The furniture of the Polo Mediterranean Bar & Grill was auctioned off on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. The restaurant will be an IHOP, which will begin renovation of the space in February.
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The booths at the Polo Mediterranean Bar & Grill have been auctioned off, the walls are bare and the doors are closed for good. Wednesday was the last day of business for the Gunston Plaza restaurant, and new owner IHOP will begin renovation this February.
"I can confirm that we will be opening at that location in Lorton next year," said IHOP spokesman Craig Hoffman to Patch. "The restaurant will open hopefully by next summer, or sooner."
Polo Grill co-owner Archie Zora spoke briefly to Patch after auctioning off the restaurant's furniture on Thursday night. "I don't know about the sale. The landlord sold the place," said Zora, who declined to comment further.
Polo Grill (originally Gunston's Restaurant) opened in 1989, and was sold two years later to Alexandria restaurateur Ralph Davis, who sold it to Zora and his partner Mike Kiros in 2008. The pair changed the name to the Polo Mediterranean Bar & Grill, and added Greek and Italian dishes to the menu.
Lorton's Irma Clifton was lucky to eat dinner at the Polo Grill one last time. "My girlfriend and I ate down there on Wednesday night, and the waitress told us that it was their last night," Clifton said. "I was shocked."
Kevin Dando
8:30 am on Friday, November 30, 2012
Sorry about the closing and its effects on Polo Grill staff, but I'm very happy about the IHOP coming in. I like the direction this new landlord is taking
Sally Spangler
11:11 am on Friday, November 30, 2012
Alas, Polo Grill departure closes the first "better class" eatery. Their table clothes, linen napkins and service were the first in Lorton. Too bad that they closed now that there are places along the row in the Lorton Station area. People eating there dressed to eat their suppers in the Polo Grill. Sorry to see you go!
Susan Larson
7:27 pm on Monday, December 3, 2012
I loved the old Polo Grill, with the excellent food and the funny paper-mache polo players and ponies.
Huey
12:58 am on Monday, December 10, 2012
That's sad. Is it just me, or is Lorton becoming more like Alexandria/Mt. Vernon?
Lorton used to be nothing more than small shops and townhouses. Now we're getting all these big chain stuff at the expense of getting rid of some landmarks.
Then again, getting rid other things in the area would be good. Perhaps that collinas place should be replaced with a CVS. That's what we really need, a CVS. I don't see how Ihop would fit in the gunston plaza, especially since that restaurant is REALLY close to the sewer facility plant.
AV8TOR
1:48 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013
Very happy to see IHOP coming to Lorton!
Enoch
12:36 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Do you all think the IHOP will be good for the area? In terms of bringing other businesses and for overall vitality for this old and outdated strip mall?