The hole left at Old Keene Mill Shopping Center by Whole Foods Market’s departure is starting to fill up.

Trader Joe’s officially assumed the role of anchor grocery store when it opened on Sept. 12, and over the past week, the strip mall in West Springfield has welcomed a dry-cleaning franchise, a waxing center and a new sushi restaurant.

Zips Cleaners announced on Friday (Oct. 18) that it has opened a new location at 8402-D Old Keene Mill Road, taking over a 1,397-square-foot space that was separated from the former Whole Foods. This is the garment care company’s 19th location in Virginia and 71st in the country.

“We liked the vibe of it,” franchise co-owner Jeff Levine said of the location. “The intersection of Rolling Road and Old Keene Mill Road where we’re situated is one of the busiest in West Springfield. There are no other discount cleaners in sight.”

According to a press release, Levine and his fellow owner Carlos Cadenas noticed that there was space available when driving past Old Keene Mill Shopping Center one day.

Both men are veterans of the dry-cleaning business, with Levine also operating a Zips Groveton (6216 North Kings Highway) and acquiring a location in Mount Vernon. Cadenas operates Zips franchises in Lincolnia (6347 Columbia Pike) and York, Pennsylvania, while also serving as a partner for a location in Sterling.

Cadenas is now working with the other franchisees in Sterling — Brett Vago and Kyo Kim — to bring three sites for Mulberrys Garment Care, a sibling brand to ZIPS, to Northern Virginia.

In addition to filling a gap between the Groveton and Lincolnia locations, the West Springfield Zips is just down the road from West Springfield High School, which makes it a convenient option for handling athletic and band uniforms, Levine noted.

Open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, the store has a dropbox that customers can use during and outside of business hours, and finished garments can be delivered via DoorDash.

“We’re delighted to be adding another store to our system and to increase our coverage in Virginia,” Zips Director of Business Development Michael Waintraub said. “Jeff and Carlos have many combined years of experience and expertise as ZIPS operators, and we wish them great success with this store and all their locations.”

Zips and Trader Joe’s were joined in the subdivided Whole Foods space this past weekend by European Wax Center, which celebrated its grand opening at 8402-C Old Keene Mill Road with a ribbon-cutting and free or half-off services on Sunday (Oct. 20).

Space has also been leased to McAlister’s Deli, Crimson Coward Chicken, South Block and Honeygrow. Crimson Coward is expected to open by the end of this year, while the other eateries are slated to open next spring or summer, according to a spokesperson for Federal Realty, the shopping center’s owner.

Sushi restaurant opens doors

Over on the eastern end of the mall, Kanji Sushi celebrated a grand opening at 8430-A Old Keene Mill Road on Tuesday, Oct. 15. The all-you-can-eat Japanese restaurant can be found next to Planet Fitness.

“Get ready for a sushi feast like no other with All You Can Eat sushi that will satisfy all your cravings,” the business said in an Instagram post announcing its opening date. “Fresh, delicious, and endless rolls are waiting for you!”

In addition to sushi, the menu offers teriyaki, tempura, hibachi grilled meat and seafood, and fried rice and noodle dishes.

Kanji Sushi will celebrate Halloween by offering 10% discounts to anyone who visits in a costume on Oct. 31.

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