Updated at 6:45 p.m. — A spokesperson for The Meridian Group, the developer behind The Boro, said that the coffee shop has not signed a lease at the mixed-use development.
An Arlington-based coffee-and-alcohol joint wants to expand into Tysons with a new location.
While the website for East West Coffee and Wine says it is “coming soon” to Tysons, a representative for the cafe told Tysons Reporter that no plans have been finalized for a Tysons location.
The owner opened Central Coffee Bar in Arlington two years ago and then recently rebranded the cafe to “East West Coffee and Wine” to match its other new location in Arlington, ARLnow reported.
The online menu features coffee, espresso, red and white wine and beer.
Shoppers at The Boro in Tysons can now browse furniture and home goods in the new Ethan Allen store.
An employee said the store opened earlier this week. The store is the latest of several store and restaurant openings at the mixed-use development by the Greensboro Metro station.
The furniture chain relocated from a Route 7 location to a 11,500-square-foot spot at the corner of Boro Place and Westpark Drive. The store is right across the street from the newly opened Whole Foods.
Located at 1622 Boro Place, the store is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday — or after 6 p.m. by appointment only.
Updated at 4 p.m. — Metropolitan Hospitality Group announced that the restaurants are expected to open in “late 2020/early 2021” at 8301 Greensboro Drive.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and an eatery serving up Mexican cuisine are some of the newcomers announced for The Boro in Tysons.
The newcomers will join a long list of stores and restaurants that have already opened or were previously announced for new mixed-use development by the Greensboro Metro station.
Today (Tuesday), the Meridian Group — the developers behind The Boro — formally announced:
- Open Road, an American bistro from Metropolitan Hospitality Group
- El Bebe, a Mexican restaurant also from Metropolitan Hospitality Group
- Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, an ice cream shop
- The Shade Store
The list also included eateries and stores that Tysons Reporter has previously reported were coming to The Boro, including CaliBurger, Paper Source, F45 Training and a City National Bank branch.
“These additions will be a perfect complement to the diverse mix of uses within The Boro District and will help create the type of livable, urban environment we envisioned from the start,” Tom Boylan, the senior vice president of the Meridian Group, said in a press release.
Additionally, Meridian Group said that the 14-screen ShowPlace ICON theater at The Boro “is slated to open in the first quarter of 2020.”
Tysons may not have the liveliest nightlife at the moment, but that could soon change as more late-night restaurants and places to hang out open. “Tysons After Dark” will highlight a different spot every week.
The new Whole Foods in The Boro has caught the attention of people looking for happy hour deals after work with its brand new bar High Point.
Located on the top floor inside Whole Foods, the bar offers guests 16 regional beers and ciders along with a variety of cocktails and wine. People can enjoy their drinks at the bar, anywhere throughout the store while they shop or while they play shuffleboard and various arcade games like pinball.
High Point also offers happy hour deals Monday through Thursday, including $1 off ceratin pours. For those who don’t want to commit to a full drink, the bar also offers sample size tasters for $3 — all day, every day.
Last Friday night, Tysons Reporter decided to enjoy a 16-ounce pumpkin favored Wild Hare Hard Cider from Leesburg, which cost $7, while people-watching.
By 5 p.m. the bar was getting busy and seats were scarce. Young professionals in their mid-20s’ to early-40s’ enjoyed the hangout spot.
Tysons residents Tim McCall and Miguel Barrios told Tysons Reporter that the new Whole Foods is two blocks from their apartment, so they decided to try it out as a pregame spot before they went for a night out in D.C.
“This is going to make us sound old, but it seems like a quiet place for a drink,” McCall said.
Around five different bartenders assisted customers throughout the evening, each staying busy and serving customers in rapid succession. For those who don’t want to wait for a drink at the bar, the self-serve wine and beer stations were a popular option, even though they had a narrower selection.
ESPN was playing on the flat-screen TVs scattered throughout the area for all of the sports fans.
By 5:30 p.m. there was only standing-room at the bar, and different groups were sharing nearby tables. Things began to get rowdy as people raised their voices to compete with the conversations going on around them. Laughter echoed around the room and people seemed eager to kick off their weekend.
A bartender told Tysons Reporter that business has been extremely steady all week and the spot is pretty popular, especially around lunchtime.
The energy in the room stayed pretty consistent until 8 p.m. Then things began to slow down, and people went about their evening.
High Point is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Just in time for the holidays, North Italia is expected to open in the next few weeks — with other restaurants and businesses in The Boro.
A construction contractor working on-site told Tysons Reporter that the new North Italia (1651 Boro Place) will open in early December along with Fish Taco, according to a sign.
