New Pop-up Retail Store “The Alcove” Opens in Rosslyn

Developed by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, the new space combines traditional retail with events to create a unique customer experience

"The Alcove", located at the corner of 19th Street and North Moore Street in Rosslyn, Virginia. (Photo: Business Wire)

ARLINGTON, Va.--()--A new retail concept is opening today in the heart of Rosslyn’s urban core. The space, called “The Alcove,” was developed by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with Capitol Drywall, DAVIS Construction, Gensler, JBG SMITH, Streetsense and Turning the Page, and with support from Arlington County and Arlington Public Library. The nearly 5,000 square foot pop-up store will run through the end of September and will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The Alcove is located at the northwest corner of Central Place with ground-floor entry on North Moore Street—a highly visible area with significant foot traffic directly across from the Rosslyn Metro station. Turning the Page, a local non-profit dedicated to engaging parents in local public schools for student success, is the primary retail element and will sell high-quality used books, CDs and DVDs, with all books under $5.00. With this new space, the organization seeks to build on the success it enjoyed at the Rosslyn Reads! Spring Book Festival in April where it sold over 6,000 books and media and raised more than $20,000—its largest single-day sales ever.

“We’ve done a lot of pop-ups and we were blown away by the support that we received from the Rosslyn community,” said Jason King, president and chief executive officer at Turning the Page. “We knew immediately that we wanted to engage with this community again. When the opportunity to be The Alcove’s primary retailer was presented, we didn’t hesitate to accept.”

Additional vendors and activities will cycle through the space with partner brands including Heidelberg Bakery, JRINK, DCFOODPORN and CorePower Yoga, keeping the experience fresh and exciting for returning customers.

To amplify the pop-up retail concept, the Rosslyn BID is bringing in organizations like SoFar Sounds to host musical performances; the Lemon Collective for DIY workshops; and Arlington County Library to program over 20 events.

“The library is excited to partner again with the Rosslyn BID,” said Diane Kresh, the director at Arlington Public Library. “This private-public partnership enables us to engage with the Rosslyn community in new ways and offer a cross-section of library programs for a wide range of ages and interests—everything from DIY maker programs to story times and author talks.”

In partnership with the Rosslyn BID, there are many community partners donating pro-bono services and materials.

Central Place, managed by JBG SMITH, provided the space for the duration of the event.

“JBG SMITH is pleased to partner with the Rosslyn BID, Turning the Page, and others to bring The Alcove to Central Place,” said Benjamin Spiritos with JBG SMITH Development. “We’re excited for the programming and activation The Alcove will bring to Central Place and it promises to be a wonderful amenity to the community, tenants and visitors to Central Place and the urban core of Rosslyn.”

A group of young designers at Gensler contributed research on retail best practices to help the BID develop The Alcove idea and then provided pro-bono design concepts for the space.

“We started talking with the BID in 2017 about creative ways for them to capture new retail that would serve Rosslyn’s residents, daily office workers and visitors,” said Gensler Principal Bob Peck. “The Alcove puts those ideas on the ground and we’re excited to see how it will enliven the neighborhood and inspire others to bring retail to Rosslyn.”

DAVIS Construction served as the general contractor and led the build out of the space along with Capitol Drywall.

“The Alcove perfectly embodies our community outreach efforts at DAVIS, based in partnership and innovation with a local focus,” said Dennis Cotter, DAVIS principal, in the Washington Business Journal. “Alongside our longtime partners, we’re coming together to take prime street-level real estate and turn it into an accessible public space that will make a lasting impact on the Rosslyn community.”

“Commercial construction is the best example of teamwork outside of sports you can find. This collaborative process has highlighted so many qualities of which we are proud—personalized customer service, creativity and flexibility,” said Jill Sorenson, director of marketing and business development at Capitol Drywall. “We are happy to work alongside so many of our valued partners to support a great community like Rosslyn in its continuing growth efforts.”

Finally, Streetsense is providing retail merchandising and marketing expertise and support.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this project that is so deeply rooted in community and driven by unique experiences,” said Chris Delucchi, managing principal of brand at Streetsense. “With the collaboration of the area’s finest in marketing, placemaking, architecture, construction and more, The Alcove will surely be a memorable treasure for Rosslyn.”

As Rosslyn’s retail and restaurant scenes continue to mature, The Alcove presents an opportunity to be a real driver of economic development in Rosslyn by exposing local businesses and brands to all that Rosslyn has to offer, including its growing residential and business communities.

“The retail sector is changing rapidly. The Alcove is a perfect example of the type of experience-driven store that customers are looking for and that can help drive economic development,” said Mary-Claire Burick, president of the Rosslyn BID. “The collaboration and support from so many partners in our community to make it happen is evidence of our collective commitment to a Rosslyn that offers diverse and exciting opportunities for our residents and employees year around.”

For learn more about The Alcove, including vendors and event times, please visit: https://www.rosslynva.org/alcove

About Rosslyn Business Improvement District

The Rosslyn Business Improvement District provides high-quality, customer-oriented services designed to define, enhance and continually improve Rosslyn for those who work, live, visit and do business here. As a resourceful and collaborative organization, we work in partnership with our key stakeholders and Arlington County to create a welcoming, creative, thriving environment that supports Rosslyn’s residents and a wide range of business types, from innovative start-ups to established Fortune 500 companies and international associations. We take an active leadership role in all that we do, serving as a collaborator, community builder and agent of positive change. For more information, please visit, www.rosslynva.org.

Contacts

Sage Communications (On behalf of the Rosslyn BID)
Andy Fountain
afountain@aboutsage.com

Release Summary

The Rosslyn Business Improvement District to open a new pop-up retail and event space "The Alcove" on August 8.

Contacts

Sage Communications (On behalf of the Rosslyn BID)
Andy Fountain
afountain@aboutsage.com