Shoppers at Tysons Corner Center may have spotted some new additions to the mall, including a cafe serving up matcha drinks and the return of a Christmas pop-up shop.

A Christmas to Remember comes to the mall during the holiday season to sell a wide variety of ornaments, lights, gifts and collectibles. The holiday decoration store opened a few days ago by the Barnes and Noble on the second level and will stay open through January, an employee said.

Over by the entrance to The Plaza, Matcha Cafe Maiko started serving matcha-focused ice cream and drinks over the weekend.

The chain’s online menu features shaved ice, soft serve, lattes, teas, floats, sweet red bean soup and parfaits.

People looking to get in the mood for Halloween can find a costume and decor store on the first level by H&M, according to the mall’s directory. Spirit Halloween sells costumes for kids and adults, decorations and party goods.

Now Closed

While several stores have opened in the mall, a few have closed.

Candy store Sugarfina closed about a week ago in the mall on the first level by Macy’s, an employee at a neighboring store said.

Frozen yogurt eatery Fruity Yogurt closed a few days ago, an employee at nearby Auntie Anne’s said. The space has a generic wraparound covering it.

Coming Soon 

Canadian clothing brand Roots plans to open in the former Aldo space on the second level in October. The store is currently hiring along with Abercrombie Kids, which is planning to open in November on the first level near Nordstrom.

No new information on when Beauty Nail Bar or Moge Tee will open.

Cinnabon is temporarily closed on the first level in the food court area. A wraparound says that it is “reopening soon.”

The Weekly Planner is a roundup of interesting events coming up over the next week in the Tysons area.

We’ve scoured the web for events of note in Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield, McLean and Falls Church. Know of any we’ve missed? Tell us!

Tuesday (Sept. 24)

• Ribbon Cutting: Zenola — 6-7 p.m. at Zenola (132 Branch Road SE) — Newly opened Zenola is hosting their grand opening in partnership with the Vienna Business Associaton and the Town of Vienna.
• Laughs In The Lobby Bar — 8 p.m. at Jammin Java (227 E. Maple Avenue) — This free event lets people gather for an evening of comedy featuring a variety of experience levels. All ages are welcome. Those wishing to get on stage should show up at 7 p.m.
• Happy Hour Mixer in Falls Church — 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Hilton Garden Inn (706 W. Broad Street) — The Greater Merrifield Business Association and the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce are hosting a joint event with food, drinks and networking.

Wednesday (Sept. 25)

• Community Conversation: Shaping the Future of Fairfax County Together — 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Marshall High School (7731 Leesburg Pike) — Fairfax County wants feedback from citizens about what they want their community to look like in 10-20 years. This is an opportunity for people to gather and give input at an open forum.

Thursday (Sept. 26)

• Alya Salon Grand Opening Party — 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Ayla Salon (139 Park Street SE) — This new hair salon will celebrate its grand opening with food, drinks, music, various product samples and a mini-fashion show.

Friday (Sept. 27)

• Friday Night Live — 8-11 p.m. at Falls Church Distillers (442 S. Washington Street) — Each week, this free event invites community members to gather for live music.

Saturday (Sept. 28)

• Merrifield Fall Festival — 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Mosaic District (2910 District Avenue) — This festival gives attendees the opportunity to enjoy some fall weather while listening to live music, enjoying brews from Caboose Brewing in Strawberry Park and shop at the local farmers market and on-site craft fair. This event is free to attend.

Sunday (Sept. 29)

• Plant Swap — 11 a.m.-noon at Botanologica (817 W. Broad Street) –– This free event gives community members the chance to trade plants or clippings. Organizers ask that participants bring only healthy plants, label the species and provide written care instructions for the next owner.
• Pimmit Hills Day — 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Olney Park (1840 Olney Road) — This festival invites community members to check out live music and various vendors offering live music, food and drinks. All ages are welcome to this free event. There will also be activities for kids.

