East Passyunk: Keeping the Faith In The Italian Community
Nicholas Martorano is an Augustinian priest who has been the pastor at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in East Passyunk for the past 33 years. Raised in the area, he has brought the long-standing traditions of his Italian upbringing, a strong emphasis on faith and family, to enhance the quality of life for the people […]
East Passyunk: Jewelers Find A Home For Collaboration
In room 214 of Bok, previously Edward W. Bok Technical High School, five women are redefining the notion of Philadelphia’s famous, and currently under threat, Jewelers’ Row. Emily Cobb and Leslie Boyd rented a space on the first floor of the newly repurposed Bok in November 2015. In April the duo will move up to a larger studio on […]
South Philadelphia: Where Old Meets New
It’s a Saturday afternoon, and Vincent Iannelli is working in the back of his bakery on Passyunk Avenue. Iannelli, 29, wears a sauce-smudged cooking apron and a baseball cap atop his dark, slicked-back hair. He takes his time while he pours homemade red gravy across freshly-rolled dough, scoops it onto a wooden paddle and into […]
East Passyunk: After Success In South Philly, Brothers Expand Grocery Business
More than six years ago, two brothers dove into their savings and maxed out their credit cards to follow their passion and share it with the people around them. “There was a demand for a store specializing in this (local and organic) kind of food, and we thought if we don’t do it, someone else […]
South Philly East: The 1980s Comes To East Passyunk Avenue
A new 1980s-themed Room Escape has opened at 1804 East Passyunk Ave., adding a new flavor to the area. A Room Escape is a real-life interactive puzzle where team members work together to figure out how to escape the space that they are put into. The concept derives from a popular video game genre. “Escape […]
South Philadelphia: Sam Jacobson Brings British Comfort Food to East Passyunk
Don’t call it a restaurant. “It’s a pie shop,” said Sam Jacobson, the owner and operator of Stargazy, a Philadelphia eatery serving authentic British comfort foods. “I just don’t want people to think it’s a restaurant,” Jacobson explained somewhat testily after being asked when he first decided to open his “restaurant.” “‘Cause it’s not.” He was clearly […]
East Passyunk: A Destination for All Generations
Cheesesteaks, “youse guys” and boxing may not be out of Philadelphia’s culture quite yet but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t eventually be on the brink of extinction. Maybe not but they are being pushed to the side. The diviest bars are starting to be replaced by craft beer specialty shops and lavish, upmarket liquor stores. […]
East Passyunk: Selling Knick Knacks Made in Philadelphia
A T-shirt that reads, “single with cats,” is one of the first things a customer see when they walk into Knack Philadelphia. That and a tote bag that states, “cats are my bag.” “I have two cats,” said Jen Pirrone, owner of Knack Philadelphia. “Everyone who shops here loves cats, I think pretty much everyone […]
South Philadelphia: Five Relics With A New Future
The various neighborhoods of South Philadelphia are engraved with rich history, whether it be the earliest churches in the country or the traces of an old company. Either way, this history has left behind an increasing number of abandoned and demolished buildings scattered throughout the neighborhoods. In order to accommodate with the ever growing population […]
East Passyunk: Urban Jungle Helps Beautify Homes
A walk down Tasker Street from the subway to Urban Jungle on Passyunk Avenue takes one past two or three neighborhood Italian restaurants but nothing beats fresh tomatoes from your own garden. Kristin Mulvenna, the store and landscape manager at Urban Jungle, knows that South Philadelphians take pride in their gardens and their homegrown vegetables. “A […]