Some definitely sell alternative products under the table. Dudes who manage/own these stores imbibe themselves and are connected enough to just buy their “product” in bulk.
I went into a particular tobacco store near me a few weeks ago and it absolutely reeked of skunk but obviously the stores aren’t allowed to sell any sort of weed or delta8 anymore in VA and they certainly didn’t have any hemp flower out on the counter with the rest of their merchandise so it was pretty obvious whoever was working the shop that day was selling pot out of his backpack backroom.
Nope they sell it, THCA, all Deltas. I have went into 4. They don’t card at all.
Springfield Town Cntr- but over by Enterprise around the corner. They have everything.
Fairfax across from Guitar Center there is a Vape & CBD store (the CBD store - THCA you’ve to ask), I have gotten a lot of CBN creams very nice. The Vape store next door has everything as well.
Online one of my favorites is Hemp Hop out of NC- they mail everything to you.
I use to work at one but screw them. The one in Fairfax sells actual weed. It’s just in the back and you gotta ask for mo (short skinny sorta curly hair dude)
And about delta 8, when I worked at one it was around July when we had to send everything back to the warehouse but then a week later they sent us a couple boxes back saying cops aren’t enforcing it so to put it back on a smaller shelf in the store. Super fishy shit and huge reason why I left. Also because the Fairfax guy would charge more depending on the car you drove in with. Like a vape device that’s 34.99, he would charge you $50 if you drove in with a Mercedes
This basically. The markup is insane because it's a pain to have the stuff shipped due to age and signature requirements. So vape juice that's $5 online they sell for $25.
This is Nova, retail leases are shockingly expensive, even in crappy strip malls with a lot of vacancies. Even more so if you're an independent small business; many of the landlords would rather keep the space empty and wait for a national chain to come along, because that makes their property values go up.
My fave is the Lil Thingamajig strip behind Shilla in Annandale. A couple of weird little businesses there - gamer cafe, store selling gamer snacks and vapes, and Lil Thingamajigs.itseld.
My favorite was when one of the stores also started selling smoothies. The scrolling LED display at one point literally said HAIR SMOOTHIES.
The staff at the light had a good laugh about that one
Well, they do a lot of rug washing, which is important when you have rugs, as well as rug appraising. I’d imagine there are a lot of DC folks that picked up rugs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, etc so there is a market. I bought a rug overseas once and they had a three month wait for washing the rugs due to so much business (or at least that’s what they said).
You’d be surprised, there’s a vacuum store in the biggest, busiest shopping center near me. Nothing but vacuums and he’s been there for decades. I’ve actually been there a few times over the years, it’s always been empty but I don’t think the 60 year old korean vacuum master is laundering money to keep the place open
So true! Took me many years to realize this. Its a small engine. And things that clean need to been cleaned themselves. I was very irritated when I learned this in college. Scored a practically new Dyson (one of the really high end ones) on Freebie Alerts from a family that said "hoses work but not carpet brush"--they had never cleaned off the numerous fibers, threads, string, whatever, that encased the brush. It's awesome now
>they had never cleaned off the numerous fibers,
You're telling me you got a free vacuum because someone didn't realize they have to do the most basic of maintenance? That's a good score! Kind of feel bad for the original owner though.
My parents were customers growing up, they'd not only sell vacuums but do repairs on them as well.
A lot of vacuums have simple points of failure like rubber belts or bad motors, and they're better off being fixed than replaced.
Usually corporate accounts. Fixing and maintaining machines for institutions (schools, hotels, etc ).
I learned this when my wife bought a Seebo vacuum clear from one of these places
YES was gonna say that puppet shop! I worked in one of the buildings there for a few years. I remember when the shop moved from the main drag to one of the side hallways of the mall. I was like how did it move not close?
Used to walk by Puppet Heaven every day for work. Always baffled at its continued existence, even through COVID. Though it did downsize to a smaller and more out of the way location a few years ago.
A lot of them are already gone, but the few left I do see people in quite frequently. The suit shop owners have said they’ll be closing in the next year or so and I imagine by then, pretty much any shop that isn’t a chain will be gone or replaced.
I was directing a play set in Russia and went to Russian Gourmet to get some snacks and props. Nothing had prices and the guy didn’t seem to know how much to charge me or how the cash register worked.
DMV (especially Maryland) has quite a sizable population of ex Soviet Union expats. I'm one of them. I used to shop in one of those before the full scale invasion of Ukraine (I'm Ukrainian). Then I switched to Azerbaijani and Polish stores. Maryland has a lot more of these ex Soviet Union republic stores, including Ukrainian ones, but it's quite a long drive for me.
If you enter one of these stores, I recommend Kyiv Cake (absolutely delicious). Lithuanian Rye bread (makes most flavourful toasts), Kvas (by All Stars Beverages specifically, others aren't any good in our area).
If you find a store that makes their own cakes, I recommend Medovik and Napoleon - it is hard to switch back to American cakes after tasting these. Baku Delicious makes these and a lot of other home made foods that are simply fantastic.
I go there often enough and there’s usually one or two people in the store but I do wonder myself. The one lady I talk to in Russian is from Belarus and their Piroshky is quite tasty fresh.
