Barely a year after relaunching its food hall, Tysons Galleria is angling for yet another reboot.
Andy’s Pizza, Empanadas De Mendoza and Twelve Twenty Coffee are the only eateries remaining on the mall’s third floor after the recent departure of Urbanspace, the New York-based market operator that oversaw the “Taste of Urbanspace” food hall.
Brookfield Properties, which owns Tysons Galleria, confirmed to FFXnow that it “did part ways” with Urbanspace after more than four years, a period disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The developer was unable to share details about what led to the breakup, but it hasn’t given up on the space.
“We have new tenants that will be announced soon,” Brookfield spokesperson Lindsay Kahn said, stating that the property owner is now handling the leasing itself instead of using a partner.
Urbanspace didn’t return a request for comment by press time.
In the meantime, however, the loss of Urbanspace has added an element of uncertainty for at least one of the remaining shops.
Emphasizing that she wasn’t speaking for either of the other vendors, Twelve Twenty Coffee owner Victoria Smith describes the future as “really in limbo right now” for a floor that has seen plenty of upheaval over the years.
“Since Twelve Twenty has been at Tysons, there’s been a lot of change,” she said. “…For us, I would say that we are definitely blessed to have a space, but it’s challenging. It’s a challenging space.”
Toward the top of the list is the stress of covering rent and other expenses, a challenge familiar to any small business, particularly in an expensive area like Tysons. But Smith also cites more specific hurdles, like the mall’s 11 a.m. opening time — less than ideal for a coffee shop — and the loss of the lunchtime office crowd that was once a core part of the mall’s customer base.
Then, there’s the arrangement with Urbanspace, which Smith says may have created “a disconnect” when it came to marketing and communications.
When discussing Twelve Twenty Coffee, Smith likes to highlight its status as a woman-owned, Black-owned business and her commitment to working with other local, women and/or minority-owned businesses, such as Toimoi Bakery and Bisnonna Bakeshop.
Press materials for the food hall’s relaunch last year, however, mostly focused on Smith’s previous role as an events director and assistant general manager for Urbanspace Tysons.
“They’re not sharing our stories, how we want to be represented or the information we’d like them to know, because it kind of seemed like it was a little bit…third party, I guess?” Smith said. “You know, when it’s like a step removed, when you’re not talking to someone, it’s not as personal or whatever.”
Taste of Urbanspace opened in December 2018 as a replacement for Isabella Eatery, a food hall that shut down after just nine months of operations following declining sales and a sexual harassment lawsuit against its namesake, celebrity chef Mike Isabella. Read More
Shotted may be the only coffee shop in Fairfax County with a midnight rush.
Where most coffeehouses see business peak in the morning or late afternoon as patrons drop in before and after work, the Tysons Corner Center kiosk comes to life at night — particularly during Ramadan, which began this year on March 22 and will end with the holiday Eid al-Fitr on Thursday (April 20).
Shotted is always night-owl-friendly, typically operating until 11 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. But it extends those hours to 1 a.m. during the Muslim holy month, accommodating community members looking to break their daytime fast with caffeine and desserts.
The move has paid off, drawing 200 to 300 people after 8 p.m. on weekdays and as many as 1,000 customers on weekends, according to Shotted founder and CEO Bandar Alhenaki.
On TikTok, videos showing late-night crowds assembled at the shop and lines stretching down the hall past Coastal Flats have gone viral.
“There’s not many ‘Islamic’ or Muslim coffee shops, and when this one came out…it went pretty viral,” one customer, Rabia Khalid, told FFXnow. “And if you come here around 10, it’s packed, like there’s a line to the back. It’s like Black Friday over here.”
Rabia and her sister, Remsha, say Shotted is usually a “midnight move” with friends since prayers during Ramadan can last until 11 p.m., but when they visited around 8:30 p.m. this past Tuesday (April 11), a consistent line was already forming.
Some patrons were first-timers, like one group who said they’d learned about Shotted on TikTok, while others are regulars — all of them drawn as much by the buzz of community as the coffee.
“It’s about getting the community together, like I get to see people I haven’t seen in years at Shotted,” Rabia said. “So, it’s become a little tradition.”
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the drinks are “high quality,” in the words of one patron.
