Lee Heights Shops

Where We Shop: An electric mix of specialty stores, restaurants draw customers to Arlington's Lee Heights Shops

From the Washington Post by Sharon McLoone
Monday, May 3, 2010

TThe Lee Heights Shops stretch across a long block between North Arlington's busy Old Dominion Drive and Lorcom Lane.

They don't go unnoticed. The shops' colorful awnings catch the eye. Even mid-morning on a Tuesday, the front parking lot is full of shiny minivans, sedans and sport-utility vehicles whose passengers have come in search of a tasty treat or a unique retailer, many of which have been in the location for decades.

The 14 shop owners at the upscale strip mall see their shops as "destination stores" -- consumers come here specifically for the special things they sell and services they offer.

A hidden gem is around the back. Waste Knot Needlepoint, celebrating its second birthday this month, is hopping. A group of hobbyists form the weekly Sit & Stitch gaggle, chatting, sipping and stitching their colorful canvases. It's a noisier group than the latte-sipping, newspaper-reading crowd around the corner at Pastries by Randolph.

Marc and Deborah Randolph and Cynthia McLachlan opened Pastries by Randolph in 1988. The elegant café and bakery offers cakes, tea cookies and chocolate mousse, among other things.

Jenny Hood of Arlington leaves the shop swinging a big white pastry box tied with twine in one hand and munching a cookie in the other. "The pastries are perfect and delicious, especially for a special occasion -- like right now," she says, laughing.

Needlepoint shop owner Lori Mazza said her store has done well, even in a tight economy. From Mazza's perspective, "people may need something to do instead of going out on that big vacation," she said, adding, "Needlepoint is a hobby. People will do it." Mazza worked in the insurance industry for 20 years when she decided she'd turn her hobby into a career. She's the only full-time employee and has three part-time staffers.

The Lee Heights owners and managers say they are generally profitable. Arlington County is an affluent area; in 2009 it boasted a median annual household income of more than $102,000.

Barston's Child's Play is wedged in the middle of the block. It's a two-floor store that opened in August 2009. The first floor is crammed with toys, games and textures; the lower level is a children's bookstore. Barston's inaugural store, which opened about 25 years ago and still going strong, is on Connecticut Avenue in Washington. Other locations are in Rockville and Baltimore.

"We take play very seriously," said Liz Tromba, the Arlington store manager. "A mom can walk in here and ask us how does this toy work and if it's appropriate for a certain age."

The store has a few moms and kids poking and playing around, but on Saturdays the customers are almost shoulder to shoulder, Tromba said. They get a lot of traffic from Arlington, but also Alexandria and McLean. The store now employs five full-time and five part-time workers.

"We enjoy being here in this mall," she said. "We don't want to just be a retailer. We offer unique, safe products, and employees live locally. We watch families grow up."

Managers and owners of the stores at Lee Heights meet a couple of times a year to discuss ways to collectively promote their shops.

They plan to hold their first "Taste of Arlington" on May 22, offering face painting, restaurant samples and other store goods.

Bradshaw's Children's Shoes doesn't have food to offer for the event, but plans to showcase what it does well -- footwear. The store's first location was on Old Town Alexandria's King Street, where it was founded in 1834. It's been in the Arlington location since 1992.

Store owner Jackie Blumenthal's father-in-law bought the store from the Bradshaws some years ago.

"We have tremendous community support here," she said. "Most Arlingtonians understand that you have to support local businesses. We couldn't have been here this long without them."

A Starbucks recently opened in the mall, and Blumenthal said it's been helpful in bringing her store recognition to customers who might be dropping in for a quick coffee but stay a moment to browse the other retailers.

The shops on the 4500 block of Lee Highway show a slice of Arlington life -- book-ended by Pastries by Randolph and the restaurant Crisp & Juicy. The latter, owned by Jorge and Carmen Perez, offers Peruvian-style chicken.

"I like this block -- where else can you get chicken on one end and a marzipan on the other," said Jeremy Scotts of Great Falls. "Plus, you've also got English home furnishings and a kiwi burger all in the same place, too," referring to store Random Harvest and restaurant Cassatt's..