat on Tuesday and Wednesday from 4-9 p.m. before Bruster’s closes for the season.
The shop will reopen on March 1, 2020, according to the sign.
Tysons Reporter was able to take a tour today (Tuesday) inside the new Whole Foods store ahead of its grand opening in The Boro tomorrow.
The 70,000-square-foot store was almost entirely furnished and set-up, with the exceptions of occasional minor details. Brightly colored, organic produce adorned shelves throughout the store.
The store features surprising amenities for customers, including self-serve machines that slice pineapples and squeeze fresh orange juice, a self-serve station where customers can enjoy wine and beer on-site while they shop and a gaming area.
A fresh bakery, premade meal options and a bar with happy hour specials and on-site dining also are available.
Around the store, associates were seen preparing food for the grand opening, including a woman carefully balancing a cheese display and butchers preparing fresh cuts.
A full-time “certified cheese professional” will help customers find products to suit their needs, a spokesperson told Tysons Reporter on the tour.
The store features more than 1,000 local products from the D.C. area, which includes a few brews on tap, a spokesperson said.
Food and Drink Options
In addition to grocery shopping, customers can grab a bite to eat from several fast-food options.
The store’s food hall on the first floor will include:
- Italian food from Officina, which was founded by Chef Nicholas Stefanelli
- Sushi, poke, dumplings and ramen from Genji Izakaya
- Curiosity Doughnuts
- Rappahannock Oyster Co.
Shoppers can also expect a pub and game room on the second floor, an in-house bakery, butcher and seafood departments, a specialty foods section, an Allegro coffee and tea bar and a JRINK juice bar.
The store also has prepared foods at the self-serve hot and cold bars, along with a pizza bar, an Indian venue with two in-store tandoori ovens, a barbecue bar and a deli, according to a press release.
This location also features High Point, the largest bar in any Whole Foods, according to Carl DePree, the store manager.
Customers are also able to “sip and shop,” the store representative said. There will be eight wines, craft cocktails from Pratt Standard Cocktail Company and about a dozen beers on tap, the press release said.
Grand Opening Details
For the grand opening tomorrow, the location will offer the first 200 people a savings card ranging from $5 to $100 along with a reusable canvas tote bag featuring the Tysons store, the press release said.
Attendees will also be able to try samples from Cafe Kreyol and Poppy’s Stuffed Bagels while music plays.
DePree said he is excited to see the reactions of customers tomorrow at 8 a.m. when they finally open for business.
On Thursday (Nov. 7), the store will donate 5% of sales to Food For Others, a local charity fighting food insecurity in the Northern Virginia area, according to the press release.
(Updated 11/20/19) People have some casual food and drink newcomers near the Spring Hill Metro station.
Jersey Mike’s and B.GOOD both have signs in their windows in Tysons West Phase III — a redevelopment that added new retail buildings across from Walmart — saying that they are hiring.
The development recently welcomed a Dunkin’ Donuts (1495 Cornerside Blvd, Suite 1C) and Smoothie King.
B.GOOD, a Boston-based eatery that offers a variety of grain bowls, salads, burgers, milkshakes and smoothies, also has a sign saying it’s opening this fall.
Next to the new Smoothie King, construction is currently underway on the new spot for the sandwich chain.
Do you live or work in Vienna, McLean, Falls Church, Tysons or Merrifield?
Have a cute pet that will be wearing a Halloween costume?
Send us a picture! We are seeking photo submissions of pets wearing costumes for Halloween for a story on Friday (Nov. 1) and shout outs on our Instagram.
Snap a picture of a pet wearing a costume and tag or direct message us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) or email [email protected].
Photo by Illumination Marketing/Unsplash
Fairfax County voters will soon get the chance to decide the fate of a school bond referendum next week.
The general election ballot will ask voters if they want to approve a $360 million bond referendum for Fairfax County Public Schools.
For families in the Tysons area, the bond includes:
- $19.5 million in construction funds for adding an addition to Madison High School in Vienna
- $49.6 million in construction funds for renovating Cooper Middle School in McLean
- $1.7 million in planning funds for renovating Louise Archer Elementary School in Vienna
The bond also includes $2 million in planning funds for a new “Silver Line elementary school.”
Madison High School is one of nearly a dozen high schools in Fairfax that is over 100% capacity, Tysons Reporter previously reported.
Fairfax County uses bonds to pay for renovating and building new schools.
The election is one week away for Fairfax County voters — and several seats are contested on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and School Board.
Eight of the nine district seats on the school board are contested, while six district seats and the chair are contested for the Board of Supervisors.
While many are incumbents — like John Foust, Penny Gross and Pat Herrity on the Board of Supervisors — some new faces are also vying for seats due to officials retiring, like Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth.
