Reston Town Center can expect a new nail salon to open in April.
Construction on The Glossary Nail Spa is expected to start later this week on Friday (Feb. 1), Hollee Ho, an employee at the spa, told Reston Now.
Ho said that it should be complete and ready to open by the middle of April. “[The] latest would be end of April,” Ho wrote in an email.
The Glossary Nail Spa wrote in a Facebook post on Dec. 20. that it is “coming soon” to 1771 Library Street — the former spot of Obi Sushi, which closed in December.
The nail spa is one of six new retailers and food establishments slated to open in Reston Town Center later this year.
Image via Google Maps
Reston Town Center now has two large vacant spaces flanking the pavilion after two large, home goods retailers closed three days ahead of schedule.
Spokeswomen for Pottery Barn and Williams-Sonoma, which are both operated by Williams-Sonoma Inc., told Reston Now earlier this week that the stores were set to close on Sunday (Jan. 27). Yet surprised customers last night (Jan. 24) discovered that both stores planned to close for good by the end of the day.
Employees at both of the stores confirmed to Reston Now that Thursday was indeed the final day. Employees at the Williams-Sonoma said that the corporate office suddenly alerted them to the Thursday closing date after telling them that it would be Sunday.
A handful of customers were browsing the last few items left in Pottery Barn (11937 Market Street) when a store employee locked up the doors at 6 p.m.
The store had mostly barren shelves, a few barstools for sale and boxes of packaged merchandise. A sign in the storefront window that read, “Today is our last day!” advertised 70 percent off bedding, barstools, dining tables and dining chairs, along with 50 percent off everything else.
Down the street, the Williams-Sonoma (11897 Market Street) still had a selection of items ranging from kitchenware to candles. An hour before its closure at 7 p.m., about half of a dozen customers were still roaming the store, which offered 40 percent off everything. An additional 50 percent off was available for open cutlery, and furniture was 60 percent off.
The two closures are the first large retailers to leave Reston Town Center after several restaurants and small businesses left in 2018.
While replacements for the now-empty spaces haven’t been announced, Reston Town Center unveiled yesterday six newcomers slated to open later this year, including Peet’s, DC Row and True Food Kitchen.
The announcement did not indicate the expected opening dates or addresses.
Locals looking for another Williams-Sonoma store can find ones at Tysons Galleria, the Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax and in the Mosaic District. Pottery Barn has locations in Tysons Corner and the Fair Oaks Mall.
Updated at 10:45 a.m. — Includes information about feeding the TSA workers from Gaurang Shah.
Vapiano in Reston Town Center has been pitching in to help government workers as the partial federal government shutdown looms on without an end in sight.
The recent efforts stemmed from a desire to “take care of those who take care of us during this political standoff,” according to a press release.
Earlier this week, the Italian restaurant at 1875 Explorer Street offered 50 percent off for furloughed federal workers on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Gaurang Shah, the local behind the Reston Going Out Group on Meetup.com and a Vapiano regular, approached the restaurant with an idea: ask for food donations to serve to TSA workers.
Vapiano then created a menu of homestyle Italian meals. Shah told Reston Now that he pitched in supplies and other food, along with reaching out to a TSA Supervisor at Dulles International Airport who agreed with the proposal.
Shah said that hundreds of TSA workers came to the restaurant for the food.
Our Team Vapiano Reston Town Center ❤️ did treat our Washington Dulles International Airport #TSA Team ❤️ Thank you for your service ❤️ #GovernmentShutdown #GovernmentShutdownstories pic.twitter.com/GzfoQ95oxV
— Vapiano USA (@VapianoUSA) January 21, 2019
On MLK Day we'd like to give back to the community & offer all furloughed Federal Workers 50% off their entire check. Just come by & show your government ID when checking out. See you in a bit!#GovernmentShutdown #MLK2019 pic.twitter.com/7K5GqIiuXd
— Vapiano USA (@VapianoUSA) January 21, 2019
Image via Vapiano/Twitter
Reston Town Center unveiled today (Jan. 24) six newcomers slated to open later this year.
“It is our mission to continue to enhance the RTC experience and provide the community with brands that excite and entice all,” Retail Leasing Director Stephanie Friedman said in a press release.
The newcomers are the following:
The new dining and retail will provide “a diverse mix of shopping and restaurant options,” according to the press release, which does not include their expected opening dates or addresses.
Peet’s Coffee has already posted job openings for its future spot in Reston Town Center.
Located across the country, True Food Kitchen focuses on offering food based Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet, according to its website. In Virginia, the chain currently has spots in Arlington and Fairfax.