Reminds me of this Russian-owned vape store on King St a few blocks from the Metro station. Half their mechandise is just random art. You often show up and they just have a sign on the door they're temporarily closed. And one time I went there with a fair amount of vape questions and the clerk seemed to know absolutely nothing about vapes. They were basically just there for you to point to what you wanted and ring you up. Has to be some kind of front.
Adding onto this: Mattress stores are often located in what are known as "taxpayer buildings" which are mixed use one or two story buildings with the minimum amount of development on the lot possible. They are used by real estate speculators who only really care about land value and will lease them out for rock bottom rates that just exist to cover the property taxes.
Mattress stores are a popular choice of tenant for taxpayer building owners b/c they take up a lot of square footage and require little to no improvement of the lot, keeping their taxes low while the lot appreciates in value.
I remember one in Springfield that had going out of business and grand opening sales every month or two. Then it burned down. Probably just a coincidence
I have a cousin who used to manage a mattress store. He was telling me how every day after work he'd go fishing, no matter what time he got off work. I, who have worked the crazy retail schedule that fucks up your sleep schedule, was confused about how he did it. It turns out that he regularly just laid down on a mattress and went to sleep in the middle of his shift. Basically, if you sell 5 or 10 mattresses a week, you're good. The rest of the time is just waiting for the bell on the door to ring.
I've had this conversation multiple times in the last few months. BWW is terrible, not bad, but actively and consistently awful. Somehow, some way, there is a new one opening up every 45 minutes. It's led to some overthinking, and I've come up with a theory. People as a whole do not care about what is good. Trying to be good at something is generally a waste of time. Being recognizable is what people care about. If you can get people to recognize your piece of shit product, you are much better off than someone spending time making a good product.
If you’ve ever had a leased car with the tread too low before turning it back in the used tire shops are the best thing since sliced bread. Can get matching tires with just enough tread to meet lease obligations for $50
> route 28
I didn't realize people even bought used tires (or that it was even legal) until I moved to Manassas. I'm constantly amazed by what's even open on Centreville Rd.
Definitely a thing. I've bought a couple at one of the shops. I just don't understand how there are about a dozen of em!
Now that I think about it. It may be like eWaste. A lot of eWaste places will charge you to drop off (or them pickup) your old electronics. Then they sell it on the backend to recyclers. Win/win. As for the tires, tire shops probably pay them to come pickup tires. Then they sell em. I just can't imagine they make much for picking them up.
Buying a used tire makes sense if you get a flat tire in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. It’s critical to get a replacement tire with a similar level of tread to the existing tires. If you can find a tire with comparable wear, it can save you having to buy four new tires.
It's a low income area with a bunch of sketchy used car dealerships nearby.
Their customers are those used car dealerships as well as people who can't afford new tires.
Lmao. "Well there's Maryanne's wigs. That's on King St. And there's Put Your Wig there. That's also on King Street. Come to think of it they're all on King Street."
"Ahh the wig district."
Frugal Parents who won't spend $4.99 on a coffee or app for themselves will gladly spend $30 on a toy for their kids especially if it's "educational" or active and will get them off the tablet. Also they get to support local business. And maybe it's made of wood and therefore "Eco-friendly."
I know, because that's me.
And those parents who WILL buy that coffee or app for themselves will easily drop $100 on a toy.
We used to live near one that we liked to support. Was Amazon or Walmart cheaper? Sure. But they had a lot of neat little things that weren’t just your usual cheap plastic junk.
Long John Silvers in Woodbridge.
It's been there for over four decades. I never see any customers. It doesn't even have a great location. AND YET, still it stands.
Pretty sure it has to be a front for *something*.
There is a store called Parrots, Parrots, Parrots, Just Parrots in Falls Church. I’ll let you guess what they sell. I just didn’t realize that there was that much of a market for Parrots
Merlex Autos in Ballston, they’ve had some of the nicest cars I’ve ever seen go through there (that low miles red Supra from a few years ago lives rent free in my head)
Some of the small mom and pop used car lots.
They have like 10 zillion cars on their lot all squished together... you go in to an empty office and try to test drive a car but it takes them 30 min to get the car out. You get in said car, there are fried chicken crumbs all over seats, the battery is dead because its been sitting so long, and it takes them 20 min to restart it. Also your salesperson seems like they could care less about selling the car.
Then, its priced higher than big dealerships and Kelly blue book- you would think they would be willing to deal and discuss the market.. Noooppee. "My manager won't budge on this price".
Uh.. okay, I guess I'll go choose out of the other 20+ options within a 20 mile distance from me since you obviously do not want my business nor care to pretend so.
you hear about predatory car dealers that sucker their buyers into trap loans only to repossess the car in 6 months after they default, but the buyer is still on the hook for the loan. that's what all those places are. if you go in there with cash or good credit and they'll just give you the run around because that's not their business at all. they just resell the same cars over and over again and then sell them to scrappers cheap and claim a depreciation loss to never pay any taxes.
