Center City Retail Report
Center City Retail Report
Center City District & Central Philadelphia Development Corporation
November 2025
Center City District’s annual retail report examines the past year’s retail performance across Center City and explores future trends.
Walnut Street occupancy continues to rise.
Center City’s premier retail corridor welcomed new high-profile tenants this year — including North America’s first Jordan World of Flight store — bringing occupancy above 86%. Sustained interest from major brands will bring additional storefronts to life throughout 2026.
Rittenhouse Row keeps great company.
Did you know 19103 is the country’s 10th wealthiest ZIP code? New CCD analysis reveals that our retail high street out-performs or keeps pace with the best shopping districts nationwide when it comes to spending power, foot traffic, and households within walking and driving distance.
Open Streets brings joy... and better sales.
Businesses reported 39% higher sales volume and 65% more foot traffic during Open Streets compared to typical Sundays. The program will return this holiday season and scale up significantly in the coming year.
Center City Retail: A Year in Review
Every year, CCD conducts a walking survey of every retail storefront between Vine and South streets stretching from river to river. We calculate occupancy as a percentage of total storefronts rather than square footage as the exact size of each storefront is not available uniformly across the survey area. As of October 2025, retail occupancy across these 3,600 storefronts is 84%, up slightly from one year ago. All told, more than 130 new businesses opened throughout the course of 2025.
Occupancy varies significantly by corridor. Walnut Street leads the pack, with occupancy above 86% west of Broad Street and just below that on the east side of town. Chestnut Street sees the biggest change in occupancy as you cross Broad Street, with the west side outperforming the east side by 12 percentage points. Market Street faces well-documented challenges along its length from Independence Mall to the Schuylkill River. The office-focused western side has the lowest overall occupancy among Center City corridors at 62%, whereas Market East fares slightly better at 72%.
Retail happenings that moved the needle in 2025
This past year saw several notable closures, beginning with Macy’s leaving Center City. CCD covered this in detail in our StoryMap on department stores (available on our website). A combination of corporate restructurings, bankruptcies, macroeconomic uncertainty and competition from online and discount outlets created additional disruption in retail nationwide. Drugstore chains such as CVS and Rite Aid—once ubiquitous across Philadelphia and pillars of the nighttime economy—continued their national contraction. Wawa also closed several Center City locations, while Starbucks reduced its national portfolio, shuttering hundreds of stores across major markets. Iron Hill Brewery, a regional chain with 20 locations including one on Market Street, ceased operations suddenly this fall.
While the broader retail environment is challenged by rising prices and less consumer certainty, the outlook for Center City’s retail mix has never been stronger.
Simultaneously, major brands made big commitments to Center City, including Nike’s Jordan World of Flight’s first North American location, new-to-market outposts for brands like Abercrombie & Fitch and Veronica Beard, expansions for local favorites like Mitchell & Ness, and high-profile dining concepts from hometown restaurateur (Jesse Ito, Michael Schulson, Stephen Starr) and national operators (Tyson Cole’s Uchi, Kevin Kelley’s Kitchen + Kocktails). Just last week, the Michelin Guide recognized 34 Philadelphia restaurants, awarding stars to Center City hotspots Friday Saturday Sunday and Her Place Supper Club as well as Headhouse Square’s Provenance.
Thirty-five officially announced arrivals are set to come online in 2026, along with several still-to-be-announced new-to-market tenants. An enduring strength of the downtown shopping scene is the only-in-Center-City mix of small and locally owned businesses alongside a growing list of national names. CCD is home to more than two dozen national brands not found anywhere else in Greater Philadelphia, including CB2, Rag & Bone, Reformation, and Theory to name a few. While the broader retail environment is challenged by rising prices and less consumer certainty, the outlook for Center City’s retail mix has never been stronger.
Center City Retail Occupancy
South Street to Vine, river to river
Center City District calculates occupancy as a percentage of total storefronts rather than square footage as the exact size of each storefront is not available uniformly across the survey area. The figures above represent the occupancy rates of each individual street, rather than larger geographic districts as was done in years past.
