Walkable Community Interests New Falls Church Businesses

The Caribbean Plate is one of a few recent additions to the City of Falls Church business scene.

With more than 15 years of experience cooking Caribbean dishes, Carmen Rosa Oriellana decided she wanted her own restaurant and settled on Falls Church. The restaurant opened almost two weeks ago and has already seen foot traffic from customers increase.

“Out of all the places we looked at, this was the only place I liked,” Oriellana, said Monday about her corner property in the newly renovated multi-use property on Annandale Road.

Walkable Community Means More Businesses Stay

As the city plans to welcome new businesses to fill planned mixed-use buildings, Becky Witsman, business development manager for the city, said more established small businesses stay because it’s a walkable community. A range of competitive lease rates is another reason some businesses stay and others come into the city, Witsman said. In a story Monday, Witsman said the city continues to develop solid niches in building an eclectic inventory of restaurants, bars and fitness centers.

With vibrant colors throughout the restaurant and a giant fish tank with an assortment of tropical fish, Oriellana said she is beginning to see more local customers come in. About half of her customers, she said, say they are from the city while others are just in the area working.

“More people are coming in now saying they are from here and want to know when we opened,” she said. “The others just work nearby and come in for lunch.”

Witsman said the city’s Economic Development Authority commissioned the effort to create this new identity or brand for the city and it has really caught on as a marketing strategy. Known as “The Little City,” Falls Church hosts the Memorial Day Parade, Fall Festival, Sunset Cinemas and sponsors Watch Night, First Friday, the Tinner Hill Blues Festival, Creative Cauldron and the Farmer's Market, all of which bring customers to businesses both during and after these events.

“Our businesses also all tend to offer great customer service and that's always a draw for customers and success,” Witsman said.

For more information about businesses in the city, you can contact Witsman at 703-248-5491 or bwitsman@fallschurchva.gov.