Germantown: Andrew Trackman Talks Bettering Businesses And The Community
In 2014, Andrew Trackman (pictured above) became the Executive Director of Germantown United Community Development Corporation (GUCDC), located at 5320 Germantown Ave. He has been with the organization since it was created in 2012. He grew up in New Jersey, but has lived in Philadelphia since moving here at age 18 to got to school at […]
Port Richmond: Local Woman Created Mobile Site To Troubleshoot Body-Image Issues Through Social Media
Lauren Hallden from Port Richmond is using a website she created to connect with users in a unique way. Problem Bodies is a site that randomly generates things that are “wrong” with how you look. If you agree with the site, it’ll try to sell you a solution. If you disagree, sometimes it will argue […]
Fishtown: Owner Vipul Patel Opened The City’s First Legal Marijuana Dispensary
Behind tinted storefront glass and an intercom-locked door, lies Vipul Patel’s vision: spotless walls and slick flooring, flanked by flat screen displays and colored bleach-white, with a painstakingly grown ivy backdrop behind the front desk. Restore does its best to subvert the stigma and stereotyping around marijuana culture, at least superficially, a move that Patel […]
Mayfair: Young Entrepreneur Aims for Representation Through Clothing Business
Wearing gold frilly earrings, a long, over-sized blue sweatshirt and high-waisted mom jeans, Jennifer Mota loves to experiment with bold fashion statements. At 26-years old, she is the owner and fashion designer of Hu-Huako Custom Apparel. Mota takes her business very serious; especially when it comes to making other women feel beautiful in their own […]
Brewerytown: Residents Adapting Alongside New Developments, Businesses
Brewerytown is an attractive neighborhood to people looking for the cool, new hot spot to live. Its accessibility by public transportation and its proximity to Center City and Fairmount Park have made it an enticing area for developers and new residents. It’s no question that Brewerytown has seen changes in recent years. New apartment buildings […]
Brewerytown: Local Business Owner Embraces Changing Landscape
Max Ochester, owner of Brewerytown Beats at 27th Street and Girard Avenue, moved to Brewerytown in 2010, a few years before it became the “up-and-coming” neighborhood that it is now. In late 2014, Ochester’s developer friends bought a property in Brewerytown and asked if he would like to open a small business in the location. He […]
Strawberry Mansion: Kevin Upshur, Founder of the Strawberry Mansion Learning Center
Kevin Upshur, a longtime resident of Strawberry Mansion, has watched his neighborhood go through changes in his life. The biggest change? Upshur’s family owned and operated bar, was converted into the Strawberry Mansion Learning Center, a non-profit neighborhood education and resource center. Opening its doors in 2008, the center, has provided the children of the community […]
East Falls: Glassblowing Studio Is All Access To The Public
With the help of over-sized tweezers, a wooden paddle and a 2,000 degree furnace, Nikolaj Christensen and his coworkers at East Falls Glassworks are able to turn molten glass into a masterpiece. Nikolaj Christensen is the director and head glassblower at the East Falls Glassworks. Christensen’s passion for glassblowing began in 2001 when taking an […]
Brewerytown: Stylist Veronica Dunbar Shares Her ‘Fit for a Queen’ Dream
Veronica Dunbar has called Brewerytown home for two years now. Originally from Southwest Philadelphia, she grew up in her father’s barbershop, where he worked for nearly 40 years. Surrounded by hairstylists from a young age, she knew this would be a profession that would not only feel like home, but bring positivity to those she […]
Brewerytown: Five Cafes That Serve Coffee With A Twist
There’s no question that Brewerytown has seen numerous changes throughout the years. Once known for its many breweries, it is now recognized for the new establishments in the area — especially the cafes. In a city filled with cafes and restaurants, it’s hard to stand out. Jennifer Vanderheyden (above), a barista at Kayuh Bicycles and […]