Center
City Demographics
Center City is home to a younger, well-educated and professionally-oriented population that has grown immensely over the past 10 years.
44% of core Center City’s population falls within the 20- to 34-year-old range, more than double Philadelphia County’s share.
Source: ESRI Business Analyst
Center City residents 25 and older have higher educational attainment than the greater metro area.
Source: ESRI Business Analyst
While Philadelphia’s overall population has fallen between 2020-2025, Core Center City’s population has grown by 38% since 2010 and 4.4% since 2020.
Source: ESRI Business Analyst
Median and average household income of Center City residents have steadily grown over the past decade.
Source: ESRI Business Analyst
Students and tourists contribute greatly to Center City’s economy.
Source: ESRI Business Analyst
100,000+
Students from eight local major colleges
3.2 Million
Annual hotel night stays across 80 hotels
Center City’s retail corridors attract diverse audiences who engage with each area differently. Rittenhouse Row sees its highest pedestrian activity on weekday evenings, while Midtown Village experiences peak foot traffic during weekend nighttime hours.
Hourly Foot Traffic Volumes, 2025
Source: Placer.ai
343,540
Daily Pedestrians in Core Center City (+3.4% YoY)
46,129
Rittenhouse Row (+9% YoY)
40,405
Midtown Village (+7 % YoY)
71,019 West Market (+4% YoY)
40,951 East Market (+1% YoY)
New & Upcoming Retailers
While some legacy brands have departed, new concepts continue to emerge. Categories such as food and beverage, apparel, and personal services (salons, spas, and fitness) have led the way in new openings, reflecting growing demand for lifestyle amenities from Center City’s expanding residential population. These changes are always cyclical: longstanding jewelers and traditional retailers have made way for contemporary brands such as Catbird, Avigail Adam, and Frank Darling, which are redefining downtown shopping for a new generation.
Aritzia
1725 Walnut Street
In March 2025, the luxury womenswear brand opened its doors at in Rittenhouse Row. After several years of anticipation and construction, Aritzia quickly established itself as one of Center City’s top destinations for professional and modern women’s apparel. The 1700 block of Walnut Street is one of the most fashionable blocks in Center City, as Aritzia now sits amidst Madewell, Reformation, and J.Crew on the north side of the street.
F1 Arcade
1330 Chestnut Street
F1 Arcade raced into Center City in May 2025, quickly taking over the large space previously occupied by West Elm. Philadelphia is F1 Arcade’s third location in the U.S., joining Boston and Washington, D.C. and alongside a second wave of expansion to Denver, Las Vegas, and Atlanta. This location features a full bar, restaurant service and 80 racing simulators across 19,000 square feet and is situated within several blocks of other interactive entertainment venues such as Beat the Bomb, Lucky Strike Bowling, and Puttshack. These types of retailers are eager to lease large-floorplate vacancies that are common across dense downtowns.
Nike’s Jordan World of Flight 1619 Walnut Street
Jordan World of Flight held its grand opening in October 2025. All eyes from the sports, fashion, and entertainment worlds were on Center City as the exclusive Nike brand chose Philadelphia for its first North American retail location, joining Milan, Tokyo, Seoul, and Beijing. Philadelphia has strong ties to the Jordan brand—Michael Jordan played his final NBA game in Philadelphia, and the Eagles’ Super Bowl MVP Quarterback Jalen Hurts is one of Nike’s most highprofile ambassadors. To celebrate, Nike hosted a block party along Walnut Street, as Jalen Hurts worked the cash register, for one of the highest-profile retail openings in Center City in recent years.
Market St.
Chestnut St.
Sansom St.
Arch St.
Walnut St.
Pine St.
South St.
Locust St.
Recent Openings and Coming Soon in Center City
Food & Beverage
Newly Opened: 64
Coming Soon: 30
Recent Openings
Food & Beverage
15th St. Pizza and Cheesesteaks
254 S. 15th St.
Alchemy Coffee 2300 Market St.
