Business Spotlight
Lazy Mike’s and Clare & Don’s
With over 25 years of experience owning and operating restaurants, Falls Church residents Rebecca and David have always searched for ways to bring their community together. Currently, the brother-sister pair operate two restaurants – Lazy Mike’s Delicatessen, and Clare & Don’s Beach Shack – both Falls Church mainstays that offer a relaxed, community-centric take on dining with gathering spaces, community events, live music, and local fare.
Rebecca and David both began working in the restaurant industry at young ages, with Rebecca beginning while in college, and her brother as young as 13 years old. Both graduated around the same time – David from Howard Law, and Rebecca from George Mason University – and considered the local landscape of restaurants and fast dining spots in the area. They noticed immediately that in Clarendon, there was a missing niche they sought to fill – a family-friendly ice cream parlor. With no prior experience in opening restaurants, the pair decided then and there that they wanted to fill that void and open Lazy Sundae in 1996. Lazy Sundae was a local treasure in Clarendon, and after 10 years, Rebecca and David moved their business to Falls Church. Originally located on West Street in Founders Row, the ice cream-only model of Lazy Sundae found less success in this area. With a desire to pay homage to their father and his immense love for deli sandwiches, the pair decided to open a sister shop alongside Lazy Sundae, which they appropriately named Mike’s Delicatessen to honor their beloved father.
Rebecca and David both began working in the restaurant industry at young ages, with Rebecca beginning while in college, and her brother as young as 13 years old. Both graduated around the same time – David from Howard Law, and Rebecca from George Mason University – and considered the local landscape of restaurants and fast dining spots in the area. They noticed immediately that in Clarendon, there was a missing niche they sought to fill – a family-friendly ice cream parlor. With no prior experience in opening restaurants, the pair decided then and there that they wanted to fill that void and open Lazy Sundae in 1996. Lazy Sundae was a local treasure in Clarendon, and after 10 years, Rebecca and David moved their business to Falls Church. Originally located on West Street in Founders Row, the ice cream-only model of Lazy Sundae found less success in this area. With a desire to pay homage to their father and his immense love for deli sandwiches, the pair decided to open a sister shop alongside Lazy Sundae, which they appropriately named Mike’s Delicatessen to honor their beloved father.
The redevelopment of Founders Row lead to their finding their current and, with no plans to move, more permanent home for Lazy Mike’s Delicatessen, a fast-dining ice cream parlor and deli that serves as a wonderful, family-friendly addition to Falls Church. In addition to this shop, Rebecca and David have opened numerous other local restaurants and have opened, owned, and operated Clare & Don’s Beach Shack, their answer to a more relaxed, sit-down, full-service restaurant that offers fabulous local fare, a low-key atmosphere, live music, and a great place for community gatherings. Between the two, it’s undoubtedly Rebecca and David’s mission to improve the tapestry of Falls Church by providing wonderful, diverse locations for its residents to enjoy one another’s company. Rebecca and David are fueled by their regulars. “They are our lifeblood,” Rebecca remarks, explaining how they have some regulars who come in every day for breakfast, cornering that real “diner feel” that the area was missing. “We give to them, and they give to us – it’s part of being the fabric of the community.”
The pair absolutely love being located in Falls Church. Rebecca calls it “a dream come true”, and states that she and her brother are immensely grateful to the community, who have loved and supported them in their restaurant endeavors. “It’s a two-way street,” she comments, and continues, “we’re happy to be involved in our community in every way we can.” With a constant desire to serve their community, Rebecca and David are always seeking ways to be of value to the residents of Falls Church. David regularly participated in “Decorate a Vet”, a holiday tradition intended to bring cheer and merriment to the areas beloved veterans. Rebecca is constantly volunteering for various local organizations, most consistently and recently for Food Justice DMV. “We provide food and other household essentials for underserved populations, such as people who suffer food insecurity on a regular basis.” Food Justice DMV assists approximately 50-100 families in the Virginia area on a weekly basis.
The pair absolutely love being located in Falls Church. Rebecca calls it “a dream come true”, and states that she and her brother are immensely grateful to the community, who have loved and supported them in their restaurant endeavors. “It’s a two-way street,” she comments, and continues, “we’re happy to be involved in our community in every way we can.” With a constant desire to serve their community, Rebecca and David are always seeking ways to be of value to the residents of Falls Church. David regularly participated in “Decorate a Vet”, a holiday tradition intended to bring cheer and merriment to the areas beloved veterans. Rebecca is constantly volunteering for various local organizations, most consistently and recently for Food Justice DMV. “We provide food and other household essentials for underserved populations, such as people who suffer food insecurity on a regular basis.” Food Justice DMV assists approximately 50-100 families in the Virginia area on a weekly basis.
As with all businesses in the last year, the pandemic made things difficult for Rebecca and David. Despite the immense difficulties they faced in their restaurants in pandemic times, Rebecca saw it as an opportunity to give back to the community that had given them so much – with the help of other local businesses, they were able to feed many front-line healthcare workers throughout 2020. “We fed the entire testing facility through INOVA Health in Arlington,” she comments, expanding that they fed the healthcare workers lunch at their drive-thru clinic nearly every day. “It was a big undertaking, but was also with the help of other local businesses who were donating money so we could keep feeding them.” More recently, they hosted a COVID booster clinic as a public service to their local area. Partnered with Avalon Home Health Care (also a Falls Church operation), they had residents sign up to come and get their boosters at the Beach Shack, and had approximately 75 booster shots distributed to Falls Church residents.
Rebecca and David couldn’t be happier to be a part of Falls Church. The local area offers a very tight-knit community, something they had always wanted to be a part of. “It’s so awesome. We make it a point to befriend new businesses,” says Rebecca, detailing how lucky they feel to have their many neighboring businesses who share the same values and goals to be the fabric of the community. “We’re cup-of-sugar kinda neighbors,” Rebecca laughs, and it’s clear that being a part of Falls Church is truly something special.
Rebecca and David couldn’t be happier to be a part of Falls Church. The local area offers a very tight-knit community, something they had always wanted to be a part of. “It’s so awesome. We make it a point to befriend new businesses,” says Rebecca, detailing how lucky they feel to have their many neighboring businesses who share the same values and goals to be the fabric of the community. “We’re cup-of-sugar kinda neighbors,” Rebecca laughs, and it’s clear that being a part of Falls Church is truly something special.
