The dog days are coming early to Tysons this year.

Canines will first be unleashed on the Plaza at Tysons Corner Center this Saturday (June 3) for the mall’s second annual Paws on the Plaza, a free event with pet-centric vendors, a dog park and a beer garden.

“Pups are invited to roam the dog park with obstacles and splash pads, while adults are invited to enjoy the Beer Garden, visit local vendors…or take part in other activations, like a pet friendly photobooth and free caricatures of your pet,” Tysons Corner Center said in a press release.

Paws on the Plaza will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Vendors will include two sponsors of the event: Becky’s Pet Care, which has locations in Springfield and Herndon, and PetMedic Urgent Care, a clinic slated to open in Tysons West this summer. The vacuum company Dyson is also a sponsor.

Participating vendors range from shelters like Lucky Dog Animal Rescue and Homeward Trails to retailers like Doodlebug Quilts and services, such as Woofies of McLean. There are also several businesses that make food for pets, including Barbie’s Doggie Bakery and the food truck Woofbowl.

A full list of vendors can be found on the event page.

The puppy love will continue the following Saturday (June 10) at The Boro, which will host Bark in Boro Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

While the scheduled training sessions have already filled up, the event will also offer a craft and “activation area” for kids, and a treat bar from Bluestone Lane with free food and drinks for both dogs and humans.

Wolf Trap Animal Rescue will also be on site with puppies to provide information about pet rescues and adoptions.

The first 100 visitors can get a live tag engraving for their pet, according to The Boro.

Bark in Boro Park was scheduled to coincide with LGBTQ Pride Month. Unlike last year’s “Yappy Hour,” where a portion of drink proceeds went to the Alexandria-based nonprofit Safe Space NOVA, there’s no similar nonprofit partner since admission and all of the Puppy Treat Bar items will be free.

“This year’s event is free for all to attend in the spirit of welcoming more of our neighbors to The Boro,” a public relations representative for The Boro said.

Tysons Corner Center has found a new partner in its efforts to bring art into its halls of commerce.

The mall’s newest installations were created by five resident artists from the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton as part of a new collaboration with the nonprofit, Tysons Corner Center announced last week.

The works, including a mural that was painted on-site in real time, will remain on display on the mall’s second level near Macy’s through early June. An opening reception will be held on today (Tuesday) from 6-8 p.m.

Here’s more on the exhibition from Tysons Corner Center:

Resident artists from the Workhouse: Marni Maree, Britt Conley, Joan Hutten and Dean McIntyre were all chosen to display selected pieces on Tysons’ Art wall. This exhibit features a wide range of visual art by artists of a diverse background. These artists were specially selected to showcase diversity in watercolor, infrared photography, ink, and fiber art. [Upper level, Macy’s Court, next to Kung Fu Tea]

On the Upper Level of Macy’s Court (next to LOFT), Fernando Osorio created a live original mural painting, called “Pathways.” Fernando’s educational background in art and design, influences his style in modern art by capturing the “realms of spirituality.” During the center hours, from Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., shoppers witnessed his work created in real-time, and are now able to enjoy his completed work.

As part of the partnership, the Workhouse is also providing free workshops on the Plaza for “Art Wednesdays,” one of several programs that the mall has planned for this summer.

Tysons Corner Center’s team-up with the Workhouse builds off an ongoing partnership with ArtsFairfax that has produced two installations showcasing local artists so far.

The new Apple store at Tysons Corner Center is ready to say hello.

Opening to customers at 10 a.m. today (Friday), the 13,010-square-foot store has been branded as a “new chapter” for the technology company, which launched its original retail location at the mall on May 19, 2001 — exactly 22 years ago.

Given that history, Apple was “excited” to introduce its latest design features in Tysons, a spokesperson said, as the business seeks to maintain its status as a trendsetter in the ever-evolving world of retail.

“It’s so exciting to see how many people know about our old Tysons Corner store,” Jason Reyes, a business expert for the Tysons store, said at a media preview yesterday. “It’s the first one ever in the whole world, and for it to kind of get into its next generation, really, is so exciting to see. It’s just showing how we’re evolving as a company.”

Now located on the mall’s second floor adjacent to Victoria’s Secret, the remodeled Apple Store trades its predecessor’s enclosed, almost utilitarian design for a warmer, more natural look with wood paneling and a wrap-around, all-glass storefront.

Accessibility and sustainability were top priorities for the new design, according to Apple Retail and Design Manager Bill Bergeron-Mirsky.

In addition to being carbon-neutral and operating entirely on renewable energy sources, the store was built out of plant-based materials, with “biogenic acoustic panels and baffles” for the ceiling and biopolymers for the floor.