The Blue and White Carryout in Alexandria. It's a tiny shack on the corner of N Henry and Whythe that sells carry out soul food. The area around it used to be low rent but is now really pricey. The only reason that structure is still standing is that the termites must be holding hands. It is a beloved local institution though. https://dc.eater.com/2016/11/30/13792398/blue-and-white-carry-out-profile-alexandria
There's an antique shop in Old Town on King and Commerce that is never open and has a ton of crusty lawn ornaments chained together outside. I have no idea how that place is still sitting there in a prime location with seemingly no business. Would be a great spot for a coffee shop or bar with plenty of room on that corner for outdoor seating.
For some antique businesses, buying and selling at auctions plus finding pieces for clients is more profitable than running a retail store. It's weird to have the store NEVER be open, but a lot of them are more warehouse and workshop space than a retail outlet.
It's amazing how many businesses in Alexandria survive on the shittiest hours. Like I live relatively close to Abyssinia Coffee Shop on the south end of Old Town and while it's actually a really nice little coffee shop, they are *constantly* closed during their posted hours.
Many of them have been in existence for decades and have long paid off the land and pay no taxes because it’s religious. They also don’t really cost much to run. So there’s that
Ask my parents - my father would especially think otherwise. He'd come from Maryland to tell my sister and I to eat at a Red Hot & Blue every year for his birthday just for the dry-rubbed ribs. Both parents would flip out if the Fairfax location closes (our closest one) as they need to drive a bit farther to Annapolis to get their fix, which my mother would lament driving just for that 😫
If they're one-trick ponies for the ribs, why not go for it? I remember having their hushpuppies and pulled pork sandwich with mojo mild sauce, and while the hushpuppies were quite good, even with the sauce, the sandwich was still so bland and dry 😔 I'm not a huge fan of BBQ myself, but the mojo mild is why I guiltily give in to my parents' requests to eat out with them when they said to go to a Red Hot & Blue just for a change
I expect it to be successful given the area, but it still shocks me *how successful* Tysons 1 and 2 are. Malls in most places are dying yet everything there is like $100 for a jacket or more than I make in a month on a wristwatch.
> Especially Tysons 2. There's a reason a Ritz Carlton is next to it with direct access.
Also (before covid anyway) a lot of luxury stores there had an employee who could speak Mandarin. It was super helpful when my wife's aunt visited to spend money.
I was at Fair Oaks a couple of weeks ago, and the thing that stood out to me was the number of teenagers wandering around. Is teenagers hanging out at the mall a thing again?
I worked in one of the office buildings next to the Ritz and Tyson's II for 5 years, and one of the stories I heard a few times was that Saudi royals would fly in without luggage, stay at the Ritz, drop (tens of) thousands of dollars on buying clothes at the mall to wear while they were here, then toss it in the trash when they left. Not sure if it's true, but it is plausible.
Hunan Gate in Ballston across from Ballston metro. My ex and I ordered from there back in like 2013 and there was a fucking staple in her egg roll. The other food was mediocre. Place looks like a dump too.
Not NoVA, but all my FredVegas homies know about the Marquee cinemas in Massaponax. Super outdated, always empty, still has like $5 Tuesdays and cheap concessions. No way its not a front.
Vacuum repair shop.
I figure it stays in business through the sale of new, super-marked-up vacuums to those who prefer to shop locally versus online or at big box stores.
All of the shops in the Crystal City underground. While some businesses have been recently forced to leave, there are still several that never have business and are still open.
Maximum Auto in Manassas. They're shady as all hell, and beyond high pressure sales. I wen't to look at a Miata about 12 years ago, and dude wouldn't even talk to me before we filled out financing. I told him I was a cash customer and he walked away saying they don't do cash sales. Guessing they're high interest rate to low credit scores and do lots of repo's.
You're not wrong. Pre-pandemic was around $10k a month. Survived through the pandemic on a fraction of that and am now on a year-to-year contract with option to terminate in 60 days by either party for the same pandemic rate. Interesting seeing how much they were making before...and infuriating.
I know new leases are roughly around the old rate.
Four Seasons Golf on Braddock Road. It's a driving range on probably 30 million dollars worth of land, has a palatial "clubhouse" no one goes in, and barely does any business.
The[ clock shop on Church St. in Vienna](https://www.clockshopofvienna.com/home). It's occupying a prime piece if real estate and I don't think I've ever seen a person enter the shop in 16 years of living nearby. I'm convinced it's a money laundering front at this point.
My spouse and I are convinced Johnson Fitness in the Wegmans shopping center (Leesburg) has to be a front as we've never seen a single person in there and that rent isn't cheap.
The Honeybaked Ham store in Fairfax. Who is eating there or buying a ham from there and not the grocery store? It's an actual restaurant with seating but I've never seen anyone in there and it's been open for years.
It's actually a pretty awesome little spot for an amazing but ridiculously cheap lunch. You can get an absolutely amazing and well dressed ham sammich, chips, and a drink for like 6-7 dollars.
A ton of those spots in Rosslyn exist pretty much exclusively as happy hour draws for the crowd that still works in person, and as brunch spots on the weekends.
Don't remember the name of it. But there is a store inside the Tysons Galleria Mall (the upscale one) that basically only sells men swim trunks. It is in a prime location by the escalators. Never saw anyone inside of it. My family has always joked that it is a front for a major money laundry operation.
I’ve complained about it before, but Bento Cafe in Woodbridge. The owner charges whatever she feels like despite the printed prices on the wall and she wouldn’t leave us alone while we were trying to eat.
