Buyer buoyant on City Place

c Tomorrow is National Don’t Step on a Bee Day — and don’t laugh, it’s a serious matter at Buzz Bakery, where many sweets rely on honey.

The new Alexandria bakery is giving away honey cups — miniature vanilla cupcakes topped with house-made honey frosting — to raise public awareness of the day and encourage donations to combat colony collapse disorder.

The disorder has prompted an increase in the number of dying bee colonies in the Eastern United States, a serious problem that Buzz says could have big implications for the U.S. food supply if it goes unchecked.

c Safeway Inc., the second-largest local grocery chain behind Giant Food, has opened a stand-alone restaurant in California, where the company is based. It is testing the concept eatery, called Citrine, as more grocery sales are generated in precooked products. The company is mum on whether the concept will spread.

c Contact Jen Haberkorn at jhaberkorn@washingtontimes.com or 202/636-4836.