American Tandoor is showing no signs of reopening soon now that the eatery has been closed for a month.
When the restaurant first shut its doors in January, would-be customers were greeted with a sign announcing that the location was shut down for the day due to maintenance issues — but roughly a month later, the eatery hasn’t reopened.
Peaking through the windows, people can see moving tools and large cardboard boxes. Furniture appears to be missing and other items are out of place. In one corner, several boxes are piled up.
The restaurant was dark around 5 p.m. on Thursday (Feb. 6), right around when the happy-hour crowd would be looking for after-work snacks.
Tysons Reporter reached out to the restaurant owners for comment but hasn’t heard back.
Last week, a mall spokesperson said that the restaurant hoped to reopen at some point, but it is unclear if this is still the case.
The Traveling Players Ensemble plans to celebrate its new permanent home in Tysons Corner Center with a ribbon-cutting later this week.
Founded 18 years ago, Traveling Players trains young artists in grades 3-12 in classical theater, according to a press release from the mall.
Located adjacent to the former Lord and Taylor spot on level one, the 42,000-square-foot studio opened on Jan. 11, Tysons Reporter previously reported.
The ribbon-cutting is set to take place from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday (Feb. 5).
The theater group has plans for later this year.
In March, Traveling Players will perform “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the mall, along with hosting spring and summer camps.
“These shows will be performed in Tysons Corner Center on March 14, 15, 21 and 22 and open to the public,” the press release said.
Photo courtesy Tysons Corner Center
Updated 1/31/2020 — The event will be held on the second level near the Old Navy.
Earlier: Student innovators and entrepreneurs will gather this Saturday (Feb. 1) to showcase their ideas at Tysons Corner Center.
The Junior Achievement Trade Show is set to take place from 11:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. on level one of the mall in BrandBox.
Community members are welcome to stop by, ask questions and purchase items sold by the students, according to Gayle Robinson, a spokesperson for the Junior Achievement of Greater Washington.
Students will get the chance to “display, demonstrate and discuss their innovative products and services in the hopes of building brand awareness, selling to new customers and connecting with the local community,” the event page said.
A total of 140 students will be present at the event, Robinson said, adding that they will be broken up into eight teams that will take turns presenting throughout the day.
Tables will be set up “market-style,” according to the event’s Facebook page.
Students tabling their ideas at this event are part of a program that helped them develop a business plan, pitch ideas and build confidence, the website said.
Robinson told Tysons Reporter that the students, who represent the entire D.C. area, have been preparing for this moment since they began the program in September and will be evaluated by judges wandering around the room during the event.
Students who win this competition will be fast-tracked to future competitions later this spring, according to Robinson.
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 12:50 p.m.) Shoppers and diners can find free games at BrandBox in Tysons Corner Center starting this weekend.
The mall teamed up with local business Snap Entertainment to bring an arcade pop-up to the lower level of the mall near Barnes and Noble.
“Partnering with a company like Snap is just another way that we are changing the retail experience and enhancing our shopper’s time with us,” Becca Willcox, a BrandBox spokesperson, said in the press release.
The pop-up offers “large format games, old school and classic video games, interactive photo booth experiences and the latest in party entertainment, to enhance their shopping experience,” according to a press release from the mall.
Willcox said that the end date for the arcade games has not been determined yet.
(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.
(Updated 1/29/2020) Brio is closed in Tysons Corner Center, but the restaurant chain has not officially announced why.
The location closed Friday, according to an employee from the Fair Oaks Location (11750 Fair Oaks Mall). The employee was not able to provide specifics on why the restaurant closed.
A sign on the restaurant’s door said that guests are welcome to dine at the Fair Oaks location, which will remain open.
People could previously enjoy an array of Italian fare and kinds of pasta at the Tysons location, according to the chain’s website.
A server at an adjacent restaurant in Tysons Corner Center told Tysons Reporter that Brio closed because the restaurant was unable to renew its lease at the location.
“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.
Tysons Reporter reached out to Brio’s headquarters and is awaiting comment on why the location closed.
(Updated 1/29/2020) Diners looking to eat Indian cuisine at American Tandoor in Tysons will need to find another restaurant for the time being.