All Aboard Candy 1701 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Amma’s South Indian Cuisine* 1500 Walnut St.
Authentic Bagel & Co. 2204 Market St.
Bake n’ Bacon 1100 Market St.
Bao & Bun Studio 1136 Arch St.
Black Turtle Coffee
129 S. 18th St.
Borromini
1805–09 Walnut St.
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop 1504 Sansom St.
Celine 1224 Walnut St., 4th Floor
Cellar Dog
258 S. 15th St.
Curtain Call
300 S. Broad St.
Dancerobot 1710 Sansom St.
Dara Thai 1221 Walnut St.
Dear Daphni 1911 Walnut St.
Dunkin’ 1204 Chestnut St. & 1001 Chestnut St.
Feng Hotpot 1310 Walnut St.
Flight Club 1417 Walnut St.
Frankie’s Summer Club 355 S. 15th St.
Fuel
105 S. 12th St.
Garage 1501 Spruce St.
Italian Family Pizza 1701 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Jamaican Jerk Hut 1701 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Kissho House 1522 Locust St.
Kitchen + Kocktails 219 S. Broad St.
Kosh Deli 622 Market St.
Retailers
Newly Opened: 21 Coming Soon: 3
Kyruramen x TBaar 44 N. 12th St.
La Jefa 1604 Latimer St.
Lancaster Produce Co. 51 N. 12th St.
Leo Restaurant & Bar
300 S. Broad St.
Lil Sweet Treat 1527 Walnut St.
Lion Sports Bar 1021 Arch St.
Love Noodle 1017 Arch St.
Madis Coffee Roasters 601 Walnut St.
Main Squeeze Philly 1136 Arch St.
Mama’s Vegetarian
Falafel 18 S. 20th St.
Meet Harbin 1508 Sansom St.
Moka & Co 1 S. Penn Square
Mona 1308 Chestnut St.
Nakama 45 N. 13th St.
Pergola at the Bellevue 200 S. Broad St.
Service Providers
Newly Opened: 15 Coming Soon: 5
Pita Chip 1701 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Pizza Hut 801 Arch St.
Revolution Taco Express 1701 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Rhythm & Spirits 1617 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Rival Bros Coffee 1134 Sansom St.
Rockwell & Rose 601 Walnut St.
Satori Laser 1120 Walnut St.
Shay’s Steaks & More 1526 Sansom St.
Starbucks 111 S. 11th St.
Surf City 1206 Walnut St.
Taco Bell 1614 Chestnut St.
Tacodelphia 2051 Walnut St.
Tequilas 1602 Locust St.
The Bread Room 834 Chestnut St.
The Little Gay Pub 102 S 13th St.
The Saints 1901 Chestnut St., 2nd Floor
Uncle Gus’ Steaks 51 N. 12th St.
Wilt’s Chocolate
Smothered Berries 51 N. 12th St.
Wonder 1600 Chestnut St.
Yummy Picks 1122 Walnut St.
Retailers 7th Avenue 1427 Walnut St.
Abercrombie & Fitch 1702 Walnut St.
Aritzia 1725 Walnut St.
Bullseye 1509 Walnut St.
Casa Vida Style 2003 Walnut St.
Catbird 103 S. 18th St.
Custom Gallery 1625 Chestnut St.
Fitnah Free 2050 Sansom St.
Frank Darling 1613 Walnut St., 2nd Floor
Herman Miller 1615 Walnut St.
Indochino* 1519 Walnut St.
Joan Shepp* 1903 Walnut St.
Jordan World of Flight 1617 Walnut St.
McGillin’s Shoppe 123 S. Juniper St.
New Balance* 1619-21 Walnut St.
Philly Watch & Jewelry 1535 Chestnut St. #4
Puff St.op 114 S 15th St.
Ross Dress for Less* 1044 Market St.
Sunglass Hut 1703 Chestnut St.
Until Death Inc. 737 Sansom St.
Veronica Beard 1709 Walnut St.
Service Providers American Heritage Credit Union 1760 Market St.
Daya Aesthetics 15 S. 21st St.
