Reston-based Serco Inc., headquartered on Library Street, has been named to Forbes magazine’s list of “America’s Best Employers for 2015.”
Serco Inc. was rated as the top business services employer and one of the top 40 overall best employers. Serco was ranked 39th overall out of the 500 companies that made the list.
Serco, which provides business and professional services primarily to the U.S. government, was also the top-ranked Washington-area company on the list.
“On behalf of the 10,000 Serco employees, we are honored to be named on the Forbes list of America’s Best Employers,” Dan Allen, Serco’s Chairman and CEO, said in a release. “We pride ourselves in creating a culture that engages our people and makes Serco a great place to work.. It is heartening to know that our focus on building a team that has passion for their work is being recognized.”
Forbes’ list was complied by surveying more than 20,000 employees at companies with at least 2,500 people.
To see the entire list, visit Forbes’ website.
RTC West, the restaurant-and-retail complex that was just approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, has signed its first tenant.
Chicago-based Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant will be the anchor for 40,000 square feet of space at Sunset Hills Road and Town Center Parkway, the JBG Companies announced on Tuesday.
The supervisors last week approved JBG’s plans to reconfigure three office buildings close to the site of the future Reston Town Center Metro station, slated to open in late 2018 or early 2019. The retail plan will convert 15,000 square feet of office space into street-level retail and add 25,000 square feet of new retail on nearly 14 acres.
“This is our first step in repositioning RTC West from a suburban office park into a walkable and active neighborhood served by the Reston Town Center Metro,” Greg Trimmer, a JBG principal, said in a statement. “Our vision is to create a community environment with a strong focus on dining and service retail that will change a 9-to-5 location into a vibrant and social destination. Cooper’s Hawk will be a catalyst for this transformation, and we are very pleased to have them.”
Cooper’s Hawk will take over approximately 9,700 square feet, with an additional area for outdoor dining, JBG says.
Cooper’s Hawk launched in 2005 and offers modern, casual dining and 60 wines exclusive to the restaurant. There are 19 locations in eight states in the Midwest and South.
“We are excited to be expanding in the Washington-area market at RTC West,” said Tim McEnery, founder and CEO of Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant. “A decade in, Cooper’s Hawk is a unique concept that has enjoyed tremendous success through the quality of our food and wine, as well as our distinctive and relaxing environments.”
Cooper’s Hawk locations also feature private event space and a Napa-style tasting room with gift shop.
JBG said it expects to begin work on the new retail component late this summer and anticipates opening in mid-2017.
Rendering of Cooper’s Hawk at RTC West/Courtesy JBG
Crews are putting the finishing touches on Barcelona Wine Bar and Bartaco, two new restaurants that will take up part of the ground floor on The Avant apartments at 12025 Town Square St. at Reston Town Center.
The Connecticut-based company have been working on the space for more than year, and lighting, flooring and furniture are all in place.
A company spokesman said last week no opening date has been set, however.
The restaurants likely still have to complete staff training and pass final Fairfax County inspections.
Barcelona Wine Bar, which has a location on 14th Street in the District, is known for its selection of more than 400 wines, as well as Spanish-style tapas. Bartaco is its beach-shack cousin, with six locations nationwide.
Bartaco is a beach-inspired taco shack, with inexpensive tacos ($2.50 each) featuring traditional as well as unusual fillings such as sesame ribeye, duck or curry shrimp.
A longtime hair and nail salon at North Point Village Center has a new owner and an expanded menu of beauty services.
Nail Studio & Day Spa at 1458 North Point Village Center is now Sahel’s Medical Spa & Beauty Studio.
The salon was recently purchased by Sahel Yamini, who also owns Smooth Exposure Medical Spa in McLean. Dr. Ahmad O. Noori M.D. is the medical director.
In addition to hair and nail services, the North Point location offers medical spa services. Among them:
- Laser hair removal
- Photo facials
- Fractional laser treatment for skin care
- Injectables such as Botox and Restylane
- Spray tanning
- Chemical peels
Visit Sahel’s Medical Spa & Beauty Studio online for prices and package information. Call 703-481-6245 for an appointment.
