Covering Annandale, Bailey's Crossroads, Lincolnia, and Seven Corners in Fairfax County, Virginia

Seven Corners Shopping Center won’t be redeveloped

Seven Corners Shopping Center [Saul Centers]

The Seven Corners Shopping Center is not going to be replaced with a mixed-use development, confirms Janet McCarthy, vice president of leasing at Saul Centers Inc., at least for the foreseeable future.

“There are no plans for redevelopment,” McCarthy says. “That doesn’t mean forever,” though.

She notes the Giant is relatively new. It opened in March 2020 in the space formerly occupied by Shoppers.

Related story: Dogfish Head Alehouse to close in May

Saul Centers expects to announce a new tenant for the Dogfish Head Alehouse spot by June 1. That restaurant is closing as of May 16, following a rent hike. No other tenants are planning to leave, McCarthy says.

KPot, an all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue and hot pot restaurant, will open in the former Fortune building on Arlington Boulevard. According to McCarthy, construction was delayed due to the pandemic and permit issues.

22 responses to “Seven Corners Shopping Center won’t be redeveloped

  1. I’m looking forward to a True Kitchen opening up in Seven Corner. I love me some True Kitchen.

    Or a good Brewpub. That would be awesome.

  2. So what Saul is telling us is that they will keep 7 corners as DUMPUSA and that we should forget about a brighter future for this declining C glass shopping center,

    1. I quite enjoy that shopping center. It’s sad to see dogfish go, but looking forward to see what new comes in. My family enjoys Red Robin, it has IMO the best chipotle around (other chipotles can sometimes dry out their meat – it can be hit or miss. This one is consistently good), and a convenient and well stocked home depot. The giant is also extremely nice.

      That’s just what I frequent most. My kids love 5 and under.

      So, clearly you and I have different definitions of a dump. The only dump I see around here is the garbage you bring to this site. For directions, the waste transfer facility is in the western part of the county. Why don’t you go make yourself at home there?

  3. I like the shopping center as is. I like Red Robin and I like the furniture store, and the Giant. For everyday needs it’s just fine.

  4. the place is a dump — I can’t believe anyone can say they like it the way it is — they don’t remember what a high-end place it was — to think that Garfinkels was replaced with that trash of place. The whole area is trash — slum landlord that raises the rent and then refuses to upgrade the place. I can only wonder what type of people love that place. Keeps the slum landlord in business.

  5. Real NICE — Ha Ha — “Saul” I have been talking with Saul for over two years now and it was not a Janet McCarthy!! Just what residents of this area need another “Eden Center” why doesn’t K-Pot go to Eden Center–barf-barf. Finally get a half way decent restaurant in Seven Corners “Dogfish” and McCarthy bumps them-thanks. And do you have a KPot where you live–I am quite sure no. Yes, Joyce, Seven Corners was wonderful and NOW it is a dump. Jeffrey, Red Robin–may be for children-I have been there twice and forget it. And what is your replacement for “Dogfish”, Janet, a drive up McDonalds. I had suggested to Saul to approach the group “American Restaurants”– Randy’s/Arties/Patsy’s/Mike’s/Coastal Flats/Carlyle/, etc.. I understand Home Depot is the top in the area if not all over. That is fine keep it. Across from Seven Corners is the same — old Sears — I never liked and again, originally it was a “nice” department store Lord and Taylor, with a revolving restaurant at the top and here we go — empty. Very SAD, I had been told that Mason District does not want the Seven Corners area to grow. So I guess this area will get to be more of a slum area. The previous five year plan went away and now what do we have — going in at the parking lot of the church; just something else to lower Barcroft Lake – Seven Corner area. Certainly would be nice to have Saul wake up and make good use of the property before the fellas from N.Y. come in and take over Seven Corners as they have part of Skyline already. Obviously Jeffrey you are the “dump” person to talk with another individual like you are–not nice/classy at all. Okay Jeffrey, Red Robin is for you and your five; some of us can afford a nicer restaurant and bit classier than Red Robin–enjoy. Don’t lower yourself writing like you did–not nice. Anyway, Seven Corners deserves much more than what Saul has offered over the years, to bad the trust is like that. Hopefully the next K-Pot will be in walking distance to both your office on Wisconsin Avenue and your home-enjoy.