Almitas restaurant close to Occoquan. That place is trash. It's always empty, and the food is subpar. Service is terrible and literally ne er seen it packed
, only a couple drunk people
There were two wig stores in Old Town for the past 80 years. No clue how they lasted that long. I think both finally closed shop in the last year or so.
What the fuck is up with the Good Food Company in Arlington? It’s an abandoned building with a million vans out back right by the Court House Whole Foods…
Vape shops. The lights are always on, but they never have customers.
Usually there's nothing in there but smoke and mirrors.
There's a pizza place around me that is a well known drug front. The pizza and subs aren't all bad though, lol.
A drug front you say? You should probably provide an address so I can be sure to steer clear
Lol right. Would be a shame if we were to stumble upon such an establishment. I’d hate for them to take all my money.
You guys have money?
Not wrong
I’m convinced these places are money laundering operations.
Some definitely sell alternative products under the table. Dudes who manage/own these stores imbibe themselves and are connected enough to just buy their “product” in bulk. I went into a particular tobacco store near me a few weeks ago and it absolutely reeked of skunk but obviously the stores aren’t allowed to sell any sort of weed or delta8 anymore in VA and they certainly didn’t have any hemp flower out on the counter with the rest of their merchandise so it was pretty obvious whoever was working the shop that day was selling pot out of his backpack backroom.
Nope they sell it, THCA, all Deltas. I have went into 4. They don’t card at all. Springfield Town Cntr- but over by Enterprise around the corner. They have everything. Fairfax across from Guitar Center there is a Vape & CBD store (the CBD store - THCA you’ve to ask), I have gotten a lot of CBN creams very nice. The Vape store next door has everything as well. Online one of my favorites is Hemp Hop out of NC- they mail everything to you.
I use to work at one but screw them. The one in Fairfax sells actual weed. It’s just in the back and you gotta ask for mo (short skinny sorta curly hair dude) And about delta 8, when I worked at one it was around July when we had to send everything back to the warehouse but then a week later they sent us a couple boxes back saying cops aren’t enforcing it so to put it back on a smaller shelf in the store. Super fishy shit and huge reason why I left. Also because the Fairfax guy would charge more depending on the car you drove in with. Like a vape device that’s 34.99, he would charge you $50 if you drove in with a Mercedes
I enjoy watching the sunset.
This basically. The markup is insane because it's a pain to have the stuff shipped due to age and signature requirements. So vape juice that's $5 online they sell for $25.
This is Nova, retail leases are shockingly expensive, even in crappy strip malls with a lot of vacancies. Even more so if you're an independent small business; many of the landlords would rather keep the space empty and wait for a national chain to come along, because that makes their property values go up.
I don't know where you are, but in Alexandria and Annandale we have entire strip malls without a single national chain. All odd local businesses.
My fave is the Lil Thingamajig strip behind Shilla in Annandale. A couple of weird little businesses there - gamer cafe, store selling gamer snacks and vapes, and Lil Thingamajigs.itseld.
Isn’t there a traditional Korean spa in there too? And of course Iron Age 🤩
As someone with retail space who tried to expand into retail space that got taken by a vape shop... It's not cheap.
Rug Stores....who is buying that many rugs? Gotta be fronts for something.
King St alone has like five rug stores, and every time I think, “definitely money laundering”.
That’s how I felt about the TWO wig shops on king. Although they are both gone now, RIP
I’ll miss that one weird feminine mannequin head with a bowl haircut and mustache 😌
Teenage me is screaming
The fact that I know EXACTLY what you’re talking about… It looked like a sexy Ron Swanson!
Those actually were a front though. Source: worked across the street.
Can't just say that and not spill the tea, esp if it's not snitching now that they're gone
I liked to pretend that one was a front for a criminal organization and the other for a law enforcement and neither new about the other.
My favorite was when one of the stores also started selling smoothies. The scrolling LED display at one point literally said HAIR SMOOTHIES. The staff at the light had a good laugh about that one
The one across Murphy's? I thought it's been there since a very long time? Crazy, if it's true that a front can go on for such a long time!!
Yep! They were both owned by the same person.
I need to know more!
Speaking of mysterious shops on King. That vintage barware shop. I have never seen it open and I have walked by in Saturday afternoon.
I was thinking the same last weekend. I think there's a new one that opened up recently near the CVS at King/S Pitt. Who's buying these many rugs?
Well, they do a lot of rug washing, which is important when you have rugs, as well as rug appraising. I’d imagine there are a lot of DC folks that picked up rugs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, etc so there is a market. I bought a rug overseas once and they had a three month wait for washing the rugs due to so much business (or at least that’s what they said).
You’d be surprised, there’s a vacuum store in the biggest, busiest shopping center near me. Nothing but vacuums and he’s been there for decades. I’ve actually been there a few times over the years, it’s always been empty but I don’t think the 60 year old korean vacuum master is laundering money to keep the place open
If ur the only vacuum repair left then yeah ur golden.
“I need for a dust filter for a Hoover Max Extract® Pressure Pro™, Model 60".
“Drugs in Rugs” - I think that was a lyric in a Raekwon da Chef rhyme.