Last Friday (Nov. 9), crews were working to instill appliances and finishing touches around the restaurant. The contractor said they will have an official opening date soon when they begin to hire servers and staff.
CaliBurger 2.0 (8301 Greensboro Drive) will also be moving into The Boro, taking over a spot that was designed for Taylor Gourmet, according to Eater, which added that the burger joint will use robot labor to flip burgers using a robotic arm and introduce a new line of vegan options by Beyond Meat.
It is unclear when the location will open, but it is expected to stay open late in order to accommodate crowds from the nearby movie theatre.
Tysons’ first Whole Foods officially opened its doors today.
The 70,000-square-foot store in The Boro development by the Greensboro Metro station is the Mid-Atlantic flagship store for the Texas-based grocery chain.
People on social media captured the long line of people early this morning awaiting the store’s opening at 8 a.m.
For the first 200 people who showed up, Whole Foods promised to offer a savings card ranging from $5 to $100 along with a reusable canvas tote bag featuring the Tysons store, according to a press release.
And this isn’t the line for Nats tickets – this is the line to get into the grocery store. Wraps around the block. pic.twitter.com/fV6knaUTsB
— Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) October 30, 2019
https://twitter.com/AdamTuss/status/1189573040730005507?s=20
Inside, customers can find self-serve machines that slice pineapples, squeeze fresh orange juice and offer wine and beer that shoppers can sip while shopping.
A fresh bakery, premade meal options and a bar with happy hour specials and on-site dining also are available.
A bevy of food and drink options include a food hall featuring Officina, Genji Izakaya, Curiosity Doughnuts and Rappahannock Oyster Co., along with self-serve hot and cold bars. There’s also an in-house bakery, butcher and seafood departments, a specialty foods section, an Allegro coffee and tea bar and a JRINK juice bar.
This location also features a bar called High Point — the largest bar in any Whole Foods, according to the store manager — on the second floor, along with a game room.
With the grand opening of Whole Foods, other businesses in The Boro are following suit.
MyEyeDr opened its doors yesterday (Tuesday, Oct. 29) for customers.
The new spot will host an official grand opening party next Saturday (Nov. 9), a store spokesperson said, adding that the location will offer discounts for patrons.
MyEyeDr is an optometrist chain that specializes in eye care and eyewear, according to its website. Patients and customers can find a list of their local doctors and book appointments online.
Nearby in The Boro, Fish Taco is expected to open in December, according to a sign outside its upcoming location.
The eatery serves up a variety of fast-food options including tacos, burritos, appetizers and alcoholic beverages, according to the menu on its website.
Fish Taco has not released more information about the opening yet, but a sign says the location is hiring.
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.
As Whole Foods prepares to open next week, several new businesses are also planning to open their doors in The Boro throughout November.
At least five new stores and businesses that were aiming to open in late summer or early fall have extended their planned opening dates to November.
Whole Foods is expected to open this upcoming Wednesday (Oct. 30), followed by Tysons Nail Lounge on Friday, Nov. 1.
Coworking company Spaces plans to open its office spaces at The Boro on Monday, Nov. 11, according to Mark Pankowski, a spokesperson for the development.
A new Verizon Wireless store will likely open early in November, while Ethan Allen and F45 are expected to open halfway through the month, Pankowski said.
The stores and restaurants opening in the new development by the Greensboro Metro station may face a slow start at first.
John Beinert, a senior associate with Greystar Development, told Tysons Reporter that he keeps tabs on other regional development groups like Meridian Group, which developed The Boro.
Beinert said that March, April, May, June and July are the best months for a new development to host its grand opening, adding that people tend to move during this time and explore new places in a neighborhood.
Despite an off-season start, he said that the timeline shouldn’t hurt the development.
“You’ve just got to get to the next season,” he said, mentioning that the Whole Foods and other businesses in The Boro will attract people to the area.
Beinert also said that the new businesses will benefit Greystar’s four nearby developments, which include the Adaire Apartments.
“Whole Foods is a game-changer in a neighborhood,” Beinert said.
A nail salon is set to open in The Boro around early November.
Tysons Nail Lounge (1640 Boro Place, Suite 205) will be located near Whole Foods and offer customers waxing services and nail treatments. The location is expected to open next Friday, Nov. 1, according to Kieu Nguyen, a co-owner of the business.
“Our philosophy focuses on healing, wellness and relaxation with an emphasis on natural ingredients. All of our treatments are quality spa experiences,” Nguyen said.
The location will use products that are free of formaldehyde, DBP and toluene, according to Nguyen.
“Our salon is extremely focused on strict hygiene standards,” Nguyen said.
Tysons Nail Lounge will operate Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Image via Facebook