Equinox 1911 Walnut St.
F1 Arcade 1330–36 Chestnut St.
Five Iron Golf 1717 Arch St.
Framebridge 113 S. 18th St.
Greyscale Hair St.udio 1607 Latimer St.
Hair Vyce 1722 Sansom St.
House of Clarity 1700 Sansom St., Suite 201
Proper Gentleman 1825 John F Kennedy Blvd.
Sandbox VR 1712 Walnut St.
SixtySixty 1931 Chestnut St.
Studio 23 Fitness 1923 Chestnut St.
Time Mission 1534 Chestnut St.
Urban Oasis 1522 Locust St.
Coming Soon
Food & Beverage Ayat 2021-23 Sansom St.
Cake & Joe 1735 Market St.
Dig Inn 112 S. 11th St.
DuoTaco 1102 Chestnut St.
Holy Guacamole! 1722 Sansom St.
HYO 1222 Walnut St.
Kenny’s Wok 1701 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Kyoto Matcha 222-24 N 11th St.
Liquorette 1534 Sansom St., 2nd Floor
Jabal Coffee Shop 1524-26 Chestnut St.
Matcha Panda 2033 Chestnut St. #4
McDonald’s 1604 Chestnut St.
Mi Vida 34-40 S. 11th St.
Mr. Edison 200 S. Broad St.
MOTW Coffee and Pastries 2101 Market St.
O’Morrey’s 1720 Sansom St.
OMG Hot Chicken 1880 John F Kennedy Blvd.
Pagano’s Comcast Center Concourse
Palm Vintage Café Sushi & Bar 1414 S Penn Square
Philly Pretzel Factory 1319 Market St.
Philly Recipe 1401 Arch St.
Rittenhouse Deli & Juice Bar 1039 Chestnut St.
Savú 208 S. 13th St.
TBD—(Late Night Diner Concept) 1526 Sansom St.
TBD—STARR (Devon Replacement) 225 S 18th St.
TBD—Unnamed Italian Bakery @The Josephine 1620 Sansom St.
TBD—Unnamed Sports Bar @The Josephine 1620 Sansom St.
Three Graces Coffee Co. 715 Walnut St.
Uchi 1620 Sansom St.
Wine Dive 1534 Sansom St.
Retailers
Fashionphile 1616-18 Walnut St.
Mitchell & Ness* 1513 Walnut St.
Underoutfit 1611 Walnut St.
Service Providers 305 Fitness 1625 Walnut St.
JeffExpress Urgent Care 830 Walnut St.
Salon Republic 210 S. 10th St.
Sev Laser 1525 Chestnut St.
Strike Zone Arena 1100 Market St.
The Tox Technique 1921 Walnut St.
*indicates relocation
Center City is home to many high-profile independent retailers and service providers including...
General Apparel:
Lapstone & Hammer
Mitchell & Ness
Womenswear:
Casa Vida
DFTI
Fitnah Free
Hi Style
Je Suis Jolie
Joan Shepp
Kin
Sophy Curson
Rebel
Menswear: Distante
Henry A. Davidsen
LR2
Maison Braun
Juniors
SuitUp
Wayne Edwards Workshop
Shoes:
Blue Sole Shoes
Head Start Shoes
Samsun Footwear
Sherman Brothers Shoes
Showtime Sneaker Boutique
...as well as national brands not found in any of the suburbs or regional malls.
Clothing & Apparel
Jordan World of Flight
Rag & Bone
State & Liberty
Reformation
M.M. LaFleur
Figs
Grace Loves Lace
Theory
Bullseye
Beauty & Fitness
Equinox
Brilliant Earth
Lagos
Frank Darling
Catbird
Glossier
Beauty & Fitness:
City Fitness
Duross & Langel
Revival PHL
Naturally Us
Rescue Spa
The Rittenhouse Spa & Club
The Sporting Club at the Bellevue
Home & Furniture
Brooklinen
Blick Art Materials
CB2
Joybird
Herman Miller
Interior Define
How Does Center City Stack Up?
