Maggiano’s Little Italy and the Cheesecake Factory are swapping one Tysons mall for another.
The chain restaurants will both move their long-standing locations at Tysons Galleria (2001 International Drive) just down the road to Tysons Corner Center (1961 Chain Bridge Road) later this year.
Tysons Corner Center owner and developer Macerich announced that the older, bigger mall has signed a lease with Maggiano during an earnings call with investors last Wednesday (Feb. 7), the Washington Business Journal first reported.
Confirming the move, Maggiano’s Vice President Larry Konecny told the WBJ that the restaurant “made itself a part of the McLean community since its opening at Tysons Galleria” almost three decades ago, but the new location will “be more accessible” to Metro riders and “those joining festivities in the plaza.”
Maggiano’s opened on Tysons Galleria’s second floor in the mid-1990s. It was the company’s fourth location overall and its first expansion outside of the Chicago area, according to a 1995 report by the Washington Post.
The transition to Tysons Corner Center is expected this summer, but a closing date at Tysons Galleria hasn’t been established yet, a Maggiano’s employee told FFXnow. A representative for Brookfield Properties, which owns the Galleria, didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry about when the lease will expire.
“Maggiano’s opening date is still tentative,” a Tysons Corner Center spokesperson said.
The Cheesecake Factory’s new Tysons Corner Center restaurant will also be a relocation, not a second site, an employee confirmed to FFXnow. The chain opened its 13,300-square-foot space on Tysons Galleria’s third floor — one level above Maggiano’s — in 2003.
“We’re not sure yet, but it might be at the end of 2024,” the worker said when asked about a potential closing date at Tysons Galleria.
The Cheesecake Factory anticipates opening at Tysons Corner Center in the fourth quarter of this year, the mall’s spokesperson says, adding that both new restaurants will be located on the east end near Coastal Flats.
The mall currently has two sizable vacancies on its first floor near Coastal Flats, one of which hasn’t had a permanent tenant since Gordon Biersch Brewery closed in 2020. Temporary pop-ups have included the locally owned Bisnonna Bakeshop and the art exhibit “Overboard.”
Maggiano’s only other Northern Virginia location is at Springfield Town Center, while the Cheesecake Factory can also be found at Fair Oaks Mall and in Arlington’s Clarendon area.
In addition to the two restaurants, Tysons Corner Center is slated to welcome the fashion retailers Khaadi, Primark and Mango this year after Rothy’s, the recycled shoes company, opened in January. Macerich also recently announced that Level99 will open a 40,000-square-foot gaming playground at the mall in 2025.
(Updated at 2:05 p.m.) Tysons Galleria has lost another dining option.
Jiwa Singapura, which sought to blend Singaporean street food with a “high-end” setting, closed its doors on Monday, Dec. 4 after less than 10 months of operations.
The closure was first reported by Eater DC and announced on Instagram yesterday (Tuesday) by chef Pepe Moncayo, who also runs the Spanish-Japanese fusion restaurant Cranes in D.C.
“With a heavy heart, we are sad to share that Jiwa Singapura will be closing in its current location at Tysons Corner,” Moncayo said. “…But we are looking forward to bringing the Singaporean food and culture to another location in the future. We are incredibly grateful to our guests and especially our talented, wonderful team who supported us throughout this journey. Thank you all and hope to see you soon.”
A spokesperson for Brookfield Properties, which owns Tysons Galleria, said the restaurant didn’t gain the traction in the community that the mall had hoped.
“Unfortunately, the concept did not resonate with our community. This happens sometimes in our industry,” Lindsay Kahn, Brookfield Properties director of public relations for retail, said.
Jiwa Singapura opened on Feb. 15 on the mall’s third floor as part of a new wing that replaced Macy’s, which closed in January 2019.
Purportedly the first Singaporean fine-dining establishment in the D.C. area, Jiwa Singapura drew approving reviews from critics at the Washington Post and Northern Virginia Magazine. In his spring 2023 dining guide, The Post’s Tom Sietsema highlighted the restaurant’s luxurious setting and food.
