BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY November / December 2018
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Here’s What’s Inside November / December 2018
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A Letter From The President Eleanor Ingersoll discusses topics that have been at the forefront of neighborhood interest for much of this year. South American Street In 1968 Award-winning author Joan Wilking reflects on life around South Street before the Renaissance began.
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The Story Of The South Street Renaissance Rick & Ruth Snyderman and Amy Grant share the story behind the decline and resurgence of Philadelphia’s most iconic commercial corridor.
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Reflections On South Street The pioneers of the South Street Renaissance reminisce about how new and old residents worked together to improve the community.
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Philip Roger Roy Jacqueline Penrod interviews Queen Village resident Philip Roger Roy about his illustrious career as a producer of concerts and musicals.
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Ron Kaplan Amy Shelanski speaks with longtime Queen Village resident Ron Kaplan about the Renaissance and the future of South Street.
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South Street Looks To The Future Michael E. Harris paints a picture of South Street as a corridor with vibrant daytime and nighttime economies. Holiday Shopping For Kids Hilary Young presents tips for holiday shoppers who are seeking presents for babies and young children. Teaching Hand Hygiene To Children Katie Lockwood, M.D., offers hand hygiene tips that can help minimize the spread of illnesses during flu season.
QUEEN VILLAGE NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION
office // 417 South Street, Rm 23, Philadelphia, PA 19147 mail // P.O. Box 63763, Philadelphia, PA 19147 phone // 215.339.0975 email // info@qvna.org • web // www.qvna.org SERVING RESIDENTS, BUILDING COMMUNITY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Eleanor Ingersoll – President Melissa Donnelly – Executive Vice President Justin Fishman – Treasurer Elizabeth Grimaldi – Recording Secretary Dahvia Dalton Mark Grabarits Inez "Kandi" Green Jeff Hornstein Latasha McKnight Emily Perschetz Maria Roberts Kathy Conway (Emeritus) Michael Hauptman (Emeritus)
QVNA STAFF Lucy Erdelac - Interim Executive Director Jake Peterson - Office Manager
QVNA SOCIAL MEDIA
QVNA MAGAZINE 2nd Place National Winner 2016 & 2017 NUSA Newsletter Competition Submission Deadlines January 2019 Issue Advertising: December 15, 2018 Editorial: December 10, 2018
EDITORIAL BOARD Amy Grant Eleanor Ingersoll Jim Murphy Peter Ross Amy Shelanski Duncan Spencer
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Fall Preview 2018 Piers Marchant examines five extraordinary films hitting theaters and streaming services during the late-year award season.
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Carpenters' Hall Jim Murphy takes you behind the scenes of one of historian David McCullough's favorite historic Philadelphia buildings.
DISPLAY & CLASSIFIED ADS
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No Cooking Required Donna Pancari dishes on the Headhouse Farmers’ Market’s varied collection of prepared foods, all made with local ingredients.
DESIGN/PHOTOGRAPHY/PRINTING
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Wawa Partners With The Neighborhood QVNA and SSHD recently met with representatives from Wawa to discuss ways the local chain can address community needs.
QVNA Magazine Volume 4, No. 6, is published bi-monthly (January, March, May, July, September, November) by Queen Village Neighbors Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Federal ID# 23-2025152). All contributions are tax-deductible.
