Ravensworth Shopping Center, on Braddock Road and I-495 in Springfield

[DonRocks]

On 10/2/2008 at 10:19 AM, DonRocks said:

I should read this website more often - I had no idea The Swiss Bakery had opened a second location in Ravensworth.

I don't remember them having anything savory (other than dried sausage) in the Burke location, but their Ham and Cheese Croissant ($2.75) is a welcome change from the Cardiac Scramble at nearby Smith and Clarkson's, and the Raisin Scone ($2.25) is perfect with a cup of coffee.

And they have pints of homemade ice cream, some (but not all) made without corn syrup.

Cheers,

Rocks. 

On 1/20/2009 at 10:11 AM, DonRocks said:

Hey it's not the Heart Attack Grill, but Smith and Clarkson's Deli in Springfield offers a Cardiac Arrest Scramble for breakfast (Crispy bacon, cream cheese, and home fries scrambled with eggs. Also available on a sub roll. - click here, then click on Breakfast, then Omelettes.)

Ravensworth Shopping Center is managed by Stewart Commercial Realty Services, LLC. Restaurateurs: See below (*).

Smith & Clarkson's, whose website is no longer accessible, has closed along with the Safeway next door, and apparently several other shops in the Ravensworth Shopping Center in Springfield (on Braddock Road, immediately outside the Beltway) These are becoming a Lotte (which I'm just now finding out is pronounced with a long "o" after about fifteen years). Rest assured, this is an indirect consequence of the 495 Express Lanes, which have a Braddock Road exit. Many people will be coming locally from Little River Turnpike, but the Express Lanes will encourage others to arrive as well.

It's remarkable (literally, worthy of remark) that this new Lotte is opening so close to the one at Fairfax Circle. Demographically, it makes perfect sense, but I wonder if this is an addition, or a replacement. According to this post on fairfaxunderground.com (where there is some, um, "lively" discussion), Don McIlvaine, GM of Ravensworth Properties, LLC, tried to get Whole Foods to move in, but failed - presumably because they're resting comfortably down Rolling Road, in the heart of Springfield (I agree that switching locations would have been a bad demographic decision for Whole Foods; it seems like an excellent one for Lotte, assuming they'll be closing in Fairfax Circle (I have no knowledge about this one way or the other - it's just that the two locations would be very close together if Fairfax was to remain open)).

Of key importance: The Swiss Bakery remains, for now - I pulled up just as they were closing on Wednesday, and a girl was locking the door, so I didn't get a chance to ask them what the future held. Despite the domination of Lotte (it's in that corner close to Braddock Road (**), and The Swiss Bakery will be even more invisible than it is now), I think this new anchor might help their business, and it might even help them tremendously (I can also see someone with the exact opposite initial instinct, and who knows what's going to happen to their rent in the future).

Well, you can kiss parking at Ravensworth Shopping Center goodbye. Furthermore, an already-terrible intersection is about to become a Lotte more terrible - if you're coming up the outer loop of the Beltway (which many Koreans will be doing), you're going to *need* a Latte to stay awake while you wait for that single-lane stoplight. They're going to have to change things up a bit - I'm glad Matt's going to college.

So long to Smith & Clarkson's, which has been under its current ownership since 2002 (but was open long before that under another owner). 

So long also to one of the Oldest Restaurants in the Washington, DC Area that you've probably never even heard of: Pizza Bazzano, which opened in 1967, and is also closing due to the advent (encroachment?) of Lotte.

Of note: According to this article from October 18, 2014, on annandaleva.blogspot.com (who was the first source to report on the October 16 Town Hall meeting), Smith & Clarkson's is expanding into the Pizza Bazzano space. That said, I haven't seen any other, more recent, sources that verify this, so I can't confirm it; in fact, Ravensworth Shopping Center's website lists both Lotte and The Swiss Bakery as "Current Tenants," along with Kilroy's, but there's no mention of either Smith & Clarkson's or Pizza Bazzano. In fact, if you click on the picture immediately below, you can see that both Smith & Clarkson's and Pizza Bazzano's spaces appear to be vacant, whereas The Swiss Bakery's is still there. It's a wise move for Ravensworth Shopping Center to be keeping The Swiss Bakery - they are a *huge* asset, and if they were my tenant, I'd do everything I could to retain them and keep them happy.