The menu featured items like Hainanese chicken rice and chili crab, taking inspiration from the family recipes of Moncayo’s wife, Aishah Moncayo, a native of Singapore.
Designed by the architectural firm //3877, the 10,000-square-foot restaurant could seat 170 people in its main dining room, along with a 10-seat bar, a “semi-private” dining room and an outdoor terrace with 80 seats.
When Jiwa Singapura opened, Moncayo told FFXnow that he felt Tysons “would be the perfect place to open this new and exciting concept” because it “has an urban presence with a small community feel.”
Moncayo was also developing a Spanish restaurant called Santi at Capital One Center, but he confirmed in August that those plans had been put on hold, citing the current economic climate and rising construction material costs.
Jiwa Singapura’s departure follows the loss of Tysons Galleria’s food hall operator, Urbanspace, earlier this year. Andy’s Pizza and Empanadas De Mendoza were joined in the third-floor hall last month by Shotted, a coffee shop that has gained a strong following at nearby Tysons Corner Center.
Santa Claus has already taken up temporary residence at Tysons Corner Center, but that won’t stop him from dropping by a couple of other spots around Tysons this week.
Coming up first, a particularly debonair St. Nick will host an evening of cocktails, cinema and charity on Friday (Dec. 8) at CMX Cinebistro in Tysons Galleria (2001 International Drive).
The character of Fashion Santa was created in 2014 by runway model Paul Mason, whose career has included work with designers like Gianni Versace, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana and Armani — brands that can all be found at Tysons Galleria, either through their own stores or department stores like Neiman Marcus.
Mason says the character emerged during a somber period in his life when he stopped shaving out of grief over his mother’s death. Realizing that his beard made him resemble Santa, he decided to use the look for a good cause.
“The Fashion Santa character has had a really positive reception,” he told FFXnow by email. “It’s just a lighthearted new approach to jolly old Saint Nick. Fashion Santa brings awareness to different charitable initiatives and causes instead of making toys. It’s a new take on holiday giving.”
Fashion Santa previously visited the mall last year for a holiday reception that included a sneak peek of the restaurant Jiwa Singapura, which opened this past February. Attendees were encouraged to donate to the Capital Area Food Bank.
This year’s event will consist of a meet-and-greet at CMX Cinebistro’s bar from 7-9 p.m. and a “special” 7:45 p.m. screening of the Disney movie “Wish.”
Meet-and-greet attendees will get a complimentary photo with Fashion Santa and sip “festive” cocktails, according to the event page. Admission is free, but reservations are required, and the mall is encouraging $10 donations to the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Mid-Atlantic chapter, the event’s charity partner.
Access to the “Wish” screening comes with a $25 donation, which also includes a Santa photo and a “goody bag.” Last month, Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic, a nonprofit that supports kids with critical illnesses, organized a preview of the animated film for local families at AMC Theatres in Tysons Corner Center.
Tysons Galleria Senior General Manager Rich Dinning says the mall is “always honored” to work with Fashion Santa “in support of important causes.”
“This year, Fashion Santa’s appearance at CMX CineBistro…promises to be a festive evening,” Dinning said in a statement. “Tysons Galleria has had an ongoing partnership with Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic and we are thrilled to close out the year with this fundraiser.”
Santa’s Workshop Holiday Extravaganza at The Boro
Santa is also scheduled to appear at The Boro (8350 Broad Street) this Saturday, Dec. 9 for photos, crafts, music and other free festivities.
“At Santa’s Workshop at The Boro, guests of all ages will be invited to enjoy a fun filled morning of holiday kids crafts, a DJ dance party, specialty hot chocolate bar with lots of fun fixings from Bluestone Lane, a holiday themed bounce house, and calligrapher on site to customize ornaments,” the event page says.
Santa will be available in his workshop at Boro Park from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The overall event will start at 11 a.m. and end at 2 p.m.
If the event gets rained or snowed out, it will be rescheduled for Dec. 16.
“If there is no need for an alternative date, there will be a Santa Pop-Up on December 16 in Boro Park as another chance for guests to come see Santa,” The Boro said.
Santa is also continuing to take photos at Tysons Corner Center through Christmas Eve on Dec. 24.
