A new hair salon arrived in Lake Anne Plaza last week.
Top Style by Kate Noda Hair Studio offers haircuts for women, men and kids; coloring; styling; makeup; and other services. The salon opened in Reston on Thanksgiving (Nov. 22), an employee told Reston Now.
The salon updated the address on its website from a location in Tysons Corner to the one at Lake Anne Plaza — 1641 N. Washington Plaza, Unit A.
A Facebook post in June said the salon would in Tysons until September and shows a video of the Lake Anne Plaza spot under construction.
Photos via Top Style by Kate Noda/Facebook
The Williams-Sonoma in Reston Town Center is set to close in January, a spokeswoman for the company told Reston Now.
“We plan on closing in early January, but do not have a specific date to share at this time,” the spokeswoman wrote in an email.
The store is located at 11897 Market Street. Other locations nearby include Tysons Galleria in McLean and the Mosaic District in Fairfax.
Questions have been raised about the status of the Pottery Barn, which is also operated by Williams-Sonoma Inc., at 11937 Market Street. Reston Now has not heard back yet from a representative for that store.
Image via Google Maps
Reston-based IT services provider Carahsoft will partner with Google Cloud to boost a National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative.
The partnership will provide Google Cloud services to support the NIH’s Science and Technology Research Infrastructure for Discovery, Experimentation, and Sustainability (STRIDES) Initiative, Carahsoft announced today (Nov. 29).
The initiative aims to reduce economic and technological barriers for accessing and computing on large biomedical datasets.
The NIH Institutes and Centers support researchers at more than 2,500 academic and research institutions.
The institutions’ data have traditionally been stored and made available via public repositories or at local institutions — a model that has become straining as data from research projects grows. “This makes it difficult for the research community attempting to integrate, analyze and share biomedical data sets,” according to the press release.
Carahsoft’s work with Google Cloud is meant to address those challenges by making high-value data more accessible through the cloud.
Google Cloud computing solutions will be available to the NIH and its designated recipients, and the NIH will work with the research community to develop policies utilizing the solutions.
The partnership to support the initiative will help accelerate the research institutions’ goal of enhancing health, lengthening life and reducing illness and disability, Terry Drinkwine, vice president of the Google Cloud team at Carahsoft, said in a statement.
Founded in 2004, the company is located at 1860 Michael Faraday Drive #100.
Photo via Google Maps
#GivingTuesday is today — In the spirit of season, The Connection has rounded up places to drop off clothing and food donations in the area. [The Connection]
Work off the Thanksgiving feast — Reston Runners plans to meet tonight at 6:30 p.m. for a 50-minute workout at the Onelife Fitness gym in Isaac Newton Square. [Reston Runners]
Ways to end “wishful recycling” — These five tips are meant to help residents stop throwing trash in the recycling bin. [Fairfax County]
Reston-based Virid makes Tech 100 list — The 2018 Northern Virginia Technology Council last week listed Virid, which provides eCommerce solutions for growing retail brands, in its top 100 tech companies of the year. [Northern Virginia Technology Council]
Flickr pool photo via Reston2020
Reston-based Refraction is eyeing larger office space in the area in preparation for an expansion that will add 800 jobs in the next five years.
Currently located in Reston Town Center, Refraction plans to use a portion of the recent $1 million investment from Fairfax County toward securing new office space.
The county’s Board of Supervisors approved the use of the economic development funds yesterday (Nov. 20) for the company’s expansion.
Founded in 2014, Refraction (11911 Freedom Drive, Suite 850) is a coworking community for startups and high-growth companies. The “innovation hub” provides educational programs, along with networking and mentoring events. Currently, more than 55 companies are a part of the Refraction community.
Esther Lee, CEO of Refraction, said conversations about the move started a few months ago. Refraction wants to keep its Reston roots in order to strengthen the area’s “innovation ecosystem” by encouraging companies in its coworking space to stay and add new jobs.
A report by the Brookings Institution last year found that the D.C.-area has had the biggest loss of digital tech jobs in a five-year span compared to 50 other cities with large digital employment.
Lee called the report “alarming” and said she wants to see Refraction take an active role in boosting job growth in the region. “We want to grow the future Googles and Amazons of the world,” Lee said.
Refraction is looking to move to an office space in Reston that it roughly 25,000 square-feet in the next three to six months, she said, adding that finding a new location, receiving tenant approval and signing the lease all take time.
Refraction is working with Boston Properties to find another space in Reston Town Center.
The move to the larger space affects the launch of the Refraction’s apprenticeship program it is currently developing with the Northern Virginia Community College.
The apprenticeship, which is supported by the funding from the county, train workers for startups and high-growth companies. The goal is to launch the program early next year, Lee said.
“Lots of companies have a hard time hiring people with the right skill sets,” she said. “Many kids coming right out of college haven’t had startup experience.”
