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Med Spa–Café Hybrid to Replace Long-Vacant 7-Eleven
A former 7-Eleven at the corner of 22nd and Lombard is about to become something very different: a “speakeasy” medical spa tucked behind a sunlit juice cafe.
Following zoning approval last year, physician assistant Jacqueline Clarizio is set to open The J Spot, a boutique wellness and anti-aging practice with a small prepared-food cafe, slated for an October launch.
The project ends a five-year vacancy in the 2,354-square-foot space, which has seen nearly a century of commercial use. For Clarizio, who has lived in both Fitler Square and Graduate Hospital, it’s the fulfillment of a long-held goal.
“When I was a student with zero dollars in my bank account, I’d walk down to Fitler Square for peace and quiet,” she said. “It felt calmer here—tree-lined streets, neighbors who say hello, none of the chaos I had near Jefferson.”
That early impression stayed with her. “It was always my dream to live here, to practice here. One day I was walking my dog and saw this building. I thought, ‘this corner is too beautiful to sit empty,’” she said. “Even when I learned there was a zoning issue, I was determined to make it work.”
From Empty Shell to Speakeasy Spa
When Clarizio signed the lease, she got a “vanilla shell”: no plumbing, no electric, and, as she discovered, some clogged pipes buried under the floor. “Everything I did, I built from the ground up,” she said. She eventually partnered with Falls Bridge Construction and architect Canno Design to turn her vision into reality.
The layout grew from her own No. 2 pencil sketches. “Think about crafts in second grade. I just started drawing rooms with a ruler, erasing, and moving things around,” she recalled. What began as a plan for two separate entrances became one open space, with the cafe at the front and two side doors leading into the med spa. “I kind of call it my speakeasy med spa,” she said.
Most of the space is dedicated to treatments: facials, injectables, IV hydration, cold plunge, sauna, and nutritional counseling. The smaller cafe area will serve Mighty Bread pastries, prepared wellness foods from ANEU Kitchens, smoothies, and Herman’s coffee.
Zoning Hurdles and Community Backing
Because the building’s zoning caps most commercial uses at 2,000 square feet, Clarizio needed a variance for the extra 354 square feet. Her zoning attorney, Meredith Ferleger, called the size overage “de minimis” and noted that the prior 7-Eleven operated in the same footprint.
Before the hearing, Clarizio went door-to-door collecting signatures from neighbors, many eager to see the corner reactivated. “It’s been sitting dark for years, and it’s such a central part of the block,” she said.
The Center City Residents Association did not oppose the plan, adding a proviso for interior trash storage. Clarizio also outlined strict medical waste protocols like labeled sharps containers and licensed disposal company pickups to address safety concerns.
A Boutique Vision, Not a Chain
Clarizio plans to launch a loyalty app where points can be redeemed in both the spa and cafe, and she’s committed to keeping the business boutique. “I don’t want to be someone opening up a strip-mall med spa,” she said. “It’s about being detail-oriented and giving the best possible care.”
A soft opening is planned for late September, with the official public debut in early October. “This is the neighborhood I always wanted to be in,” Clarizio said. “Now I get to open my dream business here, and it feels like the perfect fit.”
A Note from Dave Metz from Friends of Schuylkill River Park
Hello Neighbors! FSRP is seeking your perspective!
Take our 5 minute survey to inform how we can make our park even better! As an all-volunteer board, we want the best for our park - and that means getting perspective from as many of our neighbors as possible.
We began a master planning process in 2021 that included the results of community surveys and outreach. Since then, we’ve brought several projects to life, including:
New rims and backboards on the basketball courts
Picnic tables and Adirondack chairs throughout the park
Rec Center and free play improvements
Official arboretum designation for the park
Our 2025 initiatives include:
Dog Park turf replacement in both the large and small dog parks (completed spring 2025)
Extended bathroom hours on Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (summer Saturdays beginning 2025)
Baseball field beautification by removing overgrowth and planting ivy (ongoing in 2025)
A great way to give back is to share your thoughts! Let us know where you want to take the park - you might even see one of your ideas come to life!
Although I wish the new owner well, I am saddened by her focus on "anti-aging" products. This is ageism at its most blithely clueless. I was hoping for a shop full of interesting things, or a yoga, pilates, dance or arts studio - a place for community members of all ages to be together. Instead, this place will foster and profit from insecurity about aging. A missed opportunity.
Any update on the fate of the legendary Doobies bar across the street? Breaks my heart every time I pass it!