“I don’t think it has to do with anything about being a religious thing,” another man said when asked about Shotted’s appeal. “I think they just offer good coffee, nice pastries. I feel like it’s comparable or even better than Starbucks.” Read More
Alexandria-based cafe Java Loco is coming to West Falls Church.
The cafe owners have filed for a permit to modify the interior of a 1,368-square-foot suite in Graham Park Plaza (7263J Arlington Blvd).
Java Loco launched in 2013 and has since expanded to a handful of locations around Northern Virginia. The cafe offers a wide variety of coffees — including Italian espresso and Vietnamese coffee — along with smoothies, bubble tea and sandwiches.
Java Loco anticipates opening the Graham Park Plaza location this spring, but no exact date has been determined yet, according to Federal Realty, which owns part of the shopping center.
“The menu concept will be the same as the Mount Vernon location,” Federal Realty said.
Staff at another Java Loco said the West Falls Church location is likely to open sometime around the end of April.
A new micro-roast coffee shop hopes to beautify an aging office building in the Town of Vienna.
Frame Coffee Roasters recently got the Vienna Board of Architectural Review’s approval to add signage above its future entrance at 302 Maple Avenue West. It will fill a ground-floor space vacated a couple of years ago by Burke & Herbert Bank, which relocated.
The shop will serve cold sandwiches, pastries and madeleines to go with the coffee, which will be made from beans roasted by owner Johnny Lee.
“I want to make this space as a gallery or some kind of art museum,” Lee told FFXnow, explaining the intent behind the shop’s name. “As the customer comes in, they should feel a very cozy and comfortable area and with some big frames for some beautiful art posters, and also good smells from the coffee and some good food with the coffee.”
This will be Lee’s first business, but he has experience as a barista and learned how to roast coffee beans in his native South Korea.
When he first saw Maple Avenue, he was struck by the abundance of restaurants, delis and other “beautiful shops.” The street’s role as a connector for commuters going to and from D.C. added to its appeal.
“I thought it was the best place for grabbing a coffee in the morning,” Lee said.
After recently obtaining a final needed building permit, Lee anticipates that construction will take about two months, putting Frame Coffee on track for an April opening.
At the Jan. 19 meeting, BAR members lauded the proposal as an aesthetic improvement over the previous tenant, particularly since it’ll remove a navy blue awning that wraps around the front of the building.
“I think this is a good design for this particular building,” BAR Chair Roy Baldwin said. “I like the idea that the awning is removed. This building is verging on historic, because it’s been around for a long time.”
The two-story office building was constructed in 1962, according to Fairfax County land records. Current owner Vienna Property Management LLC acquired the property for $2.4 million on Feb. 1, 2016.
Though it’s not an official historic site, one board member called 302 Maple Avenue a rare example of a “true modern building” in Vienna. Baldwin said the awning had “never looked really right,” commending Frame Coffee for a plan that “respects the building.”
The proposed sign will consist of illuminated channel letters that appear black during the day and white at night, per the BAR staff report.
“I think the signs that change from night to day or day to night are actually pretty elegant,” board member Paul Layer said, adding that the coloring “definitely goes well” with the building’s beige facade.
A representative for Frame Coffee Roasters confirmed the business will repaint and do any necessary repairs on the area that will be newly exposed once the awning is removed.
While Vienna residents often lament the town’s abundance of banks, this is the second former bank set to be converted into an eatery. The BAR approved plans to turn the vacant SunTrust Bank at 501 Maple Avenue West into a Yellow Diner last summer.
Weird Brothers Coffee — a staple in the Town of Herndon’s coffee scene — is expected to relocate one of its locations in Herndon.
The coffee shop and roastery, a veteran-owned business that is managed by brothers Paul and Kenny Olsen, intends to move its Worldgate Metro Plaza location to Worldgate Centre.
According to co-owner Paul Olsen, the current Worldgate Metro Plaza location is expected to remain open until at least the end of October. It’s expected take up space that was vacated by Starbucks at 13035A Worldgate Drive in January 2021.
“We are currently still going through the permit process for the new Worldgate location,” Olsen wrote in a statement to FFXnow. “We have no idea how much longer it will be before we receive final approval to begin the buildout.”
Weird Brothers is a disabled-veteran owned small business that is dedicated to providing unique coffee and espresso. It was founded by the Olsen, who have had a life-long love affair with fresh roasted, quality coffee.
