A new café is angling to take over one of Old Town Alexandria's busiest corners, with plans to open at 100 S. Union St. — the former Starbucks at King and South Union streets — as soon as December 2026. Cana Café plans to serve coffee and pastries at the spot, and its owner is seeking a state license related to alcohol sales there.
The timeline comes from The Alexandria Brief, which reports the café's opening is subject to construction completion. No exact opening date or hours have been locked in yet, according to the café's website, though a Facebook post from the business says that information will follow once it's confirmed. The café's full menu has likewise not been announced.
A Corner That's Sat Empty Since Last Fall
The space has been vacant since Starbucks closed its doors there in September 2025. Customers who visited the store reported that it would close permanently, and ALXnow said it had reached out to Starbucks. That closure was part of a much larger pullback: Starbucks planned to shutter roughly 400 underperforming stores across North America, a move the same outlet reported was tied to CEO Brian Niccol's $1 billion “Back to Starbucks” restructuring plan.
A permit report filed with the city in November 2025 described the property as an existing one-story retail space with no change of use planned, per the City of Alexandria's activity log. The filing noted proposed work involving demolition of existing openings, removal of the existing brick facade at new proposed openings with structural support details, and brick infill as needed.
Alcohol License in the Works
Beyond coffee and pastries, Cana Café's owner is seeking a state license to sell alcohol at the storefront, the Brief reports. Any Alexandria establishment that manufactures, distills, bottles or sells alcoholic beverages needs an ABC License from the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, according to the City of Alexandria. Virginia ABC maintains a public licensee search where residents can check the status of licenses statewide, per the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
Joining a Crowded Coffee Scene
Cana Café would land in a neighborhood already thick with caffeine options. Alexandria has more than 20 cafés pouring across Old Town, Del Ray and beyond, with at least two more on the way, according to Alexandria Living Magazine. Among them, Life Alive Organic Café was expected to welcome its first customers at 400 King St. with a preview in June, while Mudhouse Coffee was slated to open at 1119 King St. the same month with planned daily hours of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
For now, Cana Café's debut hinges on construction wrapping up at the King and South Union streets building. Until the café confirms a firm date, Old Town shoppers and commuters will keep walking past the shuttered storefront that once housed a Starbucks at one of the neighborhood's most visible intersections.
