There are a few stores opening, or shuffling around, at Tysons Corner Center mall over the next few months.
Arabian Oud, an oil and incense store, is scheduled to open sometime in early 2019 and signs on the store exterior say it is currently hiring staff.
The store’s oils and perfumes are higher end, with many priced over $100. The Royal Oud Set, described as a blend of roses and musk from Cambodia, will set you back $1,500.
Francesca’s, a trendy women’s clothing store on the mall’s second floor, is opening a new location on the mall’s first floor across from the food court. The store offers a variety of clothes, accessories and some home decor.
Next door, Aldo is also opening a second location in the mall sometime this spring. The store specializes in leather shoes and bags.
Photo via Facebook
Police Looking for Missing Local Man — Fairfax County Police are asking for the public’s help finding a missing, endangered 21-year-old man who was last seen January 31 on the 3100 block of Monticello Drive in Falls Church. [Twitter]
Part of Development Project Offered for Sale — “A piece of the planned 2.5-million-square-foot Arbor Row mixed-use development in Tysons is being offered for sale as its owners seek to capitalize on the momentum growing through other recently completed or planned projects in the area.” [Washington Business Journal, Bisnow]
West Falls Church Development Modified — The Falls Church City Council is set to vote on a series of five modifications to a plan for the private development of a 10.3 acre city-owned property near the West Falls Church Metro station. Among the changes are “an increase in residential density allowing an additional 50,000 square feet in senior housing and an additional 100,000 square feet in residential density of either condominiums or studio and one bedroom apartments.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Pair Arrested for Mall Theft, Assault on Officer — Two women from Laurel, Maryland were arrested last week and charged with stealing items from the Superdry store at Tysons Corner Center. One of the women is charged with assault on law enforcement after allegedly trying to fight the arresting officers. [FCPD]
Gannett Rejects Takeover Offer — Tysons-based newspaper chain Gannett has rejected an unsolicited takeover proposal, made by a hedge fund-owned company best known for slashing costs and jobs. [USA Today, BusinessWire]
Free Soup at Barnes and Noble — The Tysons Corner Center Barnes and Noble store is offering free soup with the purchase of a sandwich this month. [Instagram]
Miss your chance to see Marvel mega-hit and Best Picture-nominated Black Panther? It’s coming back to AMC theaters this weekend, including the theater in Tysons Corner Center, for free.
Screenings are at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. from Feb. 1-7.
Today (Friday) also marks the start of celebrations for the Chinese New Year. TenPenh Tysons is offering a special Chinese New Year meal from today until Tuesday (Feb. 5). The offer includes four dishes — like lion’s head soup and vegetable lo mein noodles — representing different virtues. The meals are $36.68 per person.
Several local bars are also hosting Super Bowl parties, including Blackfinn Ameripub, Greenhouse Bistro, Caboose Tavern, and the Tysons Biergarten.
Saturday (Feb. 2)
- Deer Management Strategies (10 a.m.-12 p.m.) — Roger Zinn, Merrifield plant specialist, will host a discussion at the Merrifield Garden Center (8132 Lee Highway) on how to handle deer in your gardens, from water resistant plants and deer repellents.
- The Princess Bride – Family Flashback (10 a.m.-12 p.m.) — The Angelika Film Center in the Mosaic District (2911 District Ave) will hold a screening of The Princess Bride. Tickets are $12.50 and seating is reserved.
- Lunar New Year Celebration (11 a.m.-1 p.m.) — The Tysons Corner Center will host a cultural performance and celebration of the Year of the Pig in the court outside the Nordstrom. Arts and crafts will be available, with family-friendly activities.
- The Wizard of Oz (1 p.m.) — The Alden Theater in the McLean Community Center (1234 Ingleside Ave) will host a production of The Wizard of Oz by Vital Theatre. The one-hour is a family-friendly musical. Tickets are $15 or $10 for McLean residents.
- Vienna’s African American History (2-3:30 p.m.) — Gloria Runyon and Sylvia Taylor from Historic Vienna Inc. will share insights on the African-American historic presence and contributions to Vienna and surrounding areas at the Patrick Henry Library (101 Maple Ave E).