As the first coffee roaster in Herndon, Weird Brothers has locations and a roasting factory in the Sunset Park business center, Leesburg Village Center, and Worldgate Metro Plaza.
Police Make Progress on Hannah Choi Murder Case — Fairfax County detectives believe they know the location of the man suspected of killing his ex-girlfriend and dumping her body in a Maryland park, according to Police Chief Kevin Davis. He says the department anticipates apprehending Joel Mosso Merino, who has been on the run since March, “in the very near future.” [WTOP]
Circuit Court Officially Adds First Female Judge of Color — “Tania M.L. Saylor, the first woman of color to serve as a Fairfax County Circuity [sic] Court Judge will be presented her official commission on Friday, May 6, at 4 p.m. in Courtroom 5J of the Fairfax County Courthouse. The public is invited to attend the investiture ceremony.” [Fairfax County Government]
Key FCPS Official Named Fairfax City Superintendent — “The City of Fairfax School Board didn’t look far when picking its next superintendent. The board on Monday offered Jeff Platenberg the role. Platenberg currently works for Fairfax County Public Schools as the assistant superintendent for facilities and transportation services.” [WTOP]
Locally Owned Coffee Shop Opens in Newington — “Two neighbors who live close to the Landsdowne shopping center are now the owners of a new coffee shop. The locally owned Coffee In opened a few weeks ago and will celebrate its grand opening this Saturday at 6432 Landsdowne Centre Drive.” [Patch]
Herndon Foster Mother Starts Nonprofit — The nonprofit Foster the Family “will show up to a foster home, within the first 24 hours, with dinner, clothes, PJ’s, hygiene products and all the supplies a child needs, saving the parents an emergency trip to the store, and helping the child feel comfortable in what can be a scary transition.” [ABC7]
McLean Church Builds Labyrinth — “Trinity United Methodist Church dedicated a labyrinth as its new Prayer Garden on Easter morning between worship services…The labyrinth is surrounded by plantings and benches with lighting to facilitate an atmosphere worthy of spiritual reflection and meditation. It is the most significant labyrinth in scope and size in the McLean area.” [Sun Gazette]
South County Students Send Letters to Seniors — “In Lorton, Virginia, 92-year-old Bernice Alexander reads from just one of the dozens of letters received at her senior living community. They were written by teenagers at South County High School, and some come with artwork, paintings and cheery posters, too.” [NBC4]
County Adopts Bill of Rights for Kids’ Sports — “The Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood & Community Services (NCS), along with the Fairfax County Athletic Council, is pleased to adopt the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports. Developed by the Aspen Institute Sports and Society Program, this is a new resource designed to ensure that all children have a right to a quality sports experience.” [NCS]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 75 and low of 61. Sunrise at 6:08 am and sunset at 8:05 pm. [Weather.gov]
Compass Coffee has opened a new location in Fairfax City, further cementing a stronghold in the area.
The coffee shop opened on Monday (March 21) at the new Point 50 shopping center, located at 10400 Fairfax Boulevard.
Compass Coffee first opened its doors in D.C. in 2014. Since then, the coffee shop has expanded to 12 locations across the D.C. and Northern Virginia area.
The Fairfax cafe is the company’s 13th location. It’s managed by Steve Pongrace, who has lived in Fairfax for over 15 years.
“My team is committed to delivering Legendary customer service to every customer that walks through our doors,” Pongrace said. “We can’t wait to get to know the city of Fairfax and build a strong community of regulars at the Point 50 shopping center.”
Joel Shetterly, the company’s vice president of marketing, says the business looks forward creating community and connection over coffee.
“We’re obsessive about every detail of the café experience so that there is nothing to take away from the moment you are sharing with a friend or loved one over a great cup of coffee,” he said in a news release.
In February, the company opened a new location in the recently renovated Ballston Quarter.
City of Fairfax Mayor David Meyer said the shop will help create a “third space” outside of work and home.
“With the opening of Compass Coffee and other new businesses at this center, Point 50 will become a hub for social interaction and pedestrian activity,” Meyer said.
Point 50 is a new shopping center that brings a little over 48,000 square feet of retail space, including a grocery store, to replace the aging, 68,000-square-foot Fairfax Shopping Center on Route 29.
The center has other tenants like Matchbox, Big Buns, and Orange Theory Fitness. It will be anchored by an Amazon Fresh grocery store.
