Cana Café to Open in Former Old Town Starbucks

Operators eyeing Old Town storefronts should note the separate Virginia ABC licensing track tied to this December 2026 opening.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Cana Café to Open in Former Old Town Starbucks

Live Poll

Will Cana Café open at 100 S. Union Street by December 31, 2026?

Cana Café plans to open at 100 S. Union Street in Old Town, Alexandria, in the former longtime home of a Starbucks that closed in 2025. Its planned December 2026 opening is subject to construction completion.

Why it matters

A former Starbucks site reopening as an independent café signals that Old Town's corner retail space at King and S. Union Streets is being filled by local operators, which matters for restaurant and café owners weighing similar locations. The Jn25 LLC application for a Virginia ABC license to sell beer, wine and mixed beverages suggests the concept may include alcohol service, a layer that shapes licensing timelines and costs.

The site's prior occupant was a Starbucks that closed in 2025, and the planned opening is set for December 2026, 28 days from the stub's reference date. No square footage, investment size, or staffing figures were reported.

The players

Cana Café

An independent café planning its first location at 100 S. Union Street in Old Town.

Jn25 LLC

The company that applied for a Virginia ABC license to sell beer, wine and mixed beverages at the site.

The details

Cana Café announced its future location on Instagram, naming 100 S. Union Street at the corner of King Street. Jn25 LLC separately published a legal notice advertising its application for a Virginia ABC license to sell beer, wine and mixed beverages, a step that typically precedes a licensed food-and-beverage opening. The company website does not yet include a menu, so the product mix and whether alcohol service will be central remain unconfirmed.

2025: The Starbucks at 100 S. Union Street closed.
October 2026: Cana Café announced the location on Instagram and Jn25 LLC published its ABC license legal notice.
December 2026: Planned opening, subject to construction completion.

Market Landscape

The replacement of a national coffee chain's Old Town location with an independent café follows a pattern of local operators taking over high-visibility corners vacated by chains. Operators in the Virginia market should note that alcohol-permitted concepts go through a separate state licensing track that can extend opening timelines.

Operators planning a food or beverage concept in Old Town should budget for a separate ABC licensing track if alcohol service is included, and build construction timing into any lease commitments. Owners watching the corner at King and S. Union Streets should expect a new independent competitor in the neighborhood's café segment.

The takeaway

For operators, the practical step is to track the ABC license status and construction schedule before committing to a nearby lease or supplier arrangement. Confirm licensing requirements with the Virginia ABC authority or qualified counsel before relying on the December 2026 opening date.