Neighborhood Restaurant Group will shake up its presence at the Mosaic District in Merrifield in 2025.
Retail butcher Red Apron closed its doors permanently earlier this month after 11 years in operation, but the storefront located at 8298 Glass Alley will remain in the family.
HiFi Tex-Mex BBQ, another concept from Chef Nathan Anda, is tentatively scheduled for a February opening, flipping the space from a retail shop to a day-and-night outpost for good food and good company, according to Neighborhood Restaurant Group partner Greg Engert.
“We’ve noticed that, especially since the pandemic, retail in that corner of our neighborhood just hasn’t had the draw as it once did,” Engert told FFXnow.
Red Apron’s storefront at 8298 Glass Alley, Unit 110, sits just off the main stretch of the Mosaic District, which brings with it reduced foot traffic compared to other businesses in the mixed-use neighborhood.
Ultimately, Neighborhood Restaurant Group anticipates that a unique dining option — Mosaic’s lone barbecue restaurant — will be a more attractive option to customers than a niche retail store.
“Profit margins are slim in the restaurant business, and we are just looking for something that can maximize our top-line sales,” Engert said.
HiFi’s Merrifield location will be the brand’s third in the D.C. area, joining one in The Roost food hall in D.C. and another in Alexandria’s Del Rey neighborhood.
The menu features traditional barbecue fare like chopped pork, smoked turkey and prime beef brisket. But the Tex-Mex influence, seen in options like green chili mac, fried plaintains and loaded yuca fries, distinguishes the restaurant from other barbecue joints.
“HiFi will feature everything from prime beef brisket, spare ribs, chopped pork and link sausages to tacos, queso, nachos, wings and more,” the brand’s website says. “Backstopped by a fun menu full of margaritas, cold beer and good wine, HiFi aims to become your one-stop shop for all things delicious.”
A limited renovation of the store will introduce shuffleboard and vintage video games, as well as updated decor and beverage options, Engert said.
Despite the store’s closure, Red Apron’s Butcher Box Club will continue. For $85 a month, subscribers can receive a rotating selection “showcasing different meats” plus recipes.
Neighborhood Restaurant Group is also looking for additional locations to revive Red Apron’s retail concept “at the right moment,” according to Engert.
B Side, a bar and restaurant that’s also under the Neighborhood Restaurant Group umbrella, will remain open next door to the HiFi space.