(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) A coffee shop inspired by Saudi Arabia’s cafe culture is now bringing that hip energy to both Tysons malls.
Shotted has gained a loyal following, especially within the D.C. area’s Muslim community, since opening a kiosk at Tysons Corner Center in 2020. Three years later, Shotted has expanded for the first time with a new branch in Tysons Galleria.
In its soft-opening phase since Nov. 16, the new shop can be found in the mall’s third-floor food hall, replacing Twelve Twenty Coffee. Seeking to rebuild after the departure of former operator Urbanspace, the hall is still home to Andy’s Pizza and Empanadas De Mendoza.
“We’re very happy to be here and happy to be part of this community,” Shotted founder and CEO Bandar Alhenaki said. “We want people to come in and enjoy their time shopping at the Galleria and also enjoy quality coffee and quality dessert with their family and friends.”
While it seems unusual for a business to open two locations within walking distance of each other, Shotted’s Tysons Galleria shop diverges in several ways from its predecessor.
To start with, it’s envisioned as more of a dine-in experience to take advantage of the food hall’s more extensive seating, while the heavily trafficked Tysons Corner Center location is designed for quick service, Alhenaki says.
The Galleria shop also opens earlier — at 7:30 a.m. instead of 10 a.m. — so it can serve morning commuters, including workers at nearby office buildings. Accordingly, it has an expanded menu with sandwiches, hot croissants and other breakfast food as well as additional desserts, such as date pudding and soft-serve ice cream.
“We’re excited to serve them…during their morning coffee and also be a business hub for them to bring in clients and take to meetings in the Galleria in this amazing space,” Alhenkai said.
Shotted currently closes at 10 p.m. at Tysons Galleria, but its goal is to eventually extend that to 11 p.m., which would be the same weekday closing time as the Tysons Corner Center location.
Rich Dinning, Tysons Galleria’s senior general manager, calls Shotted “a great addition” to the mall for “bringing a new warm community feel” as well as “a wide variety of premium drinks and desserts.”
“Our customers can enjoy their favorite cup of coffee with a friend or while they shop our iconic collection of tenants,” Dinning said in a statement.
The addition of a second location is just the start of Alhenaki’s plans to expand Shotted, first to other parts of the D.C. area, and then, nationwide. Though no specific sites have been identified yet, he says the business is “aiming for the Arlington area, D.C., and such.”
“We are working on that expansion strategy to make it happen in 2024,” he said.
Martinis will be shaken and stirred across the D.C. area in the week following Thanksgiving.
That’s when more than 85 restaurants and bars around the region will celebrate D.C. Cocktail Week, an annual promotion organized by Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) that will begin on Nov. 28 and end on Dec. 5 — the 90th anniversary of Prohibition’s repeal.
“Enjoy cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages paired with food bites, cocktail classes, tasting dinners, happy hours, and other happenings at restaurants throughout the region,” RAMW said in a press release.
While the festivities are mostly focused on the District, the line-up of participants includes two based in Tysons: Jiwa Singapura in Tysons Galleria (1702u Galleria at Tysons II) and Wren in Watermark Hotel (1825 Capital One Drive) at Capital One Center.
Opened in September 2021 as part of the hotel, Wren serves Japanese cuisine and hosts a full bar with wine, beer and cocktails. For D.C. Cocktail Week, the restaurant will pair tuskune — a grilled chicken thigh meatball skewer with housemade tare and poached egg on the side for dipping — with “It’s been oolong time” — a roku gin cocktail mixed with smoked oolong tea, strawberry cocchi rosa and lemon oil, according to the campaign website.
Jiwa Singapura is participating in the seven-day promotion for the first time since it opened at Tysons Galleria on Feb. 15. The Singaporean restaurant from chef Pepe Moncayo hasn’t revealed its featured pairing yet.
To try other newcomers, Fairfax County residents can hop across the Arlington border for Clarendon eatery Bar Ivy and Sabores Tapas Bar in Penrose, or across the Potomac River for AIR Restaurant & Lounge, Casta’s Rum Bar, Code Red, DC Capitol Square Bar & Grill and more in D.C.