Photo via Refraction/Facebook
Crafthouse, a Northern Virginia-focused eatery, is helping families affected by the wildfires in California.
The three Crafthouse locations in Fairfax, Reston and Arlington will donate 10 percent of all bottled beer purchases to the American Red Cross, which has a fund set up for California wildfire aid.
Two wildfires burning across California this month have claimed at least 84 lives, and one of the fires is now the deadliest and most destructive one in the state’s history, according to news reports.
The restaurant posted on Facebook that the donations started last Thursday (Nov. 15) and will continue through Dec. 15.
Owner Evan Matz told Reston Now he got the idea after watching the news. “I felt so bad, and I wanted to be able to do something,” he said.
Matz said he has family near Calabasas, Calif. — they’re safe– and knows firsthand the displacement and destruction caused by natural disasters. He said his family had to move temporarily when Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 hurricane that struck the Bahamas, Florida and Louisiana, hit in 1992.
Patrons have started expressing support for the donations, Matz said. “Instead of the draft beer, they buy the bottles instead,” he said.
Crafthouse’s Reston spot is at 1888 Explorer Street.
Photos via Crafthouse/Facebook
(Editor’s note: This story was updated Monday at 11:15 a.m. with comments from the company.)
International tech company Tobii Pro opened its new U.S. headquarters in Reston last week.
The company celebrated with a grand opening last Tuesday (Nov. 13) at the new offices (12007 Sunrise Valley Drive Suite 400), according to a press release. The new spot has 23 people who work for the North American team, servicing customers in the U.S. and Canada.
The company provides eye tracking research products and services to more than 3,000 companies and 2,000 research institutions.
Founded in 2001, Tobii Pro is one of three business units that operate under Tobii Group. The company is headquartered in Sweden, with offices in China, Japan, South Korea, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Reston’s proximity to Dulles International Airport and its transformation into a “dense technology hub” drew the company to the site, Stephanie Ostrow, marketing director for the North American team at Tobii Pro, told Reston Now.
“Tobii Pro was looking to relocate to an area that represented the innovative nature of our company in a professional area close to an international airport,” Ostrow said.
The company had been eyeing Reston for about one year, and after reviewing more than 200 commercial properties, decided on the location because of the build-to-suit agreement, office park amenities and conference facilities, Ostrow said.
Tobii Pro has 190 people out of the nearly 1,000 employees worldwide at Tobii Group, Ostrow said.
Tobii Pro’s products include screen-based eye trackers, glasses for eye tracking, virtual reality and “gaze analysis.” Last month the company introduced the Tobii Pro Nano, which plugs into the USB port of a Windows laptop or tablet to collect gaze data. That data then gets used for psychology, cognition, marketing and behavioral economics research.
Photos courtesy of AxiCom and Tobii AB
This story has been updated
Big plans are in the works to expand Solidcore, a DC-based fitness chain. Founder and CEO Anne Mahlum hopes to open 125 studios by 2022 and Reston is one location on the list.
The fitness company offers pilates classes, a boot camp for full-body workouts and other classes. It has locations throughout the country, including Arlington, Ashburn, Tysons Corner and the Mosaic District in Virginia.
Robin Diamond, a spokesperson for the company, told Reston Now that a location is planned for 12100 Sunset Hills Boulevard, JBG Smith’s RTC West Development. Thus far, several new restaurants have opened in the mixed-use development.
Diamond said Solidcore is likely to open sometime early next year. The studio will have 13 “sweatlanas,” a machine used for workouts.
An exact opening date has not been determined.
Photo via Solidcore
Reston companies topped rankings for the most prominent and largest cybersecurity firms in the Washington region.
The rankings, determined by the Washington Business Journal based on last year’s revenue, included 25 companies, 21 of which are in Fairfax County. Based on the rankings, eight of the 25 companies are located in Herndon and Reston.
Reston-based Carahsoft Technology Corp., a distributor, and reseller of services that aim to reduce risks associated with cybersecurity topped the list. The company, which is located on 1860 Michael Faraday Drive, reeled in $4.1 billion in revenue and has 900 employees.
Herndon-based Iron Bow Technologies, which offers services related to defense, threat visibility, policy enforcement, and data protection, came in second, with $862.8 million in revenue last year and 661 employees.
ThunderCat technology, which offers forensic analysis and other services, ranked third, with $320 million in revenue and 70 employees. Knight Point Systems ranked fourth, Amyx Inc. ranked sixth, ITility ranked seventh, SeKON Enterprise Inc. ranked fourteenth and Electrosoft ranked 24th.
Photo via Carahsoft Technology Corp.
Finn Thai Restaurant and Bar, a Thai restaurant, is coming soon to North Point Village Center.
The restaurant has one location in Purcellville and a second location in Martinsburg, West Virginia. It will take up space formerly occupied by Payless. (1466 North Point Village Center), which closed in April last year after the company announced plans to file for bankruptcy.
