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Good morning, Alexandria.
Rain is the story of the day — an 80% chance of showers and thunderstorms, heaviest after 3 p.m., with gusts to 21 mph and up to half an inch of rain. Worth knowing before you plan anything outdoors.
Below: a toy lending library headed for Mount Vernon Avenue, an ice cream shop coming to Hollin Hall from the owner of Old Town Books, the slowest week for home sales since we started tracking them in July, and police searching for a missing 27-year-old last seen on King Street.
Here's what you need to know for Thursday, Aug. 20.
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1️⃣ A toy lending library and play space is coming to Mount Vernon Avenue
A husband-and-wife team is opening an indoor play space and toy lending library in Del Ray, built around a curated toy collection rather than the high-energy play venues the founders say the city already has plenty of.
Del Play will occupy about 2,600 square feet at 3108 Mount Vernon Ave., in a portion of the former Streets Market space. Founder Brittany Perna said the target is a December opening; the company's website says late 2026.
The concept came out of the founders' own search as parents.
2️⃣ Old Town Books owner is opening an ice cream shop in Hollin Hall
Fabled Ice Cream, the small-batch company started by Old Town Books owner Ally Kirkpatrick, is opening its first brick-and-mortar shop at 7940 Fort Hunt Road in the Hollin Hall Shopping Center.
The center sits in the Fort Hunt area of Fairfax County, just beyond the city line but inside the 22308 Alexandria mailing address. The space is entering build-out now, with an opening anticipated in 2027.
For Kirkpatrick, the location is personal.
3️⃣ From $242,500 to $1.8 million: Homes sold in Alexandria last week
Sixteen homes closed in Alexandria last week, ranging from a $242,500 two-bedroom at Mayflower Square on North Armistead Street to a $1,775,000 Craftsman on Elmore Drive in Beverley Hills, according to data from Redfin. The average sale price was $744,812 across an average of 1,628 square feet, or a blended $458 per square foot. The median sale price was $641,000.
Volume fell to its lowest point since the Brief began tracking weekly closings in mid-July. Sixteen sales is down from 20 the week before and 23 the week of July 30, and the top of the market came down with it. The week's most expensive home sold for $1,775,000, roughly half the $3.4 million and $3.7 million sales that led the two prior weeks. Four homes still crossed $1 million, matching each of the last two weeks, and six sold for less than $500,000.
The blended rate of $458 per square foot was the lowest of the five weeks tracked, reflecting a market weighted toward mid-sized townhouses rather than the small high-priced condominiums that drove July's figures.
4️⃣ Police searching for missing 27-year-old last seen on King Street
Police are searching for a 27-year-old man last seen in the 3200 block of King Street in Alexandria.
Kendall Andre Tally is considered endangered because of mental or physical health concerns, the Fairfax County Police Department said Wednesday morning. The Alexandria Police Department said it is assisting in the search.
Tally is 6 feet 4 inches tall and 160 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a dark blue polo shirt, a pink or salmon sweater, dark blue jeans and brown boat shoes.
In brief
The U.S. Military will conduct an aircraft flyover in the National Capital Region over Arlington National Cemetery today at 12:48 p.m. (Alert DC)
Rep. Don Beyer and five other House Democrats opened an investigation Wednesday into an Aug. 10 encounter in which they say a masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent pointed a gun at a U.S. citizen in Northern Virginia without justification. (The Brief)
The city will hold its annual Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony Friday, Sept. 11, at Alexandria Police Department headquarters. (The Brief)
The city is looking for people who can sing, dance, play an instrument or tell a story — and who would be willing to do it for an audience of older adults on a weekday afternoon. (The Brief)
The Kennedy Center has told a federal court that it would not attempt to return President Donald Trump's name to the building's facade before at least Sept. 8. (The Brief)
Coming soon to 2400A Mt. Vernon Ave… Mamilla Chocolatier. The space was formerly Boccato Gelato. (The Brief/Instagram)
Violent crime in the United States fell by an estimated 9.3% in 2025, marking the largest year-to-year decline in the national violent crime rate since the FBI began estimating crime in 1936, according to new national data. (Virginia Mercury)
Sports
Cade Cavalli followed up a near no-hitter with another double-figure strikeout game for the Washington Nationals, again without allowing a run. (The Brief)
The Washington Mystics beat the short-handed Toronto Tempo 93-82 on Wednesday night for their eighth straight home victory. (The Brief)
The New England Revolution beat D.C. United 3-0 on Wednesday to snap a three-game winless skid. (The Brief)
Sonny Styles played just one drive during his NFL preseason debut, but it was more than enough for the Washington Commanders rookie linebacker to self-critique his performance. (The Brief)
Today in Alexandria
⛅ Weather
Today: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 3 p.m. High near 88 degrees. Light and variable wind becoming south 6 to 11 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph. The chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch are possible.
Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 9 p.m. Patchy fog between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 68 degrees. North wind around 5 mph, becoming calm in the evening. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch are possible.
🌖 Sun, Moon, & Tide
Sunrise at 6:26 a.m., sunset at 7:56 p.m. 13 hours & 29 minutes of sun.
High tide at 2:36 a.m. & 3:15 p.m. Low tide at 9:26 a.m. & 8:57 p.m. The moon phase is a First Quarter Moon.
🗓️ Things To Do
- All Day: Alexandria Restaurant Week throughout Alexandria
- 3 p.m.: Old Town North Farmers’ Market at 901 North Royal St.
🎶 Entertainment
- 219 Restaurant: Mike Kelley & Friends at 9 p.m.
- Alexandria Bier Garden: Trivia at 7 p.m.
- Aslin ALX: Trivia at 7 p.m.
- Atlas ALX: Bingo at 7 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: Steel drums at 5:30 p.m.
- Continues Arcade: Spark Trivia at 7 p.m.
- Evening Star Cafe: The Walkaways in the No. 9 Lounge at 8:30 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: Trivia at 6:30 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Ken Kilpatrick Trio at 6 p.m.
- Lena's Woodfired Pizza & Tap: Gigi MacLaughlin at Havana 151 at 6 p.m.
- Lost Boy Cider: Trivia at 7 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Rook Richards & Pat Carroll at 8:30 p.m.
- O'Shaughnessy's Pub: Undoll, Trivial Difference, Hanahak at 9 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere: An Evening with NRBQ & The Whole Wheat Horns at 7:30 p.m.
- The Study at Morrison House: Live Piano Music at 6 p.m.
🏛️ City & Schools
- 6 a.m.: Chinquapin Pool open
- 8:30 a.m.: ARHA Board planning and development committee meeting at 401 Wythe St., board room
- 10 a.m.: Memorial Pool open
- 2 p.m.: Commission for Women executive board meeting (virtual)
- 4:30 p.m.: Warwick Pool open
- 4:30 p.m.: Old Town Pool open
- 6 p.m.: Children, Youth & Families Collaborative Commission all goal group advocacy meeting (virtual)
- 6:30 p.m.: Alexandria Housing Affordability Advisory Committee summer retreat at Los Tios Restaurant
📚 Alexandria Library
- 11 a.m.: Line Dancing 101 at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- Noon: Line Dancing 201 at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 2 p.m.: Film Screening — "Choral" at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 3 p.m.: Carefull Knit & Crochet — America250 at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 5:30 p.m.: Alexandria Oddball Cinema at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 6 p.m.: Dungeons and Dragons Teen Group at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 6 p.m.: Nerdy Knotters at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 7 p.m.: Great Books Foundation Discussion Group — "Counterparts" at Virtual
⚾ Sports
- 8:05 p.m.: Washington Nationals at Texas Rangers
On this day in Alexandria's history
On Aug. 20, 1814, Capt. James Gordon's British fleet began running aground on the shoals of the Potomac, delayed for days on its way toward Alexandria. The advance was meant to pull American attention from the attack on Washington coming from the north, but by the time Gordon's ships reached Fort Washington — then Fort Warburton — the capital had already burned a week earlier. American forces destroyed the Maryland fort themselves, and Gordon turned toward Alexandria.
The town had no defense left. Its Common Council decided not to resist, and on a Sunday morning Mayor Charles Simms rowed south toward the fleet under a white flag to ask for terms. Gordon sent him back, saying it was the Sabbath and to return the next day. By morning, the British ships had arrived, guns trained on the town's small frame houses. (Historic Alexandria)
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