American Tandoor is “temporarily closed until further notice,” a spokesperson for the mall told Tysons Reporter.
“We hope to be back out soon,” signs at the restaurant said yesterday (Wednesday). “Thank you for your support!”
A tipster said that the restaurant appeared closed on Tuesday (Jan. 21) with the lights off and no employees visible, but the tables were set and the computer looked like it was on.
Located on across from Banana Republic on the second level, the restaurant served up dishes like Rogan Josh — tender braised lamb shanks — and Bengali Mustard Fish Curry with seasonal fish in curry, mustard seed and spices.
“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.
Hat tip to Craig F.
(Updated 1/27/20) The Traveling Players Ensemble now has its first permanent indoor facility since the organization’s founding 18 years ago. And it’s in Tysons.
Located in Tysons Corner Center, adjacent to the former Lord and Taylor spot on level one, the 42,000-square-foot studio serves as a practice spot for kids involved in the theater group, according to Jeanne Harrison, the founder and artistic program director of Traveling Players.
The studio opened on Jan. 11 and Harrison said it hosted 10 events within the first three days.
The studio’s current location in the mall previously held a restaurant called the Magic Pan in the 80s’ where Harrison said she was both a waitress and hostess in 1987 and 1988.
On weekends, roughly 30 kids participating in the program will gather and practice for upcoming performances, according to Harrison.
In March, Traveling Players Ensemble will debut two performances at Tysons Corner Center, including “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Students put in anywhere from three to upwards of six hours of work per week at the facility, depending on age, Harrison said.
With a 70% retention rate between age groups, Harrison said Traveling Players Ensemble’s retention rate is high because the group focuses on the students’ development.
“They get what I like to call ‘experiential learning,'” she said.
Going forward, the center will host a spring break camp as well as summer camps.
“We are baby-stepping our way through this,” Harrison said, adding that they are still figuring out requirements for indoor practice — which is a shift from the group’s typical outdoor programming.
Parents who register their kids before Feb. 11 will receive a competitive discount, according to Harrison.
Photo courtesy Jeanne Harrison
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!
Tuesday (Jan. 21)
- W&M Tysons Corner Book Club — 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Tysons Galleria (2001 International Drive) — The William and Mary Book Club invites alumni and friends to read “The Martian” by Andy Weir. People are encouraged to come early and grab food for the meeting.
- Disruption & Innovation Club Happy Hour — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Tower Club (8000 Towers Crescent Drive) — This event invites people from around the community to network and meet new people. Tickets are $15 for members and $35 for non-members. RSVP is required.
Friday (Jan. 24)
- Casual Pint Grand Opening — 4 to 11 p.m. at the Casual Pint (6410 Arlington Blvd) –– Throughout the evening of the grand opening, The Casual Pint will be giving prizes away along with free growlers to the first 50 customers.
Saturday (Jan. 25)
- Vienna Theatre Company: “Cinderella”— 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Vienna Community Center (120 SE Cherry Street) — This production is about an adaption of the Grimm Brothers’ classic fairy tale “Cinderella.” All ages are welcome to these matinee performances and tickets are $15 at the door.
- Junior Girl Scout Workshop: Coding for Good –– 3 to 6 p.m. at Code Ninjas (510 S. Washington Street) — This event invites local troops to learn about STEM and computer science while learning badges. Sign-up online is required.
Sunday (Jan. 26)
- Lunar New Year — noon to 4 p.m. at Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road) — From Visit Fairfax, this event will feature the Fairfax Chinese Dance Troupe and the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute. This event is free and open to the public.
- Tysons Corner Comic Book Show 2020 — 10 a.m. at DoubleTree Hotel (1960 Chain Bridge Road) — This event will feature comic books, pokemon and magic cards, toys, original art, vintage and present-day sports cards and sports memorabilia. Admission is $3 for adults and free for kids under 12.
- McLean Chocolate Festival — 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave) — Attendees can expect a children’s game room and live entertainment while enjoying sweets from local chocolatiers. Admission is $2, but kids ages 3 and under can attend for free.
Photo via Unsplash