Sunday
- Post Office Passport Fair (9 a.m.-12 p.m.) — The Merrifield Post Office (8409 Lee Highway) will host a passport photo to help locals obtain or renew a passport. Appointments are not required. A full list of necessary documents is available online
- Winter Forest Trail Walk at Wolf Trap National Park (1-3 p.m.) — Friends of Wolf Trap will host a winter hike through the park. Tickets are free but RSVP is required. The two-mile hike is open to families and leashed dogs. Sturdy shoes are recommended. The Hike starts at the Filene Center Box Office (1551 Trap Rd).
FCPS Closed Today — It’s a snow day for Fairfax County public school students. Light snow is currently falling around the area and sticking to untreated roads. FCPS decided to close amid fears of treacherous road conditions. [Reston Now]
Tysons Car Dealership Purchased — Arlington-based Graham Holdings has purchased the Honda dealership in Tysons. The land on which the dealership sits is currently for sale and slated for redevelopment. [BusinessWire]
Free Screenings of Black Panther in Tysons — Best Picture-nominated Black Panther is returning to 250 AMC theaters, including the AMC Tysons Corner Center 16, for free screenings from Feb. 1-7. [Patch]
Power Outage Left Some Schools in the Dark — Yesterday’s power outage in the Falls Church area left four Fairfax County schools without opening late due to cold weather. [WJLA]
A burst pipe has closed a handful of stores in Tysons Corner Center mall.
Around 11 a.m., water spilled into stores in the Nordstrom wing of the mall. The Aveda and White House Black Market both faced substantial water accumulation and were evacuated.
Frozen pipes, and subsequent bursts, are a common hazard of sudden temperature drops.
Janitorial staff are currently on scene cleaning the flooded areas, but an employee at Aveda said there store is likely to be closed for the remainder of the day. The damage to the stores has not yet been determined.
At one point, a delivery person came along with boxes of merchandise and asked whether or not to drop it off inside. The employee shrugged and pointed to the flooded store.
A Falls Church man has been arrested and charged with drunkenly trying to rob a rideshare driver, then beating him with his own windshield wiper.
The alleged incident happened around 1:45 a.m. Tuesday. Fairfax County Police say 30-year-old William Paneque and another man were being driven from Tysons Corner Center to the 2900 block of Monticello Drive, in the West Falls Church area.
“Once they arrived, one of the men grabbed the victim’s jacket and demanded money,” FCPD said in a crime report. “The victim told the suspect he did not have any money.”
“The suspect broke a windshield wiper off the car and hit the victim with it, causing minor injury,” the crime report continues. “Officers arrested William Paneque, 30, of Falls Church, as he tried to leave the scene. Paneque was charged with attempted robbery, destruction of property and drunk in public.”
Photo courtesy Fairfax County Police Department
Fire at Tysons Corner Center Garage — Firefighters extinguished a car fire that scorched part of a Tysons Corner Center parking garage and filled the area with smoke Saturday afternoon. [Twitter]
Fire Department Hiring Firefighter/EMTs — “Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department will begin accepting applications for the position of Firefighter/EMT on Saturday, January 26, 2019. The application period is currently scheduled to remain open throughout 2019.” [Fairfax County Fire and Rescue]
‘Stuff the Bus’ on Track for Huge Haul — “By the time this year’s Stuff the Bus concludes on Feb. 18, the county expects to surpass 250,000 pounds of collected food.” [Fairfax Times]
Snow May Snarl Tuesday PM Commute — Per Fairfax County: “If you plan on commuting Tuesday evening, be aware of the potential for travel disruptions. Plan ahead by allowing for extra travel time, and consider using public transportation and telework options.” [Twitter, National Weather Service]
(Updated at 4 p.m.) Happy hour at Chef Geoff’s in Tysons runs from 3-7 p.m., and if legislation passed yesterday (Wednesday) in the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate is signed by Gov. Ralph Northam, the specials during that happy hour may even become public knowledge.