Attracting new retailers and retaining a dynamic mix of existing tenants are critical activities for Center City District in our ongoing work to enhance downtown vitality. A key strategy in this effort is making the case that our retail environment compares favorably to other prestigious, walkable, and distinctive urban high-street areas.
Our analysis of foot traffic, spending power, tenant mix, and consumers within walking distance reveal that Center City—and Rittenhouse Row, in particular—compete with the best city shopping experiences in the U.S. and should be on the radar and priority list of more national brands.
Our analysis compares the demographic breakdown of Rittenhouse Row to similar urban retail corridors, including Newbury and Boylston streets (Boston), Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), and State Street (Chicago). Across all peer cities, Rittenhouse Row performs well on metrics that retailers weigh heavily when choosing a physical retail location. Notably, Rittenhouse Row experiences twice the visitor density of Georgetown, and it has a larger population within walking distance than Newbury & Boylston streets in Boston and State Street in Chicago.
Rittenhouse Row has already established itself as the first stop for expanding retailers to enter the market. In just the past year, Aritzia, Abercrombie & Fitch, Equinox and Jordan World of Flight are among a series of nationally recognized brands to open in Philadelphia, and there is plenty of room for the retail mix to grow.
Center City is the epicenter of the 11-county region’s spending power.
This past summer, the Philadelphia Business Journal released its new rankings of the wealthiest ZIP codes across the Greater Philadelphia region, derived from a weighted calculation that considers population density, income, and home equity to determine where the greatest concentrations of wealth per capita are located. This year, neighborhoods in and around Center City make up eight of the top 10 wealthiest U.S. ZIP codes in our region, with 19103 ranking 10th nationwide and first locally in terms of wealth concentration.
Rittenhouse Row, which is home to the highest number of national retailers, compares favorably to several premier urban shopping corridors across the United States.
5th Avenue (New York City)
Rittenhouse Row contains pedestrian densities that are competitive to some of America's most notable retail corridors.
Source: Placer.ai
Over 2.4 million people can reach Rittenhouse Row within a 30-minute drive—and most can arrive by public transportation as well.
Source: ESRI Business Analyst
Rittenhouse Row has more residents within a 15-minute walk than any of its peer districts.
Source: ESRI Business Analyst
Center City residents are welleducated: 81% of the population within a 15-minute walk of Rittenhouse Row holds at least a bachelor’s degree.
Source: ESRI Business Analyst
Newbury & Boylston (Boston)
State Street (Chicago)
Newbury & Boylston (Boston) State Street (Chicago)
Rittenhouse Row (Philadelphia)
King Street (Charleston)
Rittenhouse Row (Philadelphia) King Street (Charleston)
Georgetown (Washington, D C )
Georgetown (Washington, D C )
Fillmore Street (San Francisco)
Fillmore Street (San Francisco)
(Chicago)
Street (Chicago)
(Washington, D C
Rittenhouse Row (Philadelphia) Central Market (Denver)
(Washington, D C ) Rittenhouse Row (Philadelphia) Central Market (Denver)
Newbury & Boylston (Boston)
Newbury & Boylston (Boston)
Fillmore Street (San Francisco) King Street (Charleston)
Fillmore Street (San Francisco)
King Street (Charleston)
Rittenhouse Row (Philadelphia)
Rittenhouse Row (Philadelphia)
Newbury & Boylston (Boston)
Newbury & Boylston (Boston)
Fillmore Street (San Francisco)
Fillmore Street (San Francisco)
State Street (Chicago)
State Street (Chicago)
Central Market (Denver)
Central Market (Denver)
(Washington, D C )
(Washington, D C )
Georgetown (Washington, D C )
Fillmore
(San Francisco)
Fillmore Street (San Francisco)
Newbury & Boylston (Boston)
Newbury & Boylston (Boston)
Row (Philadelphia)
Rittenhouse Row (Philadelphia)
(Chicago)
State Street (Chicago) King Street (Charleston)
(Denver)
Fig18
Fig17
Fig16
Fig15
As previously reported by the Philadelphia Business Journal, there is a high density of households clustered around Center City with discretionary spending power. Over 8,200 households earning more than $200,000 per year are within a 15-minute walk, more than Newbury Street and Georgetown.
