To the right of Saigon Maxim sits Unit No. 7 at 600-636 Washington Avenue, a currently closed-for-business nail salon. The owners of that business have a five-year lease with an option to renew for five years and when they found that their nail salon business model wasn’t working, they approached the Passyunk Square Civic Association this week to open a Vietnamese bakery/coffee shop/sandwich shop. The attorney for the applicant, Stephen Murphy, made the presentation and neither store owners nor applicant, Sherry Yang, were present at the hearing, so we were unable to get specific quotes from the owners.

The certificate will be for an eat-in/takeout restaurant serving baked goods, soups and bánh mì sandwiches with seating for approximately 19 people at a few tables and some counter space. “Plans indicated all the proper ventilation systems and that trash would be privately hauled five times a week and stored in an enclosed, indoor service corridor at the rear of the unit,” confirms Dan Pohlig of the PSCA. The board voted unanimously in non-opposition to the project but had the provisos added for store hours (8am – 8pm, 7 days per week), trash pick-up Tuesday through Saturday, and a trash can outside the front door for patrons and others to use as they finish whatever it is they’re eating an leave the store.

The ZBA hearing is scheduled for April 20, but is likely to be continued until May since the attorney will not be available that day. No word on the name of the establishment or when they plan on opening, which is contingent on their approval by the ZBA.