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Biz Bites: Mall lands restaurants; local Ritz stores closing
Two restaurants recently signed leases for space at Potomac Run Plaza, across from the Northern Virginia Community College Loudoun Campus.
A restaurant called Bistro Bistro will occupy the old That's Amore space, which closed a year ago, while Sterling's popular Hooked on Seafood will move into the building once home to the Pacific Rim restaurant, which closed last summer.
Hooked is now located at Great Falls Plaza in Lowes Island. Owner Doug Palley said the move, which should occur by August, will give the restaurant an additional 7,000 square feet of room. There will be space for private rooms, live entertainment and at least 100 seats for outdoor dining.
“Given the economy, it might be a risk,” Palley said of the move. “But we think it is worth the gamble.”
The two signings cut into what was a significant amount of vacant space at Potomac Run. Still available is a 33,000-square-foot space that previously housed a Circuit City and a 5,900-square-foot space left vacant when the local Barbeques Galore went bankrupt, according to mall owner Kimco Realty Corp.
Ritz closing local stores
Photography retail giant Ritz Camera Centers Inc. is closing more than 300 of its stores nationwide, include several in Loudoun.
Branches in Sterling, Ashburn and Leesburg are among the local stores the company is shuttering.
Liquidation sales began April 4. The company wants to sell off more than $50 million in inventory.
Founded in Beltsville, Md., in 1918, Ritz grew to become the country's largest supplier of photography products, equipment and services. At one point, it had more than 800 stores.
In a statement, the company said the nation's “financial troubles” are forcing it to close nearly half of its stores.
All told, 20 Ritz stores in the Washington region will be shuttered.
The company filed for Chapter 11 in February.
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