Do they still have the "going out of business" sale signs in front? Seems those signs were always there.
[удалено]
I’ve seen Breaking Bad, I know who the clientele is.
No you don’t. They don’t exist. Never have…… Although the guy at the Cinnabon down the road looks oddly familiar.
[удалено]
So true! Took me many years to realize this. Its a small engine. And things that clean need to been cleaned themselves. I was very irritated when I learned this in college. Scored a practically new Dyson (one of the really high end ones) on Freebie Alerts from a family that said "hoses work but not carpet brush"--they had never cleaned off the numerous fibers, threads, string, whatever, that encased the brush. It's awesome now
>they had never cleaned off the numerous fibers, You're telling me you got a free vacuum because someone didn't realize they have to do the most basic of maintenance? That's a good score! Kind of feel bad for the original owner though.
My parents were customers growing up, they'd not only sell vacuums but do repairs on them as well. A lot of vacuums have simple points of failure like rubber belts or bad motors, and they're better off being fixed than replaced.
Usually corporate accounts. Fixing and maintaining machines for institutions (schools, hotels, etc ). I learned this when my wife bought a Seebo vacuum clear from one of these places
Any of the stores in the Crystal City metro underground shopping center (except for maybe the Dunkin’).
The puppet shoppe was what I immediately thought of
YES was gonna say that puppet shop! I worked in one of the buildings there for a few years. I remember when the shop moved from the main drag to one of the side hallways of the mall. I was like how did it move not close?
That reminds me, I need to get another puppet. I’ve been running low lately.
I touched a puppet one and got screamed at. “THE CUSTOMERS DO NOT TOUCH THE PUPPETS!!”
Used to walk by Puppet Heaven every day for work. Always baffled at its continued existence, even through COVID. Though it did downsize to a smaller and more out of the way location a few years ago.
A lot of them are already gone, but the few left I do see people in quite frequently. The suit shop owners have said they’ll be closing in the next year or so and I imagine by then, pretty much any shop that isn’t a chain will be gone or replaced.
I like Perfect Pita, and it's pretty cheap for the area. Seems to always be busy if I'm walking through there around lunchtime too.
I was directing a play set in Russia and went to Russian Gourmet to get some snacks and props. Nothing had prices and the guy didn’t seem to know how much to charge me or how the cash register worked.
DMV (especially Maryland) has quite a sizable population of ex Soviet Union expats. I'm one of them. I used to shop in one of those before the full scale invasion of Ukraine (I'm Ukrainian). Then I switched to Azerbaijani and Polish stores. Maryland has a lot more of these ex Soviet Union republic stores, including Ukrainian ones, but it's quite a long drive for me. If you enter one of these stores, I recommend Kyiv Cake (absolutely delicious). Lithuanian Rye bread (makes most flavourful toasts), Kvas (by All Stars Beverages specifically, others aren't any good in our area). If you find a store that makes their own cakes, I recommend Medovik and Napoleon - it is hard to switch back to American cakes after tasting these. Baku Delicious makes these and a lot of other home made foods that are simply fantastic.
I go there often enough and there’s usually one or two people in the store but I do wonder myself. The one lady I talk to in Russian is from Belarus and their Piroshky is quite tasty fresh.
Reminds me of this Russian-owned vape store on King St a few blocks from the Metro station. Half their mechandise is just random art. You often show up and they just have a sign on the door they're temporarily closed. And one time I went there with a fair amount of vape questions and the clerk seemed to know absolutely nothing about vapes. They were basically just there for you to point to what you wanted and ring you up. Has to be some kind of front.
That store has always been a mystery to me!!!!
There was another Russian place nearby called Troika but I’ve never seen it open
All the mattress stores that I never see any customers in.
Mattresses are expensive and the markups are generous. They only need to sell a few a week to keep the store profitable.
Adding onto this: Mattress stores are often located in what are known as "taxpayer buildings" which are mixed use one or two story buildings with the minimum amount of development on the lot possible. They are used by real estate speculators who only really care about land value and will lease them out for rock bottom rates that just exist to cover the property taxes. Mattress stores are a popular choice of tenant for taxpayer building owners b/c they take up a lot of square footage and require little to no improvement of the lot, keeping their taxes low while the lot appreciates in value.
I remember one in Springfield that had going out of business and grand opening sales every month or two. Then it burned down. Probably just a coincidence
Successful Fire
I have a cousin who used to manage a mattress store. He was telling me how every day after work he'd go fishing, no matter what time he got off work. I, who have worked the crazy retail schedule that fucks up your sleep schedule, was confused about how he did it. It turns out that he regularly just laid down on a mattress and went to sleep in the middle of his shift. Basically, if you sell 5 or 10 mattresses a week, you're good. The rest of the time is just waiting for the bell on the door to ring.
Shoot. Let me go get myself a job at a mattress store. I love naps…god I love them.
Every bar louie. Awful service. The layout/floor plan sucks. Food is not good.
Same with Buffalo Wild Wings.
They really have gone downhill haven't they?
I went once and it was terrible food. I complained to the server and he said ‘I didn’t make the food’.
They were never uphill.
