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The closing of Brown’s Hardware has prompted an emotional farewell, a community celebration and an official day of appreciation as Falls Church prepares to lose the 142-year-old store.
One local resident described visiting Brown’s about a week before writing and finding a somber atmosphere, with roughly 70 percent of the shelves empty. The letter praised the store’s longtime employees for their humor, skill and willingness to help, comparing the loss of Brown’s to saying goodbye to a dependable old friend.
Brown’s Hardware, established in 1883 at 100 W. Broad St., was scheduled to close by April 1, 2025.
Falls Church Forward announced a celebration of the store from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 28, at Clare & Don’s. Plans included speeches, trivia and a white elephant gift exchange. The group also sought volunteers and sponsors for the gathering.
The City of Falls Church declared March 28, 2025, “Brown’s Hardware Appreciation Day in the City of Falls Church.”
School Board advances $69.5 million budget
The Falls Church City School Board approved an advertised fiscal 2026 operating budget totaling $69,547,486 during its March 11 meeting.
The plan requires a city appropriation of $55,525,284, matching City Council guidance. It marked the seventh consecutive year that the school division met the council’s target while addressing enrollment growth and maintaining its educational programs.
School Board Chair Tate Gould said the proposal balanced fiscal responsibility with the needs of a growing population of students and staff.
The budget would make several temporarily funded positions permanent, including a math specialist, school counselor and English for Speakers of Other Languages teacher. It also provides for 4.5 additional general education classroom teachers, one special education teacher and three paraprofessionals.
Other provisions include a full-time assistant director of athletics and student activities and continued support for psychology services previously financed with pandemic-era funds.
The board separately approved a $1,621,448 food service budget and a $2,663,200 Community Services Fund budget. The latter requires a $107,500 city appropriation.
Funding for a proposed International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme coordinator was placed in a staffing reserve, giving administrators flexibility to respond to enrollment changes or other staffing demands before the final budget is adopted.
Superintendent Peter Noonan and Gould were scheduled to present the school budget to the City Council on March 24, 2025. The School Board was expected to take final action in May following the council’s decision.
Spring window painting expands a Falls Church tradition
Falls Church Arts scheduled its first Little City Spring Window Painting Day for March 22, 2025, inviting community members to create family-friendly seasonal designs on storefront windows in the city’s business district.
The volunteer-led event grew out of the organization’s Halloween Window Painting Festival, which has operated for 16 years. Nearly 300 young painters and more than 40 businesses participated in the fall 2024 festival along the city’s major roads.
Individuals, friends and groups were invited to register as painters, while local merchants could volunteer their windows. Participants were scheduled to return April 19 to remove the artwork.
Participation was free, although Falls Church Arts suggested donations of $10 or more to help cover costs and keep the program accessible.