An Arlington woman got in on the ground floor of going green with her home design firm EnviroHomeDesign. “Maybe you can call it trendy, but I call it smart because sustainable design and construction makes sense,” said owner said owner Marta Layseca, who worked as an architect in Argentina before getting involved in sustainable design. Layseca founded her company in 2003 and has worked in the field since the late '70s. Her company values both the aesthetic and eco-objectives. “[The design] has to be something that’s appealing to the client and have functionality,” Layseca said. Layseca said …
The Wilson Tavern in the Courthouse area will host a grand reopening party Thursday. "It turned out really great, it’s an amazing new space," said Michelle Lynn Goodliff, of Social DC Public Relations, the firm which represents the tavern. The renovations include an expanded bar and restaurant area, larger televisions, darts, and a room for private parties, according to a press release. Part of the expansion is an extended food and drink menu. The tavern is owned by Reese Gardner, who also owns The Mighty Pint and Irish Whiskey in D.C. The renovations to the bar were completed last Sunday, …
An Arlington mother started her own interior design business after her friends saw her home and said “Can you do that for me?”. “I thought ‘maybe I have something here,” said Eva Suwak. And so, Home Fashion by Eva was launched in October of last year. Suwak, who is from Slovakia, grew up watching her father build their own home and she picked up how to work with tools. “I have a natural interest in how things are made,” Suwak said. “I want to take it apart and put it back together.” She started out designing a room for a friend’s father and went from there, focusing on small projects and …
The Rhodeside Grill in the Courthouse area is unveiling a new bar Thursday with a revamped menu to follow. “The bar is an additional five to six seats longer and they’re cutting into the dining room and expanding the cocktail area,” said manager/bartender Jacob Hamblin. They will also serve additional craft beers and are working on classic cocktails done "the right way," Hamblin said. A chef is also working on a new menu which will include favorites like hand-cut fries, but that is still in the works. The restaurant at 1836 Wilson Blvd. reopens on Thursday for lunch after being closed since …
O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub in Clarendon has a new look and a new whiskey bar. “The old O’Sullivan’s is still here, just with some new additions,” said manager David Morrin. The pub at 3207 Washington Boulevard completed their renovations and hosted a “soft opening” over the weekend. Owners plan to have a grand opening celebration on Thursday. To expand the bar’s occupancy levels from 112 seats to 260, owners acquired the two retail spaces next to the bar and knocked down some walls. The pub now features a new menu and the whiskey bar with 100 different kinds of whiskey. “We think it’s something…
Update: The restaurant has announced that they will be opening on Friday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. RedRocks is opening a new restaurant in the Penrose Square area on Columbia Pike in Arlington in the coming weeks. RedRocks Neopolitan Bistro specializes in Italian food and thin-crust pizzas. The restaurant also includes a full bar. Pizzas and calzones range from $9 to $14. The menu also includes appetizers, soups, salads and paninis and a range of desserts. The hours for the Columbia Pike locations will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays. Penrose Square is …
A new restaurant opening in Arlington will bring Afghan, Indian and Lebanese food all to one place. “It’s fusion with a twist,” said co-owner and chef Homayon Karimy. The Kite Runner Café at 3800 Lee Highway will open in the beginning of April. The owners just received their building permits from Arlington County last week and hope to start construction soon. Karimy, who worked his way up at the Lebanese Taverna as a chef for several years, has dreamed of owning a restaurant since working at his parent’s bakery in Pakistan when he was a boy. He was born in Afghanistan but grew up …
The DC burger chain Z Burger is expected to open within the next month in the Virginia Square area. “Arlington County is one of the best locations as far as business goes,” said the restaurant’s co-founder Peter Tabibian. The restaurant’s fourth location is three years in the making, much of the time spent obtaining the necessary permits to renovate the 3,500-square-foot building that once housed a video service shop, Tabibian said. Z Burger features burgers (of course), fries, and 75 different milkshake flavors. Onions for the onion rings are cut daily and hot dogs served are Hebrew …
The Old Bike Shop owner hopes to bring something new to Arlington: inexpensive used bikes targeting the entry-level rider. "The bikes are completely refurbished," said owner Lawrence Behery, 37. "It's an inexpensive opportunity to own a high quality vintage bike that they no longer make anymore." The bike shop at 2647 N. Pershing Drive, which opened on Thursday, sells bikes that are hand picked by mechanics at the shop and then refurbished on site. Behery sees the shop as a safer and more reliable alternative for shoppers than buying secondhand bikes on Craiglist. "Arlington is a critical …
Want to find out the latest new businesses in Arlington? A roundup of the new stores and services: First Virginia Community Bank Comes to ClarendonThe First Virginia Community Bank is expanding to Arlington County and will be opening a branch on 2500 Wilson Blvd. in Clarendon. The bank acquired the First Commonwealth Bank of Virginia on Oct. 19, the company announced in a statement. In the next several weeks, FVCbank will notify the newly acquired customers about its products and services. FVCbank expects to complete the transition of operations and services in December. The bank is based …
The Alexandria-based B&C Jewelers, which has been in business since 1953, is opening up a second location in Clarendon. “Clarendon is the best location in Northern Virginia,” said co-owner Mark Forness. “I’ve been trying to find a good location over there for the last three years.” The store at 2732 Wilson Blvd,. across the street from the Whole Foods, is set to open sometime around Thanksgiving. B&C Jewelers, with their other location at 3652 King St., is a family business that Forness’ grandfather started. It will offer a plethora of jewelry options and services, with jewelry from the …
A successful eatery that got started in Fairfax County is now making its way to the Courthouse area. Sweetleaf Café is opening at 2200 Wilson Blvd. in January and owners are going through the permitting process. They hope to have a grand opening on February 1. “We have been looking for a location in Arlington for over a year and we finally found something that was a perfect fit for our concept,” said co-owner Andre Matini, who runs Sweetleaf with his mother, Sherry, and sister, Arita. The location is opening up in the 2,100-square-foot spot formerly occupied by Hikaru Sushi. It is across near…
Fuego Cocina y Tequileria will open for business Wednesday in Clarendon. The restaurant, named “Fire Kitchen and Tequila Bar” in English, will offer more than 100 kinds of tequila and Mexican food in an upscale setting. The business is located at the corner of Clarendon Boulevard and North Fillmore Street. On Tuesday afternoon, restaurant staff hosted a rehearsal opening to try out the food and smooth out the service. The lounge opens at 3 p.m. and dinner service starts tonight at 5:30. Click here to read more about the restaurant.
A restaurant that owners describe as a casual fine dining spot is coming to Ballston in October. “We have high quality food, a wine program, specialty cocktails and a fantastic beverage list, but in a casual atmosphere,” said Nathan Spittal, operating partner at Leek American Bistro. “We want it to be laid back; if you are getting off work you can pop in and you’re more then welcome.” Leek Bistro is in the final stages of the permitting process and the 4,200-square-foot space will be located at 801 N. Quincy St. “I suppose if you are in the industry on a serious level, the end game is to …
A snapshot of a few new businesses coming soon to Arlington. HOUSE OF STEEP The House of Steep, which will be a tea specialty store at 3800 Lee Highway, will be opening in the next few weeks, according to owner Lyndsey DePalma. DePalma is currently going through the final steps of the permitting process, and furniture will be delivered this week. In addition to offering tea, the shop will “promote relaxation and healing through therapeutic teas and herbal foot baths,” according to its Facebook Page. Look for more information from Patch about the shop soon. TRADE ROOTS The space that used to …
