A new group in Falls Church plans to deliver groceries and prescriptions to residents who are at a high-risk for the coronavirus.

Called the Falls Church Area COVID-19 Aid, the group officially kicks off today, according to a press release. At no charge, the group will shop for and deliver groceries and medications via a “no contact” procedure.

“For those who are elderly, or disabled, or particularly vulnerable, it is much harder to get through social isolation and can be life-threatening,” the press release said.

Two Falls Church residents — Mike Michener and Ally Bernstein — separately posted a similar idea on NextDoor and, after seeing each other’s posts, decided to team up, according to the press release.

Now, the group has about 40 volunteers ranging from teens to retirees, the press release said.

People interested in using the service can call (703) 982-0736 to reach Falls Church Area COVID-19 Aid. People interested in learning more can contact Tamar Abrams at (703) 855-4900 and [email protected].

Photo by leonie wise on Unsplash

As malls shut down around the U.S, Tysons Galleria and Tysons Corner Center are currently still open.

Macerich, the operator of Tysons Corner Center, said the COVID-19 situation is being monitored and listed the preventive actions being taken.

“We want you to feel confident when visiting our properties,” according to Macerich’s website. “We recognize that places where people gather, like shopping centers, need to be clean, welcoming and safe.”

Macerich said that it’s using sanitizing and disinfectant formulas recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to clean entrance door handles, handrails and restrooms several times a day and play areas twice daily. The cleaning staff is wearing gloves and Macerich wants sick employees to stay home.

In a statement, Tysons Corner Center said staying open helps the employees at the mall:

Our centers and our retailers employ hundreds of individuals, across many job types, who are dependent on their jobs to meet their families’ needs.  We are doing our best to remain open to serve our community and our retailers and continually assess the situation. We remain in close contact with government health authorities and will continue to implement our intensified cleaning and sanitizing procedures as long as we remain open.

The mall currently has reduced hours of 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. on Sundays as of March 17.

Meanwhile, Tysons Galleria has adjusted its hours so that the mall is open from noon to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and until 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Tysons Galleria said that it is letting restaurants and bars decide how to operate in compliance with the recent cap of 10 patrons maximum. The mall is not allowing people to sit in the food court.

As for cleaning, Tysons Galleria says its staff is disinfecting “high traffic areas,” increasing the frequency and intensity of cleaning “touchable surfaces” and offering hand sanitizer dispensers.

Around the country, malls are closing due to orders from state officials or by operators over concerns that shoppers and employees could spread the virus.

Fox 5 reported that Simon Property Group announced on Wednesday that it would close all of its retail properties, which include the nearby Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. Taubman Centers, which operates Fair Oaks Mall, also plans to temporarily shutter its malls, USA Today reported.

Indoor shopping malls in New Jersey are closing due to orders from the governor, Retail Dive reported. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan recently ordered malls to close.

A growing list of retailers — including Macy’s, Sephora, Nordstrom, H&M, Bath & Body Works, Victoria’s Secret and Apple — are closing all of their locations temporarily, leaving the malls that are still open with limited retail options for shoppers.

Diners, though, can find food at malls as restaurants pivot to pick-up and delivery options. Here are what some of the restaurants are doing in the two malls.

Tysons Galleria:

• The Cheesecake Factory — curbside pick-up and delivery via Doordash
• Wildfire — temporarily closed
• Maggiano’s Little Italy — delivery via Doordash and take-out
• P. F. Chang’s — delivery, take-out and curbside pick-up
• Lady M Boutique — take-out

Tysons Corner Center:

• &pizza — take-out and delivery
• Barrel and Bushel — pick-up and delivery via Doordash
• Coastal Flats — take-out and delivery with a limited menu
• Eddie V’s — take-out
• Turkish Coffee Lady — temporarily closed

Shoppers and diners will need to check the websites and social media to see if the store or eatery is open, closed or just open for delivery and take-out options.

Little Birdies Boutique, a kids’ clothing store, is now in Tysons Galleria.

The store celebrated its new location with a grand opening on Saturday (Feb. 29). The store is next to Saks Fifth Avenue on the mall’s third level.

This is the second location for the clothing store, which first opened in D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood in 2014, according to the store’s website.

The store sells kids’ clothing from newborns to size 10. Shoppers can find spring clothing, games, accessories and gear.

“Little Birdies Boutique takes a southern approach to children’s wear offering nostalgic traditional clothing mixed in with fun playful styles,” according to the website.

So far this year, Tysons Corner Center seems to have new changes every week — from stores and restaurants closing to announcements of newcomers.

