New Restaurant Concept Announced For Waterfront Warehouse In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A new restaurant concept has been announced for a historic waterfront warehouse in Alexandria at the foot of Duke Street. The project is expected to be ready in late spring 2024.

The warehouse at 10 Duke Street, one of the waterfront's last warehouses, will have a concept called Cooper Mill. The market, tavern and event space concept will be launched by Rex Management CEO Noe Landini, the restaurateur behind Landini Bros. in Old Town Alexandria, Junction Bakery & Bistro in Del Ray and other concepts.

The plans were announced Wednesday by Murray Bonitt of Bonitt Builders. Bonitt and his firm have worked on other preservation projects, including Virtue Feed & Grain and The Majestic Café.

"We are honored to be working together on what I think is the last ‘Gem’ on the waterfront," said Bonitt in a statement. "This year marks 40 years I have been in business in Alexandria renovating old houses and buildings, and Noe’s family recently celebrated their 40th anniversary on King Street. I am thrilled to have Noe as a part owner and the operator of the space."

The 6,400-square-foot warehouse will include a small upscale market, casual tavern on the first floor, and 3,200-square-foot private event space upstairs.

The market will offer grab-and-go breakfast foods, coffee, sandwiches, soups, prepared foods, fresh breads, and baked goods from Landini’s restaurant concepts. Beer, wine and other market items will also be offered.

The upstairs event space will include space for up to 120 people, balconies with views of the park and river, exposed brick and repurposed materials.

Cooper Mill will be a nod to historic cooper's shop that made wooden barrels for the Alexandria Flour Company at the adjacent Pioneer Mills. The warehouse was also used by the Union Army during the Civil War as a mess house and commissary. Today, the warehouse is on a site that is part of the new Robinson Landing development.

Landini got involved with the project due to Bonnitt's vision for restoring the historic warehouse.

"An incredible building as it stands, but Murray shared his vision, and I simply couldn’t resist," said Landini in a statement. "It wasn’t long before we were drawing out a concept on the back of a napkin and before you knew it, we were off. Murray brings a lot to the table with his eye for restoration, particularly on timeless properties and more importantly, his creative ability to do great things with them."

Landini brings experience as a restaurant operator, according to Bonnitt.

"I have seen him up close as an operator and I’m blown away by his commitment to his craft, his loyalty to his staff, and his acumen as an operator," said Bonitt. "When you see the boss embedded in the kitchen with his chef’s coat on working on recipes he’s brought back from Italy, you know he loves his craft….it’s in his DNA, just like renovating buildings is in mine."

Reconstruction of the building is expected to start in early spring.