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215.339.0975 advertising@qvna.org www.qvna.org/advertising Amanda Hall Studios Lucid Digital Designs Fireball Printing
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November / December 2018 05
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Contributors
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All opinions are of individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Queen Village Neighbors Association. Amy Grant is a web developer and graphic designer. She serves on the board of the Historic Gloria Dei Preservation Corporation. You can read her history stories at www.southwarkhistory.org. Michael E. Harris is the executive director of the South Street Headhouse District. He is a longtime resident of Queen Village. Eleanor Ingersoll is QVNA’s president and the chair of the schools and youth activities committee. She is also a member of the QVNA Magazine editorial board. Katie Lockwood, M.D., is a pediatrician and blogger who resides in Queen Village with her husband and two children. All opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Piers Marchant is a film critic and writer. Find more confounding amusements and diversions at his blog, sweetsmellosuccess.tumblr.com, or read his further 142-character rants and ravings at @kafkaesque83. Jim Murphy is a freelance writer who focuses on Philly history. He also writes a consumer blog for Old Pine Community Center and is vice president of the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides. Donna Pancari is a ninth-grade English teacher. Along with her husband Kevin Parker, she edits the local food blog “Farm To Philly,” and gardens at the Southwark/Queen Village Community Garden. Jacqueline Penrod is an associate professor at Peirce College and practicing solo attorney. Aside from writing stories, she loves running and spending time with her husband, two daughters and a gregarious labradoodle named Stacey. She has lived in Queen Village for 27 years. Amy Shelanski is a real estate agent who has resided in Queen Village for over a decade. She previously served on the QVNA board and is currently on the zoning committee and QVNA Magazine editorial board. Rick Snyderman, founder of The Snyderman Gallery, was a key player in organizing the “South Street Renaissance.” He and his wife Ruth have been active in the Old City community for many years. Ruth Snyderman, founder of The Works Gallery, relocated her gallery to South Street in 1970. A founding member of the South Street Renaissance, she is currently involved with a number of local nonprofit organizations. Joan Wilking’s short fiction has been published in many literary journals in print and online. Her novella “Mycology” won the Wild Onion Novella Prize in 2016. A native Philadelphian, she now lives overlooking Plum Island Sound in Ipswich, MA. Hilary Young is a Queen Village mom and owner of Hilary Young Creative, a content and marketing service for small businesses.
On the cover: In 1976, celebrants jammed South Street between Third and Fourth Street for the South Street Renaissance’s Masquerade Promenade. Image courtesy of the Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA. Photographed by Salvatore C. DiMarco. 06 November / December 2018
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November / December 2018 07
A Letter From The President Hello Neighbors, As we near the close of this year, I’d like to update you on topics that have been at the forefront of neighborhood interest for much of this year.
Eleanor Ingersoll, QVNA president
This summer there were several public meetings about the proposed development of the parking lot at 413 Bainbridge Street. This project was subject to neighborhood meetings because instead of building by-right, the developer sought zoning variances for a mixed-use building comprised of 50 residential units and 149 parking spaces (75 of which would be available for short- and long-term public rental). The proposed design was for a six-story building with a set-back rooftop deck and a small, urban-scale Target Express store on the ground floor. QVNA and South Street Headhouse District (SSHD) are the two Registered Community Organizations named in the zoning variance application. After much deliberation over the project, QVNA submitted a vote of non-opposition and SSHD submitted a vote of unanimous support. On July 25th, the Zoning Board of Adjustments voted unanimously to support the variances requested by the project developer. SSHD executive director Mike Harris and I worked diligently and in good faith with the developer to craft a Community Benefits Agreement that would include mitigation for businesses and residents in regard to: construction, allotments for neighborhood schools for possible classroom density from the new residential units, open communication on construction schedules to keep the neighborhood informed of any inconveniences, and funds for cleaning and greening initiatives. Two separate appeals seeking to overturn the Zoning Board decision have been filed, and the project’s timeline is now stalled. When asked to support a City Council ordinance that would fast-track the project, both QVNA and SSHD felt it best to let the normal zoning process proceed and for the appeals to go through the courts. The reality is that a stalled timeline could result in a by-right project. This means the developer can build, without input or conversations with the community, 80 residential units (an increase of 30) and only 60 parking spaces (a decrease of 89), none of which would be available to residents or visitors not patronizing the ground-floor business (which at time of printing is still Target). These changes would be housed in a taller, skinnier building of nine or more floors (an increase of three), with no requirement that its dictated 20% of open space be offered or used as a public amenity. As the situation develops, we’ll keep neighbors informed. This update is to dispel rumors and outline the very real possibilities for development of the 413 Bainbridge site. Elsewhere in the neighborhood, QVNA and SSHD met with Wawa officials and police to discuss the recurrent problems of trash, loitering, panhandling and traffic congestion around the convenience store’s 518 South 2nd Street location. After conversations that included a list of neighbor concerns, Wawa officials laid out its position and committed to addressing items on the list. You can find a full listing of the outcome of the Wawa meeting on page 30. Finally, the election of four director positions on the QVNA Board will be part of our November 15th meeting at St. Philip Neri Church Hall, 218 Queen Street. Also on the agenda, an engagement session with city officials and members of the Bethel Burying Ground Historical Site Memorial Committee. Its purpose: to learn what residents here, and from all over the city, would like to see as part of the Memorial, slated for Weccacoe Playground, 4th & Catharine Streets. Doors open for voting at 5:30 p.m. (ending at 7:30 p.m.), the Community Engagement session begins at 6:00 p.m. After the Community Engagement session, election results will be announced. I look forward to seeing you on November 15.