“That replaces a petrochemical product, but it also increases the performance of the floor itself,” Bergeron-Mirsky said.

He highlighted the varied table and chair heights, intended to ensure all customers can “engage with the store team,” and wide aisles designed for easier navigation by wheelchair users. The store also has a portable hearing loop to assist people who use hearing aids.

The store layout will be familiar, with long tables and wall displays for different products, from iPads and phone cases to Apple Music and Apple TV+, the company’s streaming services.

Additions include a more prominent “Genius” bar for technical support next to a pickup counter for online orders. There is also a table for “Today at Apple” workshops and an Apple Watch studio where both the products and the environment can be customized.

“We can end up transforming this room to highlight [a] new product, or we could bring a music experience into it,” Reyes said. “I mean, the possibilities are endless. Even the lighting itself can be changed, depending on what experience we want to give the customer in this room.”

The focus on accessibility extends to the store’s over 100 employees, a team that includes speakers of American Sign Language, Spanish, Arabic, Korean, Vietnamese, French, Amharic and other languages, Bergeron-Mirsky said.

Apple declined to comment on whether any of its other 500-plus stores will get similar overhauls, but the relocation has boosted the company’s profile in Tysons Corner Center, placing it closer to the Plaza that owner and developer Macerich built as the mall’s focal point.

“Apple has been such a key partner with Tysons Corner Center since they opened their store in our center 22 years ago and we look forward to working with them on this next chapter of their brand evolution for their new location within the center,” Macerich Director of Property Management Jesse Benites said. “As a leader in innovation and design, Apple has always been a destination retailer for malls and we wish them continued success.”

Though the solstice won’t arrive for another month, the spirit of summer is already alive at Tysons Corner Center.

After drawing a crowd earlier this month with its first-ever Taste of Tysons, the mall has lined up a variety of free Summer on the Plaza events and activities, including returns of its outdoor family movie nights and a concert series.

The movies will screen from 7-9 p.m. on one Friday each month, starting next week:

• May 26 — Moana
• June 30 — E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
• July 28 — Boss Baby: The Family Business
• Aug. 18 — Matilda

Complimentary popcorn and soft drinks are provided at the screenings.

Similarly taking place from 7-9 p.m., the concert series will launch in June with singer Jarreau Williams, an Alexandria native. In a change of pace from last year’s retro series, the 2023 program is intended to celebrate different genres:

• June 17 — Jarreau Williams (R&B)
• July 15 — Keeton (pop)
• Aug. 19 — Delta Spur (country and classic rock)

For those who can’t wait until June to groove to some live music, The Boro (8350 Broad Street) is hosting a May concert series with the Tysons Community Alliance. The last show, featuring the jazzy Julian Berkowitz Quartet, is coming this Saturday (May 20) from 1-3 p.m.

Throughout the summer, Tysons Corner Center will also have regular art, game, music and fitness activities on the Plaza.

From a press release:

Art Wednesdays
May 3-Aug. 23
5 p.m.
The Plaza

The first four Wednesdays starting May 3 watch live graffiti art come to life. The Lorton Workhouse and Live Art International introduces alternating art concepts for participants to take a drawing class, take home personalized airbrushed swag and more. All materials will be provided.

Wellness Sundays
May 7 – August 20
Class times: 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., and noon
The Plaza

Every Sunday experience a new workout and learn about local plants and flowers for Wellness Sundays. Join for Fabletics and The Lorton Workhouse for rotating classes in Pilates, belly dancing, and Boot Camp class and creating your own take-home flower arrangement with Old Dominion Flower Company.

Game Night Thursdays
May 11 – August 31
6 p.m.
The Plaza

Starting May 11th, DC Fray will host a free game night every other Thursday. Game concepts will rotate between Cornhole, Roller Skating, Ping Pong, Bingo, RC Racing and Pickleball. Prizes will be awarded!

Music & Dance Fridays
May 5 – August 11
Classes: 6 p.m. or 6:45 p.m.

Join Silvia and La Musica the first two Fridays of each month starting May 5 through August 11 for salsa lessons and a musical workshop. For beginners, Salsa lessons start at 6pm and bachata lessons begin at 6:45 PM. The La Musica: World of Encanto music workshop for kids will feature musical genres from successful Disney films: Coco, Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros and Encanto for karaoke session with live percussion instruments.

The original Apple store is apparently angling for an upgrade.

