Cooper’s Hawk South Riding: What We Know About the New Shops at Arcola Location

Big news for those of us who live in the area: Cooper’s Hawk is reportedly coming near South Riding, with a new location planned for the Shops at Arcola development beside the new Target near Loudoun County Parkway and Dulles West Boulevard.

If you've been searching for news about Cooper’s Hawk South Riding, here's what we know so far — and why this particular restaurant announcement says something bigger about what's happening along the Route 50 corridor.

Is Cooper’s Hawk Coming to South Riding?

According to local news outlet The Burn, a developer involved with the Shops at Arcola project has revealed plans for Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant to occupy a roughly 11,200-square-foot building at the center.

The plans are still preliminary, and no opening date has been announced, so the important word right now is “reportedly.”

The proposed restaurant isn't technically inside South Riding, but its Shops at Arcola location would put Cooper’s Hawk near South Riding, Aldie and the Route 50 corridor — and much closer to residents in southern Loudoun than the existing Loudoun location at Belmont Chase in Ashburn.

What Is Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant?

If you haven’t been to Cooper’s Hawk, think of it as part restaurant, part winery experience and part gathering place.

The company combines an upscale-casual restaurant, full-service bar, private dining space, wine tasting room and retail shop under one roof.

Its contemporary American menu includes dishes designed to pair with Cooper’s Hawk wines, and the company also operates a popular wine club.

In other words, this isn’t simply another place to grab dinner. Cooper’s Hawk works for date night, girls’ night, celebrations, wine tastings or just meeting friends for dinner — which is part of what makes the prospect of a Cooper’s Hawk South Riding-area location particularly interesting.

What Else Is Coming to the Shops at Arcola?

For years, residents in this part of Loudoun have been waiting to see what would ultimately happen with the retail portion of Arcola Center.

The biggest development so far has been the arrival of Target, which became a major anchor for Shops at Arcola near Loudoun County Parkway and Dulles West Boulevard.

But Target apparently won't be alone.

An organic grocery store has reportedly signed a lease at Shops at Arcola. The retailer has not been officially identified, although The Burn has previously reported indications that it could be Whole Foods.

Now Cooper’s Hawk appears to be another significant piece of the puzzle.

That matters because major destination tenants can help create momentum for a developing shopping center. Once anchors and well-known businesses are committed, additional restaurants, shops and services may follow.

So while I'm excited about the possibility of Cooper’s Hawk, I may be just as interested in what comes next.

Restaurants and Shopping Near South Riding Are Growing

Anyone who has lived in this area for a while knows that residents of Aldie and South Riding haven't always had the same concentration of dining and retail choices found farther north in Loudoun County.

But that's changing.

The Route 50 corridor and surrounding area have added restaurants and gathering spots including Sense of Thai, Makers Union, Milk & Honey, First Watch, Ford’s Fish Shack and Silver Diner, along with an expanding mix of everyday shopping and services.

Now add the new Target and developing Shops at Arcola to that mix — with Cooper’s Hawk near South Riding and potentially a new organic grocer — and it starts to feel like something larger is happening.

This part of Loudoun is becoming more of a destination in its own right.

Why New Development Near South Riding and Aldie Matters

As both an Aldie resident and local Realtor, this is the kind of development I watch closely.

Not because the arrival of one restaurant suddenly changes home values. Real estate doesn't work that way.

But when people decide where they want to live, they aren't choosing a house in isolation. They're choosing the life around it.

Where will we meet friends for dinner? Where can I grab groceries on the way home? What's nearby for a Saturday afternoon? How far do I have to drive for the places my family actually uses?

Over time, restaurants, shopping, schools, parks, transportation improvements and other amenities help shape how a community feels to the people who live there — and how prospective buyers perceive it.

That's why I'm paying attention to what's happening at Shops at Arcola.

When Will Cooper’s Hawk Near South Riding Open?

That's the part we don't know yet.

The Shops at Arcola development is still taking shape, and plans for Cooper’s Hawk South Riding-area location are preliminary. There has been no announced construction timeline or opening date for the restaurant.

But I'll be watching.

Because between Target, the still-unidentified organic grocer, Cooper’s Hawk and whatever gets announced next, this little corner of Loudoun has my attention.

And as someone who lives just down the road, I can't say I'm mad about it.

I'll update this post as additional tenants, construction timelines and opening dates for Shops at Arcola are announced.