To The Swiss Bakery: Not accounting for any rent increases, my gut feel is that this is going to help your business going forward, quite a bit, once you get beyond construction. In fact, if you have a long-term lease, I'd say you've just won the lottery - I hope to hell you got it for 20 instead of 10. Regardless, I'll follow you wherever you go, and given how little space you inhabit, I'd even consider you a mini-anchor and cut you a deal - this *should* be a win-win for both you and your landlord, but I've seen money do really bad things to people, all too often.

To the landlords: I know you don't know who I am, but I assure you I don't know a soul who is associated with The Swiss Bakery. Based on merit alone, I have them ranked in my Dining Guide ahead of Georgetown Cupcake as the #1 Bakery in the Washington, DC area that has Multiple Locations (since you haven't posted ten times, you won't be able to see it, so you'll either need to find someone that has, or just trust me on this one).

(*) Note: 1618 7th St. NW is for lease:

(**) It sure seems like the ideal placement for Lotte would be at the back end of that shopping center, doesn't it? Well, it's not a perfect world - this is going to be one serious bottleneck unless they force drivers to take the rear entrance.

[Ilaine]

Lotte in Ravensworth Shopping Center may make more sense, demographically, than Fairfax Circle. Closer to Annandale. Easier to get to than the tiny Super H off Ravensworth Drive near Annandale High. The Fairfax Lotte is kind of nasty. The Safeway it is replacing was kind of nasty. I drive all the way to Super H in Fairfax City even though the Annandale Super H and the Fairfax Lotte are much closer, because it's clean. Han A Reum in Merrifield is so cramped my husband refuses to go there, and, frankly, I don't like it, either.

So, I have hopes for this location. I drive past it twice a day, going to work and going home. Considering how much money (not just mine) passes by every day, it's got a ridiculously poor selection for quality groceries.

Left turn onto Portsmouth from Braddock just off 495 is two lanes now.

[ScotteeM]

The signs are up, and so are the shelves. I drove by 2 weeks ago and peeked in the open front door, and it looked like they might be almost ready to start stocking the shelves. Projected opening is in January, I think, but I'll bet they wouldn't mind opening before Christmas, if they could.

I'm not sure how much worse the parking will be than it was when the store was a Safeway. It will be a couple of miles closer to me than the Super H-Mart in Annandale, although when the new H-Mart (I'm guessing it will be super) in the Burke Village Shopping Center (in the former Giant Food space) that will be the most convenient of all.  I can't wait for both of these stores to open. I've never shopped at a Lotte, but I love H-Mart in all its forms, so I'm eager to see the new Lotte.

I'm passing by there more often these days, because the holistic vet I worked for for 15 years has just opened his own holistic care and training center down Portsmouth on Woodruff Court, offering acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, massage, chiropractic, laser, physical therapy and all sorts of training for dogs (everything but the training for cats). <<<<Shameless plug.

[ScotteeM]

Grand Opening this Saturday:

"Annandale Grand Opening" on lotteplaza.com

[weezy]

Had forgotten the Lotte was open and was heading over to the Swiss Bakery to pick up a treat, but took a spin through the Lotte to see what was there.  I've gotten used to the H-Mart on Heritage, so the aisles in this one seemed huge, but I don't know that there was much greater selection at Lotte, with the exception of the housewares.  They did have some gorgeous whole rockfish  for $4.79/lb and I almost got one but had other shopping to do and didn't want to risk it.  There didn't seem to be as big a fresh selection of seafood as at H-Mart, but a much wider/deeper choice of frozen and dried fish.  That part of the store had a stronger dried fish smell than I'm used to, but then they had several varieties of dried fish in open baskets in the department.  Produce seemed about equal in selection and pricing.   Hard to find a parking space with still so much taken up by pushed snow, but the store itself didn't seem particularly crowded except around the dumpling tasting station.