April specials include:
- 20 percent off first service for new clients
- $5 off custom airbrush spray tans
- Spa mani/pedi for $75 ($15 discount)
- Brazilian wax for $45 ($15 in savings)
Some merchandise is available and there are deep discounts to be had at the Radio Shack at 1404 North Point Village Center.
The store is one of is on the list of the nearly 2,000 locations nationwide that were marked in February for closing as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Radio Shack has been around since the 1920s as a place to purchase radio and electronics parts. But in the technology boom of the last 20 years, it failed to keep pace with big box stores such as Target and Best Buy, as well as online retailers.
In addition to what remains of the stock, the store is also selling its fixtures such as shelves and display cases.
Pure Barre, the barre exercise studio franchise that was slated to open an at Reston Town Center in 2014, has chosen a new, nearby location.
According to the company’s website, the studio will open at 12975 Woodland Crossing Dr. in Herndon, but will still be called Pure Barre Reston.
A local franchisee had signed a lease for a space at 11990 Market Street (ground floor of Midtown Condos) in late 2013. The studio was supposed to open in 2014, but there were “unforeseen issues with permitting in our intended space for the Reston studio,” a studio spokesman said.
The Woodland Crossing studio is expected to open in the next few months, and they are currently hiring and training instructors, the website says.
Barre exercise — as in ballet barre — is a recent trend where participants do small muscle movements, similar to the workouts of ballet dancers, to create long, lean muscles. Fees are $25 for single 55-minute class, but packages are available.
There are nearby Pure Barre locations in Arlington, Alexandria, Bethesda, Fairfax, Rockville and McLean.
Photo courtesy of Pure Barre
Active Family Chiropractic in Reston’s Home Depot Shopping Center has closed its doors.
Dr. Nicole and Dr. Alexandre “Mick” Sicre have joined Recharge Wellness in Herndon.
A new tenant has already been signed for the space at 11790 J Reston Parkway. Bento House Japanese Restaurant will open in the late spring, says owner Eric Zhou.
Bento House will be a locally owned, counter service Japanese spot.
Meanwhile, the future of the Home Depot Center — considered a “convenience center” by the Reston Master Plan — is still being determined though it looks like it will remain a retail destination.
The 22-acre retail area at Baron Cameron Avenue and Reston Parkway was originally planned to be part of Reston Town Center, but was never developed to the same scale or design as town center or the nearby Spectrum.
However, with the Spectrum slated for a massive mixed-use overhaul, the Master Plan Phase 2 is addressing the future of the center, which has a variety of stores, many of them locally owned.
“This area continues to serve as an important location for community serving retail and is
planned for retail uses to maintain its existing character,” the working draft states. That density number is the same as the other village centers.
“Opportunities should be sought to improve pedestrian connectivity within the retail center and improve connectivity more broadly to the surrounding neighborhoods and neighboring commercial areas for all modes of transport including pedestrian, bicycle, transit and vehicles.
In addition, if existing buildings are redeveloped with new retail buildings, the planning and design of the redeveloped sites should provide for environmental sustainability, green technology, and an appropriate transition to the surrounding neighborhoods.”
Singh Thai restaurant will reopen Tuesday at 1633 Washington Plaza.
The locally owned restaurant had been operating at 11424 Washington Plaza for five years.
Singh Thai owner Chai Lerlertkitsakun announced in December the business would be moving across the plaza where Jasmine Cafe had been located for more than 20 years.
Jasmine Cafe abruptly closed in April of 2014 when restaurant owner Eduardo Faubert got into a dispute with the property owner over back rent.
Six months after opening, Mandoohouse has canned the Greek/Korean mashup and gone to a new concept: BBQ.
Owner James Brundage and his son, manager Chris Brundage, have partnered with chef Kermit Griffin and will have a grand (re) opening Friday as Sweet Heat BBQ.
