Retail coming to Philadelphia (Washington, East Side: installation, violations, worst)

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by AJNEOA

Nicely put! I am constantly surprised at how many local retailers and boutiques there are when I pay attention. Even in Rittenhouse. And 3rd Street in Old City is so charming. I love the shops.

Funny, my favorite other city is Montreal. And while I believe it's healthier as a city as a whole (schools, crime, infrastructure), there are a lot of similarities between the two. Size, population, density, grittiness, oldness, previously the largest city in its country, etc. Another one is that it's a city of boutique shopping. It has just a ton of boutiques. But it as a city is healthier even on the shopping side. The reason I bring it up is that I think Montreal's shopping is what we should continue to aspire to. It's really excellent.

Sidney Kimmel pretty much started out in the boutique world, btw. Just another reference from the past.

[Redddog]

Yeah, Montreal is a good comparison. It's very "European" feeling. I have the same feeling here. Small streets among the big avenues, small shops among the larger ones, great bistros/bars/restaurants everywhere, etc.

My uneducated view is that you need both - large format w/ smaller shops as well. My feeling anyway is that after looking at all the cash-for-gold, electronics and cheap dollar store/fashion crap that exists in center city east, ANYTHING to replace those seems like a huge upgrade. And new, clean construction seems like the furthest thing from the crap that's there now. The other "want" is that those areas expand vertically and it's just assumed , rightly, that it's cheaper and more feasible to scrape and build than to add to a turn-of-the-century structure.

Not saying it's right, just thinking of why?

[acenturi]

The TIE BAR coming to 1527 Walnut. A good catch, based on their other 3 locations.

[rowhomecity]

Originally Posted by acenturi

The TIE BAR coming to 1527 Walnut. A good catch, based on their other 3 locations.

That's awesome! It is a welcoming sign. Great product. Innovative retailer and a solid and approachable price point.

The entry to market has few barriers with apparel, and the stuffy old apparel companies just can't keep up. I think we are going to see more and more e - commerce apparel companies look for some physical locations that manage to convey there unique experience/brand and largely these will be concentrated in urban markets.


This is great! Can't wait.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by Duderino

Thirded! I know I've tried to make this point several times over the course of this thread. There's no doubt that this fetishization of luxury chain retail (not that some isn't healthy) is really a waste of energy and undercuts the true independent spirit of Philly. Why are we so quick to sell our souls to consumer sameness, and as AJNEOA implies, succumb to truly negative impacts of expensive real estate?

Heck, a lot of people don't even realize that the supposedly high-end chain products they're buying are still made in a "mass produced" fashion by cheap labor: Slaving in the lap of luxury - latimes. It's all just about marketing.

Not to mention, the fundamental reasons why NYC, Chicago and San Francisco (and to a lesser extent Boston, Seattle, Miami and Washington, DC) have more impressive city-proper luxury chain options 1) they're HUGE tourism hotspots and/or 2) they're HUGE foreign investment hotspots.

In that context, I think for a city that has to rely far more on its local populace for a luxury retail market, Philadelphia actually does impressively for shopping options.

Back in the late 60s/early 70s, Sansom St was alive with boutiques. At one point, Patti LaBelle had a boutique. Most of those are long-gone, but the grand-daddy of funky local shops, Penn Herb, lives on. They even built a new shop.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

Back in the late 60s/early 70s, Sansom St was alive with boutiques. At one point, Patti LaBelle had a boutique. Most of those are long-gone, but the grand-daddy of funky local shops, Penn Herb, lives on. They even built a new shop.

What makes Penn Herb in Northern Liberties unique is that it sells herbs as medicine, not as cooking ingredients. I think that helps account for both the store's size and its longevity.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

Back in the late 60s/early 70s, Sansom St was alive with boutiques. At one point, Patti LaBelle had a boutique. Most of those are long-gone, but the grand-daddy of funky local shops, Penn Herb, lives on. They even built a new shop.

People, if you have not been to the new Penn Herb, and that's your thing, please go because it's awesome.

[rowhomecity]

2 new tenants named for East Market. These seem to be located on the Ludlow portion of the project.

Little Baby's Ice Cream
District Taco (based out of D.C).

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

What makes Penn Herb in Northern Liberties unique is that it sells herbs as medicine, not as cooking ingredients. I think that helps account for both the store's size and its longevity.

I love Penn Herb. The old store was like taking a trip back in time. I recommend them to people every chance I get.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

I love Penn Herb. The old store was like taking a trip back in time. I recommend them to people every chance I get.

It's an utterly updated operation now in look and feel but still the same in what they offer.