If you need a sign that Philly's retail infrastructure is getting back on track, look no further than the stretch of Germantown Avenue that runs through the northwestern neighborhood of Chestnut Hill.
In early April, the Chestnut Hill Business Association (
CHBA) announced that five new shops have either recently opened on the avenue or will soon, while a sixth shop has moved into a larger location "to accommodate its rapid expansion," according to a release.
The avenue's latest addition, the children's boutique
Villavillekula (the name is a Pippi Longstocking reference), celebrated its arrival with an opening reception at the end of March. The
Chocolate Hill Candy & Fudge Shop, meanwhile, opened in December and has already proven popular with kids and grownups alike.
Also new for the toddler set is a youngsters-only version of the popular
Greene Street consignment chain. Known as
Greene Street Kids, it'll open sometime this month, as will Greenology, a gardening and organic lifestyle store across from the
Chestnut Hill Hotel. Newly launched inside the hotel is
Paris Bistro & Jazz Café, the third offering from Chef Al Paris, who also runs the acclaimed
Heirloom and
Green Soul eateries in the neighborhood.
According to CHBA Executive Director Martha Sharkey, the growth of the neighborhood's retail scene owes a large debt to the organization's retail recruitment program, which launched four years ago. The neighborhood has welcomed 15 new shops and eight new restaurants in that time.
"We are very lucky to have this program," says Sharkey. "For a downtown district, it's always challenging -- with malls, and with other places for people to shop -- to really create a vibrant, thriving community. The retail recruitment has really been essential to us."
The retail recruiter position has recently become available; interested candidates can
view the job description here.
Source: Martha Sharkey, Chestnut Hill Business Association
Writer: Dan Eldridge