Hello, Annandale! Welcome to my editor's notebook.

I hope to use this space as a way to keep you, our readers, up to date on news and information that is related to Annandale, and in a slightly informal way, answer some questions or address comments that have come up on articles on Annandale Patch.

This notebook will occasionally post news we’ve been able to confirm, but can’t develop into a story yet (due to difficulty tracking down contact information for a source, etc); tease stories we’re working on or highlight blogs or stories posted on the site; and will be just as a general place for me to interact with our readers outside of our Twitter and Facebook accounts. There may also be the odd post here and there.

But enough of my introductory blabbering. This entry will focus specifically on Annandale business updates.

Annandale Patch has increased our coverage of the business community this year by writing about businesses opening and closing in our neighborhood. Here are updates on two of those businesses:

• Trophy Mart, which we reported was relocating in July, now has an official move date: Monday, July 30. The store’s new address will be 5701 General Washington Blvd., Ste. N in Alexandria.
• Construction has resumed on the Buenos Grill Mexican restaurant since the county approved their permits last week. Owner Charles Lee told Patch in June that the restaurant’s progress was halted while they waited on permit approval.

Also, we get a lot of questions about Bloom and what's going on with that property. As far as I have been able to confirm with Annandale Shopping Center management, the property has not been sold to a new owner and efforts to recruit businesses to replace the grocery store continue.

New Businesses

I have confirmed with contractor Dae Woon Cho that two new businesses will open at 4220 Annandale Rd. A sign permit application has already been submitted under the permit name “King Cannon Restaurant”, according to the Fairfax Inspections Database Online(FIDO). Cho also added that the second business is likely to be a hair salon.

Lastly, we told you last week that a new Japanese Noodle Restaurant, Tanpopo Ramen House, was opening in Annandale next month. Dave Kim, owner and manager of Tanpopo, also told Patch that a new clothing boutique will open near the restaurant soon. If the store's opening go according to plan, that will be second boutique opening in Annandale this year. Women's clothing boutique hahaPink opened at the end of June.