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Why Donate to QVNA?
Queen Village Neighbors Association is a volunteer-driven organization, committed to improving our neighborhood. We fund projects for schools, parks, tree tending, the South Street Police Detail, and act as a channel of communication with the city. QVNA volunteers strengthen our community by helping it become safer and more enjoyable. Please donate online at QVNA.org/donate.
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St. PhiliP Neri PariSh CHRISTMAS EVE MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2018 7:00 vigil mass - St. Philip Neri Church 9:00 vigil mass - St. Stanislaus Church CHRISTMAS DAY TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2018 8:30 a.m. mass - St. Stanislaus Church 11:00 a.m. mass - St. Philip Neri Church
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November / December 2018 09
South American Street In 1968 BY JOAN WILKING In the beginning… There were the houses. Father, Son and Holy Ghost, we called them. Three small rooms. Three floors, three windows, one door. Ours was the third one down on the dark side. Twelve houses in all. Two rows of five sitting back to back, two more, endcaps facing South American Street. Ours looked out on the blank wall of the furniture factory next door. I could stand in the center of the alley, arms extended, and touch cool rough brick with my fingertips. Those bricks were by the same maker that baked the bricks for Jefferson’s Monticello. That structure, so imposing. Unlike ours, so plain, not much more than a holding pen for the indentured dockworkers who labored on the Delaware – and were locked into the gated alleyways at night by overseers living in the slightly larger houses facing the street. Our house and the two narrow alleys were all that was left of what had once been row upon row, stretching down to the river. I loved that little house as much as Jefferson loved his domed brick pile. I arrived on the second Tuesday that November – Election Day, 1968. I stood at the head of the alley. The iron gate was ajar. I was in the city of my birth awaiting entry into a foreign land. Fifteen miles to the northeast was a green lawn and sprawling ranch house built out of Pennsylvania fieldstone. I fled that for a world of tired brick and stained concrete. There the air smelled of fall leaves. On South American Street cars and trucks rumbled by spewing exhaust fumes. An old lady wearing a flowered housedress yelled at a pack of little black boys to get the hell off of her stoop. I arrived for a man and I left with him eighteen months later to live on Cape Cod. Those eighteen months felt like lifetime. I’d never felt so free or so loved. At the end there was... The J&W Thrift Store where we bought all of our clothes and thick heavy mismatched pieces of Buffalo China, once even a delicately painted Dresden plate. The ancient Rag Lady whose shop was across the street and down towards the river. She teetered on five-inch heels. Nylon runs up and down her blue-veined sticks of legs. Belly bulging in a dress too short. Lifeless black hair with grey roots too long. Crimson lipstick smeared out of place by unsteady hands and impossibly myopic eyes. Glasses so thick the eyes looked twice their size behind the lenses. She followed passers-by down the street, old clothes in each hand, haranguing them to buy. Storefront after storefront boarded up, blank faced, only a few still alive. 10 November / December 2018
View looks east from South Street toward American Street in 1962. Photo courtesy of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records
A pool hall in a basement, snooker and eight-ball. One huge high-ceilinged mirrored room. Decor unchanged since the 1930s. Smoke-filled and always oddly silent, but for the clacking sound of the balls. A bar on South between South American and Second Street so scary even we avoided it. Abbott’s Dairies where high-schoolers on roller skates spent their summer vacations pushing frost-coated metal racks with mittened hands filling ice cream orders. A place so cold, if they stayed too long inside, they slowed down like 78 rpm records played at 33 1/3 and had to be pulled out before they froze. A shop where old lady seamstresses stitched aprons, and bathrobes with leg-of-mutton sleeves. I bought a long one that was brightly flowered on a field of darkest maroon. The cotton weave felt like soft puckered popcorn all over. A kosher restaurant we went to for potato knishes and once watched as a white-shirted round ball of a man, licking his lips, stuck a cloth napkin into his collar and ate two whole roasted chickens and a pickled tongue at one sitting. An elderly, wizened man in the same suit and tie day after day. Not a hair on his head, or anywhere else as far as I could see. Grey green with a patina of never washed off grime. I once watched a cockroach crawl out of his collar, which once – but no longer – fit his neck. A factory, three doors down off South Street on South American, where machinery that looked like it had been there since the beginning of the Industrial Age spit pastelcolored drops of a sugared mixture onto long thin strips of
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South American Street in 1959. Photo courtesy of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records
white paper. The strips, draped back and forth on wooden racks until they were dry and ready to be cut into measured lengths, were wound around rectangles of cardboard, packaged and sealed in cellophane to be sold to children who for a few cents would greedily bite off the hard sweet dots devouring bits of the paper with them. And us, there not out of necessity but by choice. Not yet outraged by the inequity of it. Not like the blacks and whites, Italians and Poles, some of them, like us, young – too many – old and poor, all displaced urban refugees sent into flight. But to where? It was never our neighborhood. We didn’t lose it. We left it and moved on.