[weezy]

Oh, forgot to mention that the Swiss Bakery is taking over the space to the east of it that used to house a carpet store.  This is great because the cafe has been bursting full the last few times I've been in and it's been difficult to shop for anything not in the pastry counter, so this should be a win-win to expand their footprint by 1k sf

[DonRocks]

On 3/14/2015 at 4:22 PM, DonRocks said:

Ravensworth Shopping Center is managed by Stewart Commercial Realty Services, LLC. Restaurateurs: See below (*).

Smith & Clarkson's, whose website is no longer accessible, has closed along with the Safeway next door, and apparently several other shops in the Ravensworth Shopping Center in Springfield (on Braddock Road, immediately outside the Beltway) These are becoming a Lotte (which I'm just now finding out is pronounced with a long "o" after about fifteen years). Rest assured, this is an indirect consequence of the 495 Express Lanes, which have a Braddock Road exit. Many people will be coming locally from Little River Turnpike, but the Express Lanes will encourage others to arrive as well.

Revisiting Ravensworth Shopping Center just over a year later, things have changed quite a bit.

The anchor is now Lotte Plaza Market, which opened on Dec 19, 2015.

And inside that Lotte may be your two best dining bets (with one big exception) in the entire shopping center: the Korean eatery Sang Rok Soo -  and, for sushi, Yogi Sushi - 
The one big exception is, of course, the stalwart Swiss Bakery, which remains one of the few places in the DC area that will not allow tipping:  

There's also Kilroy's, which has been at Ravensworth Shopping Center for a long time - I initially made a mistake and thought this was Brion's Grille, but I've never been to Kilroy's before. Reports here (which follow this post) are largely positive (probably in response to my erroneous, originally negative review) - my sincere apologies to the folks at Kilroy's for making such a big mistake:  

Back again to the old, pre-Lotte days - Hong Kong Express remains. I've still never eaten here, and you all can let me know how it is: 

Aside from a 7-11 in the corner of the mall, there's currently one more "restaurant," if you wish to call it that: 

Ah, but on to the new again! Opening this summer will be ... will be ... will be ... oh my God, it's another Anita's:  

[weezy]

I've ordered from Hong Kong Express a couple of times.  very middling Chinese-American food.  It's not on my rotation anymore.

[Al Dente]

39 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

Aside from a 7-11 in the corner of the mall, there's currently one more "restaurant," if you wish to call it that: 

Next to a pet store!

In Salisbury MD there is a veterinarian practice that shares the same parking lot as a Burger King. 

[TheMatt]

Other things to note:

• The Swiss Bakery is expanding. They took over the space next door and are remodeling now. I've many a time tried to go there for lunch on the weekend and tables are impossible. Hopefully this will help.
• Inside the Lotte there is another food stall: Deli Manjoo (warning: sound!). They sell fresh made bungeoppang (aka taiyaki) and little walnut cakes (hodo kwaja?). Both good when I tried them. I didn't see any hotteok but I'm hoping they have those too.

[DonRocks]

17 minutes ago, TheMatt said:

Other things to note:

• The Swiss Bakery is expanding. They took over the space next door and are remodeling now. I've many a time tried to go there for lunch on the weekend and tables are impossible. Hopefully this will help.
• Inside the Lotte there is another food stall: Deli Manjoo (warning: sound!). They sell fresh made bungeoppang (aka taiyaki) and little walnut cakes (hodo kwaja?). Both good when I tried them. I didn't see any hotteok but I'm hoping they have those too.

Where is it? I looked around, and didn't see anything else.

[TheMatt]

If you go inside, it's directly to your right, next to the produce section. Sort of the other side of the store from the other food stores. 

[DonRocks]

5 minutes ago, TheMatt said:

If you go inside, it's directly to your right, next to the produce section. Sort of the other side of the store from the other food stores. 

Ah, shoot - I looked in that direction: You can't see it from the entrance.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Not-all-that-far-off-topic, but I love threads on suburban strip malls. I've always liked Ravensworth, and I don't think Kilroy's is atrocious. I've had a respectable prime rib meal there a few times, at a fraction of the price of most places. They also pride themselves in wings and substantial pours of adult beverages.

If we're offering lists of good eating strip malls, then Brookfield Plaza in Springfield gets one of my votes. 