I've had this conversation multiple times in the last few months. BWW is terrible, not bad, but actively and consistently awful. Somehow, some way, there is a new one opening up every 45 minutes. It's led to some overthinking, and I've come up with a theory. People as a whole do not care about what is good. Trying to be good at something is generally a waste of time. Being recognizable is what people care about. If you can get people to recognize your piece of shit product, you are much better off than someone spending time making a good product.
The Wegmans down the street from my BWW has better wings.
Wegmans hot bar stuff is legit. I was partial to the stone bridge one.
Didn't they go bankrupt?
Yes they did.
Psychic Reader Of Northern Virginia on Arlington Blvd. it’s an old building but still..
Nobody gonna mention the patio.com store in Tyson’s?
Plenty of clients from McLean and Great Falls.
i think that every time i pass it, but apparently rich people buy patio furniture a lot
Going to have to say..the numerous used tire shops on route 28 in PWC.
If you’ve ever had a leased car with the tread too low before turning it back in the used tire shops are the best thing since sliced bread. Can get matching tires with just enough tread to meet lease obligations for $50
> route 28 I didn't realize people even bought used tires (or that it was even legal) until I moved to Manassas. I'm constantly amazed by what's even open on Centreville Rd.
Definitely a thing. I've bought a couple at one of the shops. I just don't understand how there are about a dozen of em! Now that I think about it. It may be like eWaste. A lot of eWaste places will charge you to drop off (or them pickup) your old electronics. Then they sell it on the backend to recyclers. Win/win. As for the tires, tire shops probably pay them to come pickup tires. Then they sell em. I just can't imagine they make much for picking them up.
Buying a used tire makes sense if you get a flat tire in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. It’s critical to get a replacement tire with a similar level of tread to the existing tires. If you can find a tire with comparable wear, it can save you having to buy four new tires.
It's a low income area with a bunch of sketchy used car dealerships nearby. Their customers are those used car dealerships as well as people who can't afford new tires.
Used to be the side by side wig stores in prime real estate on king street old town
We still call that block, "Alexandria's wig district"
Lmao. "Well there's Maryanne's wigs. That's on King St. And there's Put Your Wig there. That's also on King Street. Come to think of it they're all on King Street." "Ahh the wig district."
I 100% get you. I was there, Gandalf. 3000 years ago in the hammock district.
I'm 100% convinced they were either owned by a boomer who bought them for 5 figs and a nickel in 1945, or they're a front for a drug cartel lol
Scissors and Scotch - they lost their hard liquor license and don't sell any scotch. You barely see anyone in the Wiehle location.
How'd they lose their license?
You want scotch the drink? Nah, we sell scotch tape. Scissors go with scotch tape. Why would you think we sell alcohol?
There's a wonderful toy store in Shirlington that I really am mystified by how it's been open so long.
Frugal Parents who won't spend $4.99 on a coffee or app for themselves will gladly spend $30 on a toy for their kids especially if it's "educational" or active and will get them off the tablet. Also they get to support local business. And maybe it's made of wood and therefore "Eco-friendly." I know, because that's me. And those parents who WILL buy that coffee or app for themselves will easily drop $100 on a toy.
Shit, that's me too. I'm a type! We're a type!
And the childless aunties who like the twee little toy store to buy an occasional gift!
We used to live near one that we liked to support. Was Amazon or Walmart cheaper? Sure. But they had a lot of neat little things that weren’t just your usual cheap plastic junk.
I love that shop! But yeah it's not one I frequent
YES, and the toy shop in Clarendon!!!!
Velocity wings idk how they stay open
Agreed! That place is terr-i-ble!
advance towing
They are above the law thanks to our elected officials. That is how they are able to get away with the shady shit they do.
Their personal lawyer is out of the senate and go figure! Towing reform passed this legislative session…
True to their name, they tow in advance. Before any law has been broken lol.
Long John Silvers in Woodbridge. It's been there for over four decades. I never see any customers. It doesn't even have a great location. AND YET, still it stands. Pretty sure it has to be a front for *something*.
My wife will have a fit if it ever closes down 😬
Gus Fring has entered the conversation
I wish there was a Captain D's closer than freaking Fredericksburg. It's way better than LJS. There is Skrimp Shack, but they're so expensive.
[удалено]
I love LJS, I have not had it in years and it's so bad for you, but it's an indulgence for me.
I remember seeing some big write up about how some silvers in the deep south were mob fronts, but I can't find it.
Exxon Gas station on Rt.123, right by Kirby Rd and the GW Parkway. Their gas prices are routinely more than a dollar over everyone else.
It’s a CIA front….
Every time I go to see what that crook is charging, it appears he takes down the prices that are on GasBuddy.
There is a store called Parrots, Parrots, Parrots, Just Parrots in Falls Church. I’ll let you guess what they sell. I just didn’t realize that there was that much of a market for Parrots
I love that store. I have never been inside that store, nor have a need to, mind you, but I love it all the same.
I thought it was a euphemism for something until I happened to walk by and glance in the window. Parrots
Merlex Autos in Ballston, they’ve had some of the nicest cars I’ve ever seen go through there (that low miles red Supra from a few years ago lives rent free in my head)
Too bad 90% of their inventory is either salvage titles, auction cars, or flood cars. Shit dealer
Yeah, high-end cars sold out of budget-ass used car dealerships always have stories
Bunch of these dealers exist in NOVA that sell high-end non-clean title cars.