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We watched them come… The art galleries first. The owners took whatever they could get for the buildings and we got Julia and Isaiah Zagar’s Eyes Gallery, Rick and Ruth Snyderman’s The Works, the short lived Gazoo, The Painted Bride. That was how it started. Eventually it achieved a life of its own until there was no stopping it. I didn’t understand then the way I do now – that the beginning and the ending are the same thing – one paving the way for the other over and over again, a twisting Mobius strip of experiences that reinforce the notion you might as well live as well as you can because there’s no guarantee there will be a tomorrow – or – that it doesn’t matter how you live – for exactly the same reason.
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The Story Of The South Street Renaissance BY RICK SNYDERMAN, RUTH SNYDERMAN AND AMY GRANT The South Street Renaissance began in 1964 amongst drifting ashes of a community that just 10 years earlier had been one of the most thriving in Philadelphia. Here’s the story on the decline and resurgence of the city’s most iconic and beloved commercial corridor.
In 1949, South Street was full of thriving businesses, including Tri-plex (shoes), L. Dubrow & Sons (furniture), and Klinghoffer (carpets). Image courtesy of the Free Library of Philadelphia, Print and Picture Collection.
In the early 20th century, the eastern end of South Street was home to a thriving commercial district. From the Delaware River to 6th Street, garment workshops, warehouses and stores attracted hordes of “special occasion” shoppers. “It was the place everybody [went to plan] their weddings and bar mitzvahs,” recalls local architect Joel Spivak. “You’d get your caterers and your clothes there. All the bridal shops were there.” Despite this success, the city of Philadelphia had other plans for South Street. In the 1930s, city planners envisioned a “ring road” around the central business district consisting of four expressways: the Delaware on the east, the Schuylkill on the west, Vine Street on the north and the Crosstown on the south. Since South Street already ran river-to-river, city planners deemed it an ideal place for the southern portion of their “crosstown” roadway. All was quiet for about a decade. Then, in 1954, property owners on South and Bainbridge Streets — and those inbetween — were issued notices of eminent domain. The city was moving forward with the Crosstown’s plans, and these homes and businesses were in its way. Some people sold their buildings; others, in hopes of gaining more money when the
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proposed expressway came, held onto theirs, eking out small rental incomes and never repairing their properties. Gradually, many of the buildings, vandalized or just worn out, started wearing “unfit for human habitation" signs on their doors and windows. Banks redlined the area, making it impossible for prospective buyers to obtain loans or mortgages. Things began to change in 1965. Despite the impending threat of demolition, South Street hadn’t been condemned. Joel Spivak recalls, “[The architectural firm where I worked was] able to [obtain] building permits from the city [to renovate]” a vacant movie theater. Work was completed and 334 South Street reopened as Theatre of the Living Arts (TLA). People who worked at the playhouse moved nearby. Morgan Freeman, Danny DeVito, Judd Hirsch and Sally Kirkland all began their careers there. Under the flamboyant directorship of Andre Gregory (My Dinner With Andre), the TLA drew New York critics to Philadelphia. It also drew Philadelphians to South Street. Around the same time, the Philadelphia College of Art opened a dormitory near 7th and Pine Streets. Their art students soon found their way to South Street – where apartments could be had cheaply and fixed to their simple needs.
