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clubs and authors while allowing people of all different walks of life to bond over a shared interest in reading.

“We are a community bookstore… it’s really a place where people can come together who share this one really important thing in common: that they love to read,” said McGervey.

McGervey created One More Page Books out of an intense love for reading. Previously working as a consultant in high tech, she ultimately decided it was worth it to try pursuing her passion for books. Despite working with a tight budget, introducing the community to this place of discovery proved to have been beneficial for McGervey.

“I always say if I knew then what I know now I don’t know if I would have done it,” McGervey said. “But, I’m glad I didn’t know that because it’s totally been worth it.”

As opposed to superstores (like Barnes & Noble), McGervey’s store focuses on the community’s and independent customer’s needs. While superstores buy books in bulk, OMP might purchase around five copies of a single book title, thus reinforcing their goal of discovery. Their book summary blurbs on Post-Its allow readers to uncover new book titles, and their staff is always willing to jump in to help a customer find something new.

“People who read are passionate about what they read and so they enjoy talking about it,” McGervey said. “And what’s really cool to me is when people who don’t even know each other come in and they bond over a book that that one of them is looking at…we’ve had people who’ve made friends here.”

McGervey’s ultimate goal is to keep One More Page Books open for as long as possible. With such a strong connection to the Arlington/Falls Church area, OMP hopes to remain where they are currently located, and with the aid of the community around them, that seems to be a likely possibility.

“We love our customers and I think even if we moved somewhere else...we would lose that connection…and so we want to stay here,” said McGervey.

Falls Church-based Lee Design Studio, founded by Matt Lee in 2017, is celebrating its fifth anniversary. Matt Lee has over 15 years of experience with leading design firms in the DMV and enjoys running the small business and architecture practice in Falls Church. The architecture and design firm focuses on single-family, multifamily, and retail projects, as well as renovations and remodels in the region.

Robin Rinearson, founder of Jake’s Ice Cream, received the Eleanor Sue Finkelstein Inclusion and Disabilities Award from the Pozez Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia. Rinearson, a retired optometrist, opened her shop on Columbia Pike in 2021 in response to the lack of accommodations to employ people with disabilities during the pandemic. She collaborated with her brother, whose son Jake has cerebral palsy.

The independent bookstore on the Arlington-Falls Church border held a community fundraiser after unexpected expenses threatened closure. It has been reported that the GoFundMe page met its fundraising goal within one week.

The Fairfax County Park Authority has completed a new park project in the greater Falls Church area of Glencarlyn. The Boyd A. and Charlotte M. Hogge Park offers ADA-access to a pavilion, play area, multi-sports for pickleball and basketball, a playground, community gardens, and trails. The County purchased the six-acre property from Charlotte Hogge to expand its park facilities.

Under a 2020 Space Force contract, Northrop Grumman has been cleared to begin producing the U.S. Space Force’s next-generation early warning missile system. This includes the production of sensor payloads for detecting infrared heat signatures of incoming ballistic and hypersonic missiles and a high-bandwidth communication system for transmitting data to assets on the ground. The sensors are being built in partnership with Ball Aerospace in California.

 Business News & Notes is compiled by Elise Neil Bengtson, Executive Director of the Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce. She may be emailed at elise@fallschurchchamber.org.