One of the very first restaurants to open at Merrifield’s nascent Mosaic District development has permanently closed its doors.
Matchbox shuttered on Sunday (Aug. 16) after more than 13 years in business at 2911 District Avenue, Suite 120, community members shared on the popular Facebook group Vienna VA Foodies.
The pizzeria will be replaced by Makers Union, another concept from the Reston-based company Thompson Restaurants, as first reported by Northern Virginia Magazine.
“Makers Union in the Mosaic District will open by the end of the year,” a public relations representative for Thompson Restaurants confirmed to FFXnow.
Serving wood-fired pizzas, burgers and pasta at the Mosaic District since April 2013, Matchbox was publicized as the first full-service restaurant to launch in the development, though the Vietnamese restaurant Four Sisters anticipated the area’s revitalization with a relocation to Merrifield back in 2008.
Transforming a languishing multiplex in an industrial area into a more pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use neighborhood, the Mosaic District grew quickly following the openings of Angelika Film Center, MOM’s Organic Market and Hyatt House (now an Archer Hotel) in September 2012. Other early additions included Target, Anthopologie, and fast-casual eateries like Sweetgreen, Cava Mezze Grill and Taylor Gourmet.
Matchbox’s Merrifield location was also notable as the first in Virginia for the brand, which originated in D.C. in 2003 and was poised to expand nationally before running into financial and legal troubles starting in 2015. Thompson Hospitality assumed management of the company in 2018 and acquired it out of bankruptcy two years later.
With the Mosaic District closure, Matchbox’s only remaining location in Fairfax County is in McLean, where it opened alongside Big Buns, another Thompson concept, in 2023. The chain abruptly departed Reston Station at the end of 2025, leaving behind a 5,500-square-foot space that’s being converted into an office for the contractor Amentum.
When asked why the company decided to swap concepts at the Mosaic District, Thompson Restaurants Chief Operating Officer Alex Berentzen described Makers Union in a statement as “a natural fit” for the neighborhood:
“After nearly 14 years of Matchbox in Mosaic District, we’re excited to introduce another great brand from the Thompson Restaurants portfolio. Makers Union is a natural fit for the neighborhood’s energy, demographics, and sense of community. The nearly 290-seat restaurant, complete with a lively bar, private dining rooms and patio, brings a fun, chef-driven experience that complements Mosaic’s unique mix of dining and entertainment. We think it’s going to feel right at home here.”
Since making its debut at Reston Town Center in August 2020, Makers Union has steadily expanded with new outposts at the Wharf in D.C., Arlington’s Pentagon City and Ashburn. Its latest location opened in April in the South Riding area of Chantilly.
Envisioned as a “pub for the people,” the restaurant serves burgers, rice and salad bowls, and other “elevated” pub fare, from fish and chips and alfredo pasta to Moroccan-style “Impossible” kebabs and tomahawk ribeye steaks. It also has happy hour and brunch menus, with beverage offerings including wine, beer, cocktails and non-alcoholic options.
Matchbox’s closure follows the loss of Alta Strada, which shuttered on July 25 just months before reaching the decade-mark at the Mosaic District. Four Sisters also closed its doors in 2023 after 30 years in business, first at Falls Church’s Eden Center and then in Merrifield.
However, the Mosaic District has also welcomed a number of new retailers recently, including health food spot Pura Vida, body-sculpting spa The Tox, and the custom rug brand Ernesta. Pajama boutique BedHead PJs is slated for a grand opening at 2910 District Avenue this Saturday (Aug. 22).
In the coming months, local residents and visitors can expect to see a new branch for Charles Schwab in the former Four Sisters space, a brick-and-mortar storefront for Toimoi Bakery, an expanded restaurant for Falafel Inc. and a 53,000-square-foot health club from Onelife Fitness.