In the next few years, many vacant buildings became occupied. Some became stores and others art studios. These South Street newcomers started to involve themselves in community life and businesses. Undeterred by the looming threat of the expressway, they began hosting large-scale events to draw visitors to South Street. Their first major event — the Head House Open Market — took place the same weekend as Woodstock in 1969. By 1970, however, the Crosstown Expressway was closer to becoming a reality. Although individuals on South Street had been quite vocal in opposing the Crosstown, they weren’t getting much traction with City Hall. If they formed a group, and presented a united voice, City Hall might listen. That’s why the people on the east end of South Street began calling themselves the “South Street Renaissance.” Over time, 100 local residents — from 2nd to 8th and Lombard to Catharine Streets — joined the “Renaissance” movement. Other neighborhoods located in the path of the Crosstown — west of 6th Street to the Schuylkill River — also wanted to preserve their communities. These groups — including the Renaissance — joined forces and created the Coalition of Neighbors. As one large contingent, the Coalition presented a driving, powerful force City Hall couldn’t ignore. While protesting the Crosstown, the Renaissance continued to organize popular events attracting scores of visitors to South Street. Many turned into annual traditions. The South Street Parade, the South Street Walk (and Gallery Tour), the “Hippie House Tour,” and the Easter Promenade were just some of these crowd-pleasers. South Street’s popular live music concert series was even broadcast by radio to the entire Delaware Valley. Renaissance members also worked on community improvement projects. First they opened the Crooked Mirror, a cooperative coffee house. A food cooperative soon followed, bringing fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy products and fish and poultry to the area-at-large. A small empty lot at 3rd and South was turned into a pocket park. Vacant properties were repaired and repainted. The first new trees in living memory were planted – greening and shading South and 4th Streets. Thanks to the combined efforts of the Coalition of Neighbors, the Crosstown Expressway was defeated and removed from city plans on December 19, 1973. But the fight wasn’t over. Hundreds of buildings on the east side of Front Street had already been demolished to make way for the Delaware Expressway (I-95). And that expressway needed exit ramps. The city wanted to place those ramps on the west side of Front Street. That meant more homes and businesses would be condemned. After significant opposition from the community, the city eventually relented and agreed to install the ramps on Delaware Avenue. With the highway battles finally over by 1974, the Renaissance directed its efforts toward community building. First on the docket: property acquisition. The small business owners who had set up on South Street over the past five years wanted to stay. By working with local banks, the Renaissance managed to get the redline removed, opening the path for 25 South
Rick Snyderman, owner of "The Works" at 319 South Street, poses with a soft sculpture in 1977. Rick Snyderman, [1977], Tinney, photographer. George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA.
Streeters to purchase buildings they had been renting. It was official: the Renaissance was firmly rooted. While working with the banks, the Renaissance made a strange discovery: the zoning map for South Street was designated as industrial. Since South Street wasn’t filled with warehouses or factories, this seemed out of place with the streetscape and the neighborhood. To maintain the character of South Street, the Renaissance and QVNA worked with the city to change the zoning map. Thanks to these efforts, South Street officially became a commercial mixed-use area preserving its first-floor storefronts and upper-floor residences. By the mid-70s, South Street was booming. Scores of young families began moving into the area. While housing prices in Society Hill had soared, Queen Village was still surprisingly affordable. By this time, many Renaissance members also had children. To help foster the neighborhood as family-friendly, the Renaissance and QVNA developed a master plan for South Street. Soon an alternative public school, a community center and additional green spaces were on the docket. Over the years, the South Street Renaissance continued to grow and thrive, and extend its influence beyond the streetscape. The Renaissance joined the Cultural Alliance. South Street artists began exhibiting their works in far-away places. And, many of the original players in the movement eventually relocated their business off the street. However, as many of those people will tell you, the South Street spirit remains today. Just visit Eyes Gallery, Copabanana, or the soon-to-be-reopened deVecchis Gallery or Bridget Foy’s and see it for yourself. November / December 2018 13
Reflections On South Street The South Street Renaissance was a special moment in time — part of the cultural revolution of the 60s and 70s that occurred worldwide. Here we talk with former business owners Ruth Snyderman (Snyderman and Works Galleries), Philip Roger Roy (Grendel’s Liar), Dale Shuffler (Gazoo, Lickety Split), Joel Spivak (Rocketships and Accessories), Albert Malmfelt (TLA) and current business owners Mona Plumer (Plumer Real Estate), Cathy Blair (Rocker Head Salon) and Rita Gaudet deVecchis (deVecchis Gallery) about their memories of the Renaissance.
