Sweets Shop Kilwins Will Begin Its D.C. Expansion With a New Store in Navy Yard

Kilwins, the nostalgia-inducing ice cream shop and candy store chain largely sprinkled along the East Coast, will soon make its D.C. debut with a new store next to Nationals Park. The 1,200-square-foot location (1250 Half Street SE) will be operated by the same ownership group as Tap99, a pour-your-own beer bar opening next-door around the same time in June. Kilwins plans to plant three more shops across D.C. in the next five years, with a neighborhood wish list that includes Georgetown, the Wharf, Chinatown, and Buzzard Point. D.C. franchisee Jason Cherry (Mission Escape Rooms) hails from Annapolis, where a well-known Kilwins curbs sugar cravings year round. There’s another local location in Alexandria. Along with cooling down customers with loaded ice cream flavors, Nats fans can expect a familiar lineup of chocolates, fudge, caramel apples, and other confections. The brand’s old-timey design full of dark wood finishes will get an update at D.C. stores that plan to incorporate silver-and-gold wallpaper and extravagant light fixtures.

In other news...

• Fabio Trabocchi’s Rosslyn pasta parlor Sfoglina reopens on Friday, April 2, for pickup, delivery, indoor and patio service, with a rooftop addition coming soon. Newly named chef Wesley Fields was formerly chef de cuisine at Del Mar.
• It’s opening day for the downtown D.C. location of The Cheesecake Factory. The behemoth brand, wedged in the space that formerly housed Woodward Table, is known for its mega menus filled out by trademarked dishes like Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake™ and Buffalo Blasts® platters.
• For a last-minute Easter idea, consider Bayou Bakery’s bunny-shaped sugar cookies ($33 by the dozen) and David Guas’s beloved hot cross buns, available for pickup 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• On Wednesday, March 31, all of Jersey Mike’s Subs sales will go towards local charities.
• I’m Eddie Cano’s seasonal ghost kitchen Nantucket Clam Shack returns to Chevy Chase on Thursday, April 15, for daily pickup on lobster rolls, baked clams, and soup.
• A League of Her Own alums Jo McDaniel and Rach “Coach” Pike are looking for a turnkey space to bring their pandemic-born virtual happy hour As You Are Bar to life as an all-day cafe and “a queer dance floor that’s 18 and up,” McDaniel tells Washington City Paper.