FALLS CHURCH, Va. — As construction of Amazon's HQ2 is paused, three local eateries have announced plans to have locations at the tech giant's development.
Amazon agreed in 2018 to build a headquarters complex in the commonwealth.
Metropolitan Park, or Met Park, is a 2.1-million-square-foot project that will house two 22-story office buildings with 65,000 square feet of retail space for local small businesses.
Despite the pause in work that Amazon announced in March, Amazon is ahead of the pace it outlined when the deal was first announced, which initially anticipated that roughly 5,000 workers would be employed at the new headquarters at this point.
Three popular local eateries have announced plans to open new locations within Met Park.
TAQUERIA XOCHI
The fast-casual Mexican restaurant from veterans of José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup Chef Teresa Padilla and Geraldine Mendoza. The owners were both displaced from their restaurant jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Padilla used that not as a setback but as an opportunity to follow her dreams. With the success of their first location, Padilla says she is ready for a second location at Met Park.
“Our dream when we opened the first Taqueria Xochi location was to bring authentic Mexican food to the D.C. area,” said Padilla. “Our tacos, how they are served, the simple ingredients, and the bold flavors are the same you would find on a trip to Mexico. To launch this second location at Amazon’s HQ2 is an expansion of that dream.”
TOBY’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
If Mexican food isn't your thing, why not try a sweet treat? Toby's Homemade Ice Cream is already popular with residents, with locations in both Arlington and Vienna, Virginia. The shop was recently voted Arlington's Best Ice Cream by Arlington Magazine.
“You know, we present ourselves as your friendly neighborhood ice cream shop. We are ingrained in the Arlington community. When we heard that Met Park’s focus was going to be on giving local community businesses expansion opportunities, we knew it aligned with our philosophy. It goes hand in hand,” said Toby Bantug.
His wife Monina added, “We love to be a part of anything that is positive for Arlington, and Amazon’s vision for the live and work community is, you know, in that direction.”
MAE’S MARKET
Chef and owner Nicole Jones first opened Mae’s Market & Café as an homage to her moth. The café offers a selection of high-quality, made-from-scratch selection of coffee, baked goods, salads and gourmet sandwiches. Customers can also grab meals from a grocery and bodega filled with house-prepared food and pantry items, freshly baked bread, charcuterie and cheese, craft beer, wine, and more.
Jones said she saw an opportunity with Met Park to expand her reach.
“I'm really excited about Amazon’s commitment to including women and minority-owned businesses in Met Park. That approach is very much in line with what our core values are as a company," said Jones. "I'm in the neighborhood business. To be able to extend those values into Arlington from Alexandria, and carry that neighborly experience feels pretty meaningful.”
MoCA ARLINGTON
Looking to burn a few calories after eating at the local eateries? Why not take a stroll through the exhibits put up by the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington (MoCA Arlington)?
This summer, MoCA Arlington will join the Met Park neighborhood with the opening of its Innovation Studio. Visitors will be able to experience the artistic process directly by interacting with artists and making art themselves. Additionally, MoCA Arlington will offer artist talks and other programming and have a retail space for its museum store.
“When the organization was established, one of MoCA Arlington’s founding principles was to connect the community to contemporary art and artists,” said Catherine Anchin, MoCA Arlington Executive Director. “This continues to be the mission that guides us today. Next year, we'll celebrate our 50th anniversary, and our new location in Met Park will help us reach more of the county’s residents and visitors, providing a venue to celebrate the energy and creativity of both artists and the community.”