“Special events and in-house happenings will take place throughout the week including special happy hours and cocktail making classes being added daily,” RAMW says, though the calendar currently only lists D.C. events.
Instituted on Jan. 17, 1920 after the ratification of the 18th Amendment, Prohibition banned alcohol sales ostensibly in an attempt to reduce domestic violence, poverty and other social issues, though rampant anti-immigrant sentiments were also a driving force.
The move instead fueled more drinking and dragged down the hospitality and entertainment industries, giving rise to a black market of bootleggers and organized crime. Deemed a failure, Prohibition was repealed on Dec. 5, 1933, though its legacy as a period of expansion for U.S. policing continues to have consequences.
Tysons Galleria’s commitment to serving up high-end retail continues with the recent arrival of three new clothing stores.
A boutique from Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana is now open on the second floor near Balenciaga, the mall announced earlier this week on Instagram.
Measuring 4,004 square feet in size, per Fairfax County permits, the store sells handbags, shoes and other accessories. It also offers tailoring and styling services, along with complimentary soft drinks, according to the store website.
This is Dolce & Gabbana’s second Tysons location, joining a boutique inside Nordstorm at Tysons Corner Center.
Tysons Galleria has also added Alo Yoga, which made its Virginia debut with an opening on Sept. 15. Located on the first floor near Sweetgreen, the store sells clothes, sneakers and other yoga-related accessories, such as mats and towels.
Founded in Los Angeles in 2007, the company says it aims to create comfortable yet stylish clothes that are equally suited for working out or walking down the street. Its website includes photos of celebrities like model Gigi Hadid and singer Taylor Swift sporting its outfits.
Alo offers yoga classes at some of its stores, including one in Georgetown. The Tysons Galleria store doesn’t have a studio, but it will host events, according to a press announcement.
“Try on the latest styles and experience luxe, signature fabrications and exceptional fits in-person, or attend our in-store community events to learn more about wellness practices from breathwork to ear seeding with experts,” the company said.
Finally, the knitwear-focused fashion house St. John opened a boutique at Tysons Galleria yesterday (Thursday), a public relations representative for the mall confirmed.
The boutique operates from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Founded in 1962 and headquartered in California, St. John has just 33 stores worldwide, but its clothes are also sold through other retailers. The company’s products can be found in Tysons Galleria’s Neiman Marcus and at Nordstorm and Bloomingdale’s in Tysons Corner Center.
Located at 2001 International Drive, Tysons Galleria is typically open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
The area around Tysons Galleria (8025 Galleria Drive) might be a little livelier than usual as Cirque du Soleil brings a new nature-themed show to Tysons tonight (Wednesday).
The new show, ECHO, launches tonight at 7:30 p.m. and will run every Wednesday-Sunday until Sunday, Oct. 22.
The program launched in Montreal in April but tonight marks the debut of ECHO in the United States.
“Cirque du Soleil is proud to debut its newest Big Top show, ECHO, directed by Mukhtar Omar Sharif Mukhtar,” a release said. “Washington, DC will kick off the U.S. leg of the tour on Sept. 6, 2023. This is the first time in the show’s history that the nation’s capital will host the U.S. premiere.”
The program features the usual mix of acrobatics and vocals, with a fantasy-themed storyline.
“Creation should always be at the heart of Cirque du Soleil, and one of our biggest excitement anchors itself in our ability to deliver a new show to our audience,” Mukhtar said in the release. “ECHO will push the values of connection, inspiration and the power of intention.”
Ticket prices vary by seating, ranging from $44 tonight and $64 on weekends to $199 front-row seats.
Three people arrested for recently attempting to shoplift from Saks Fifth Avenue in Tysons Galleria were part of an “organized retail theft crew” based in Philadelphia, Fairfax County police say.
The three individuals — one man and two women — were seen picking up “multiple high-end handbags and other luxury merchandise” at the store on July 13, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
Officers with the department’s Tysons Urban Team (TUT) had tracked the trio to the store after getting a tip from Sak’s Fifth Avenue’s regional loss prevention team that their vehicle — a gold Chevrolet Impala with Pennsylvania tags — had just left the company’s Chevy Chase store.
