“Not Your Average Joe’s” Restaurant NOT Coming to City

Paper-covered storefront windows at the Spectrum condominium complex on Broad Street for months have advertised a new restaurant locating there early this year – “Not Your Average Joe’s.” But according to a bulletin issued by the Falls Church Economic Development Office, the deal is off due to “serious/complicated financial problems.”

The restaurant’s website confirms the reversal: previously it listed a location in Falls Church as opening soon; now there is no mention of it.

“Not Your Average Joe’s” is a small, New England-based chain with 15 restaurants in Massachusetts and one in Leesburg. The chain enjoyed success building in suburban locations around Boston (the Route 128 area) and apparently had hoped to duplicate that business model in the Washington area.

National Wholesale Liquidators in Liquidation

Despite the Eden Center’s overall booming success, bad luck seems to plague occupants of the largest building in the shopping center. First, the Ames department store went bankrupt. The building was subsequently leased to National Wholesale Liquidators, which now also has filed for Chapter 11. According to the Economic Development Office, the 77,000 square-foot building is expected to be vacated in February. The owner will either release it or replace it with a new building.

Syms Closing: “Why Wait for a Sale?”

Reports that the Syms clothing store at Seven Corners would close this summer just might be premature: the EDO now reports that if a new tenant is not found, Syms may stay awhile longer. The reason for closing is apparently due to a massive increase in rent: Syms had long ago assumed a lease that dates back to 1955 and which currently charges less than $7 per square foot, or 70 percent less than “market rate.”

This City Needs More Pizza Restaurants! . . .

Two more pizza joints may soon open in Falls Church: “Pizzeria Orzo” hopes to open by June in the Tax Analysts office building in Pearson Square, and “Flippin’ Pizza” has signed a lease for 800 Broad Street (the new “Flower Building”) .

. . . Not to Mention — More Banks

And, plans continue to insure that no resident of Falls Church need travel more than 100 yards to reach a bank: BB&T seeks approval for a new building on the site of the old, burned-out, “Chicken Out” restaurant in Falls Plaza, and NASA Federal Credit Union will locate at 1130 West Broad, occupying the entire White & Jackson building. Finally, negotiations continue to locate an (unnamed) bank in the Spectrum building next to Bedo’s leatherworks. (That would be on Bedo’s left side, not to be confused with the new PNC Bank on Bedo’s right side.)

Mixed-use Project Proposed Behind the Broadway

Developer Pirouz Khanmalik/Espinzar has submitted rezoning plans for a 3-story commercial mixed-use project on Park Street behind the Broadway building. The building would contain ground-floor retail including a restaurant and “gourmet store” topped by office condos.

1 Sister Leaving, “2 Sisters Coffee” to Close

The 2 Sisters drive-up coffee shop next to the Post Office is closing because one of the owners is moving away. The property is owned by the city and is earmarked for development as part of the City Center South plans. But in the meantime the City would like to see 2 Sisters stay, and Economic Development staff have been instructed to offer 2 Sisters a reduced rent.