The Reston Romano’s Macaroni Grill restaurant, located at 1845 Fountain Dr. closed in December 2014. The Reston Spectrum, owned by Lerner Enterprises, is scheduled to undergo a major renovation in the next few years. Photo by Ryan Dunn.
Change is a constant, and although some have remarked change is neither good nor bad, nostalgia is a powerful potion. At some locations, including cafes and eateries, we make memories and recall experiences with friends and relatives. Some business have closed in 2014, among them the Reston Chili’s, which left its Sunrise Valley location on Sunday night, Dec. 28. Chili’s had been located at 11840 Sunrise Valley for almost two decades. The International Center area, where Chili’s was formerly located, is slated for redevelopment with real estate developer JBG Cos.
Where some doors close others open. This has been the case for chef Eduardo Faubert who due to unexpected factors had to close Jasmine Café in 2014, a mainstay of the Lake Anne Plaza dining scene. Although Jasmine Café had been located at Lake Anne for more than 20 years, a dispute with the landlord caused the café to be closed. In the meantime, Café Montmartre, a casual bistro featuring classic French fare, continues serving customers. The restaurant features music and singing events on certain evenings.
In 2015 construction is expected to begin at Reston Lake Anne Plaza. Lake Anne Development Partners LADP, a division of Republic Land Development, was chosen last summer to revitalize the county-owned affordable housing neighborhood. As Lake Anne Plaza has historic designation it will not be redeveloped. Yet retail additions are planned for where Lake Anne Plaza’s current parking lot is located, and developers envision a stronger retail atmosphere.
AT HUNTERS WOODS VILLAGE CENTER in Reston, Unleashed by Petco will shut its doors on Jan. 24. Unleashed’s closing is one of several recent vacancies at the shopping center, owned by Edens. The Dairy Queen located at Hunters Woods closed in September 2014, and several other storefronts have remained vacant for more than a year. The Solar Planet Tanning Salon, located at Hunters Woods Village Center since 1999 closed in August 2014. Based in South Carolina, Edens operates community-oriented shopping places in primary markets throughout the East Coast.
Also in December, the Romano’s Macaroni Grill restaurant, located at 1845 Fountain Drive for nearly 20 years, closed Thursday, Dec. 18 with no notice. Macaroni Grill was acquired by Ignite Restaurant Group in 2013, and branches nationwide have been closed in a cost-cutting measure. The Spectrum, owned by Lerner Enterprises, is scheduled to undergo a major renovation in the next few years. The Spectrum redevelopment could take 10 years to complete. Macaroni Grill was one of the original tenants of The Spectrum, which opened in the mid-1990s.
A FUTURE PLAN for The Spectrum includes 774,879 square feet of non-residential use; 1,422 multifamily residential units (with 12 percent set aside for affordable housing) in seven new residential buildings; 38 percent open space; underground and structure parking; LEED certifications; two new east-west streets and expanded bike trails and pedestrian access. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the overhaul in early 2013.
In July of 2014, Truland Systems, a Reston-based institution described as the tenth-largest electrical contractor in the country, abruptly closed down. Truland Systems had a history in the region, dating back to 1909. Both Nationals Park and the Arena Stage were among its high-profile customers. Unfortunately, the three-generation family business was behind on its debts to hundreds of creditors in the months leading up to its shutdown, and revenue was dragged down by ambitious projects impacted by delays.
Another noticeable change has been when construction giant Bechtel moved office locations from Frederick, Md. to Reston near the Reston Town Center. Reston is home to the Bechtel's government services unit, which does business with the Energy Department, among others. In Herndon, Northrop Grumman Corp. quietly moved out of 104,000 square feet at 2411 Dulles Corner Park in Herndon, relocating employees to another leased building less than a half mile away.
IN HERNDON, Milwaukee's Frozen Custard located at the BB&T Center on Elden Street closed in November. The eatery which served shakes, banana splits and cakes did not advertise their closing, which came as a surprise to many in the area. The currently empty site formerly had toy trains which circled around inside the store. The empty location will be filled with a Duck Donuts franchise sometime in April 2015. Duck Donuts was started out on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, founded by Russell A. DiGilio. In 2006, the first store opened and it became a staple for beach-goers
(Earlier article on businesses changes at Reston Lake Anne Plaza here.)