Source: ESRI Business Analyst
An analysis of retailers located throughout comparable urban retail corridors creates a conversation about which brands may be overlooking the Philadelphia market. The following national brands missing from Center City are mentioned frequently by Center City shoppers as highly desired (or given as the reason they head to the suburbs to shop). Notably, four of these stores have operated Center City stores in the recent past.
D.C.)
+ Olivia
Vines
According to CCD’s Shopping Survey, clothing remains the category most frequently purchased online, yet this has not deterred apparel retailers from opening physical stores. Recent Center City arrivals like Aritzia, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Reformation demonstrate that e-commerce and brick-and-mortar can complement each other — with online engagement often driving in-store visits and sales.
The top five most requested brands that respondents would like to see in Center City are: 1. Zara
Nordstrom 3. Bloomingdale’s 4. Mango
5. Crate & Barrel
The top five most requested categories of retailers are:
1. Local Boutiques
2. Luxury Retail Stores
3. Fast Fashion Retailers
4. Department Stores
Grocery Stores
Survey.
(Washington,
Newbury & Boylston Streets (Boston)
Street (Charleston)
Open Streets: West Walnut
Walnut Street experienced: Businesses along Walnut Street reported:
26%
Higher pedestrian volume
10,000+
Average Open Streets attendees
65%
More foot traffic
39%
Higher sales volume
Center City District introduced the Open Streets program in September 2024 under a simple premise: city streets are safer, more enjoyable, and more productive when centered around pedestrians rather than cars.
By closing off key streets to vehicular traffic and opening them to unrestricted pedestrian access, Open Streets created an inviting environment that increased the amount of space for people by nearly double.
What began with four Sundays in September 2024 on Walnut Street expanded to two December 2024 dates, 11 Walnut Street events throughout 2025, and a Midtown Village pilot in June 2025.
A year later, the results speak for themselves: data from CCD’s 21 Open Streets events have proven to show they boost pedestrian volumes, increase business’ foot traffic and sales, and create an environment of calm and safety in the middle of Center City. After all, people shop — cars do not.
The positive outcome of Open Streets for local businesses has fueled high demand for additional dates. Center City District plans to build off of last year’s Open Streets success in 2026 with more events and locations to be announced in the coming months.
“As a retailer, we are always looking to establish new customers and keep our regulars returning for more. Open Streets certainly brought us additional traffic, and we hope to see it continue.”
—Free People
Dining Scene Spotlight
Center City is home to:
199
Independent restaurants
15 Regional locations
20 National chains
Any discussion about America’s best restaurants inevitably includes Philadelphia. Year in and year out, chefs and restaurants based in Philadelphia are garnering accolades and seeing their influence reach far across the country.
Center City was again represented in the prestigious 2025 James Beard Awards alongside nearly a dozen other nominees and representatives from Philadelphia:
• Best Chef Mid-Atlantic Region Finalist: Jesse Ito of Royal Sushi & Izakaya and Amanda Shulman of Her Place Supper Club
• Outstanding Chef Semifinalist: Greg Vernick of Vernick Fish
• Outstanding Bar Nominated: Lovers Bar at Friday Saturday Sunday
Philadelphia’s dining revolution began alongside the revitalization of Center City in the 1990s. The city has rightfully gained accolades and national recognition in recent years, but its reputation has preceded itself for much longer. And increasingly, a number of Philadelphia dining mainstays are planting flags in some of the nation’s major cities.
Stephen Starr opened his first restaurant, The Continental, in Old City in 1995. Today, the Starr Restaurant Group operates 20 restaurants in Philadelphia, most of which are in Center City, including his latest, Borromini. Starr has leveraged his success in Philadelphia as a launchpad for expansions in Atlantic City, New York City, and Washington, D.C., with Florida and Nashville planned as future markets.