 

[DonRocks]

1 hour ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

Not-all-that-far-off-topic, but I love threads on suburban strip malls. I've always liked Ravensworth, and I don't think Kilroy's is atrocious. I've had a respectable prime rib meal there a few times, at a fraction of the price of most places. They also pride themselves in wings and substantial pours of adult beverages.

If we're offering lists of good eating strip malls, then Brookfield Plaza in Springfield gets one of my votes. 

What town do you consider Ravensworth Shopping Center to be in? I can see it being Springfield, Burke, or Annandale - any of the three.

---

Kilroy's (DonRocks)

[LauraB]

2 hours ago, DonRocks said:

What town do you consider Ravensworth Shopping Center to be in? I can see it being Springfield, Burke, or Annandale - any of the three.

Definitely not Burke.  Either North Springfield or Annandale.

[Kibbee Nayee]

9 hours ago, DonRocks said:

What town do you consider Ravensworth Shopping Center to be in? I can see it being Springfield, Burke, or Annandale - any of the three.

It needs its own name, kind of like Lincolnia. Maybe something like Springbrurkedale?

[DonRocks]

4 hours ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

It needs its own name, kind of like Lincolnia. Maybe something like Springbrurkedale?

For whatever it's worth, I used to live a mile outside the beltway on Little River Turnpike - on the near side of Guinea Road, it was an Annandale mailing address, or the far side of Guinea Road, it was a Fairfax mailing address. As you kept going towards Fairfax, it didn't officially become Fairfax City until you crossed Pickett Road.

This doesn't really pertain to Ravensworth Shopping Center, since that's on Braddock Road, not Little River Turnpike, but they sort-of run parallel, one exit apart on the beltway.

I think of Annandale primarily as "the stretch of Little River Turnpike between I-495 and I-395," with the exception of the first couple blocks near I-395, which I consider to be part of Landmark (where Total Wine is) - at some point around there, it turns into Annandale. The first mile-or-so outside the beltway is also Annandale, probably up until Guinea Road, but the tenderloin is closer to Annandale High School:

[weezy]

On the east end, Annandale starts on the south side of LRT near the laundromat where Wally's Aquarium used to be and on the north side, it starts at the Braddock Road Intersection.   

Ravensworth Plaza is in North Springfield.  Everything on that side of Braddock from Backlick westward is Springfield.  

[rbh]

And everything on the other (north) side of Braddock is Annandale until about Guinea Road, as Don mentions.

[DonRocks]

20 minutes ago, rbh said:

And everything on the other (north) side of Braddock is Annandale until about Guinea Road, as Don mentions.

I double-checked this statement by checking Audrey Moore (*) Park and Rec Center (just on the right, when you head out on Braddock from the Beltway - right across Braddock from Ravensworth Shopping Center), and sure enough, it's Annandale - this is a *big* park, too. Skateboarders take note - this must surely be one of the best places to skateboard in the area.

(*) Does anyone remember those *snotty* political commercials on the radio? Picture a finger-wagging announcer saying, in a scolding tone, "You can't have it *both* ways, Audrey Moore!" Oh, they annoyed me - I didn't care what party she was in, or what she stood for; I wanted her to win just to piss off whoever was behind that mudslinging campaign. Hell, I guess she did since they named a big park after her.

If I ever run for office I vow and declare that I will *not* dishonor my opponent no matter *how* much I don't like the person.

[rbh]

I remember when it was just plain old Wakefield Park. Went to elementary school in that pocket of Annandale outside the beltway between LRT and Braddock. 

If one really wants the authoritative source, there's always the FC zip code map

[ScotteeM]

I posted this on the separate Kilroy's thread, but for the record, Kilroy's has been in the Ravensworth Shopping Center since 1981, when it was called "Uncle Sam's." Name changed to Kilroy's in 1984. And the USPS considers that Springfield.

[Kibbee Nayee]

As for what to call the area that Ravensworth occupies, I found a few anagrams for "SpringfieldBurkeAnnandale":

Pleasurable Fanned Drinking

Unspeakable Finland Grinder

Arable Flaked Underpinnings

Ballpark Grannies Undefined

Unparadised Barf Kennelling

Grandpa Undrinkable Feline

Undependable Fares Rankling

A few of these would make for good names for rock bands....