Here are the candidates (listed alphabetically by last name) running in the races Tysons Reporter will be reporting on next week:
Chairman of Board of Supervisors
- Joseph Galdo (Republican)
- Jeff McKay (Democrat)
Providence District Supervisor
- Eric Anthony Jones (Republican)
- Dalia Palchik (Democrat)
Dranesville District Supervisor
- John Foust (Democrat)
- Ed Martin (Republican)
Commonwealth’s Attorney
- Steve Descano (Democrat)
- Jonathan Fahey (Independent)
Fairfax County School Board — Providence District Seat
Fairfax County School Board — Dranesville District Seat
Fairfax County School Board — At-Large Seats (voters choose three)
In total, 10 locations will offer in-person absentee voting until Saturday, Nov. 2, at 5 p.m.
Voters can find their polling locations with the My Neighborhood Map or through the portal on the Virginia Department of Elections website. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Check back on Wednesday and Thursday this week for Q&As with the Providence and Dranesville District candidates for the Board of Supervisors.
The election is next Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Fairfax County police are looking for the man who allegedly robbed a woman in Tysons.
“The victim was getting something out of her car when she was approached by a man who displayed a knife and took her purse and ran away,” police said.
The incident occurred around 8:45 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 26) in the 8000 block of Towers Crescent Drive.
“The suspect was described as a black man, 20s, 5’9″, 160 pounds, wearing a black jacket and jeans,” police said.
Police are also investigating two house burglaries that happened on Friday (Oct. 25) in the Dranesville District.
The first burglary happened around 7:30 p.m. in the 11oo block of Orlo Drive, which is by Rocky Run, according to the police report.
The second occurred around 9:30 p.m. in the 1100 block of Savile Lane in McLean.
“Someone broke into a home and stole personal items,” police said about both incidents.
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!
Earlier this month, Tysons Reporter also compiled a Halloween roundup.
Tuesday (Oct. 29)
- Penny University Yoga Class — 7 p.m. at Caffe Amouri Coffee Roaster (107 Church Street NE) — This event invites all talent levels to a free community yoga class. More information can be found online.
Wednesday (Oct. 30)
- Caboose Tavern Nationals Watch Party — 8 to 10:30 p.m. at Caboose Tavern (520 Mill Street NE) — People can watch the World Series and enjoy drink discounts at the Vienna spot.
- Local Candidates Debate — 7:30 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave) — Several candidates will be in attendance including House of Delegates (D-34th) candidates Kathleen Murphy and Gary Pan, Dranesville District Supervisor candidates John Foust and Ed Martin and Dranesville District School Board candidates Anastasia Karloutsos, Elaine Tholen and Ardavan Mobasheri. This event is free and open to the public.
Thursday (Oct. 31)
- Wayfair Popup Final Sale — 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Tysons Corner Center — This is the last day for the Wayfair popup at Tysons Corner. Everything will be 30% off.
Friday (Nov. 1)
- Free F45 Training — noon to 12:45 p.m. at The Boro Park (1640 Boro Place) — People can try a 45-minute HIIT session for free at the new F45’s location in The Boro in Tysons.
- Eaglemania — 7 to 9 p.m. at The State Theatre (220 N. Washington Street) — This Eagles cover band will perform the rock band’s classic hits. Tickets are $25.
Saturday (Nov. 2)
- Wine and Cheese Festival — 2 to 5 p.m. at Whole Foods Market (1635 Boro Place) — This event allows community members to gather for an afternoon of wine and cheese tasting. All are welcome but attendees must be 21+ if they wish to drink wine.
- Vienna Arts Society Live Bench Auction — 6 p.m. at Vienna Community Center (120 Cherry Street SE) — The Vienna Arts Society is auctioning off benches painted by artists. Proceeds will go to the Vienna Arts Society.
Photo via Susan Scanlon
Tysons now has a Smoothie King.
The smoothie chain celebrated its grand opening by the Spring Hill Metro station on Saturday (Oct. 26), according to a press release.
Located at 1501A Cornerside Blvd, Smoothie King is near Walmart.
Smoothie King offers smoothies with protein, vitamins and “nutritional enhancers” including keto powder, fiber blend, vegan protein and probiotics.
Before the opening, the closest location for people in the Tysons area was the spot in Fairfax. The Dallas-based franchise has more than 1,000 locations across the world, the press release said.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is set to hold a public hearing about a real estate tax exemption involving disability income tomorrow (Tuesday).
Fairfax County currently provides income-based real estate tax relief to homeowners based on income and disability.
A revision to the Virginia Code in July now allows localities to exclude the disability income of disabled relatives living in a taxpayer’s home from the total combined income calculation.
The proposal before the Board of Supervisors would codify that exemption for taxpayers in Fairfax County.
County staff has said the tax change could “potentially [expand] the number of properties that qualify for tax relief.”
More from Fairfax County:
The total amount of relief resulting from this amendment is difficult to estimate because the Department of Tax Administration cannot precisely determine how many individuals will apply and qualify under the revised calculation. It is anticipated that the fiscal impact will be minor.
The public hearings start at 3 p.m. and the tax one is set to start around 4 p.m.
If approved, the change would go into effect on Jan. 1.
Photo via Fairfax County/Facebook