After Chef Michael Schulson opened his first restaurant, Izakaya, in Atlantic City, he quickly expanded his footprint into Center City with Sampan in 2009. The Schulson Collective now operates 11 restaurants in Philadelphia. The Schulson Collective’s national growth has begun with a new outpost of the long-time Midtown Village restaurant Double Knot in Miami and plans to enter New York City in the coming years.
This growth and expansion would not have been possible had Center City not been a beneficial place to do business. The critical mass of workers, residents, and visitors drives demand ever higher, and the concentration of accomplished chefs and restaurateurs proves that Center City is the ideal place for restaurant industry success—whether big or small, independent or national.
Philadelphia can now add another level of prestige to its culinary reputation: Michelin stars.
In May 2025, the Michelin Guide announced the expansion of its Northeast Cities Guide to include Philadelphia and Boston, joining New York, Washington D.C., and Chicago. On November 18, the Michelin Guide Northeast Cities Ceremony was held at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Center City, attracting leading figures from across the East Coast culinary industry.
Philadelphia garnered significant recognition, receiving ten Bib Gourmand (“good food for a moderate price”) honors, 21 Michelin Recommended designations, and three One-Star distinctions. Nearly a third of the awarded locations are located right here in Center City, lending more prestige to a flourishing national culinary scene.
Bib Gourmand Winners
(Center City):
Sally — 2229 Spruce St.
Dizengoff — 1625 Sansom St.
Michelin Selected Restaurants (Center City):
Vernick Food & Drink — 2031 Walnut St.
My Loup — 2005 Walnut St.
Little Water — 261 S. 20th St.
Vetri Cucina — 1312 Spruce St.
Vedge — 1221 Locust St.
High Street — 101 S. 9th St.
Michelin One-Star Restaurants (Center City):
Friday Saturday Sunday — 261 S. 21st St.
Her Place Supper Club — 1740 Sansom St.
Looking Ahead: How to Meet Unmet Demand
Center City’s ongoing population growth, its density of high-earning households, and its steadily improving rates of RTO and visitation all create demand for more retail across categories. Two recent surveys conducted at CCD support the notion of unmet demand.
We asked nearly 700 apartment renters in Center City and found that two things are true: a majority of them do not own cars, but the ones who do cite the need to access retail destinations unavailable on foot as the most common reason they drive. This dovetails with our ongoing survey of Center City shoppers through which we’ve received thousands of thoughts on what’s missing and what sends people to the suburbs.
Meeting retail demand where it exists can improve our much-praised walkability, enliven our streets, and reduce the need to own and use cars. Market Street presents an opportunity to do just that.
Market East
The City of Philadelphia kicked off its official planning process for Market East earlier this month, bringing dozens of stakeholders together to craft a clear vision for our historically prominent shopping corridor east of City Hall. Recently created vacancies such as Macy’s, Iron Hill Brewery, District Taco, Wawa, Ross, and Giant Heirloom have created prime opportunities for retailers to build momentum in the meantime. Despite these departures, many highly desired retailers still call Market East home. The corridor boasts the city’s only Mom’s Organic Market, a popular AMC Theater, a flagship City Fitness, concert venue City Winery, and outposts of local favorites Federal Donuts and honeygrow. It is also a hub for middle market staples including Primark, Burlington, Ross, TJ Maxx, and H&M and outlet concepts from Nike, Levi’s, and many more. This is a dynamic commercial base on which to build.
The Wanamaker Building is one of the short-term opportunities for reinvestment along Market East. TF Cornerstone and Alterra Property Group are poised to usher the building into a new era. The much-beloved Grand Court has already been activated during the Fringe Festival and is set to host the Christmas Light Show this year. Beginning in 2026, redevelopment will include 650 new apartment units on the upper floors, two floors of office space, and 300,000 square feet of retail across floors 1–3 in the old Macy’s footprint, as well as the opportunity for additional creative retail uses on the building’s top floor. This redevelopment represents a pivotal opportunity to redefine the building’s role in Center City — blending historic character with modern use. Successfully reactivating The Wanamaker Building as a retail and dining destination will be transformative for Market East and Center City at large.
