Merrifield Oriental Rug, located in Tysons for seven years and in the area for the last 30, is closing within the next three months.

As the store prepares to close, it will be offering oriental rugs at steep discounts, some at below their cost to the store.

“We’re lowering prices to 50 percent,” said Merrifield Oriental Rug’s owner Sayeed Hasanzadah. “Often adding a 20 percent additional discount, some are as low as 80 percent.”

Hasanzadah says the store will be open for three months at most and says he plans to shut down by the end of April at the latest. After that, Hasanzadah says he will take a month to put the rest of their inventory into storage.

In the back of the store, Hasanzadah shows off a series of handmade rugs rolled against the wall. One, a four-foot by six-foot rug, is selling for $76. A three-foot by five-foot rug is selling for $49.

If you feel bad about taking advantage of the steep sales for the closing business, don’t.

“It’s a happy reason,” said Hasanzadah. “I’ve been working in wholesale [for years]. I want to travel. Life is too short.”

Although Hasanzadah did note that declining sales helped push him towards retirement.

“The last 10 years, the economy has not been cooperating,” said Hasanzadah. “Fifteen years ago business was booming. But after 2007, things started going down. So now is the time that I should retire.”

A man followed a woman into a women’s restroom at Tysons Galleria and tried to ogle her between the stalls, according to Fairfax County Police.

The creepy incident happened in an unspecified area of the mall around 9 a.m. this past Sunday, police said. The woman confronted the man, who then fled the scene.

The suspect is described by FCPD as “white, 30 to 40 years-old, with brown hair.”

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

Valentine’s Day is coming up and it has me thinking about different kinds of date nights. Something out of the ordinary dinner and a movie option.

If you’re looking for some new ideas, why not consider some live music, comedy or trivia? Various venues in and around town have local artists, cover bands, DJs and more.

Pair that with some good food and/or drinks, and you’ve got yourself a nice night out. It helps if you follow these businesses on Facebook or sign up for their newsletters. Events like Jammin Java 80’s night in January sold out pretty quickly, so you don’t want to miss out!

• Tyson’s Biergarten — Comedy Shows & Live Music
• Art’s Tavern — Karaoke, Live Music Fridays, Trivia Thursday
• JV’s Restaurant — Live Music, Open Mic
• Caboose Commons — Live Music, Music Trivia Bingo, Open Mic
• Jammin Java — Music
• Blackfinn Ameripub — Trivia
• Entyse at The Ritz — Live Music, Jazz
• Open Road — Music
• Paddy’s Bar — Irish Music, Trivia, Live Music
• Wolftrap — Live Music, Opera, Other Performances
• State Theatre — Live Music, Shows, Cover Bands
• Lost Dog Café Dunn Loring and McLean — Tuesday Trivia Nights
• BJ’s Brewhouse — Beer Dinners

Of course there are always more adventurous ideas like:

• iFly Loudoun
• Top Golf
• Indoor Rock Climbing
• Axe Throwing
• Capital Wheel: The Ferris Wheel at National Harbor (bonus: there’s a small “beach” where you can pretend you’re on a beach with your toes in the sand)

Have an idea to add or a business you’re working on? Drop a note in the comments to let people know about it!

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

There’s been a few Stuff the Bus events around the area lately, but none more accessible to Tysonians than one planned this Saturday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Walmart Supercenter.

Prepackaged supplies are available for purchase at the Walmart at 1500 Cornerside Blvd. Each paper bag of supplies costs $4.72.

The Stuff the Bus event in Tysons will benefit the Committee for Helping Others (CHO), an all-volunteer organization in Vienna that provides food aid, clothing, furniture and other emergency needs throughout the area.

Food pantries need us most right now, after holiday giving ends. Our #StuffTheBus campaign continues Saturday 2/2 at the Tysons Walmart & Village Center at Dulles Giant. Come and donate groceries to families in need. https://t.co/bbXhduipwV pic.twitter.com/3ot6SMF7Hs

— Fairfax Youth Thrive (@ffxyouththrive) January 30, 2019

A few Stuff the Bus events have already been held around Tysons, like one a few weeks ago at a Giant in McLean.

In addition to the Tysons event, one will be held in that Herndon Giant at 2425 Centreville Road from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m benefitting LINK.

If you can’t make it out to the Stuff the Bus event but still want to help, the CHO is in need of volunteers for the food, clothing, and emergency assistance programs, as well as drivers for the furniture program.

Donations to the group can be made by calling 703-281-7614 or emailing [email protected].

Photo via Facebook

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).

A man in the Tysons East area was arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty and other charges after police found evidence they believe indicates he killed his dog.

“The 41 year-old McLean man is facing four charges related to the death of his dog,” Fairfax County Police (FCPD) said in a press release. “Robert Hutchins was charged after officers were called to the 1600 block of Spring Gate Drive on Tuesday morning when residents reported a trail of blood leading to his apartment door.”

While performing a welfare check, FCPD said Hutchins was located with his deceased dog inside the apartment.

“Detectives and Animal Protection Officers were called to the scene to assist in the investigation,” the crime report continues. “Evidence was recovered implicating Hutchins’ involvement in the dog’s death.”

FCPD said the man was arrested the same day and charged with felony animal cruelty, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a felon and firearm use in the commission of a felony. He is currently being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center without bond.

Police are asking that anyone who may have more information about the incident to contact Animal Protection Police Officer Enna Lugo at [email protected] or 703-324-0222.

Photo courtesy Fairfax County Police Department

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.

(Updated 2 p.m.) Police are still looking for two men who broke into a home in the Courthouse Station neighborhood in Tysons around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday (Jan. 29).

According to a crime report:

The victim was at home when he heard several loud noises followed by glass breaking. The victim remained in an upstairs bedroom and saw two males running from his home just prior to police arrival. One was described as wearing a black fleece, black pants and a grey cap.

According to the report, an investigation after the fact revealed that several items of jewelry had been stolen.

Photos via Google Maps

As Tysons grows, it’s going to need access to medical care.

The Reston Hospital Center has an application, initially filed in late 2017 and still listed as “under staff review,” to build a freestanding emergency department at 2000 Old Gallows Road in Tysons.

“As Tysons continues to develop with additional office buildings and homes, it is essential that convenient and accessible health care services are available to meet the increasing need,” Reston Hospital Center, LLC, wrote in the application.

The emergency department would be located southwest of the Leesburg Pike-Beltway interchange. The proposed site is a triangular lot that closely abuts a residential development, which presents a number of development challenges.

The site is currently overgrown with foliage but was approved in 2002 to be developed as a drive-through bank. The application indicates that while the hospital would have a larger floor area, it would generate less peak hour and daily vehicle traffic than the drive-through bank.

“It will provide hospital-level emergency care in a convenient and accessible location and will be operated 24 hours per day,” according to the application. “Despite its capabilities and accessibility, the [freestanding emergency department] will accommodate far less patients than a typical emergency department operating within a hospital, allowing patients to receive necessary treatment quickly and efficiently.”

Though the facility would operate for 24-hours per day, patients would not stay overnight. The application notes that patients admitted to the building would be treated and discharged within hours of their admission or would be transferred to a hospital for higher levels of care.

HCA, Inc., which owns the Reston Hospital Center, operates a number of freestanding emergency departments across the country.

The application says that most patients visit these types of freestanding emergency departments between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. and that an average of two patients are transported to the facilities via ambulance per day.

The growing need for emergency services in Tysons also prompted plans for a new fire station in Tysons East.

Image via Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning