After announcing a temporary closure on March 18, the Cheesetique Mosaic location has closed permanently.
An employee at another location in Del Rey said that the location will not reopen but added she wasn’t at liberty to give a reason.
The eatery used to serve lunch, dinner and brunch, the website said, adding that it also sold cheese for take-home consumption.
Tysons Reporter reached out to the location’s owner to find out why the location closed and is awaiting a response.
Only a few days before its then-temporary closure in March, the eatery posted on its social media page, asking people to purchase gift cards. It is unclear if these will be accepted at the other two Northern Virginia locations.
Photo via Cheesetique Mosaic/Facebook
(Updated 3 p.m.) As the number of coronavirus cases grows in Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam has extended restrictions on non-essential businesses.
In a press briefing today (Wednesday), Northam announced that he is extending his previous order affecting schools and non-essential businesses.
Now, his order that closed recreational and entertainment businesses, along with non-essential businesses that cannot limit patrons to 10 people or less, will expire on May 8 instead of next week.
Virginia is also under a stay at home order, which will last until June 10.
“I don’t have any intentions as of today extending that,” Northam said about the stay at home order, adding that he may considering moving the June 10 deadline back.
“This is such a dynamic situation. It is fluid. It literally changes every day — the data that are being put into these models,” he said. “For me to stand here almost two months before June 10 and say what we’re going to do at that time is really difficult to say.”
Northam said that social distancing — staying at least six feet apart from people — “is working” and that Virginians’ recent efforts are slowing the spread of the virus.
“Our entire sense of normal life is out the window,” Northam said, adding that once the order expire, people will still need to take precautions.
The “new normal” will likely include wearing wearing face coverings, teleworking if possible, social distancing, staying away from large gatherings and spending more time in homes, Northam said.
“Things are not going back exactly the way they were before,” he said.
Image via Twitter
The Sheraton Tysons Hotel reportedly plans to close for good on Friday (April 3).
The hotel (8661 Leesburg Pike) is a part of the Tysons West development near the Spring Hill Metro station.
Tysons Reporter obtained an email from the Townhomes at Westwood Village Owners Association, which is located behind the Tysons West development, to residents about the hotel’s planned closure:
We received notice today that the Sheraton is closing this Friday, April 3rd and will not be reopening. This came as a complete surprise to us as well as the company that operates the hotel. We’ve been told the reason they are closing is financial due to COVID-19 and the ability for the hotel to recover. At this time there isn’t any information as to what JBG Smith will do with the property.
Although parking is not permitted in their back lot, they wanted to give us a heads up that the lot will be secured and any cars in the lot will be towed.
An employee who works for the hotel and an employee at the hotel’s Budget car rental location both said they heard that the hotel is set to permanently close on Friday.
“This hotel is currently closed,” according to the hotel’s website. “Please search this site for another hotel.”
The Sheraton in Tysons ranks as the largest venue for conferences and events in Fairfax County, Barry Biggar, the CEO and president of Visit Fairfax, told Tysons Reporter earlier this year.
A spokesperson for Marriott International, which owns the Sheraton brand, declined to comment on the hotel specifically, instead sharing this statement:
As travel restrictions and social distancing efforts around the world become more widespread, we are experiencing significant drops in demand at properties globally with an uncertain duration. We are adjusting global operations accordingly.
We are working quickly to mitigate the impact to our business while also focusing on assisting our associates, our guests and our owners. While the ultimate impact is difficult to predict at this time given the fluidity of the situation, we remain confident in our long-term prospects.
In addition to the challenges from the pandemic, Marriott International announced on Tuesday (March 31) that a data breach might have compromised 5.2 million customers’ information.
Ashley Hopko contributed to this report
Image via Google Maps
As COVID-19 continues to cause major economic disturbances across the country, Visit Fairfax has a new program to support local businesses and people impacted by the pandemic.
Fairfax County is heavily reliant on tourism and visitors for conferences. While Visit Fairfax’s president Barry Biggar told Tysons Reporter that he uncertain how much the Tysons area economy will hurt, he said the organization is working to combat some of the economic downturn.
Biggar said restrictions on non-essential businesses coupled with the economic downturn have had “devastating” consequences for local businesses, services and eateries in the last three weeks.
While many restaurants are trying to pivot by offering delivery, curbside pickup and delivery, some have temporarily closed. Biggar said that he expects many won’t reopen.
Visit Fairfax staffers are trying to help coordinate tools for the community through the “Fairfax First” program, he said.
The program is a collection of tools, lists and opportunities that residents can take advantage of to support themselves and others during this turbulent time, according to the website. It includes fun things to do while at home, virtual tours of popular attractions, mental health resources and ways to support local businesses.
Visit Fairfax is also promoting “Virginia Is for Restaurant Lovers Takeout Week,” which runs from March 30-April 5.
“Virginians are encouraged to order takeout, delivery or curbside pickup from local restaurants and to use the hashtag #VirginiaEatsLocal to spread the word,” according to Visit Fairfax’s website.
Last year around this time, hotels in the area were at or above 70% capacity, according to Biggar, who added that now they are at or below 18%.
Around Virginia, he said more than 24,000 people in the service industry have lost their jobs permanently due to staffing cuts.
Along with other resources, Visit Fairfax coordinated with local hotels to help first responders find a list of steeply discounted rooms that will put them up if they are either self-isolating away from their families or need another place to rest, according to Biggar.
Around Tysons, these include The Ritz-Carlton at Tysons Corner, Hilton McLean and The Westin Tysons Corner, according to Visit Fairfax. Rates vary, but first responders can call the hotels directly to inquire.