A candle is shown by Guy Campbell to customer Kathy Chamberg at The Beginning Shop in 1970. Candle is shown to customer at The Beginning Shop on South Street, [1970], Wasko, photographer. George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA.
What year did you move to South Street? Joel Spivak: In 1965, I worked for an architect named Frank Weiss and we designed the renovations for Theatre of the Living Arts. After that, I lived in Vermont for a while. [I was back on South Street] the weekend of Woodstock for the first Head House Crafts Fair. There, I met Julia and Isaiah Zagar and got involved with building the Crooked Mirror. Then I met Ruth and Rick Snyderman and they [needed help] building the Works Gallery. I wasn’t planning on staying but [I’ve been here ever since]. Dale Shuffler: In 1967, after Graduate School, I decided to go to Europe with two of my friends. What had been a plan to do a year in Europe turned into a trip through Turkey to the Middle East and then across North Africa. When we returned,
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we settled into a house on Gaskill Street. As it turned out, many [other] art students had found cheap space on South Street, since it was to be torn down. Ruth Snyderman: I moved my gallery, The Works Gallery, to South Street in 1970. We began working on the renovation in 1969 with Joel Spivak and set designers from TLA. I opened my business at 2017 Locust Street in 1965, moved it to 319 South Street in 1970 and kept the Center City space as well until 1972. Rick joined me in 1972. Albert Malmfelt: I came to South Street in June of 1971 to supervise the conversion of a shuttered live theater (334-336 South Street) into a cinema, manage the physical renovations, attend to advertising and publicity, hire a staff, and get the business up and running.
Philip Roger Roy: My grandmother, Mary Marcus Axler, owned the Blue Bird Bridal Shoppe at 531 South Street for 65 years. I started Grendel's Lair Cabaret Theater at 500 South Street in August 1972 and continued until 1987. Rita Gaudet deVecchis: My late husband opened our gallery at 528 South 4th Street in March of 1969, doing framing and having shows for local artists. In 1972, we rented the building at 400 South Street (now Jim's Steaks). It hadn't been occupied in fourteen years, and the stories that accompany the work we did and the things we found are priceless. On June 27, 1974, we made settlement on our current building at 404 1/2 South Street. It was my birthday. For eighteen months, we occupied both locations before consolidating into one in late December 1975. Cathy Blair: I opened Rocker Head Salon at 617 S. 3rd Street in the late 80s. After five years, I moved my business across the street to 608 S. 3rd Street, and have been there since. What were you paying for rent? Joel Spivak: While building the Works Gallery, I ran into a fella named “Wolfie Bubbles” — Chris Hodge was his [real] name — who I had gone to art school with earlier in the sixties. He said he had an apartment available [at 624 South Street] that he was renting for $25 a month. I went and looked at the apartment and it was gorgeous! It had two floors and living room and kitchen and a backyard. And I said, I'll take it! Ruth Snyderman: The whole building on South Street rented for $135/month. We rented the upstairs to a couple connected with TLA and split the rent. We payed $67.50/month. We could afford to take a chance. Philip Roger Roy: $500/month to start. A lot more 15 years later. Albert Malmfelt: We were paying $2,500 a month, which was far and away the highest rent on South Street at the time. Cathy Blair: I paid $500 a month for the store and $500 a month for an apartment. Dale Shuffler: Gazoo was $75.00 a month; so was "Cast of Thousands“ (another artist commune). I don’t exactly remember the price for Lickety Split, but I doubt it was over $100.00. We gutted the space and redid it as a greenhouse. What was South Street like when you arrived? Dale Shuffler: South Street at this time was art students and the hip crowd, along with some Jewish merchants we befriended, or tried to. One – Kitty Newman – who had a toy shop, was a good friend and attended our big dinners on holidays. Ruth Snyderman: South Street was really bombed out when we arrived. Many buildings were boarded up, as merchants had fled due to the threat of the Crosstown Expressway. The lots were filled with trash. There were some dangerous bars just off of South Street. In fact, my son saw someone lying on
By 1977, South Street had become a close-knit thriving business district. Two men are shown carrying a dressing table along South Street, [1977], Tinney, photographer. George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA.