James Brundage purchased the former Myknonos Restaurant at 1810 Michael Faraday Dr. last summer. The rookie restaurant owners reopened as Mandoohouse in September, but the concept didn’t take hold (and was often closed due to equipment, ordering and operational issues).
Griffin brings nearly 15 years of food service experience to Reston. He is the former executive chef at South Carolina’s Beaufort Inn, as well as several other southern restaurants. He is a culinary teacher, culinary historian and restaurant consultant, according to his LinkedIn profile. He most recently was chef at Bethesda’s Vino Vola, and competed on the Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games.
On the menu at Sweet Heat: pulled pork sliders; sweet potato fries; low country red rice; ribs; and “The Tailgater,” a $78 platter for eight that features “pulled pork, half bird, brisket, 1 turkey breast, 1 slab ribs, and three sides.” The restaurant features Carolina-style, as well as Kansas City-, Caribbean- and Korean-style barbecue sauces.
Singh Thai restaurant has closed its space at 11424 Washington Plaza and should be ready to reopen across Lake Anne Plaza next week.
Singh Thai, a locally owned Thai restaurant announced in December it would be moving to 1633 Washington Plaza, where Jasmine Cafe had been located for more than 2o years.
Singh Thai owner Chai Lerlertkitsakun said he was looking forward to the larger space and higher visibility. Sing Thai will also have outdoor seating at the new location.
Singh Thai had been in its previous spot for about five years.
Jasmine Cafe had been a mainstay of Lake Anne since the 1980s. It abruptly closed last April when restaurant owner Eduardo Faubert got into a dispute with the property owner over back rent.
Photo: Renovations at former Jasmine Cafe are underway to make room for new tenant Singh Thai.
Bechtel Corporation will expand its Reston headquarters, a move that is expected to create 700 jobs here.
Bechtel relocated its global operations headquarters to Reston from Frederick, Md., in 2011, and more jobs were moved here last fall despite Maryland’s efforts to get them to remain.
The engineering, construction and project management company will invest $10 million for the relocation, Gov. Terry McAuliffe said Wednesday.
“Bechtel Corporation relocated its Global Operations headquarters from Maryland to Fairfax County in 2011, and continues to thrive in our first-rate business climate,” McAullife said in a statement.
“Today’s announcement further solidifies the company’s commitment to Virginia, and we are thrilled to see the operation grow and create high-value, diverse jobs. Ensuring that our corporate partners succeed and bring jobs of this caliber is critical for building a new Virginia economy, and Bechtel is an important part of our efforts.”
Since its founding in 1898, Bechtel has worked on more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents. Today, it has 58,000 colleagues that team with customers, partners and suppliers on diverse projects in nearly 40 countries. The company’s corporate headquarters is in San Francisco.
Bechtel Chief Executive Officer Bill Dudley said Reston has been “ideal location” for the company. The company, currently located in offices at 12011 Sunset Hills Rd., plans to lease another 175,000 square feet of office space, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (EDA) says.
“Since relocating our global operational headquarters to Reston in 2011, we have enjoyed immense support from the business community of Fairfax County and the Commonwealth,” said Dudley. “Reston has proven to be an ideal location for Bechtel. Conveniently situated between two airports, it facilitates international and domestic travel, which is key to our business, provides access to a highly skilled workforce, and offers an enjoyable work/life environment for our employees.”
Dudley said Reston was chosen over Texas and Arizona.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Fairfax County EDA to secure the project for Virginia. Governor McAuliffe approved a $500,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Fairfax County with the project.
The Governor also approved $4 million in funds from the Virginia Economic Development Incentive Grant (VEDIG). VEDIG was established as a self-funded program of performance-based incentives that the Commonwealth awards to exceptional economic development projects with large numbers of employees and very high wages relative to average wages for that particular area.
“This is the second time in less than four years that we have had the pleasure of announcing Bechtel’s job growth, which speaks volumes about the confidence the company has in Fairfax County as a business location,” Gerald L. Gordon, President and CEO of the Fairfax County EDA said. “Bechtel is a great corporate citizen and we are delighted that the company can take advantage of the business assets and quality of life that the county offers.”
