Landini and Bonitt are the Brains Behind New Cooper Mill Tavern on Alexandria’s Waterfront
"We were sketching ideas on the back of a napkin, and things took off from there."
ALEXANDRIA, VA —Cooper Mill, a market, tavern, and event space housed in one of Old Town’s last waterfront warehouses, is now open at 10 Duke Street in Alexandria.
When two local power houses put their heads together, magic happens. Murray Bonitt of Bonitt Builders and Alexandria restaurateur, Noe Landini (Landini Brothers, The Junction Bakery, Fish Market, Pop’s Ice Cream), have combined their expertise in restoration and hospitality to breathe new life into an old warehouse space on the Alexandria waterfont.
“When Murray approached me with this opportunity, it was an easy decision,” Landini shared. “The building itself is remarkable, but when Murray shared his vision, I was immediately on board. Before long, we were sketching ideas on the back of a napkin, and things took off from there. Murray has an incredible talent for restoration, especially with timeless properties, and his creative approach to revitalizing them is truly inspiring. Taking a classic property full of charm and character and reimagining it for a modern purpose—that’s the Bonitt way, and I’m thrilled to be part of it.”
“We are honored to be working together on what I think is the last ‘gem’ on the waterfront,” Bonitt said. “This year marks 40 years I have been in business in Alexandria renovating old houses and buildings, and Noe’s family recently celebrated their 40th anniversary on King Street. I am thrilled to have Noe as a part owner and the operator of the space.”
The Property
Named after the former mill on the site and the craftsmen who worked inside it, Cooper Mill preserves the charm of the brick warehouse, built in 1856 as a manufacturing plant to create barrels for the Alexandria Flour Company and later serving as a Civil War mess hall for the Union Army. Historically, a cooper was a craftsman who produced wooden casks, barrels, buckets, and other similar containers from timber staves that were usually heated or steamed to make them pliable, similar oak staves can be seen on the upstairs bar in the event space.
The two-story, 6,400 sq. ft. warehouse encompasses a market offering grab and go breakfast foods and coffee, sandwiches, soups, prepared foods, fresh breads and baked goods from Landini’s various locations, as well as beer, wine and other high demand market items; a casual tavern on the first floor, featuring a relaxed vibe surrounded by repurposed materials from the building; and a private event space on the second floor with lots of light, exposed brick, balconies with views of the park and river, repurposed roof trusses and flooring, and the capacity for up to 120 people.
Cooper Hill’s menu ranges from tavern style bites, to fresh pizzas, signature salads and a selection of Cooper Mill Zepps, which they tout as hearty rustic style sandwiches made with simple ingredients intended for the soul.
Last Sunday evening, Alexandria locals Judy and Joseph Oliver tried out the menu, and described it on social media as a fun time at “a good sports bar, [with] good sandwiches, and good pizza!”
Design Elements
Over the course of the four-year preservation process, the building had to be completely deconstructed brick by brick and board by board. Each brick went back into the reconstruction of the building, as did all the existing roof trusses, rafters and decking. “Every brick and every piece of wood you now see in the building was original to the building”, Bonitt said. One major design highlight is the space’s 18th century original wood roof trusses, and hand forged steel supports – a testament to timeless craftsmanship and preservation serving as a tangible link to the mill’s rich heritage.
Bonitt and his firm are also behind several preservation projects in Old Town such as Virtue Feed & Grain and The Majestic Café.
For more information, visit the Cooper Mill website.