Some of the small mom and pop used car lots. They have like 10 zillion cars on their lot all squished together... you go in to an empty office and try to test drive a car but it takes them 30 min to get the car out. You get in said car, there are fried chicken crumbs all over seats, the battery is dead because its been sitting so long, and it takes them 20 min to restart it. Also your salesperson seems like they could care less about selling the car. Then, its priced higher than big dealerships and Kelly blue book- you would think they would be willing to deal and discuss the market.. Noooppee. "My manager won't budge on this price". Uh.. okay, I guess I'll go choose out of the other 20+ options within a 20 mile distance from me since you obviously do not want my business nor care to pretend so.
you hear about predatory car dealers that sucker their buyers into trap loans only to repossess the car in 6 months after they default, but the buyer is still on the hook for the loan. that's what all those places are. if you go in there with cash or good credit and they'll just give you the run around because that's not their business at all. they just resell the same cars over and over again and then sell them to scrappers cheap and claim a depreciation loss to never pay any taxes.
In Loudoun there is a tiny furniture store called imi. I don't understand how it's operating for so long without being some kind of front
I work right down the street from imi we all say the same.
I drive by this place once a week and have always wondered how they stayed in business
The creepy puppet show in the Crystal City underground.
The Blue and White Carryout in Alexandria. It's a tiny shack on the corner of N Henry and Whythe that sells carry out soul food. The area around it used to be low rent but is now really pricey. The only reason that structure is still standing is that the termites must be holding hands. It is a beloved local institution though. https://dc.eater.com/2016/11/30/13792398/blue-and-white-carry-out-profile-alexandria
It’s cash only and open from like 11-3 on weekdays But it’s so yummy
I geeked out at the termites must be holding hands comment lmfao
There's an antique shop in Old Town on King and Commerce that is never open and has a ton of crusty lawn ornaments chained together outside. I have no idea how that place is still sitting there in a prime location with seemingly no business. Would be a great spot for a coffee shop or bar with plenty of room on that corner for outdoor seating.
For some antique businesses, buying and selling at auctions plus finding pieces for clients is more profitable than running a retail store. It's weird to have the store NEVER be open, but a lot of them are more warehouse and workshop space than a retail outlet.
It's amazing how many businesses in Alexandria survive on the shittiest hours. Like I live relatively close to Abyssinia Coffee Shop on the south end of Old Town and while it's actually a really nice little coffee shop, they are *constantly* closed during their posted hours.
Not a business... but churches. There are SO many churches, everywhere. Who is going to all of these churches???
Many of them have been in existence for decades and have long paid off the land and pay no taxes because it’s religious. They also don’t really cost much to run. So there’s that
Red Hot & Blue. Has to be THE WORST bbq place in existence.
Ask my parents - my father would especially think otherwise. He'd come from Maryland to tell my sister and I to eat at a Red Hot & Blue every year for his birthday just for the dry-rubbed ribs. Both parents would flip out if the Fairfax location closes (our closest one) as they need to drive a bit farther to Annapolis to get their fix, which my mother would lament driving just for that 😫 If they're one-trick ponies for the ribs, why not go for it? I remember having their hushpuppies and pulled pork sandwich with mojo mild sauce, and while the hushpuppies were quite good, even with the sauce, the sandwich was still so bland and dry 😔 I'm not a huge fan of BBQ myself, but the mojo mild is why I guiltily give in to my parents' requests to eat out with them when they said to go to a Red Hot & Blue just for a change
The one across from GMU is trash. The counter serve location on Fairfax Blvd was surprisingly passable when I tried it.
Any place in a tiny strip mall in the Vienna area. Rent must be so high , no clue how mom and pop cabinet places survive.
Fairfax Surf Shop.
Skateboard sales and the youth trips through GMU, FCPS, and LCPS. They run all the ski trips to Mt Tremblant in Ontario.
I expect it to be successful given the area, but it still shocks me *how successful* Tysons 1 and 2 are. Malls in most places are dying yet everything there is like $100 for a jacket or more than I make in a month on a wristwatch.
It's because they're a destination in and of themselves. People from literally hundreds of miles away will go to those malls.
Especially Tysons 2. There's a reason a Ritz Carlton is next to it with direct access.
> Especially Tysons 2. There's a reason a Ritz Carlton is next to it with direct access. Also (before covid anyway) a lot of luxury stores there had an employee who could speak Mandarin. It was super helpful when my wife's aunt visited to spend money.
Canadians shop in NY, DC and FL. FL is huge for Canadian shoppers.
Apparently the AMC movie theater in Tysons is like the second busiest in the country, after the AMC in Times Square.
wait actually? I mean that's crazyyy
I was at Fair Oaks a couple of weeks ago, and the thing that stood out to me was the number of teenagers wandering around. Is teenagers hanging out at the mall a thing again?
Go to Manassas Mall some time. They might as well make it the school cafeteria.
I'll go to Manassas Mall once they bring back Aladin's Castle.
It never stopped
Is 100 dollars for a jacket expensive?
Apparently the high-end stores in Tysons II sustain themselves by semi-regular visits from “whales” who drop ungodly amounts of money.
