One week after Republik Coffee (7915 Jones Branch Drive) was scheduled for eviction, the local coffee shop is still serving coffee.
A manager at the location confirmed that the location plans to remain open but could add no details about how the coffee bar evaded the eviction.
Owner Talha Sarac had previously told Tysons Reporter that the eviction notice was part of a misunderstanding with Kettler, which owns the Highgate at the Mile building, and that he would meet with Kettler representatives to sort things out.
Kettler declined to comment, but whatever Sarac and Kettler discussed, it was enough to keep the location open for the time being.
Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.
A Vienna staple since July 2010, Caffe Amouri is more than just a local coffee house.
Their mission is built around community, which is easily seen by their participation in school “Walking Wednesdays” where they provide coffee for parents, Vienna Idol and about 20 or so other charities or fundraisers. They encourage sustainability; they encourage customers to reuse coffee sleeves and only take straws when necessary.
They recently expanded the space located on Church Street to allow for more seating, large tables for collaboration, a roasting sample area and some outdoor seating. They have WiFi, although they turn it off on the weekends to encourage people to actually engage with each other (oh, the horror!). They also have open mic nights, Penny University (free classes & talks) and other events (check the online calendar).
Now to get to the good stuff: the coffee and the food.
My husband loves the white mocha and the iced coffee, I’m a traditional Cappuccino girl, and my kids love their hot chocolate. But their menu is so big they have a binder of coffee options and tea, along with some specials (honey cinnamon latte!) that make for nice out of the ordinary drinks. They have local treats at the register like granola, gluten free sweets, cookies and nuts. There’s also a sandwich menu (breakfast and lunch).
Other things you might not know: there’s a strong inventory of table games to borrow in the back. There’s parking in front, on the street and in the back; there’s a rear entrance. If you park there while they’re roasting, you’ll often see things floating around the air from the roasting.
My favorite thing is the trivia. Every day at the register there’s a new question posted. If you get it right, they take 10 cents off your drink.
The Tysons branch of Republik Coffee, which opened last June near Tysons Galleria, could face eviction within the week.
The coffee bar occupies a high visibility corner of Highgate at the Mile (7915 Jones Branch Drive), the first in a series of new mixed-use developments planned for the area.
Owner Talha Sarac said the eviction notice is part of a misunderstanding with Kettler, which owns Highgate at the Mile. Sarac said he met with Kettler representatives last week to discuss issues related to the building’s rent and believed everything had been settled.
Steven Tracy, property manager for Highgate, said he could not comment on an ongoing issue and the Kettler management office could not be reached for comment.
Sarac said he expected the issue to be cleared up imminently, but the eviction notice from the county sheriff’s office said the property must be vacated by Feb. 27.
In the middle of an interview with Tysons Reporter, a woman walks up to Stomping Ground owner Nicole Jones and introduces herself as “Steve’s mom.”
Jones immediately recognizes Steve by name and “Steve’s mom” said she was just running errands in nearby McLean and wanted to stop by and say hello. It’s a small moment that’s a testament to the kind of community building that the new Stomping Ground in Tysons Galleria will live or die by.
Stomping Ground isn’t just one of the restaurants in the new Taste of Urbanspace that opened in December as part of a quick turnaround to replace Isabella Eatery — as the shop closest to the entrance, it serves as a gateway into the new dining hall.
Stomping Ground is perhaps best known for their buttermilk biscuits and fried chicken, both of which are available at the Tysons Galleria location. The eatery’s wide variety of hot and iced coffees, averaging around $3 per cup, seems like their most popular item on the Tysons Galleria third floor.
Jones knows coffee. On sight, she can tell what type of milk was used in a beverage based on the consistency of the separation. For her, coffee is more than a beverage.
“Coffee culture is a comfort place,” said Jones. “We take that old school southern hospitality and bring it to the mall. We’re genuinely interested in your name, your dietary restrictions and where you work. We want regulars. We want to be the ‘Cheers‘ of breakfast.”
It’s been four years since Jones opened the first Stomping Ground in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood. The destination proved so popular it was name-dropped in a Wall Street Journal article explaining why Amazon came to Northern Virginia.
“In Tysons, there is less of a town square, but we’re learning that [Taste of Urbanspace] can serve as that,” said Jones. “People can come and hang out.”
That’s certainly the case among the restaurant owners on the mall’s third floor. In their downtime, managers from Stomping Ground, Andy’s Pizza and others regularly converse and hang out in the lavish seating area. Jones said all of the restaurant staffers had to work together through a hectic, quick turnaround during the holiday season and emerged as friends.
While several of the customers around Taste of Urbanspace are familiar faces day after day, much of the expansive food hall remains underpopulated.
It’s too early to say if the “town square” idea will catch on. Beyond just owner Mike Isabella’s public fall from grace, the Isabella Eatery (whose shell Taste of Urbanspace inhabits) collapsed in part due to low sales.
Jones and other restaurant owners expressed hopes that expanding the dining hall’s nightlife options will help draw in the after-work crowd, which currently has few options outside of the Tysons Biergarten.
Like their neighboring Andy’s Pizza, Donburi and Sen Khao, Stomping Ground is currently working through the Virginia ABC permit process. While Andy’s Pizza and Donburi plan on bringing in new beer options to the Galleria, Jones said her focus is going to be on wine and a variety of custom cocktails.
The cocktails, currently not available in Del Ray, are one example Jones points to of how the new location allows Stomping Ground to try new things that, if they work, might make their way back into the Alexandria location. Jones said she is also currently working on the restaurant’s new proper dinner menu, saying it will have Stomping Ground’s signature fried chicken with a mix of vegetables in keeping with southern tradition.
“The nighttime is where we will grow and spread our wings,” said Jones.
Friday Night Fire in Merrifield — “On Friday, November 30 at approximately 11:59 p.m., units from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue and the City of Fairfax Fire Department were dispatched for a reported kitchen fire in the 9400 block of Lee Highway in the Merrifield section of Fairfax County.” [FCFR]
More on Bluestone Lane Coffee Shop — “Bluestone Lane plans to break into the Northern Virginia market next year at the Boro development in Tysons Corner in mid-to-late 2019… The global brand from Australia is known for its ‘avocado smash’ toast, cold-pressed juices, custom teas, and other healthy fare.” [Eater]
PSA: Don’t Illegally Park in Accessible Parking Spaces — “With the holiday shopping season underway, finding parking at shopping centers can be harder than tracking down the hottest toy of the year. As a result, shoppers sometimes illegally park in accessible spaces reserved for people with disabilities. Approximately 75,000 county residents have a disability, so it is critical that these parking spaces remain available to them.” [Fairfax County]
Winchester Woman Arrested for Vienna Assault — “Vienna police officers went to Park Terrace Court, S.E., on Nov. 5 at 1:42 a.m. after authorities received a 911 hang-up call. Police located a resident who advised she had been assaulted by her girlfriend.” [InsideNova]
Fairfax Tax Deadline Extended — “Fairfax County Government Offices will be open Wednesday, December 5. However, because Wednesday has been proclaimed as a national day of mourning to honor the passing of former President George H.W. Bush, the due date for 2018 second installment Real Estate tax payments has been extended until December 6.” [Fairfax County]