the sidewalk who had been shot and killed just around the corner. The night we moved in there was a shooting across the street in front of TLA. TLA was a professional theater then. Albert Malmfelt: It was an odd mixture of decades-old businesses (bridal shops, clothing stores, delicatessens, saloons, and the like) and some cafes, shops and galleries operated by newer, younger people. It was primarily a daytime commercial environment, with almost no after-dark activity. A favorite anecdote of mine — one that I have told many times over the years — is of three of us who were working on the project going out to dinner on a Saturday night. We'd had an exhausting week and wanted a good meal. There was no place nearby to eat, so we decided to go to Ralph's on 9th Street. Anyway, we three went to Ralph's, where we ate and drank ourselves into a state of contentment, and then walked back to TLA. We went up 9th to South and then headed east. Having perhaps had too much wine, we decided that it would be amusing to walk in the middle of the street to see what would happen. Well, nothing happened. South Street was deserted. Three laughing guys walked with their backs to any oncoming vehicular traffic all the way from 9th to 4th and never had to move aside. No cars came along. We may have seen a couple of pedestrians, but no more. This was at 10 p.m. on a Saturday night in July! Can you imagine? By the time we
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John deVecchis works in his frame shop on the 400 block of South Street in 1977. South Street frame shop, [1977], Tinney, photographer. George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA
reached TLA, we were nearly hysterical at the thought that in a few weeks we were going to open a business there that would be operating primarily at night. Cathy Blair: Back then South Street was booming. We had some cute little boutiques around at that time: Neo Deco, Zog, Zipperhead, French Connection and Graffiti, to name a few. We also had some great restaurants as well. Cafe Nola and The Knave of Hearts were two of my favorites. Also Hurricane Alley, which was attached to Cafe Nola. You had a hard time getting in on the weekend without knowing someone, it was that busy. How did the culture develop? Dale Shuffler: I suggested to a gang of current art students [that we] rent a house in the 200 block and form an artists’ co-op. Since we were all gay, we called it Gazoo. We also convinced two female friends to rent the shop next store. They opened “The Last Dress Shop Before the River.“ Eventually Gazoo dissolved, and another group of guys moved in to try this experiment in communal living. [Around the same time], Rick and Ruth Snyderman opened The Works. My traveling companions opened The Black Banana Cafe on 4th Street. [It was successful] and they helped me and another friend open Lickety Split. It should be noted that in those days, there were few restaurants except in ethnic neighborhoods. Things were happening very organically and we were all helping each
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other with our projects. Ruth Snyderman: Many artists, poets, dancers and musicians came to South Street – as the rents were so cheap. There were 10 craft shops up and down the street. My husband Rick was able to take several tenants to Provident National Bank to apply for mortgages to buy their buildings. That stabilized the neighborhood. We used to have community dinners at Tom Bissinger's building – TCP – on 4th Street, and we had a food coop. We all knew each other from the dinners and South Street seders. Joel Spivak: The South Street community was amazing, because everyone was very supportive. There was a good selection of longtime residents who were very nice people, and all the new people were really nice. The openly gay community got along with the straight community. There were hippies, there were people who went to the academy, and there were people who went to Philadelphia College of Art. These different little groups of people would all come together and just become one big group, and that's why the neighborhood flourished. Everybody got along. Philip Roger Roy: Al Malmfelt took the old defunct TLA theater (live theater) and transformed it into a premiere art cinema, bringing hundreds (even thousands) of patrons each week to South Street for many years. When Grendel's Lair opened, we also brought 500 - 1,000 more patrons to South Street each week. The combined flow of his movie patrons and my
Martha Wheaton displays eskimo and Indian art in The Touchstone at 424 South Street in 1977. Salesperson at Touchstone, [1977], Tinney, photographer. George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA
patrons of theater, live music, comedy and dancing [helped turn] South Street [into a major destination] for the college and post-college crowd – and those who longed for a Greenwich Village type atmosphere. Rita Gaudet deVecchis: We were married in May of 1973, and our reception was held in our gallery, utilizing both floors. Guests included not only our families and friends, but also any person who wandered in off the street. Every level of society was represented: from "Cigarette Ed" to Gilroy Roberts, sculptor of the Kennedy Half-Dollar. When did the South Street Renaissance formalize? Who else was involved? Albert Malmfelt: To the best of my recollection, the Renaissance was never a formal entity, but a phrase or slogan used in various ways by different people to signify the new South Street. Dale Shuffler: I really have a weak memory of the actual beginning of the Renaissance, but I do know I joined in and events were planned. The Zagars had a parade. I suggested a “Hippie House Tour,” so people could expel their ideas that we were all freaks. I eventually purchased a couple of shell houses and rehabbed them. Lots of materials that were used were salvaged from different abandoned places in the neighborhood, as well as the demolition of the waterfront.
