Y’all. Six years. Six years. While it isn’t as sexy as five years or as much of a milestone as ten years, I’m celebrating hard this year.After 2020, I have never, ever been happier to live and own businesses in Alexandria. Alexandrians fought hard for Stomping Ground. You came out to support us when many in our field, without die-hard communities to lift them up, had to shutter. You bought lots of biscuits for comfort, and you tipped generously, you delivered masks, flowers, and baked goods. You sent cards. You waited patiently as we changed again and again. You rolled with the punches. You ate the wrong orders. You drank cold coffee. You ate a lot, and I mean a lot, of scones. You cared about our wellbeing. You have made it all possible for us to be standing here in 2021 celebrating six years, and we are so thankful for each and every one of you.I hate to break any hearts out there, but I also have the best staff of any restaurant in the DMV. I’m actually speechless when I think about what this family has been through and how they continue to come in day after day with positivity. Amidst their own fear of the pandemic and the world that was 2020, they would just keep grinding, often with blind faith that we would be okay. They worked in pods, understaffed during busy services to keep each other safe. They took pay cuts, adjusted schedules, did more difficult work with fewer resources, they changed jobs every day, and then changed again. They did all this while often being yelled at by customers that didn’t understand. They have been told they are terrible at their jobs by people with so much grief that they had to unload it on others. They were accosted by unhappy guests for my choices, acting as silent enforcers. Despite it all, they stuck it out. They are warriors.This anniversary feels like we are putting all of that behind us. We opened The Alley, where the food and cocktails are “just for fun” to give us a place to be creative and light after so much heavy. I’m also so pleased that we are making some aesthetic and layout changes to our dining room, with the hope of opening for indoor dining by the end of summer. Yes, we will be behind the rest of the country in doing so, but we are moving at our own pace so that our wounds can heal slowly as we remember. Remember what it feels like to have our walls hold our community together again and to say thank you, for everything. 

Want to celebrate with us? Friday during the day, we’re giving out a free mini biscuit with every purchase! At night in The Alley, we’re selling Raquel’s boozy, delicious birthday jello shots!