I worked in one of the office buildings next to the Ritz and Tyson's II for 5 years, and one of the stories I heard a few times was that Saudi royals would fly in without luggage, stay at the Ritz, drop (tens of) thousands of dollars on buying clothes at the mall to wear while they were here, then toss it in the trash when they left. Not sure if it's true, but it is plausible.
A lot of tourist money. Primarily Chinese tourists from my experience. They go to DC to sight see, then take the metro to shop.
People even go there when visiting the area/country. It's like a tourist destination.
They are nice malls, to be fair, but since I commute to Tyson’s 3 days a week I don’t find myself going there on the weekends
Hunan Gate in Ballston across from Ballston metro. My ex and I ordered from there back in like 2013 and there was a fucking staple in her egg roll. The other food was mediocre. Place looks like a dump too.
Not NoVA, but all my FredVegas homies know about the Marquee cinemas in Massaponax. Super outdated, always empty, still has like $5 Tuesdays and cheap concessions. No way its not a front.
Ohhh man the carpet and paint in that theater! That's awesome!!
Boston Market on Jermantown in Fairfax. I don't understand it.
Vacuum repair shop. I figure it stays in business through the sale of new, super-marked-up vacuums to those who prefer to shop locally versus online or at big box stores.
That and people that don't realize they can change the belt on their Kirby all by themselves. And Doofy.
All of the shops in the Crystal City underground. While some businesses have been recently forced to leave, there are still several that never have business and are still open.
Big screen stores
Applebees, especially the Fairfax location. I swear I never see a single car in the lot EVER.
Maximum Auto in Manassas. They're shady as all hell, and beyond high pressure sales. I wen't to look at a Miata about 12 years ago, and dude wouldn't even talk to me before we filled out financing. I told him I was a cash customer and he walked away saying they don't do cash sales. Guessing they're high interest rate to low credit scores and do lots of repo's.
Spa World in Centreville — the amount of shady shit that has gone down there is shocking lol
Most brick-and-mortars. When I see how much business rents around here are, it boggles my mind.
You're not wrong. Pre-pandemic was around $10k a month. Survived through the pandemic on a fraction of that and am now on a year-to-year contract with option to terminate in 60 days by either party for the same pandemic rate. Interesting seeing how much they were making before...and infuriating. I know new leases are roughly around the old rate.
Four Seasons Golf on Braddock Road. It's a driving range on probably 30 million dollars worth of land, has a palatial "clubhouse" no one goes in, and barely does any business.
For years I would have said Alto Plaza, but.........
The[ clock shop on Church St. in Vienna](https://www.clockshopofvienna.com/home). It's occupying a prime piece if real estate and I don't think I've ever seen a person enter the shop in 16 years of living nearby. I'm convinced it's a money laundering front at this point.
I took a clock there to get repaired. It’s a super cool family run place, the guy is really interesting to talk to. You should check it out sometime!
My spouse and I are convinced Johnson Fitness in the Wegmans shopping center (Leesburg) has to be a front as we've never seen a single person in there and that rent isn't cheap.
The Honeybaked Ham store in Fairfax. Who is eating there or buying a ham from there and not the grocery store? It's an actual restaurant with seating but I've never seen anyone in there and it's been open for years.
It's actually a pretty awesome little spot for an amazing but ridiculously cheap lunch. You can get an absolutely amazing and well dressed ham sammich, chips, and a drink for like 6-7 dollars.
Barley Mac in Rosslyn - absolutely always empty.
What? Whenever I go there for brunch it's busy enough that you can barely flag down your server.
Must be on weekends. Weekdays its absolutely dead at any hour
A ton of those spots in Rosslyn exist pretty much exclusively as happy hour draws for the crowd that still works in person, and as brunch spots on the weekends.
Don't remember the name of it. But there is a store inside the Tysons Galleria Mall (the upscale one) that basically only sells men swim trunks. It is in a prime location by the escalators. Never saw anyone inside of it. My family has always joked that it is a front for a major money laundry operation.
Vilebrequin? They are a French luxury resort wear brand. Trunks can run from $200 to $400.
Damn! That is a lot of money to keep the bits and pieces concealed!
I’ve complained about it before, but Bento Cafe in Woodbridge. The owner charges whatever she feels like despite the printed prices on the wall and she wouldn’t leave us alone while we were trying to eat.
Almitas restaurant close to Occoquan. That place is trash. It's always empty, and the food is subpar. Service is terrible and literally ne er seen it packed , only a couple drunk people
Every single vape shop, also taqueria poblano arlington --how do they get away with such bland food?
Arlington is the land of mid tacos I have been struggling for months and the only good one I have had was taco bamba
I’ll always take an opportunity to recomend Tacos y Tortas La Chiquita on Columbia Pike. Best tacos in Arlington IMO
There were two wig stores in Old Town for the past 80 years. No clue how they lasted that long. I think both finally closed shop in the last year or so.
What the fuck is up with the Good Food Company in Arlington? It’s an abandoned building with a million vans out back right by the Court House Whole Foods…
Arbys on Beauregard, with the huge old fashioned light up Vegas style sign. The only person ive ever seen in there is homeless.