This summer will be Cold Stone Creamery’s last at Vienna Marketplace.
The ice cream shop will vacate 205 Maple Avenue by Aug. 31 to make way for fast-casual restaurant Taïm Mediterranean Kitchen, according to a leasing agent for KLNB, which owns the shopping center.
Joined by Chipotle and Noodles and Company, Cold Stone has been a mainstay of Vienna Marketplace since at least 2006, according to Yelp reviews. The 1,315-square-foot space is sandwiched in between the heavily frequented but still relatively new South Block and Crumbl Cookies.
It’s unclear whether the closure will mark an end to Cold Stone’s time in Vienna, or if a relocation is being considered. A media contact for the company didn’t respond to requests for comment by press time.
Once Cold Stone closes in about six months, Taïm will begin its build-out in anticipation of opening later this year.
“Mediterranean cuisine has emerged as a great option for the health-conscious consumer,” KLNB Principal Craig Cheney said. “Taïm Mediterranean Kitchen is a fresh, new, quick-service concept where consumers can build their own meal, and is bound to be a hit in Vienna. We’re pleased they chose Vienna Marketplace to be one of their first locations in Virginia.”
Started in New York City in 2005, Taïm has gained a following for its falafel, chicken shawarma and fries, now boasting 13 locations in the New York and D.C. areas, including one that opened earlier this year in College Park, Maryland.
Before coming to Vienna, the chain will venture into Virginia for the first time with a restaurant at Tysons Station in Pimmit Hills. That location remains on track to open late this spring, according to Phil Petrilli, founder and CEO of Untamed Brands, the restaurant group that includes Taim.
“Fans who have experienced taim in the city continue to ask us to bring our restaurants to more of the places where they’re hybrid working or moving with their growing families,” Petrilli said. “We’re really looking forward to meeting our neighbors and serving each community.”
For Vienna residents scouting out other places to get their ice cream fix, Bruster’s Real Ice Cream opened last week just on the other end of the block in Glyndon Plaza, joining Ben & Jerry’s, Toby’s Ice Cream, Rita’s Italian Ice and Frozen Custard, and more.
In the meantime, the Vienna Cold Stone remains open from noon to 9 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Bruster’s Real Ice Cream is ready to roll up its window in Vienna.
The latest franchise from the Pennsylvania-based ice cream company will open for business today (Thursday) at 237 Maple Avenue in Glyndon Plaza, a public relations representative confirmed to FFXnow.
The new shop will operate daily from noon to 9 p.m., following the same hours as other Bruster’s locations, including the one in Fairfax City.
“We are so excited to be a part of the community of which we are longtime residents,” Mohammed and Aisha Tariq, who own the Vienna franchise, said by email. “We visited the Bruster’s of Glen Burnie for years and are thrilled to have our own location and join the Vienna business community.”
The Tariqs have experience in the business world as operators of the First Start Childcare and Learning Center in Elkridge, Maryland. They were inspired to go from Bruster’s fans to owners by their kids, who they foresee potentially working at the shop once they’re older.
“We are excited for the opportunity to employ local youth in the area and teach them how to be successful entrepreneurs,” they said.
As previously reported, Bruster’s opened its first store in Bridgewater, Pennsylvania, in 1989 and started franchising in 1993. It now has over 200 independently owned locations across 22 states, Guyana and South Korea, according to its website.
The business produces over 150 flavors that its franchises offered on a rotating basis. All of the ice cream is made on-site at each shop.
In addition, Bruster’s has limited-time and seasonal offerings, along with non-dairy, non-fat, sugar-free sorbets and sherbets. The featured flavors for March is a “Dino or Dirt Sundae” and “Cookie Craze,” which is described as blue vanilla ice cream with Oreo cookie chunks, crushed dinosaur-shaped sugar cookies, and cookie dough pieces.
Like the other locations, the Vienna franchise has outdoor seating but no indoor seating, instead serving patrons through pick-up windows.
Bruster’s previously had a location in Avenir Place near the Dunn Loring Metro station, but it closed in 2020 after the franchisee decided not to renew their lease.
The Mosaic District is no longer home to the self-proclaimed first Thai-style rolled ice cream shop in Virginia.
520 Ice Cream & Tea permanently closed on Dec. 30, according to an Instagram post. A notice posted to the door at 2985 District Avenue, Suite 160, said the shop wouldn’t reopen in 2023.
“We thank you for five years of incredible support!” the notice said.
Billed as the first “Thai-inspired” ice cream establishment in Virginia and Maryland, the business had a location in Springfield that appears to have closed in 2019. Its Maryland locations in Rockville, Bethesda and College Park still seem to be open.
Several of the more recent Yelp reviews for the Mosaic shop complain about half-hour-long waits for ice cream. FFXnow was unable to reach 520 Ice Cream for an explanation of the closure.
The Mosaic District recently welcomed Kirby Club, a Mediterranean restaurant that opened in late December. Construction is underway in the neighborhood for three new tenants: a Pottery Barn furniture store, the jewelry business Brilliant Earth and the clothing store Faherty.
