WASHINGTON — You can sip your wine or cocktail while walking around at Village at Leesburg now.
The Loudoun County mixed-use development is the first in Loudoun County to take advantage of a new Virginia law that allows patrons to carry drinks with them in to-go cups as they shop.
Village at Leesburg calls it “Drink to the Good Life.”
The new law, passed by the Virginia General Assembly last year, allows so-called “lifestyle” shopping developments to permit bars and restaurants to let patrons take alcoholic drinks with them in disposable containers while they stroll about the development.
It is restricted to shopping developments that are at least 25 acres and have at least 100,000 square feet of retail space.
Shoppers are now allowed to buy a glass of wine, beer or cocktail from a participating restaurant and carry it with them while they walk and shop throughout Village at Leesburg, a 1.2 million square foot development covering about 57 acres at 1602 Village Market Boulevard off Route 7 that opened in 2011. It includes more than 60 restaurants and retailers, along with housing and offices.
Fairfax Corner, in Fairfax, Virginia, owned by Peterson Companies, was the first in Virginia to take advantage of the new law last year. Peterson Companies worked with the bill’s sponsors on details of the legislation.
Village at Leesburg is operated by McLean-based Rappaport Management, which owns dozens of D.C.-area mixed-use properties.
You can’t BYOB though. The law prohibits patrons from bringing their own alcoholic drinks with them. And walkabout drinking is confined to the (rather sizable) property.
So far, 5 Tara, BurgerFi, Eggspectation, Firebirds, Plaza Azteca, The Conche and Travinia are offering to-go drinks, as well as the soon-to-open Vino Bistro and ChefScape.
Village at Leesburg is anchored by Wegmans, and includes Cobb Theatres, and an LA Fitness.
