Vintage Reston opens beside Lake Anne Brew House

By Holly Weatherwax, staff writer

Melissa Romano's pop-up Vintage Reston is temporarily in Lake Anne Brew House's additional space. For hours, visit the brew house's Facebook or Instagram account. Photo by Isadora Guerreiro

Lake Anne is a beloved and ever-changing part of Reston. For many who grew up here in the early days of Reston, it was a playground, a babysitter and a favorite gathering place.

Melissa Romano was one of those children. She spent her younger years hanging out at Lake Anne and wandering the paths of Reston. More recently, Melissa and her husband, Jason, have become familiar faces at Lake Anne as the owners of Lake Anne Brew House. She also co-owns Nordic Knot. Every day, she walks from her nearby home to the spaces and businesses they have created.

“This place was built for the community. The entire nature of Lake Anne was that Robert E. Simon wanted a space where people could live, work and play,” Romano said.

Last fall, the Brew House announced plans to expand into the space vacated by Chesapeake Chocolates. The permitting process has taken longer than expected, creating an opportunity for Romano to share her passion for Danish modern and mid-century modern furniture and accessories.

Romano studied architecture and has long been fascinated by design. A trip to Denmark cemented her interest in Scandinavian design, and she began collecting Danish modern pieces with simple lines. She later added some mid-century modern pieces.

Over time, she began sourcing and refinishing pieces for her own enjoyment. As her collection grew, it became more than she could keep in her home. The Brew House expansion plans gave her a place to use some of her overflow pieces, while the unexpected delay created an opportunity to share some of her favorites with the public.

Vintage Reston is a temporary pop-up featuring mid-century modern furniture, decor and art, alongside zero-proof beverages. The space is designed to be less like a traditional retail store and more like a place to sit and enjoy the surroundings. Visitors can order a zero-proof beverage, sit down and look through the pieces, with most items available for purchase.

The collection will continue to evolve, with new consignment furniture, home goods and artwork added alongside Romano’s own pieces. A small number of original art pieces by Romano herself will also be available.

The space is designed to resemble a series of lived-in rooms rather than a traditional resale store. Visitors are encouraged to sit on the furniture and experience the pieces as they were intended—as beautiful, functional objects meant to be used and enjoyed.

Romano expects to continue Vintage Reston even after the Brew House expansion is completed. The idea is for the new space to have more of a lounge atmosphere, with items continuing to be available for purchase.

In the meantime, the pop-up’s hours vary and can be found on Lake Anne Brew House’s Instagram account, @lakeannebrewhouse, and Facebook page, Lake Anne Brew House.