Photo via Facebook

Merrifield will soon have a new Popeyes — and its infamous chicken sandwich.

The fast-food restaurant will be located in the Merrifield Plaza Shopping Center (2835 Gallows Road) and is expected to open by the end of September, Nader Saleh, the owner and operator of the upcoming location, said.

Signage outside the upcoming location and in the parking lot advertises a full menu, including the wildly popular chicken sandwich.

The eatery will be open every day from 10 a.m. until 11 p.m., Saleh said.

Currently, two other Popeyes locations are in the nearby area, including one in Fairfax (9661 Fairfax Blvd) and Vienna (325 E Maple Avenue).

For anyone seeking employment, the location is hiring and people are welcome to apply online.

A Neapolitan pizza place plans to open a new location in the Mosaic District.

Pupatella, a local Italian pizza chain, put up signage announcing their new location at 140 Penny Lane, adjacent to Penny Lane Park.

The restaurant chain was founded in 2007 by Enzo Algarme, whose craving for authentic and homemade pizza inspired him to open his own pizzeria, according to the pizza chain’s website.

The menu offers customers a variety of pizza options, including traditional fried Italian food, salads, wine, dessert and coffee.

The Mosaic District spot is the latest in Pupatella’s expansion in Northern Virginia. The pizza local announced new locations in Arlington and Reston earlier this year.

Tysons Reporter reached out for more information and is waiting to hear back.

LEON, a U.K.-based eatery, plans to open in the Mosaic District this winter.

This will be LEON’s first Virginia location at 2905 District Avenue, Suite 160, according to a press release. The expansion into the Mosaic District is part of the company’s plan to open 15 new restaurants by the end of 2020.

“LEON chose EDENS Mosaic District for its vibrant, sophisticated environment that connects families and friends together through a curated mix of unique retail, restaurant and entertainment experiences,” Glenn Edwards, the U.S. president of the brand, said in a press release. “It allows LEON to bring our mission to a family-focused clientele.”

Founded in 2004, LEON brands itself as “naturally fast food” with menu options for a variety of dietary needs, including vegetarians, vegans and pescatarians.

The online menu features breakfast items like an English Breakfast Box and a salmon and egg muffin and all-day dishes including gluten-free chicken nuggets and a vegan sweet potato falafel hot box.

The restaurant chain currently has three locations in D.C. and more than 60 locations in the U.K., Norway, the Netherlands, Spain and Ireland.

Photo courtesy LEON 

Police Identify Tysons East Crash Victim — “Police said Megan E. Bell, 28, of Herndon, was the driver and only occupant of a Honda Civic involved in the single-vehicle crash that occurred at 2:34 a.m. along the Dulles Access Road (Route 267), a quarter-mile west of Route 123 in Tysons, according to Virginia State Police.” [The Washington Post]

Pizza Place Coming to Falls Church — Joel Salamone “is bringing his hometown specialty, along with Buffalo-style pizza, to the Little City when Baddpizza (stylized ‘baddpizza’) opens in the Broadale Village Shopping Center this November.” [Falls Church News-Press]

New Economic Development Alliance — Ten jurisdictions including Fairfax County and the City of Falls Church have teamed up to create the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance. [NOVA EDA]

County Pushing Car-Free Week — Fairfax County, Fairfax Connector “and other regional transportation partners are offering commuters the chance to win great prizes during Try Transit Week (Sept. 16-20, 2019) and Car Free Days (Sept. 21-23, 2019).” [Fairfax County]

Crash in Merrifield This Morning — Firefighters and rescue personnel were on the scene of a two-car crash at Williams Drive and Arlington Boulevard in the Merrifield area around 7:50 a.m. “Minor entrapment of occupants. Crews worked quickly to free. Two minor injuries.” [Twitter]

Site of Closed Falls Church Bookstore Bought — “The former site of Hole in the Wall Books, which shuttered at the end of last month after 40 years of business, was purchased by David Yeakel, Jr., an attorney who owns a practice next door to the former used bookstore on W. Broad St.” [Falls Church News-Press]

Town of Vienna Wants Website Feedback — “Last call for letting our website design team know what you think about the Town’s current site. This survey closes Monday evening.” [Twitter]

A new fast-food restaurant in Tysons Corner Center wants to help refugees.

