2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26108733D

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 237

Offered March 4, 2026

Commending St. Elmo's Coffee Pub.

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Patrons—McPike, Callsen, Clark, Cole, J.G., Cole, N.T., Hope, Martinez, Rasoul, Schmidt, Ward and Ware; Senators: Bennett-Parker, Diggs, Jones and Salim

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WHEREAS, St. Elmo's Coffee Pub, a local institution in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, has fostered a strong sense of community while serving coffee, pastries, sandwiches, and other fare to local residents and visitors for 30 years; and

WHEREAS, St. Elmo's Coffee Pub was established by Nora Partlow in 1996 to create a cozy, welcoming community hub for customers to relax, study, or spend time together while enjoying the finest coffee and delicious food; and

WHEREAS, Nora Partlow ran St. Elmo's Coffee Pub for nearly two decades, helping to transform the neighborhood, before selling the business to Larry and Christine Ponzi in 2015; and

WHEREAS, St. Elmo's Coffee Pub supports local artists by hosting poetry nights, open mic nights, and other events to promote neighborhood fellowship; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend St. Elmo's Coffee Pub, an iconic community meeting place in Alexandria, on the occasion of its 30th anniversary in 2026; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to St. Elmo's Coffee Pub as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the business's legacy of contributions to the residents of Alexandria.