Temporary walls advertising “a new chapter” for the company at Tysons Corner Center have been erected next to Victoria’s Secret, the mall announced on April 30, suggesting a new, bigger location is in the works at the home of Apple’s first-ever retail store.

“Hello. Again. The first-ever Apple store opened 22 years ago here at Tysons Corner Center,” the signs say. “Apple now begins their next chapter with us, with a newly-reimagined space coming soon. We feel proud to be a part of their story.”

The first-ever @Apple store opened 22 years ago here at Tysons Corner Center! Apple now begins their next chapter with us, with a newly-reimagined space coming soon. We feel proud to be a part of their story. pic.twitter.com/hiwiWBM1vs

— Tysons Corner Center (@ShopTysons) April 30, 2023

The new store will have a gross floor area of 13,010 square feet, per an application for a certificate of occupancy that was accepted for review by Fairfax County last Thursday (May 4).

However, further information about what exactly the “reimagined” space will look like has been sparse so far. A Tysons Corner Center spokesperson told FFXnow that more details will be shared “soon” by Apple.

Apple’s media team didn’t return multiple requests for comment by press time.

Tysons Corner Center welcomed the inaugural Apple store on May 19, 2001, beating a store in Glendale, Calif., by just three hours thanks to the difference in time zones.

The upcoming relocation will be the first time that the Tysons store has moved from its original spot near Bloomingdale’s, according to reporter Michael Steeber, who regularly covers Apple-related news.

To mark the store’s 20th anniversary in 2021, an augmented reality experience allowed users to see how it looked in 2001 based on a video tour filmed by Steve Jobs ahead of the grand opening.

Mid-spring is evidently the season to get a taste of restaurants around Fairfax County.

For those who didn’t fill up on samplers from this past weekend’s festivals in Vienna and Annandale, Tysons Corner Center will launch its own “Taste of” celebration to promote restaurants at the mall on Saturday (May 6).

Held from 1-4 p.m. on the Plaza, the first annual Taste of Tysons Corner Center will feature samples from over 40 eateries, a beer garden from Barrel & Bushel, cooking demonstrations, and live entertainment.

The full schedule from a media alert:

1-2PM: Tour Tysons Corner Center for a “Taste Of” 40+ participating restaurants.

• Check in at the Tysons Corner tent on The Plaza for your “Passport to Delicious: Eatery Guide”.
• Get your Passport stamped at every sampling table to be entered to win the Grand Prize (Nespresso VertuoPlus machine and $200 Eddie V’s gift card).
• Enjoy the music of Under The Covers Band live on The Plaza stage.

2-3PM: Cooking Demos and Chef Appearances on The Plaza from:

• Barrel & Bushel’s (and Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner’s) Executive Chef Daron Lee
• Seasons 52’s Executive Chef Partner Matt Beverley
• Nordstrom Ebar Manager Kris Kozosky
• Shake Shack: Shake-making with General Manager Sam Posey
• Wasabi: Sushi Rolling 101 with Alex Lee

3-4PM: So Fetch will perform live on The Plaza stage.

There will also be a photo booth and a tent for a “Spin the Wheel” game with restaurant gift cards as the prizes.

While the overall event is free, there’s a VIP lounge with a complimentary oyster bar and tuna tartar from Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, food and alcohol tastings from Seasons 52, and a build-your-own-taco bar from La Sandia.

Tickets to the VIP lounge cost $25, with all proceeds going to the nonprofit Food for Others.

A full list of the participating restaurants can be found on the mall’s website.

A D.C. woman has been arrested for allegedly abducting a kid from the Cox Discovery Cove at Tysons Corner Center.

Officers with the Fairfax County Police Department’s Tysons Urban Team were called to an outdoor play area — described as having a “sailboat design” — at 5:47 p.m. yesterday (Thursday) for a report of a missing 3-year-old child, police said in a news release today.

Using mall security camera footage, the officers “quickly” identified Jane Pyo as the suspect.

Officers observed Pyo walk towards the mall, stop, converse with the child, take the child’s hand and walk into the mall. Pyo was observed picking the child up and going down an escalator with the child in her arms. TUT officers located Pyo and the child inside the Coastal Flats Restaurant. Pyo assaulted officers when they approached but were able to take her into custody.

The kid didn’t experience any injuries and was reunited with their family, according to the FCPD.

Pyo has been charged with abduction, possession of burglarious tools, assaulting law enforcement and trespassing. She also had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in Fairfax County court, police said.

She is currently being held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Updated at 11:35 a.m. on 4/27/2023 — With rain in the forecast tomorrow (Friday), the cherry tree plantings have been postponed to May 6, the Tysons Community Alliance announced today.