As the pandemic continues in Fairfax County without any sign of slowing, Biggar said that he can’t make a judgment yet about how this will affect the economic well being of the area going forward, but does predict an eventual rise in domestic travel around the third and fourth quarters later this year.
Though things are “changing every day,” Biggar said he wants people to “start thinking and dreaming about what you want to do when this is over” in terms of vacations and getaways to boost the economy again.
Photo courtesy James B. Crusan III
Updated 3/17/2020 — Adds information from Federal Realty Investment Trust.
Tysons Cakes is no longer open along Leesburg Pike in the Tysons Station shopping center.
While Yelp says that the bakery is set to reopen on April 24, Emily Gagliardi with Federal Realty Investment Trust told Tysons Reporter that the bakery will not reopen.
Gagliardi said that the bakery’s closure at 7500 Leesburg Pike a few months ago was unrelated to the coronavirus.
“Orange Theory Fitness will be using this space for their pre-sales area, as they are under construction across the street, and we have a permanent deal pending on this space following that,” she said.
The bakery used to make colorful cakes and still has photos from last year of cakes with unicorns, “Sesame Street” characters and even a wedding cake with Pikachus on its Facebook page.
Image via Google Maps
A|X Armani Exchange — the more affordable option for Giorgio Armani products — no longer has a store in Tysons Corner Center.
A reader alerted Tysons Reporter earlier today (Thursday) about a sign at the mall saying that the store is closed and urging customers to head to A|X Armani Exchange’s store in the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City (1100 South Hayes Street, Suite 501).
The store was located on the second level near Barnes and Noble.
An employee at the Pentagon City store said that the Tysons one closed two days ago. The employee wasn’t sure what prompted the closure.
“A|X appears to be repositioning its portfolio of stores within their organization,” a spokesperson for the mall told Tysons Corner Center.
Tysons Reporter has reached out to A|X Armani Exchange to find out more information about the closure.
While it’s unclear what will fill the A|X Armani Exchange space, several newcomers are expected in the mall later this year, including Australian brand Cotton On.
Photo courtesy (and hat tip to) Raymond Newby
(Updated 1/29/2020) Several new stores and eateries plan to expand the offerings at Tysons Corner Center.
Cotton On, B8TA, Teriyaki Way and China Kitchen will all open within the following months, a mall spokesperson said. (Tysons Reporter previously reported that Cotton On and B8TA plan to open stores in the mall.)
The Australian brand Cotton On, which offers clothing and stationery brands, will be located across from Oakley and Abercrombie & Fitch, the press release said.
Meanwhile, B8TA will be located on level 1 by Kids Foot Locker and Abercrombie Kids, according to the press release, and allow shoppers to “try on the latest and innovative products out of the box from home, technology, to health-related and lifestyle focused items.”
China Kitchen will be located on level three in the food court, and Teriyaki Way will be next to California Pizza Kitchen.
Opening dates have not been announced yet for any of the upcoming locations.
Sunglass Hut, which already has a location in the mall near now-closed Lord and Taylor, will add a second location just a few steps away near Macy’s, according to a sign outside the location.
Renovations will be finished in March, the sign said.
A kiosk with mini doughnuts from Doughnuttery is coming to the mall’s second level near Barnes and Noble, according to the mall’s website.
Along with the upcoming openings, a few stores plan to say goodbye or have already closed.
With all of its stores closing nationwide, a store employee said Papyrus will likely stay open for a few more weeks at the mall.
Tradition d’Afrique has closed in BrandBox on the first level by Barnes and Noble. Brio, an Italian restaurant chain, recently closed its location near BrandBox.
American Tandoor was still closed yesterday (Monday). The Indian restaurant has signs saying it’s “temporarily closed until further notice.”
“The closings of Brio and American Tandoor are for different circumstances and has no correlation to the vitality of Tysons Corner Center,” a spokesperson for Tysons Corner Center told Tysons Reporter on Jan. 29.
No more shucking oysters at Brine in the Mosaic District — the restaurant closed earlier this month.
“Unfortunately, Brine Restaurant is closing its doors,” according to a Facebook post on Jan. 15. According to another post, the restaurant served its last meal in early January.
Known for its oysters, the restaurant offered a raw bar, wood-fired grill and selection of Mid-Atlantic fare ranging from seafood to meat.
Travis Croxton, the co-owner of Rappahannock River Oysters, LLC, ran the restaurant, which featured oysters from the oyster farming company, according to the restaurant’s website.
The restaurant (2985 District Ave, Suite 120) was open for five years, the Facebook post said.
Image via Google Maps, photo via Brine/Facebook
Hat tip to Dalia P.
Stationery company Papyrus is reportedly closing all of its stores nationwide — including the one at Tysons Corner Center.
An employee at the Tysons store told Tysons Reporter yesterday (Monday) that a closing date has not been determined yet. The current plan is to keep the store open until all of the inventory is sold, the employee said.
Shoppers can find the store on the second level near The Plaza entrance.
Retail Dive reported that the closures come on the heels of liquidation sales that are underway.
Photo via Papyrus/Facebook
An almost-barren Lord and Taylor is closing this weekend at Tysons Corner Center.
The store was pretty empty when Tysons Reporter stopped by earlier today. It looked like about less than a quarter of the merchandise remained.
Sunday is the last day that the store plans to be open, according to an employee.
No word yet on how Tysons Corner Center plans to use the soon-to-be-vacant space.
Story reported by Ashley Hopko and written by Catherine Douglas Moran
