Dogfish Head Alehouse to close in May
Dogfish Head Alehouse in Seven Corners is closing. Its last day is May 15.
A message from the restaurant on social media says “Upon renewal of our lease, we were not able to come to terms with the property owner and as such our time has come to an end.”
Joe Hospital, co-owner of the three Dogfish Head locations – in Fairfax and Gaithersburg, as well at 7220 Leesburg Pike in Seven Corners – offered a few more details.
Saul Centers, the owner of the Seven Corners Shopping Center “raised the rent enough to make it unfeasible to run our business,” Hospital said. Saul Centers declined to share their plans with him, although they told him, “No one is coming in behind us.”
That could indicate the shopping center could be poised for redevelopment. In 2015, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a revitalization plan for Seven Corners designed to spur new investments.
Dogfish Head Alehouse survived the worst of the Covid pandemic, despite losing 75 percent of its business during the first three months, Hospital said.
Related story: Board of Supervisors approves Seven Corners redevelopment plan
This year, the company is at about 70 to 75 percent of its pre-Covid numbers across the three locations. Now the big challenge is soaring food costs, with everything up at least two digits, Hospital said. Some items, such as chicken wings and fresh produce, are up 100 percent.
He said employees will be offered jobs at the other locations.
“We feel fortunate to have had a very good run in Seven Corners, ” he said. “We have a wonderful group of loyal patrons. We’re getting so much community love. We’re very thankful for the people coming in.”
I doubt very much that this alone means redevelopment. Last I checked this is still their most profitable property, and it’s very well leased. It seems more like a rent hike that is coming at an inopportune time for a restaurant business still reeling from the pandemic and now pinched by skyrocketing costs.
The question will be what can come in eventually to replace them? That’s a prime restaurant location, and same factors that affect dogfish are affecting all restaurants. I worry it will be vacant for some time until the market settles.
In any case, very sad to see a local icon go. I’ve had many a luncheon, school fundraiser, and family dinner there.
Not happy about this!
Food quality had gone down in the last 3 or so years… big time.
Guess I’ll have to find another face-pierced waitress to serve me a mediocre, overpriced burger. Wherever will I go?
I know what you mean. There was a place I would go to all the time when I was in the mood to be disappointed. Sadly, the pandemic did them in, and ever since I’ve been searching for another place that I really don’t like to go to. Glad you said something, sounds like I’ll have a chance to get my dose of mediocrity in before they close. I don’t mind the piercings, what I really go for is poor service and crappy food.
Unfortunately, the Saul Center is raising the rent for all the businesses as they come up for renewal to get rid of them, except Home Depot and maybe Giant. The Seven Corners Revitalization Plan is to build high rise apartments on the Seven Corner Center’s land with around 5,000 units and probably more. Some retail stores will be on the bottom of the high rises but will mostly serve the apartments. There would also be a gathering square in the middle of the high rises but it would not really a park for people who don’t live in the apartments. The plan for the Seven Corners Town Center will be on the other side of Route 50 where Willston II Center and part of Willston I is located. There are no plans for mass transportation just redoing the Seven Corners traffic circle for local traffic and a bypass for through traffic. Plans for this development are probably already being drawn up to be submitted to County Planners. Residents are always the last to know. Here is a good article from the Annandale Blog, July 2015, about Seven Corners Revitalization at https://annandaletoday.com/board-of-supervisors-approves-seven/. Also, the redevelopment for the Sears building area is planned to be mainly townhouses with a few retail businesses. It too, is probably being submitted to County Planners after being shown to Supervisor Gross.
Residents must demand Supervisor Gross to let them know when and what developers are planning to do in a timely manner. Developers always go through Supervisor Gross to get her approval before going forward, because she requires them to do that. Unfortunately, she doesn’t show the same courtesy to her constituents. She only informs residents when the development is being advertised for a public hearing and that is after the plan has been decided by the developers and the county planners.
The problem w BCRC is that they have no authority, they are puppets. As for architecture, there isn’t any structures in the BCRC except perhaps for the old Sears Building that qualify as architecture. The BCRC does not have an architect on the board. Just a bunch of people that say yes to whatever Penny tells them to say. It’s an organization to know where, a complete sham.
They do however deserve credit for dressing up Columbia Pike but they have not kept up with maintenance. All the banners have blown down, the trees have been butchered, the paving is deteriorating, there remain many empty lots when developers are scavenging Arlington just south of the BCRC for development properties. From what I hear the developers do not want to touch Mason because of the NIMBYs and Penny Gross.
My understanding is all the 2015 five year plan is gone — it is way over five years. Am I incorrect?
Now there is the new “Five Year Plan”
The provincial land owners just like to destroy our hood by chasing all the businesses out that most of us like for more junk stores.
I hope that this is a plan for a more upscale mixed-use development. That entire shopping center went from being a premier shopping experience in the 1960s to one of low priced junk stores and underutilized land area with a bridge to the slums that no one uses except to defecate.
