Weekends are made for relaxation. While it can be a struggle to find something to do, one great destination right here in Northern Virginia is Old Town. The neighborhood combines historic buildings and traditions with cultures from around the world.

New walkways, grassy pavilions, and restaurants in recent years have led to a tourist revival along Alexandria’s Potomac waterfront. But city officials and business leaders know this new energy is threatened by an old problem: chronic flooding that regularly puts big sections of Old Town deep underwater. Although Potomac flooding has been a fact of life in Old Town since pre-colonial days, a combination of climate change and regional development has made the problem more frequent and severe.

Following a wave of small business closures in Alexandria throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the beloved secondhand bookstore, Book Bank, closed its doors for good. Book Bank joins the list of small businesses that permanently closed during this time, including Aftertime Comics, The Christmas Attic, Blüprint Chocolatiers, and Nectar Coffee and Wine Bistro, among other independently-owned establishments in Old Town and Del Ray.