Ashburn’s Makers Union marks rapid expansion for Thompson Restaurants

Reston, Virginia-based Thompson Restaurants, now the largest restaurant group and restaurant employer based in the D.C. region., has opened its newest location for Makers Union in Ashburn.

The indoor-outdoor restaurant is part of the Goose Creek Village shopping center, joining about 50 other retailers at the mall, at 42841 Creek View Plaza.

The Ashburn Makers Union includes a 60-seat, pet-friendly patio with garage doors opening to the 68-seat restaurant and 54-seat bar. Like other Makers Union locations, the menu is wide ranging, from burgers and salads to steak and fries, fried chicken and waffles, and kebabs.

Happy hours include $5 menu items. Brunch is served on weekends. Here’s a peek at the Ashburn menu.

Thompson opened the original Makers Union in Reston Town Center in 2021, and last fall opened at The Wharf on D.C.’s Southwest Waterfront. There is another location in Arlington’s Crystal City.

Thompson Restaurants is one of the largest minority-owned businesses in the D.C. area. It was spun off last fall from the Thompson Hospitality Group, whose businesses include campus dining, facilities management and more than 6,000 employees, specifically to grow its restaurant portfolio. Close to half its employees now work in the restaurant division, according to the Washington Business Journal.

Thompson Restaurants now operates more than 65 eateries in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and South Florida, including Matchbox, Big Buns Damn Good Burgers, Hen Quarter, Milk & Honey, and Wiseguy Pizza.

Thompson Hospitality was founded in 1992 by Warren Thompson with a $100,000 personal investment, and the acquisition of the D.C. Bob’s Big Boy chain.

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Jeff Clabaugh

Jeff Clabaugh has spent 20 years covering the Washington region's economy and financial markets for WTOP as part of a partnership with the Washington Business Journal, and officially joined the WTOP newsroom staff in January 2016.

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