Mr Saul you can do better. I am certain that you and your family do not patronize that shopping center.
This is terrible news, I’m sorry to hear this. Dogfish is much loved and unique in the area. I hope you consider a new location nearby and bring us great beer, food and service again. Ugh.
https://www.fcrevite.org/baileys-crossroads-seven-corners
And http://www.bc7rc.com
are 2 pretty good resources to know what’s going on up the hill
Progress arrives at Seven Corners disguised as Crystal City, Tyson Corners and any other Erector Set concoction you can imagine. Seven Corners was a landscape blight when it was built on semi-rural open land. Who would have thought it would become the Good Old Days. Dogfish doesn’t matter. The ongoing architectural corruption of northern Virginia does.
I’m sorry to see Dogfish go. It’s a great neighborhood place to gather with friends. I’m not sure why some patrons complained about the food. I always got the fish tacos, both kinds, and they were delicious. Recently, I tried a four cheese pizza with vegetable toppings and it was one of the best pizzas I have ever had.
We will miss you, Dogfish!
Love Dogfish and disgusted that Saul Center is using a huge rent increase to get rid of established restaurants and other businesses for their future interests.
Dogfish is a good alternative to the other restaurants in the immediate area. Sorry to see it go. Enjoyed their pub type offerings.
Back to Arlington and maybe Falls Church city —
Off topic a bit here, but I really hope that the plan for Seven Corners redevelopment includes a transit center for future public transportation. Even though there is no plan for transportation improvement. Just a traffic circle that will be finished in 25 years.
Build rapid transit in Fairfax County.
Also would like to see protections for Eden in any type of redevelopment for Seven Corners. My fear is that redevelopment will end up pricing out Eden.
There is a plan for bus rapid transit from Alexandria through Falls Church to Tysons.
On 7? I was aware of the BRT plans for Alexandria on both the “West End Corridor” and Route 1 through Hybla Valley. Did not know that such a plan for a Route 7 line existed. Very exciting.
If you wouldn’t mind, could you show me any county documents on this? I would like to read them.
I was told by new developers at Skyline that “Mason” does not want Seven Corners to grow. I had been in contact with Saul a few years ago, when I realized that the Chinese restaurant near fifty had been closed. Provided Saul with suggestions–go to the group of restaurants that are referred to as the “Great American Restaurants”, plus other suggestions – no satisfaction. OH, he did say he had a “nice” restaurant possibility-HuH never happened. Residents in Seven Corners/Lake Barcroft area do like other restaurants, than carry out-drive up-UGH. More than five years ago there “was” a “Five Year Plan” that included redeveloping “Sears” area; townhouses/retail, etc.. and “it” got blown off. YES, Seven Corners was “THE” first shopping plaza–exclusive stores–and now look at what has happened–our “Mason District” voted in government. Now of course, how many of the residents attend and participate when there are “Mason District” open meetings? Although, as another writer wrote “owners” are not notified properly either, if at all. Perfect example, the redeveloping in progress at First Christian Church and the Mosque area.
Come to Annandale… if it’s good enough for a brand new chick-filet, it’s good enough for the Dogfish
Until there is new development in Mason District, my advice to Dogfish, if they want to relocate relatively close to Seven Corners, is to look into new developments taking place in the city of Falls Church; or taking a space in Shirlington Village (the former location of Capitol City Brewing), though I question whether their lease rates will be more affordable than what was offered by Saul Centers.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the Cap City location is taken.
Annandale would be a good selection for Dog Fish Ale. There’s a Wendy’s that sits empty for at least two to three years. It’s across from the Annandale Post Office in a shopping center that used to house KMart, which I miss. Chic Filet recently opened on LRT and it’s packed most of the time! Visit Annandale.
Does Saul, whose estimated worth is 3.9 BILLION dollars really need to be raising rents? He does because he and his investors demand a high rate of return on their investments. Most are around 14%. It’s happening all over the DC area. Restaurants that have been around for years are driven out by huge rent increases. I was recently in Miami and read about a new restaurant opening in Miami Beach. The rent was $80,000 PER MONTH. And we wonder why a martini is $24? GREEDY land lords
It makes sense that you are a renter and go to Miami. Lol. Of all places to go!
Really, they’re booting dogfish because they have a plan to redesign the place, and dogfish is in the way. Sad, but the way it goes.
I remember 7 corners when it was a massive indoor shopping mall. It needs a complete redesign. It has been in rough shape for decades.
Beer by the growler at Dogfish was uproariously expensive, and the food was just okay, in my opinion. Still, I am sad to see them go.
Saul is nothing but a slumlord. Just another big fat greedy land owner in Mason who’s mission is to keep this place a dump! Someone should drop this crappy shopping center on his house. I am certain his neighbors would be horrified!
Check out every dumpy 60s shopping center in the DMV. They are mostly all owned by Saul. Retail slumlords go after national low end tenants and screw local biz. Do some googling.