“With this information, TUT officers utilized [license plate reader] technology and learned that the vehicle had entered Virginia and was in the immediate vicinity,” the FCPD said. “The vehicle was located and observed by TUT units heading in the direction of Saks Fifth Avenue in McLean.”
After taking merchandise at Saks in Tysons, officers saw the individuals start toward the store’s exit without paying, according to police:
The vehicle’s occupants were observed by the TUT team entering the store. Once in the store, they selected multiple high-end handbags and other luxury merchandise and headed toward the exit without paying. When approached by the store’s Loss Prevention team, the two suspects ran. TUT units were already in the area and were able to take one suspect into custody. The other suspect was found in a nearby dumpster after a brief search of the area. The driver of the vehicle was soon located and taken into custody, as well.
The FCPD says approximately $15,000 worth of merchandise has been recovered. Some may be from another retail store that reported a theft by one of the suspects.
All three individuals face charges of grand larceny, larceny with intent to sell or distribute, conspiracy to commit larceny and organized retail theft.
A 26-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, both from Philadelphia, have also been charged with resisting arrest. A 32-year-old woman faces additional charges of drug possession and eluding police by disregarding a law enforcement officer’s signal to stop.
They were all transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and initially held without bond. Fairfax County General District Court records indicate that the man has been released on recognizance, while both women remain in custody.
The women had bond hearings this morning (Tuesday). A preliminary hearing in the case has been scheduled for Sept. 27.
The FCPD has said that organized retail theft — where large quantities of merchandise are taken through theft or fraud with the intent of reselling the goods — has significantly increased over the past year. Police attributed a drop in incidents last month to enhanced enforcement and education efforts as part of a summer crime prevention initiative.
Tysons Galleria may be closer to fully realizing its visions of luxury than ever before after a reportedly successful redevelopment of its former Macy’s store.
Created by subdividing the 260,000-square-foot department store, which closed in January 2019, the new wing is “effectively 100% leased” and has helped expand the mall’s offerings, particularly when it comes to home decor and entertainment, according to owner and developer Brookfield Properties.
“I think the Macy’s redevelopment is a great example of what Brookfield does,” Joe Hope, Brookfield’s senior vice president of leasing, said. “We took a 30-plus-year-old department store and reimagined that into a collection of categories and uses that we felt would be an additive to our merchandizing mix.”
Over the past couple of years, Tysons Galleria has doubled down on the high-end retailers that have cemented its reputation as the upscale cousin to its neighbor across Route 123, Tysons Corner Center.
Recent additions have ranged from fashion brands like Dior and Balenciaga to a slew of furniture stores, including Arhaus and a combined Crate & Barrel and CB2. The renovated wing also hosts Bowlero, the dine-in movie theater CMX CinéBistro and the restaurants, Yard House and Jiwa Singapura.
Though Brookfield didn’t provide specific numbers, Hope says that, so far, the sales performance of those newcomers “has exceeded our and their expectations,” noting that some tenants like Crate & Barrel had relocated from other sites in the area.
“A number of those brands existed in the trade area and just repositioned from prior locations to Tysons Galleria,” he told FFXnow. “Those stores, they’ve reported to us are generating significantly higher sales. So, it really proves the mix of the environment that we created in that wing is working for them.”
Far from being an obstacle, Tysons Galleria’s commitment to luxury retail buoyed it through the economic turmoil spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Hope and Brookfield Senior Director of Leasing Elizabeth Ryan.
In general, luxury brands have been relatively insulated from the impacts of inflation and other financial challenges, with research indicating customer demand across income levels, Retail Dive reported in February.
Whether that continues remains to be seen, as some companies reported slowing sales in late 2022, and a survey by the consulting firm PwC found that 53% of consumers plan to reduce spending on premium and designer products.
Like other malls in urban metro areas, Tysons Galleria took some hits when businesses shut down and office workers shifted to their homes early in the pandemic, but there hasn’t been any “sustained negative impact,” Hope says. Read More
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