Falafel Inc. opened for business at their new location on level one of the mall earlier this week, according to a staff member. Besides just serving an array of Mediterranian fare to customers, the company also provides jobs and food for refugees, according to its website.

“Falafel Inc. is the world’s first falafel quick-service food social enterprise,” according to the company’s website. Tysons Reporter has reached out to learn more about how the proceeds benefit refugees.

Menu items include falafels, hummus, various dips and fries, with prices ranging from $3 to $4.

The company has three spots in the D.C. area and six “coming soon” to Boston, Palo Alton and Los Angeles in California, Amman in Jordan, Dubai and Mexico City.

Falafel Inc. will celebrate its new Tysons spot with a ribbon-cutting on Saturday, Sept. 28.

Urban Hot Pot is expanding to the Mosaic District, adding to the several other eateries and shops popping up in the commercial center.

The restaurant, known for its traditional Chinese-style dining, will move into an open space at 2980 District Avenue, Suite 110, according to a construction permit application.

The location is preparing to open this winter, a company spokesperson said, adding that owners are still awaiting county approval to redesign the space’s interior.

The original location in Rockville, Md. at 1800 Rockville Pike will remain open for business as the company expands.

Unlimited lunch prices start at $19 and $26 dinner, according to the menu. The price includes unlimited food featuring sliced meats, vegetables and noodles that diners cook themselves in a pot of steaming broth.

The hours of operation for the new location have not been announced yet.

Photo via Facebook

Chick-fil-A is now looking to hire workers as the restaurant chain prepares to open in the Town of Vienna.

The restaurant will be on the ground floor of an enormous castle-looking building that will also house a Flagship Carwash on the second floor at 540 W. Maple Avenue.

Franchise owner Jeff Hubley is looking to hire up to 100 people for full- and part-time positions, including leadership development, hospitality and training, according to a press release. Employees can expect to have Sundays off and scholarship opportunities for continuing education.

The Chick-fil-A is slated to open in November.

Construction is still in progress on the project, which was one of several new projects approved under the town’s contentious Maple Avenue Commercial (MAC) zoning process.

The site has faced a series of delays and public backlash.

Last image via Town of Vienna Planning and Zoning 

The wait is over for Mediterranean restaurant Zenola. The restaurant announced on Friday (Sept. 6) that it opened in Vienna.

Zenola had previously pushed its expected opening from the winter to this summer.

“We’ve spent the last year renovating [our] space and creating a warm and inviting dining experience for our guests,” the restaurant said in an email.

Located in the former Maplewood Grill space (132 Branch Road SE) near the Fresh Market, the restaurant serves up Mediterranean cuisine. Diners can find pan-roasted quail, stuffed grape leaves and crab lasagna on the menu.

Founder and Executive Chef Samer Zeitoun was inspired by one small fruit: olives.

“Food is our passion and the olive is our inspiration,” Zenola says on its website, adding:

Olives are a foundational ingredient in each of the five great cuisines of the Mediterranean. Italian, Greek, Lebanese, Moroccan and Spanish cuisines each uniquely pay homage to the olive in their savory offerings. Which is best? We couldn’t decide so we give you the opportunity to determine for yourself by offering exquisite dishes from each…

From childhood, olives and olive oil have been staples of [Zeitoun’s] diet – his “comfort food.” He has spent a culinary career spanning more than 25 years in the pursuit and perfection of Mediterranean cuisine.

Interestingly, his last name literally translated means olive.

The restaurant is open for dinner every day starting at 5 p.m.

Photos via Zenola/Facebook