Earlier: This year’s cherry blossom season has come and gone, but in Tysons, the seeds for future flowers are about to take root.

The Tysons Community Alliance (TCA), the nonprofit community improvement organization formed to replace the Tysons Partnership, has partnered with the National Cherry Blossom Festival to obtain and plant 17 cherry trees around the urban center.

The trees will be planted at Tysons Corner Center and Scotts Run this Friday (April 28), which is not coincidentally also Arbor Day.

“We chose cherry trees as our first official planting in Tysons because of their beautiful blooms and rich history in the region,” Tysons Community Alliance interim CEO Rich Bradley said. “Moreover, by partnering with the National Cherry Blossom Festival to plant these trees, it allows us to be an official part of what has become a truly regional celebration and one of the largest festivals in the country.”

About 50 volunteers are needed for the plantings, according to the TCA. They can participate in one or both of the two scheduled shifts:

Shift 1

• Location: Scotts Run, 1651 Old Meadow Rd, Tysons, VA, 22102
• Volunteer arrival time: 7:30 a.m.
• Training session: 7:45 a.m.
• Planting begins: 8 a.m.

Shift 2

• Location: I-495 pedestrian bridge (Tysons Corner Center side)
• Volunteer arrival time: 11:30 a.m.
• Training session: 11:45 a.m.
• Planting begins: noon

An official ceremony to celebrate the plantings is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Scotts Run trailhead.

The Arbor Day event extends a collaboration between the TCA and the festival that began earlier this month with the first annual “Pedal with Petals” family bicycle ride. The partnership was announced at the alliance’s official launch in February.

Held from March 20 to April 14 this year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival works with the nonprofit Casey Trees to plant trees around the D.C. area. The TCA will be responsible for maintaining the new trees in Tysons going forward, according to a spokesperson.

Maman Joon, a Persian restaurant originally based in D.C., is now open at Tysons Corner Center.

Opened during the first week of April, the eatery is located at 8048 Tysons Corner Center on the mall’s second level next to the Pakistani cafe Cha Tea House, replacing the permanently closed Cava.

It joins a growing collection of tenants at the mall catering to the D.C. region’s robust and diverse Arab and Middle Eastern population, including the restaurant Istanbul Kitchen and the Saudi-inspired coffee shop Shotted.

“I think Tysons Corner mall is one of the best malls in the country,” Maman Joon co-owner Peter Tabibian said. “…We know there’s a lot of Persian community and a lot of people from Qatar, Saudi and Middle Eastern countries in that area. We thought there was a void for a Persian [or] Middle Eastern concept, and we thought it would be a great fit to put Maman Joon out there.”

Maman Joon’s expansion to Tysons follows what Tabibian says has been a successful opening in McLean, where the business is co-located with Z-Burger — another concept created by Tabibian and his business partner, McLean resident Kevin Ejtemai.

The paired restaurants opened at 1408 Chain Bridge Road over the summer, becoming the team’s first Virginia locations for both brands. Z-Burger also entered Alexandria’s West End in February.

Both restaurants are distinguished by fresh, quality ingredients and the care put into cooking each meal, Tabibian says. At Maman Joon, all of the meat is certified halal from Lorton-based Washington Lamb, and the chicken kabob, for instance, is marinated for about 38 hours.

“It’s really working out, because some kids come and get a burger and their parents get a kabob, and then vice versa and it’s just been excellent,” he said. “We could not ask for a better combination and a better location. It’s been wonderful.”

At roughly 2,500 square feet, the Tysons Maman Joon is smaller than the one in McLean, which shares about 4,000 square feet with Z-Burger, so the menu has been trimmed down. In addition to kabobs, the restaurant sells soups, salads, wraps and vegetarian rice dishes.

While Tysons Corner Center isn’t getting a Z-Burger, the food court is slated to fill a long-vacant space next to California Tortilla with My Own Pizza, a New York-style pizzeria at Federal Center Plaza in D.C. also run by Tabibian and Ejtemai.

Like at the original location, the pizza will be made on-site in a brick oven. No changes are expected to the menu, which also features calzones and salads.

The stall is about three weeks away from opening, Tabibian estimated, suggesting it could be ready in time for the summer.

“That’s going to be kind of a plus for us, being next to the movie theater,” he said. “It’s going to be in and out basically. Pizzas are really like, if you’re in a rush, you can get it out quickly. I visited most of the places in New York that sell pizzas, and I have talked to the people that have been making pizzas for 30, 40, 50 years, so I got a lot of secrets on how to make the best pizza. So, I think people are going to be out for a treat.”

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