A refurbished historic warehouse on Old Town Alexandria’s waterfront will soon be the home of a new tavern and event space called Cooper Mill. The new eatery is located at 10 Duke St. and has a projected opening date of December 10.
“Our menu is inspired by our historic Old Town building and the love of pizza that broadens through our menu and libations,” says Jesse Maas, Cooper Mill’s director of operations. “We are excited to introduce our New York thin crust and Sicilian style pizzas. We use fresh, high quality, local ingredients where simplicity meets sophistication.”
The new, 6,400-square-foot destination will house a tavern, marketplace, and upstairs event space.
The historic building was once a Civil War commissary for the Union Army. Later, it served as a cooper mill that made barrels for a nearby flour company. Leaders on the project are working to restore the building to become a vibrant mainstay in Alexandria. One of the building’s owners, Murray Bonitt of Bonitt Builders, says he believes the partnership with Noe Landini and his team at Rex Management Lifestyle & Restaurant Group will bring forth a quality product.
“Pairing our 40-year-old, award-winning firm with Noe and the longtime tradition of excellence in hospitality by the Landini family seemed to be the perfect fit,” Bonnitt says. “We both feel that we’ve been entrusted with this historic warehouse at 10 Duke and are working hard to make it the hub of the community with the market and tavern on the first floor, and the truly amazing second floor event space.”
The building’s restored, exposed brick second floor will be a space for private events. It will feature two balconies with waterfront views, a lounge area, and a full-service bar. It is now accepting event bookings for 2025.
Cooper Mill will be open daily, starting at 8 a.m. with breakfast pizza slices, pastries, nitro lattes, and coffee. Its tavern menu boasts 18-inch pizzas, “Zep” sandwiches, small bites, and salads. The tavern will also offer “pizza adjacent cocktails” with names like Basil 75, Caprese Martini, and Artichoke Hold.
“The love and passion of our community and team will come through in our pizza and service for you to savor in every bite,” Maas says.
Feature image courtesy Cooper Mill
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