Beeboy, a plush toy company that had just arrived in the mall, now appears to be closed for good. The store occupied the former spot of candy store Sugarfina on the first level by Macy’s. The store was open in January, but last week, the windows were covered and the sign was taken down.

Meanwhile, All Star Sports has moved from the second level near Barnes and Noble to the first level across from BrandBox.

BrandBox has a new “marketplace” that sells men’s and women’s clothing brands that are found online. According to a sign outside the store, the brands include Rhone, Jared Lang, Stutterheim, Welden and Faherty.

The Creative Collective POPUP that was adjacent to BrandBox during the holidays is now back in the mall.

The pop-up store is currently featuring Haus of Jung, which makes leather handbags, along with four other artisans and small businesses, according to an Instagram post. Haus of Jung plans to be in the space for two weeks, the post said.

Hat tip to Chuck and Polly D.

Rodd & Gunn New Zealand plans to open a store in Tysons Galleria.

Started in New Zealand, the clothing company sells jackets, shirts, jeans, shorts and more for men.

The store is “coming soon” to the mall, according to Tysons Galleria’s website. The closest store is in Bethesda, according to the company’s website.

Rodd & Gunn New Zealand is one of several newcomers slated to open in Tysons Galleria, including CycleBar and Little Birdies Boutique.

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.

Shoppers have until the end of the week to check out the latest fashion pop-up at Tysons Corner Center before it closes.

Until Sunday (Jan. 26), people can stop at Rent the Runway on level two of the mall and browse the selection of women’s fashion or try on clothes from a variety of designers.

Rent the Runway is known for its clothing rental subscription service but a store spokesperson said that the company set up this pop-up so people can become familiar with the quality of high-end brands that are offered and purchase pieces.

The store offers women’s clothing and apparel including gowns, jackets, shirts, pants, skirts, jewelry and handbags. Rent the Runway is offering steep discounts for shoppers on every item in the store.

“A lot of the gowns usually retail for over $1,000,” Remi Perryman, a store associate said. 

Tysons Reporter found a Badgley Mischka golden sequined floor-length ballgown for $111 with an original retail price of $650 as well as a brightly colored pink and maroon Atlein mini-dress for $224 that originally sold for $1,610.

When setting up the pop-up, Perryman told Tysons Reporter that associates unpacked about 300 boxes worth of items.

Around 700 people RSVP’d for the opening event, according to Perryman, who added that the store sees a large age range of customers from people in their 20s all the way into their 60s.

“We cater to a lot of people,” she said. 

The store carries sizes from XS (or zero) to XL (12-14).

Rent the Runway has a permanent store in Georgetown (3336 M Street NW), and a few associates who work at that store said they’ve seen a lot of familiar faces visit the Tysons Corner Center location.

Bella Loose is a long-time Rent the Runway customer who said she visits the Georgetown location frequently and decided to make her way to the pop-up on Friday afternoon. 

“I heard about it and wanted to come to see if I could get some deals,” Loose said, holding multiple dresses as she wandered around the store.  

Though she said she wasn’t seeking anything specific at the time, she found some unique items that she hadn’t seen from Rent the Runway before.

 Anyone hoping to visit the location for the final week can go from 10 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. today-Saturday and from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Sunday.

After Forbes listed Tysons Corner as an upcoming travel destination, Tysons Reporter decided to follow up to learn more about the area’s potential as a staycation retreat.

Tysons Reporter wants to know how you’d spend some extra money around the area. What are your priorities when it comes to a vacation or staycation?

Let us know and then comment your favorite places to eat, shop, stay and play below or on social media.

Photo via Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner

Several newcomers have arrived recently in Tysons Corner Center, while a few spots are now vacant.

Here’s an update on the latest store changes at the mall:

Now Open

Beeboy, a plush toy company, is now open in the former spot of candy store Sugarfina on the first level by Macy’s.

Alexandria-based Tradition de France debuted on the first level of the mall by Lord & Taylor and is the second location for the family-owned business.

Now Closed

Colombian Jeans Store has closed on the second level next to Blessed, according to the spokesperson. A new tenant is expected to be expected in a few weeks, the spokesperson said.

Dabke Lebanese Cuisine is no longer on the third level of the mall.

Coming Soon

B8TA, a retail-as-a-service company, is coming to the first level of the mall near Bloomingdales.

Rent the Runway will have a pop-up show starting on Thursday (Jan. 16) inside of the mall near parking Terrace E.

Permits indicate that Cotton On, an Australian retailer, is coming to the mall. No word yet on the exact location or expected opening date.