Reston Now previously reported that Fox Restaurant Concepts plans to open its North Italia concept in RTC at 11898 Freedom Drive — the space Neyla Mediterranean Bistro previously occupied before it closed in 2018.
While Boston Properties originally said North Italia would open in the winter, an employee told Reston Now that it will open later this spring.
Muse Paintbar also planned to open in the winter after it blew past its original fall date, Reston Now previously reported. Its website says that the Reston spot at 11943 Democracy Drive is “coming soon.”
The store combines painting instruction with a beer and wine bar and will host daily painting sessions.
Meanwhile, the Glossary Nail Spa wrote that it is “coming soon” to 1771 Library Street in a Facebook post on Dec. 20.
DC Row will offer high-intensity, low-impact group workout training. This will be its second location after launching at District Wharf in May 2018, according to the press release.
The press release says that various other tenants will be announced in the following months.
File photo
Updated at 10:25 on Jan. 25 — Both stores closed three days ahead of schedule on Thursday (Jan. 24).
By next week, Reston Town Center will have two big empty retail spaces once filled by Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn.
Two spokeswomen — one for Pottery Barn and the other for Williams-Sonoma — told Reston Now that both stores are set to close on Sunday (Jan. 27).
The closures will create two vacancies on either side of the Reston Town Center’s pavilion. Pottery Barn (11937 Market Street) is right down the block from Williams-Sonoma (11897 Market Street).
Williams-Sonoma Inc. operates both brands. Other locations nearby include Tysons Galleria in McLean and the Mosaic District in Fairfax.
The two closures are the first large retailers to leave Reston Town Center after several restaurants and small businesses closed their doors in 2018.
This story has been updated
Plans for Jinya Ramen Bar to open at a vacant spot in Reston Town Center are still undetermined.
Reston Now previously reported in December that the Japanese ramen restaurant chain said on its website that it was “coming soon” to 11964 Market Street, the former spot of a Thai restaurant.
A reader pointed out yesterday (Jan. 17) that the Reston location is no longer listed.
An employee for La Brea Dining Group, the parent company of the Jinya brand, told Reston Now that nothing has been finalized yet on the Reston Town Center location. The employee said she wasn’t sure why the Reston address was posted on the website, since the plans are still in the process.
When contacted by Reston Now, Jinya Ramen Bar said, “We are looking for better opportunities in that area!”
The chain has nearby locations in D.C. and Fairfax, Va.
Photo via Google Maps
Who’s hungry for more dining options?
As Winter Restaurant Week winds down this weekend, foodies in Reston and Herndon may have noticed some changes to their dining options in an area. Over the last few years, the food scene has seen newcomers pop up and long-established restaurants close.
(For comparison, Winter Restaurant Week in 2016 featured eight Reston-area participants. That’s double the number of participants for this year and 2018.)
Last year alone, several restaurants and two dessert shops shut their doors in Reston Town Center at almost the same rate as new options — Honeygrow, Balducci’s, Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls and &pizza — popped up.
It’s a new year with new food. Openings already nearing for some of the seven restaurants coming to Reston and Herndon in the first three months of 2019.
Foodies, let us know your thoughts about which dining option the food scenes in Reston and Herndon really need.
Updated at 5:30 p.m. — Clarifies the project as part of a series of guides and includes Phoebe Avery.
Locals may find Reston Town Center to be a difficult place to park a car or open a business, but it’s apparently a popular spot to view public art.
Charlotte Geary, a local photographer, worked on commission by Public Art Reston to photograph every public art piece for an upcoming guide.
“Finding the artwork was half the fun,” Geary said on her website. “It was like a scavenger hunt around town. Of course I knew the most prominent sculptures, like Mercury Fountain, but some of the other artwork was unfamiliar to me and thrilling to discover.”
Geary provided a glimpse behind the photographs on her blog, like her use of a fisheye lens to capture the curve of the buildings.
Phoebe Avery, who is also contracted for the project, is writing the text. Both Geary and Avery contributed to Public Art Retson’s first “Public Art Tour Series” guide, which highlighted public artworks at Lake Anne Village Center.
The second guide of the series is slated for a release sometime in 2019, Anne Delaney, the executive director of Public Art Reston, told Reston. “The purpose of the series is to create greater awareness about Reston’s public art collection — the community’s cultural assets — available to all at all time and free of charge,” she said in an email.
While some of the artwork is prominent, others are more obscure, like troll sculptures hidden under a bridge and half-concealed in undergrowth.
Photo via Charlotte Geary
This story has been updated
Another Reston Town Center restaurant is joining the fight against paid parking just months after the settlement of the first lawsuit challenging Boston Properties’ controversial parking system.
