Meet the local businesses of Amazon’s HQ2 at Met Park, from lunch spots to fitness and wellness centers

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From its conception, Amazon’s vision for HQ2 has been to bring together employees, local residents, and visitors to one amazing space. We found the optimal neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia, and we’re excited to welcome the public to Metropolitan Park in June 2023.

There’ll be plenty to do and see at Met Park, which will be home to vibrant small businesses, including minority- and women-owned businesses, and local-favorite retailers.

Get to know these 13 businesses before visiting Met Park this year.

Experienced and aspiring cyclists alike will be familiar with this family-owned shop that’s been a mainstay of the Eastern Seaboard bicycling community since 1957. Get fitted for a bike, shop for new bikes, trade in your old one, or service your bike here (and grab a snack or drink from a retailer below while you wait).

If you need doggy daycare, overnight boarding, grooming, training, or walking services, District Dogs is the all-in-one pet care business of your dreams. In addition to serving the canines of Amazon and beyond, this location lets you host birthday parties and other fun events revolving around your furry friend.

Originally created as an online fitness platform at the height of the pandemic, HUSTLE is opening its very first brick-and-mortar location at HQ2 and welcomes participants of all fitness levels. Join its high-energy instructors for cycle and strength classes that are guaranteed to get your heart pumping.

For a healthy pick-me-up—think perfectly blended açai bowls, refreshing smoothies, and organic juices—visit South Block, a regional favorite for more than 10 years. Owner Amir Mostafavi is also the founder of Fruitful Planet, a nonprofit that provides fresh fruit and vegetables to food underserved communities.

This veteran-owned doughnut shop originally started in Florida and has made its way to Virginia to dole up fun doughnut flavors like Bourbon Caramel Crunch and Mango Margarita. It offers over 40 varieties of freshly made doughnuts every day, plus other breakfast essentials and of course, coffee.

Celebree School brings quality early childhood education to kids ages 6 weeks to Pre-Kindergarten through nurturing teachers and thoughtful curriculum. In addition to full or part-time daycare, it provides summer camps and education guides, and it offers financial assistance to those in need.

Maintaining your skin and achieving a healthy glow has never been easier thanks to GLO30, the spa that puts your skin first. GLO30’s proprietary skin analyzer looks at your skin to give personalized, evolving recommendations and create the best facial for you, every time. You can also add services like microdermabrasion and gua sha for no additional cost.

The brothers behind Peruvian Brothers have a unique background in competitive rowing and yacht captaining but these days they’re best known for their Pan con Chicharrón, saltados, and empanadas. Their food is so good that the Peruvian ambassador to the U.S. once named them “gastro-diplomats.”

From cemitas and mulitas to big taco platters, Taqueria Xochi is the place to enjoy authentic Mexican food from José Andrés restaurant vets Teresa Padilla and Geraldine Mendoza. Their combination of simple ingredients results in bold, flavorful results that you’ll have no choice but to wash down with a house-made agua fresca.

Toby’s is consistently named one of the best ice cream stores in Arlington for its rich, creamy, and globally inspired flavors like Ube and Cherry Blossom, alongside classics like Butter Pecan and Strawberry. Outside of HQ2, you’ll also frequently find them at neighborhood events and fundraisers.

All-day food market Mae’s Market should be your first stop for good old-fashioned deli sandwiches, picnic staples like cheese and wine, and other everyday grocery items, whether you’re stopping by HQ2 on the way home or hanging out in Met Park. Everything is made from scratch and ready to be eaten right away.

Amazon is excited to support contemporary art and artists and connect the community to art through MoCA Arlington. At the new Innovation Studio site, the public can interact directly with artists, make art themselves, attend artist talks and other programming, and shop in the museum store.

Good food, good drinks, and live music converge at Makers Union, a gastropub that only opened during the pandemic but has quickly become a popular gathering spot for local residents. True to its name, it strives to source its produce, proteins, beer, and coffee from local makers.

Learn about more Amazon HQ2 news and updates.

Discover other ways we’re investing in the Arlington community:

• How AWS Think Big Spaces help kids see their own far-reaching futures in Virginia and beyond
• Amazon teams up with Virginia high school students to inspire climate careers
• Amazon doubles down on computer science education in our HQ2 community in Virginia
• Amazon alleviating hunger for students throughout the HQ2 region