Letter to the Editor: Lights Out!

The city could do a better job of maintaining the lights along King Street, says Alexandrian Kathryn Papp.

Keeping the streetlights on in Alexandria starts with City Hall’s new Call-Click-Connect system, where like Dorothy going to Oz, you click three times and land in a place that asks you to “call the power company.” The city stays out of the loop and in the happy zone. You’re on your own road to discovery.  Arriving to the historic district by Metro, you may begin your journey to the water by traversing the western end of King Street’s “lights out” district, where night-shuttered businesses and few restaurants create a picture of gothic gloom. It is here, like Pepper and Martin, whose shop is fronted by an unlit streetlamp, you might feel the need to squint. This transylvanian pathway refines the meaning of our award as one of America’s “10 …

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Food Trucks Headed to Alexandria

City Council is expected to consider a proposal in June put together by staff.

Council is expected to consider a legislative proposal in June that would bring food trucks to the City of Alexandria. “It’s a win-win for everybody,” said Rose Boyd, special assistant to the city manager, at a Friday morning small business event hosted by the Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association at St. George Gallery in Old Town. Boyd noted that the city is embarking on new initiatives to ensure Alexandria is small business-friendly and the acceptance of food trucks dovetails with those plans. City staff put together the proposal to go before council, which asked for the plan during a recent retreat. The trucks would be permitted anywhere through city limits 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. and allowed to park for up to four hours at a time …

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900 Block of King Street Closed

Dominion Power replacing a transformer in the area.

The 900 block of King Street between Patrick and Henry streets is closed. Dominion Power is replacing a transformer in the area. A City of Alexandria news alert says the closure is expected to last through Friday night. Motorists are asked to avoid the area. For the quickest updates, "Like" Old Town Alexandria Patch on Facebook and follow @alexandriapatch on Twitter.

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Fibre Space Moving to New Location

The knitting shop offering yarns, classes and much more is staying in Alexandria.

Fibre space, the popular Old Town Alexandria knitting store, is moving. The shop, currently at 102 N. Fayette St., is moving to 1219 King St. On May 16, fibre space is celebrating its new location featuring treats from its new neighbors - La Fromagerie, Sugar Cube and Olio Tasting Room. The festivities run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., according to the fibre space blog. The space was formerly occupied by Bizim Collection, which shuttered recently when the owners decided to move to Turkey. For the quickest updates about Old Town Alexandria small business news, sign up for the Old Town Alexandria Patch email newsletter, Like Old Town Alexandria Patch on Facebook and follow @alexandriapatch on Twitter.

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New Left Turn Restrictions at King and Union Streets

Drivers on King Street headed toward the water can no longer make a left turn onto Union Street.

Drivers take note! New left-turn restriction signs approved by City Council in December have been installed at the intersection of King and Union streets. The restrictions were a recommendation of the Union Street Corridor Study as a pilot project. The intent is to minimize conflicts between pedestrians, vehicles and bicyclists at the intersection. The city will collect data to determine the effectiveness of the restrictions and to measure their effect on nearby roadways. A follow-up report and a decision on whether to make the turn restrictions permanent is expected this fall. For more information about Alexandria, Follow @alexandriapatch on Twitter and "Like" Old Town Alexandria Patch on Facebook.

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Road Closures During Alexandria's St. Patrick's Parade

Expect road closures and detours from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday during the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Old Town Alexandria.

Washington Street will be closed at King Street for the 32nd annual St. Patrick's Day parade in Old Town Alexandria on Saturday.  Traffic will be detoured at Duke Street and Princess Street. King Street also will be closed from Alfred Street to Lee Street. Motorists are advised to use Route 1 as an alternative. The parade itself starts at 12:30 p.m. See a map of the parade route here. Use alternate routes from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The festivities start with a classic car show at 10 a.m., and the Fun Dog Show at Market Square at 10:30 a.m. Saturday’s weather is expected to be mostly cloudy with a high of 44 degrees and a very slight chance of rain.

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Photos: Holiday Decor Along King Street

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Bistrot Lafayette on King Street to Close

The French restaurant and piano bar will close around mid-December, according to its owners.

The French restaurant Bistrot Lafayette expects to close around mid-December, according to an email from the restaurant's owners sent to customers and friends. "It is on a sweet and sour note that I come to you to announce the sale of Bistrot Lafayette restaurant," says the note signed Isabelle and Marie. Laos-born chef Keo Koumtakous and his wife Marie co-owned the restaurant located at 1118 King St. with Isabelle Zorro. "I have been blessed, with Keo and Marie, in being able to create and run the Bistrot for the past ten years, and thanks to you all we  have felt immense joy and pride in it..." writes Zorro. Au revoir.

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Isabelle Zorro

4:25 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Mary, I am sorry about your gift certificate but the sale had to be confidential until last minute for business reasons. However, we made sure the minute we knew the sale was going thru, to email our customers about it and created a great 1/2 price promotion to show our appreciation to our faithful customers, I am sorry to hear you were not on the list. We found ourselves totally overwhelmed in …   more ›

Ritz Camera to Close in October

Store closing is part of broader company restructuring.

Ritz Camera on King Street is closing, a casualty of the parent company filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June. The move comes as brick-and-mortar consumer-electronics stores face hotter competition from online rivals and more people rely on smart phones to take pictures instead of buying cameras and other equipment, according to The Washington Post. The restructuring includes the camera store closing 128 locations and cut its staff of 2,000 in half. Four locations in Virginia, including Old Town Alexandria, are going dark. The Old Town location at 600 King St. expects to operate through mid-October.

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Police Seek Help Identifying Jewelry Theft Suspect

Diamond and platinum ring valued at more than $25,000 went missing from King's Jewelry on July 24.

The Alexandria Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect involved in a theft last month from King’s Jewelry in Old Town. At 3:20 p.m. on July 24, a suspect described as a bald, black male in his 40s standing between 5-foot-10 and 6-1 and weighing approximately 185 pounds entered the business located at 609 King Street. The suspect asked to look at diamond rings and took a platinum and diamond ring valued at more than $25,000.    The suspect had a mustache and was wearing wire-rimmed glasses, an off-white long-sleeve polo shirt, blue jeans and black and brown boots. The suspect also had a tattoo on the left side of his neck that included the words “Sigma Forever” and possibly another word, according to police. …

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