Uncle Julio’s filed a suit against Boston Properties and several affiliated limited liability companies for at least $5 million over the paid parking, the Washington Business Journal reported today (Jan. 11).
The Tex-Mex restaurant at 1827 Library Street claims in the suit that it has lost approximately $1 million in sales annually since paid parking was implemented in January 2017, according to the article.
Uncle Julio’s is suing RTC’s owners on several counts, including breach of contract and conspiracy, according to the story. Boston Properties has not yet responded to the lawsuit, which was filed on Dec. 21 in Fairfax County Circuit Court.
Nearly two months ago, Boston Properties and Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food & Lucky Lounge settled a dispute over the developer’s paid parking system. Jackson’s filed its suit, which also alleged breach of contract, in March 2017, Reston Now previously reported.
Boston Properties continues to face an uproar from many local businesses and residents. In 2018, nine businesses closed at RTC, with several owners and employees telling Reston Now that the paid parking drove customers away.
In December alone, two restaurants — Hen Penny and Obi Sushi — left.
This year doesn’t look any better. Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn, which are both operated by Williams-Sonoma Inc, are set to close at RTC later this month.
Image via Google Maps
From 5Ks to champagne toasts, there are plenty of events around Reston on New Year’s Eve if you’re still scrambling to put together plans for this Monday.
Monday (New Year’s Eve)
Kalypso’s New Year’s Eve Party
Kalypso’s Sports Tavern (1617 Washington Plaza N)
Time: 4 p.m.-2 a.m.
Kalypso’s is hosting a cover-free New Year’s party with free party favors and a champagne toast at midnight. Four-course meals are available at the restaurant for $39.95, with advance reservation suggested.
New Year’s Eve at Jimmy’s
Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern (697 Spring St)
Time: 5 p.m.-2 a.m.
The New Year’s celebration at Jimmy’s features a five-course meal for $39 for early seating or $49 for those who want to stay all night. DJ and dancing start at 10 p.m.
Field Shaman’s New Year’s Eve Bash
Red’s Table (11150 S Lakes Dr)
Time: 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m.
Red’s Table will host a New Year’s celebration will feature a selection of classic and indie rock with the bands Field Shaman Trio and Good for Sunday.
New Year’s Eve Party
PassionFish (11960 Democracy Dr)
Time: 10 p.m.-1 a.m.
The lounge area of PassionFish will be transformed into a party spot with an open bar, a variety of seafood and a DJ. Tickets for all-night partiers are $125 or $50 for those who just want to stay for dinner.
Tuesday (New Year’s Day)
New Year’s Day Pajama Brunch
Mon Ami Gabi (11950 Democracy Drive)
Time: 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
For the early risers, this New Year’s Day brunch will feature French cuisine classics like Crème Brûlée French Toast and Classic Quiche Lorraine.
PR Series: New Year’s Day 5k
Reston Town Center (11900 Market St)
Time: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
If you’re looking to start 2019 a little healthier, a 5k around the Reston Town Center will be held on Tuesday morning with music and food available after the race. Tickets are $35 until Dec. 31.
Photo courtesy PR Running
What a difference a year makes — for Reston Town Center’s retailers, that is.
While RTC has welcomed a number of new tenants this year, including Honeygrow, Balducci’s, Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, &pizza, and Lululemon, the closures outnumber the newcomers.
Businesses are closing twice as fast as they are opening in RTC. Several small businesses and restaurants that have been in the area for decades have pointed to dwindling numbers of customers due to paid parking as the main reason behind their closures.
The shift from free to the ParkRTC paid parking initiative at RTC began at the start of 2017. Then in June 2017, Boston Properties, RTC’s owner, changed its paid parking structure, which originally charged for weekday parking, following a major outcry from tenants and customers.
Still, some Restonians are boycotting RTC.
Red Velvet Cupcakery Owner Aaron Gordon previously told Reston Now that his decision to close the Reston location was driven by Boston Properties’ paid parking structure.
Employees at Busara Thai Restaurant, which served up authentic Thai cuisine in RTC for 13 years, and Obi Sushi Japanese Bistro, which recently closed after 14 years, said the paid parking drove customers away.
When Appalachian Spring closed at the start of 2018, the store’s president told Reston Now that customer traffic dipped over the last few months and that customers often complained about the paid parking.
The handcrafted gifts and handmade jewelry store, one of the first tenants in RTC, opened its Reston location in 1990.