A restaurant representative from the Martinsburg location told Reston Now that the opening day could be several weeks from now. But an exact date was not known yet, the representative said.
Photo by Twitter user @GigiBennett_DC
From the ground up — Ken Yarmosh was on the ground floor of app development when he founded Savvy Apps of Reston in 1999. Now he’s working with Fortune 500 companies and being recognized by Google and Apple for his contributions. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Local unemployment numbers — Northern Virginia’s unemployment rate fell from 2.7 percent to 2.4 percent in July. The statewide rate was 2.9 percent compared to the national rate of 4.1 percent. [Virginia Business]
Final Summerbration concert tonight — Join Chris Vadala with the Rick Whitehead Trio for a fresh mix of bebop jazz tonight at Reston Station Plaza. Parking is free from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Follow signs to ParkX. [Reston Community Center]
Flickr pool photo by vantagehill
Lululemon, a Canadian athletic apparel retailer, is now open in Reston Town Center, becoming a companion to Athleta, another athletic store located also located on Market Street.
The business takes up up the former location of bebe, a women’s clothing store, at 11957 Market Street. The store’s first day of business was on August 24.
An official grand opening is planned for September 9 from 9-10:20 a.m. A complimentary yoga class will be led by the store’s mindfulness ambassador, Jafar Alexander, in Reston Town Square Park.
Snacks will be provided for all attendees and participants of all levels are encouraged to attend. Registration is required online.
Photo via Facebook
Primrose School of Reston, a private preschool that will provide early education and childcare, is expected to open at 1309 North Village Road in the fall.
The new facility, which is part of a franchise, will take up the former site of North Village KinderCare. Registration and enrollment have begun for the fall.
The facility serves children between the age of six weeks and five. The Reston location is owned by Rina Patel, as well as Beau and Urvi Athia.
Primrose Schools is a franchising company that offers early childhood education. It has more than 300 locations around the country and is accredited through AdvancED. The company has been known for its “balanced learning” approach, which aims to teach children academic fundamental and inculcate a strong foundation for good character, according to a school representative.
Other schools are located in Chantilly and Ashburn. New locations are also expected to open in Aldie and Leesburg, according to the company’s website.
The school will be open from Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. An exacting opening date has not yet been determined.
Photo via Primrose Schools
What is the best age to see an orthodontist for the first time? The current recommendation from the American Association of Orthodontists is for children to have their first exam with an orthodontist at age 7 — and for good reason!
“Adult teeth typically begin to erupt around age 6-7, which makes this the ideal time to ensure that these teeth are erupting properly, and that the upper and lower jaws are growing correctly in relation to each other,” shared Northern Virginia Orthodontics’ very own Dr. Robb.
If there are any indications for early treatment, Northern Virginia Orthodontics (NVO) can offer interceptive treatment to prevent more severe issues down the road.
Lucky for you, August is a great time to visit Northern Virginia Orthodontics! Not only can you get your child’s complimentary consultation taken care of before the school year begins, but NVO is offering all new patients $1,000 off and 2 tubes of take home whitening until August 31, 2018. Just mention “Reston Now” when scheduling your appointment to secure your savings and whitening!
No matter what age you are, NVO would love to help you transform your smile! Dr. Casagrande, Dr. Barcoma, Dr. Robb and Dr. Cole rank as the #2 Invisalign providers in the nation, and have treated the most Invisalign patients in the state of Virginia. We can’t wait to help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted, and this month is the best time to get started.
Learn more about NVO today at nvorthodontics.com or submit an appointment request online and a member of our team will contact you shortly.
*Offer valid for new patients and full treatment only. Not valid on Smile Express by NVO. Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. Offer expires August 31, 2018.
L’OCCITANE En Provence, a natural skin care, body and bath products store, has temporarily closed in Reston Town Center (11951 Market Street).
The French bath and body store closed on August 13 for renovations. Construction is expected to be completed roughly six weeks from this week. The store first opened in September 2011 in Reston Town Center.
Amanda Pasquariello, a spokesperson for the company, offered the following details about the renovation:
Through a sleek new design, with a hint of vintage detailing, a focus on warm elegant materials, and an emphasis on light, the new in-store experience will convey a renewed sense of modernity & conviviality for the brand. Stepping inside the new store guests will be greeted with an ‘Ice-breaker’ sink unit and this is where they will begin their L’OCCITANE discovery journey… Other parts of the boutique will feature an area dedicated to professional skincare consultations, an inviting Provencal lounge, and an enhanced cashier area featuring an impactful Gift Atelier where customers can explore our expertise in the Art of Gifting. The new store is due to open Fall 2018 and we are excited to bring the Sunshine & hospitality of Provence to Reston Town Center.
Photo by Fatimah Waseem
