Amazon announces final round of retail tenants for HQ2: Taqueria Xochi, Mae's Market and Toby's Homemade Ice Cream

Amazon.com Inc., (NASDAQ:AMZN), is expanding the small-business leases at its upcoming Metropolitan Park complex in Pentagon City by adding new locations for some D.C. area favorites.

Met Park is the e-commerce company's 2.2 million square foot HQ2 that will include 67,000 square feet on the ground floor. Amazon said that it prioritizes small, minority and women-owned companies for its office complex. Its final list of retailers is no exception.

TaqueriaXochi is a fast casual Mexican restaurant owned by Chef Teresa Padilla, and Geraldine Mendoza. After losing their jobs in the pandemic, the pair decided to open a restaurant on D.C.'s U Street Corridor. Taqueria Xochi specializes on Mexican sandwiches made in Puebla style called 'cemitas'

Toby's homemade ice cream, a favorite for years in Arlington's Westover Village, which recently expanded into Vienna, will also be taking up space at Met Park. Toby Bantug and Monina opened their first Westover location in 2008. Mae's Market will join them, the second location of an Old Town Alexandria all day market and cafe. They specialize in homemade coffee, baked goods and gourmet sandwiches, as well as premade meal, beer and wine.

Mae's market owner Nicole Jones was instrumental in Virginia attracting HQ2 in 2018. As The Wall Street Journal reported, Northern Virginia officials invited Amazon's site selection team to Stomping Ground in Del Ray, where the team made an impression with beer and mini-chicken biscuits. Stomping Ground will close its doors on April 30 in order to make room for something new.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington is the last tenant to sign a lease. This 49-year-old non-profit organization operates exhibitions, educational programs, and an artist-in-residence programme. The museum is opening an "innovation studio" in Met Park, where visitors can watch artists create their work. Site will offer talks by artists and other programming, as well as a store.

The terms of the leases weren't disclosed.