Alexandria Living Magazine
Patrons of the Belle View Shopping Center will notice the stretch of empty or boarded up shops and restaurants on the eastern side of the complex. The businesses have been closed since Oct. 21 when a six-alarm fire ripped through the center causing an estimated $5.8 million in damages.
Investigators say the fire started in the kitchen of one of the businesses but would not specify which one. Yido Sushi and Ramen, which had opened only one week before the fire, and Belleview Cleaners-Launderers bore the brunt of the damage. Both businesses are boarded up with signs saying the site is under investigation. It is uncertain if these businesses will reopen.
The stores Eagle and Empire Game Shop and Alexandria Music Company and restaurants Bread & Water Company, Taste of India and Dunkin' Donuts were damaged but managed to reopen within a month after the fire.
The businesses that remain closed are listed below with updates on reopening plans.
Spokes, Etc.
Steve Beheler, manager of the Belle View location of Spokes, Etc., said it would be some time before the popular bike shop would reopen.
“The shopping center is going to need a new roof on portions of that side of the building, including over our unit, and then our entire space needs to be completely gutted to an empty shell before any rebuilding even starts,” Beheler explained.
He went on to say that the shop is hoping to reopen by this May but it was dependent on a number of factors, including insurance companies for all the affected businesses, scheduling and Fairfax County permitting.
The point that Behler wanted to stress most is that Spokes, Etc. in Belle View is definitely reopening. “We've been in that location for 20 years now and have no plans on going anywhere else.”
Spokes, Etc. has continued to host weekly bike rides from the Belle View location Sunday afternoons.
Wine and Design
A representative for Wine and Design said that that there are plans to reopen the Belle View location sometime this spring, but that this was dependent on the many parties involved in getting the shopping center operational again.
Despite the fact that the studio is closed, the business is still operating on a smaller scale, including hosting weekly public classes at a nearby restaurant — Java Grill — and accepting private party events at offsite locations such as homes, offices and recreation centers.
Golftec
Phil Bowers, Center Manager for the Belle View Golftec location, reiterated the same story told by other businesses in the shopping center. Many factors are outside of their control but the plan is to reopen the location in late spring or early summer.
Coaches for the Alexandria store have been offering limited lessons out of the Golftec Tyson’s Corner location, and in 2-3 weeks they will be opening a temporary, full-service location in the Alexandria Commons Shopping Center on Duke Street until the Belle View location is repaired.
Roy Rogers
A representative for the Roy Rogers restaurant chain said that the popular Belle View franchise plans to reopen in June at the earliest, but that this was subject to change based on a number of various factors outside of the franchisee’s control.