Bechtel was the lead partner of Dulles Transit Partners, the contractor responsible for building the first phase of the Metro Silver Line.
Paolo’s Ristorante, a mainstay of Reston Town Center for two decades, will morph into a Mediterranean-themed spot that will be familiar to some Washingtonians.
Thomas Gregg, the new CEO of Capital Restaurant Group — which operates Paolo’s in DC and Reston, J Paul’s (DC), Georgia Brown’s (DC) and Old Glory (DC) told the Washington Business Journal that all the restaurants in the company will be given menu and location overhaul.
The most drastic change will come in Reston, though, where Paolo’s will become Neyla, which was formerly located at 3206 N St. in Georgetown. Neyla, part of CRG, closed in August after 15 years at that location. The owners said at that time they were “actively looking for a new location for Neyla.”
Neyla was praised in Yelp reviews for its Lebanese food — as well as the belly dancing show.
No word yet on when the transformation will occur.
Photo of Neyla Georgetown/Credit: Neyla via Facebook
Red’s Table, the locally owned restaurant slated to open soon at South Lakes Village Center, will have to delay its opening by several months after a structural problem was discovered well into the renovation process, co-owner Ryan Tracy said.
Crews have been busy for months knocking the Lakeside Inn space down to the studs to renovate the Red’s Table space.
Tracy said the restaurant was hoping to open in March. Now it looks like it will be more like June. Tracy, who owns the restaurant with brothers Pat and Matt Tracy, all of whom grew up nearby — said the hiring process is on hold for now. The Tracys have hired well-known D.C. chef Adam Stein to oversee the kitchen.
“Due to the existing conditions at our space, the team at Red’s Table encountered an issue that will take significant time to resolve,” Tracy said on Monday. “Our contractor, K3, and the landlord are currently working hard to correct this issue.
“Red’s Table was prepared to open in March and we now look forward to opening this summer. Our hiring process has been put on hold until we are closer to the new opening date. However, anyone who is interested in becoming part of our growing team can reach us at [email protected]. We remain extremely excited to open our doors to the Reston community.”
Ryan Tracy said the outdoor sign, which has been in place for several months, may have to come down while the repairs happen.
Chesapeake Chocolates is now open in the former space occupied by Lake Anne Florist Virginia Wine & Gourmet at 11426 Washington Plaza.
Virginia Wine & Gourmet had held a spot at Lake Anne Plaza since 1996. Owner Linda Fuller decided to retire and closed the store at the end of February.
Chesapeake Chocolates owner Doris Tyler, who had rented a tiny counter in a portion of the florist for the last seven years, has expanded into the rest of the store and leased it back from Fuller.
Chesapeake Chocolates held its grand reopening on Saturday,during the Virginia Polar Dip, which brought hundreds of people to the plaza.
Chesapeake Chocolates specializes in hand-dipped milk, dark and white chocolates. In additional to traditional varieties, Tyler has a large collection of chocolate molds and can custom make anything from a bushel of chocolate crabs to a collection of chocolate seashells or race cars, all of which would make a good gift for Valentine’s Day.
Chesapeake Chocolates will also carry other gift items such as handmade soaps and other gourmet snacks.
The store is open Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is closed Sundays and Mondays. They can be reached at 703-620-0082.
Reston’s Radio Shack location at 1404 North Point Village Center is on the list of the nearly 2,000 locations that will likely close by the end of next month.
The retailer announced last week it will close about 1,700 of its 4,000 stores nationwide as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Radio Shack has been around since the 1920s as a place to purchase radio and electronics parts. But in the technology boom of the last 20 years, it failed to keep pace with big box stores such as Target and Best Buy, as well as online retailers.
The closings will come in three waves, according to media reports. Some of the stores will be sold to hedge fund Standard General, writes the Wall Street Journal.
The Reston store was open as of Monday, but an employee there had no comment on when the store would be closing.
Also closing nearby will be branches in Arlington, Sterling, Tysons Corner, and Fairfax, according to this list on Radio Shack’s website.