The Office District Reimagined
The west side of Market Street also presents retail opportunities. Amenitized ground floors — places where workers, residents, and tourists gather — help to reinforce the office district as a destination rather as a pass-through, while supporting efforts to attract and retain talent to these office buildings. Center City’s strategic advantage is that our central business district is just steps away from bustling residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors, and our office district itself is becoming increasingly mixed-use as residential conversions and destinations like the Four Seasons have come online over the years. Some office district landlords have had recent success in activating their retail spaces with concepts that create foot traffic and excitement, including Cake & Joe, Rhythm and Spirits, and Five Iron Golf.
Center City’s strategic advantage is that our central business district is just steps away from bustling residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors, and our office district itself is becoming increasingly mixed-use.
Downtown residents seek convenient access to everyday goods, full-service grocery stores, and home furnishing options — all within walking distance. These types of retailers traditionally occupy large-footprint, high-ceiling spaces with loading access — a format increasingly compatible with the ground floors of modern office and mixed-use buildings. There are additional retail opportunities below grade in Suburban Station and its connecting concourses, all of which are served by Commerce Street, an underground service road that makes loading and deliveries possible even in such a busy area.
Acknowledgements
Report Team
This report was researched and written by Jimmy Salfiti, Manager of Economic Development, and Clint Randall, Vice President of Economic Development, and designed by Aimée Liriano, Graphic Designer, and David Orantes, Art Director. The Philadelphia Retail Report 2025 team also includes Jessie Brain, Manager of GIS; Prema Katari Gupta, President and CEO; Adrianna Morsey, Research Assistant; JoAnn Loviglio, Vice President of Communications and Public Relations; Leo Manning, Director of Strategic Communications; Lauren Smith, Director of Research and Special Projects; and Bonnie Thompson, Senior Director of Digital Marketing; Holly Keefe, Manager of Membership and Development, and Ixchel Ramirez, Economic Development Intern.
Photography by CCD staff, Matt Stanley, and BeauMonde Originals.
For any questions or inquiries regarding development projects within Center City District, please contact our team at research@centercityphila.org.
CPDC Members
We are grateful for the ongoing support of Central Philadelphia Development Corporation members, who make reports such as this one possible. For more information on CPDC and how to join, visit joincpdc.org.
ABM
Allan Domb Real Estate
Alterra Property Group LLC
Aramark
Ballard Spahr LLP
Bank of America NA
Blank Rome LLP
Blueprint Commercial
Brandywine Realty Trust
Brickstone Realty
CBP Architects
CBRE Inc.
Chubb
Colliers
Comcast Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company
Conner Strong & Buckelew
CosciaMoos Architecture
Cozen O’Connor LLP
Cushman & Wakefield of Pennsylvania Inc.
Dranoff Properties
Duane Morris LLP
Econsult Solutions Inc.
Field Operations
Firstrust Bank
Fulton Bank
Gensler
Goldman Properties
Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
Greenberg Traurig LLP
HDR, Inc.
HNTB Corporation
JLL
KieranTimberlake
Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg LLP
Korman Communities Inc.
LevLane
Lubert-Adler
M&T Bank
Mercator Advisors LLC
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
MPN Realty
Narducci Electric Company LLC
National Real Estate Development
O’Donnell & Naccarato
Olin
Parkway Corporation
Pearl Properties LLC
PECO Energy Company
Pennoni
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Philadelphia Parking Authority
PIDC
PMC Property Group
PNC Bank NA
Posel Management Company
Post Brothers
Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia
Reading Terminal Market Corporation
Saul Ewing LLP
Savills
Scully Company
Seravalli Inc.
SSH Real Estate
Stockton Real Estate Advisors LLC
Strada Architecture LLC
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP
TD Bank
The Goldenberg Group
The Klein Company
The Lighting Practice
Toll Brothers Inc.
University of Pennsylvania
Urban Engineers Inc.
William Penn Foundation
WRT