It is located along Campbell Avenue (formerly South 28th Street) at the intersection of Shirley Highway and Quaker Lane / Shirlington Road in Arlington, Virginia.

Woolworth, Singer Sewing Center, Fanny Farmer candy, Firestone as well as standard local offerings, such as a Shirley Food Store.

In 2005, after years of planning between Federal Realty Investment Trust and Arlington County, construction began on an expansion of The Village at Shirlington, which added 650 apartment and condominium units, doubled the length of the main street, more retail space including a Harris Teeter grocery store, a branch library, and a new home for the Signature Theatre.

Restaurants include: Aladdin's Eatery, Bonsai Grill, Capitol City Brewing Company, Robeks, The Bungalow, Aroma Indian Restaurant, Busboys & Poets, Caribou Coffee, Guapo's Restaurant, Luna Grill & Diner, Yogi Berry, Carlyle Grand Cafe, Subway, Best Buns Bread Company, Cakelove, Cheestique, Johnny Rockets, PING by Charlie Chiang's, and T.H.A.I in Shirlington.

The new restaurants include Copperwood Tavern, Palette 22, Dudley's Sports Bar and Grill, Dam Good Burger Moby Dick and Cafe Pizzaiolo.

The village is also the home to an enormous flock of winter-roosting crows which have complicate the lives of residents and restaurants since 2017.