Reston Now reported on the following closures at RTC this year:
- Dec. 30: Hen Penny set to close at 1820 Discovery Street
- Dec. 26: Dawn Baby Price closed at 11985 Market Street
- Dec. 22: Obi Sushi Japanese Bistro closed at 1771 Library Street
- Aug. 28: Edibles Incredible Desserts closed at 11917 Freedom Drive
- May 28: The Bike Lane closed at 11943 Democracy Drive
- May 27: Red Velvet Cupcakery closed at 11939 Democracy Drive
- May 19: Busara Thai Restaurant closed at 11964 Market Street
- Jan. 24: Appalachian Spring closed at 1187 Market Street
- January: Neyla Mediterranean Bistro closed at 11898 Market Street
While 2018 saw several small businesses and restaurants shutter their doors, large department stores are slated to close in RTC next year.
Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn, which are both operated by Williams-Sonoma Inc, are set to close at RTC in January.
Pottery Barn (11937 Market Street) will close sometime around Jan. 21, a store employee told Reston Now. A specific closing date has not been announced yet for Williams-Sonoma (11897 Market Street).
File photo
Dawn Price Baby closed yesterday (Dec. 26) in Reston Town Center — the first of four locations set to shut down.
The baby store has been around for 15 years with two stores in D.C., one in the Mosaic District and the Reston store at 11985 Market Street in Reston Town Center, according to its website.
The stores offered a variety of items for babies and toddlers, including clothing, gear, toys, books and gifts.
“Our store leases have come up for renewal and we have decided to start a new chapter,” Owner Dawn Price posted on the website. “Dawn Price Baby has been one of the most rewarding, challenging and exciting times of my life.”
The Reston store was the first one to close its doors.
The stores in Georgetown and the Mosaic District are set to close before Jan. 31. The Capitol Hill location will close “sometime in the months following the beginning of the year.”
Price wrote that good news may arrive in the future. “We are currently working with a couple interested parties and another baby resource may soon be coming your way,” Price wrote. “Once we have more news, we will share it with you.”
Customers are encouraged to check back on the website in January for updates.
Photos via Google Maps and Dawn Price Baby/Facebook
Police are looking for three women and one man in connection with two separate robberies that occurred on Saturday night (Dec. 22).
Around 7:30 p.m., a store manager at the Victoria’s Secret store in Reston Town Center (11929 Market Street) confronted three women who were seen shoplifting, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
One suspect pepper-sprayed the manager and a security guard as they attempted to intervene, before all three suspects drove off in a dark-colored Nissan Altima, according to the report.
The report gave the following description for the women:
They were described as black women in their 20s. The first suspect had a thin build, long black hair, a pink jacket with strips, and white sneakers. The second suspect had red hair, a blue jacket, a black shirt, and white and black sneakers. The third suspect had a black jacket, black pants, a white hat, and white and black sneakers.
A second robbery took place at 8:05 p.m. at the intersection of Monroe Street and Sunrise Valley Drive in Hunter Mill.
Police say a man with a gun approached a victim walking down the street and demanded money. The man then fled in a black sedan after taking money from the victim. The amount of money taken was not included in the police report.
“The man was described as black, with a deep voice, around 6 feet 2 inches tall, wearing a white coat,” according to the report.
Police say the victim was not injured.
Maps via Google Maps
Hen Penny will close its doors on Sunday in Reston Town Center roughly 20 months after it opened.
Hen Penny, a spinoff of Pheast Food Group’s Hen Quarter restaurants in Alexandria, Va. and Silver Spring, Md., opened at 1820 Discovery Street in April 2017.
An employee told Reston Now that Dec. 30 is the final day for the restaurant. The employee did not know what prompted the decision to close the location.
Hen Penny has another location in New York City.
Last Saturday (Dec. 22), another restaurant closed in RTC, citing paid parking as one of the main causes behind the closure.
The Reston Town Center spot vacated by a Thai restaurant in May now has a future tenant.
Jinya Ramen Bar, a Japanese ramen restaurant chain, is “coming soon” to 11964 Market Street, according to the website.
The move to Reston is part of a larger expansion, with more than 10 other spots slated to open across the country, including California, Georgia, Lousiana and Texas.
The chain has already set up restaurants in 12 states and has nearby locations in D.C. and Fairfax, Va. Jinya Ramen Bar also has five locations in Canada.
Busara Thai Restaurant closed on May 19 after 13 years of business at that spot, Reston Now previously reported.
Back in May, an employee with the restaurant told Reston Now the shift from free to paid parking in Reston Town Center drove the decision to shut down as “revenue just went down the drain.”
Photos via Google Maps, Jinya Ramen Bar/Facebook