As it is written, current legislation forbids Chef Geoff Tracy and other Virginia restaurateurs from advertising happy hours outside the restaurant. Two-for-one drink specials are illegal and happy hours are not allowed to occur after 9 p.m. Last year, Tracy filed a lawsuit against the state, saying the regulations were a violation of his free speech.
The two companion bills introduced in the Virginia House and Senate to loosen those restrictions passed on a 90-4 and a 40-0 vote. According to the new legislation, restaurant owners would be able to advertise the prices featured for alcoholic beverages and market happy hours “provided those techniques do not tend to induce over-consumption or consumption by minors.”
“From our perspective, the legislation would give us everything we’re asking for,” said Anastasia Boden, a lawyer with the Pacific Legal Foundation, which is representing Geoff in the case. “It would give restaurants the ability to advertise happy hours.”
Boden said she’s pleased by the legislation, but they want to make sure the bills become law before officially dropping their lawsuit. The arguments for the case have finished, and Boden says the firm is waiting to hear back from a decision for the judge.
“Nothing is certain in the legislature,” said Boden. “We’ve had an argument on the merits, now we’re waiting for a decision, so we just have to see what happens first. [If the legislation passes] at that point, there would be nothing left for us to pursue.”
Like Boden, Tracy says he’s happy with what he’s seen in the legislature.
“The ability to tell people the price of a pint will be a victory,” said Tracy. “I think it’s a big win. It’s great for Chef Geoff, it’s great for Virginia restauranteers, great for Virginia happy hour customers.”
But Tracy also noted that he’s frustrated the arguments over happy hours came to this point in the first place.
“It’s a strange process that we went through. I think it’s interesting that while fighting me and running me ragged all over the place to come up with 50,000 pages of documents while I’m running a restaurant that simultaneously the Virginia ABC was working on legislation to do what I proposed earlier,” he said.
“It’s a weird thing that went down in terms of the process,” Tracy continued. “It’s a big victory for us, but a big loss for Virginia taxpayers, because they footed the bill of this lawsuit while Virginia ABC basically didn’t believe what they were fighting about. It’s a bit of a weird thing, but I’m happy with the result.”
Photo via Facebook
Pokéworks, a Hawaiian-inspired poke bowl and burrito eatery, is hosting its grand opening in the Tysons Corner Center mall today.
Today from 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m., visitors who purchase one poke meal can get a second one free.
Pokéworks is a nationwide chain founded in 2015. The Tysons location is run by local entrepreneurs Mark and Annie Chi and David and Viengkeo Tzong. According to a press release:
After noticing the rise of Poke restaurants and the need for more diverse food options in the area, the Chis and Tzongs found the fresh, light and flavorful ingredients at Pokéworks to be unmatched by any other poke restaurant. Eager to expand their business in the Northern Virginia area, these entrepreneurs have recently signed a second Pokéworks location in Chantilly and expect to open summer of 2019.
The restaurant held a soft opening Nov. 12 in the mall’s first-floor food court.
Photo courtesy of Pokéworks
There’s no shortage of food options in Tysons Corner Center mall, but if you’re looking for some stir-fry, the new Go-Stir Fry Express offers a variety of Japanese dishes.
The restaurant is located in the third-floor food court next to the AMC Theater. The restaurant offers chicken, rice and beef stir-fry bowls with either rice or noodles for around $8. Side dishes include spring rolls and fried dumplings.
Go-Stir Express also has a wide assortment of teas, from classic milk teas to bubble tea with fruit.
EJ Hong, manager of the Tysons location, said the stir fry location opened less than a month ago and is the third location for the New Jersey-based Go-Stir Fry.
Hong said the Tysons location is off to a good start and suggests first-time visitors try out the chicken stir fry.
Go-Stir Express isn’t the only new location in the third-floor food court. On the opposite side on the floor, the recently opened Dabke offers Lebanese cuisine like falafel wraps and chicken shawarma at around $9.
Staff at Dabke said the restaurant opened less than two months ago.