  6. What ridiculous talk. We don’t need another Mason District.Does everything in NoVa have to have the same faux luxury plastic and steel look? When I want snooty I go to Tysons galleria. When I want pot roast, dulce de leche and collards I go to Seven Corners.

  7. Hot pot restaurants are fun & you can eat healthy foods at reasonable prices.

    I too would love a True Foods kitchen also.

    I frequent the Michaels store there as a non-political alternative to Hobby Lobby.

    BTW to csays: hot pot is usually Korean or Chinese, not Vietnamese, like Eden Center. Not all Asian cultures—or even all East Asian cultures—are alike! And I remember when Garfinkel’s, Lord and Taylor, Woodward & Lothrop, Franklin Simon and the Tog Shop populated 7 Corners, but there was also Woolworth’s, a pet store and other less ritzy places, and Garfinkel’s didn’t sell to Black people. The stores cater to the community that exists, not the one you wish were there.

    1. I had never heard that Garfinkel’s did not sell to Black individuals.
      I do not believe that at all.
      That is not even nice to say.

  8. I agree with Pam+B that “stores cater to the community that exists, not the one you wish were there.”

    This thought might well answer the nagging question I was having about Dogfish departing because it is not able to pay the increased rent, but a new entrant thinks it will be able to afford the increased rent (I am assuming that Saul wants the higher rent payment from the new entrant). Why is this the case?

    Not sure what type of new entrant in this space we should expect. Some have suggested a well-known high-traffic business (a McDonald’s with a drive-thru); while others have guessed an independent ethnic restaurant.

    I don’t know enough to have a clue. I have no idea if the Dogfish space and this area of Leesburg Pike can accommodate another drive-thru.

    My impression is that significant redevelopment of the Seven Corners area won’t occur until mass transit (likely a bus rapid transit system) has been deployed linking a Metro Station in Alexandria to a Metro Station in the Tysons area.

      1. Gee Quiche, who knew you knew so much about the transit of choice of violent criminals and murderers.

        You’re sure tricycles are not their transit of choice, wiseacre?

        Trolls like you make this comment section interesting.

        Keep it up.

        1. I believe Mr. Farouk was describing the correlation between the expanse of mass transit systems and crime increasing. One recent example in our area is the poor gentleman who was murdered at the Wells Fargo ATM on Annandale and 50. Those perpetrators all took the bus by Home Depot to the crime. And they left on the bus from the crime. If there was no bus, there likely would not have been a murder at the Wells Fargo on Annandale and 50. If you make the buses free, it stands to reason that more people from undesirable areas seeking spoils from nicer areas will increase in frequency.

          1. Gerd, with all due respect, one example, no matter how tragic, is not evidence of a potential crime spree.

            If and when bus rapid transit is established along Route 7, it will not be free.

  9. They should build a new entrance tower. I miss it. It could be all 21st century flashy. As long as you get to drive under it.

    That was a thrill I miss from when it was new and I was five.

    1. Entrance towers are indicative of castles from the middle ages, when slavery was commonplace. Antiquity inequity is antithetical to antiracism.

      1. Antiquity inequity begets foregone human motivations to control. When one mints a desire to promulgate injustice, one becomes injustice incarnate. The oppression inherent in supporting legislating the denial of a birthing person’s right to embryo terminate, for example, is congruent to lobbying for large entrance towers at Seven Corners. Truly terrifying how they can’t help themselves, and they are our neighbors.

  10. My father designed the air conditioning for Seven Corners Center (using collection of run off rain water into a large collection underground pool, i n a building near one end of the mall) where large fans blow air thru a constant stream of this water, which cools it then inside the mall, the cold water chills the air blown thru it, which gives the air condtioning for the mall. This was one of the first uses of this water cooling systems for shopping malls.

    1. Very cool! No pun intended. I remember the mall in its old configuration when it was all indoor. It was such an experience! Different times. I miss the old 7 Corners.

  11. Any update on what’s going into the old Dogfish Head restaurant? Story says an announcement on a new tenant was supposed to have been made by June 1.

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