Ruth Snyderman: I want to say that the South Street Renaissance began in 1970, as we use that date to plan our reunions. Bill Curry, Julia and Isaiah [Zagar], Tom Bissinger, Dale Shuffler, Ron Kaplan, Ed Beckerman and many others were involved, as well as the two of us. The old merchants were also involved. They had been on the street years before we arrived and they joined us. Joel Spivak: We wanted the fight the highway. But, to do that, you needed to be a recognized community group and we didn’t have a name. Also, the official map of downtown Philadelphia ended on Lombard Street. Rick Snyderman realized we really needed that map to be moved one block to the south, so people could find South Street. And, in order to do that, we had to have a name. That’s when we became the South Street Renaissance. It took about three years of lobbying the city of Philadelphia to get that map redrawn. How did the South Street Renaissance become involved with protesting plans for the Crosstown Expressway? What kinds of tactics did the Renaissance deploy? Ruth Snyderman: We were all involved with demonstrations against the highway. Joel Spivak: I was also involved with QVNA in the early seventies, and that's how I knew all of the the Polish ladies in the neighborhood. I convinced the Polish women to go with
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Warren Muller and Isaiah Zagar get a giant fish piñata ready for a South Street Renaissance celebration in 1978. Piñata fiesta, [1978]. George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA.
me one day to City Hill to protest the Crosstown Expressway. We were holding these big signs that said “Houses not highways” and marching inside the City Hall Courtyard. While we were marching, I heard music outside the courtyard, so I looked outside and saw this parade coming down Market Street and going around City Hall. I noticed that, between two high-school bands, there was about 50 ft. of space. I went to all of the women and said, “When this band passes us, we are going to go out in the street.” And they were terrified and said “We can get arrested.” And I said, “Maybe we will.” Having been in the anti-war demonstrations, I thought it was no big deal. So we slipped into the space between the bands and became part of the parade. As we made our way around City Hall, we came upon this bandstand with all these dignitaries and TV crews who were filming the parade. Our demonstration against the Crosstown Expressway was on the news later that day. Albert Malmfelt: The protest poster — which was designed by Charlie Bordin — consisted of a traffic STOP symbol with the words: "STOP I-95 RAMPS." We posted one of these conspicuously in the cinema. Some, but not all, of the other merchants did the same. There were merchants who had been on the street for a long time who were hoping the Crosstown would be built, and that they would get enough federal money for their property to enable them to retire to Florida. The one thing I was able to do that was different was to put the protest design on the TLA Cinema printed program, 30,000 copies
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of which were distributed around the city. With each of these programs being seem by at least several people, the exposure was significant, and I like to think helped to make a difference. The Crosstown Expressway was cancelled not long afterward. Were there any other causes that the Renaissance supported or protested? Ruth Snyderman: The Renaissance supported bringing outside groups to the neighborhood for tours, dinners, festivals, etc., to make the city aware of the creativity of the neighborhood. It supported the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) movement early on. Many members of the community were gay. We all were against the Mayor's treatment of assaulting gay males. Did you move your business off South Street and, if so, why? Ruth Snyderman: Rick opened the Snyderman Gallery in the 80s and had a lease for 10 years. When that expired, we found a beautiful building on Cherry Street in Old City, and were able to buy it. After two years of applying for a construction loan and renovating, the Snyderman Gallery moved in. I remained on South Street with the Works Gallery for a few more years, until we felt it was viable for my business to move. It was much busier on South Street than Old City, but customers stopped coming to South Street – as the new
stores were becoming much more commercial and appealed to a different audience. The Eyes Gallery is one of the last standing original shops from the late 60s. Dale Shuffler: After three years, I left Lickety Split, but my last [business] partner kept it going for 30 years I think. I went back to doing and teaching art, which I still do today. In 1984, I sold the property and moved to Chester County, where I am now. Also did several other South Streeters. Do you think that the South Street Renaissance has ended? If so, was there a particular event that caused this? Ruth Snyderman: The South Street Renaissance stopped in the 80s, when so many businesses closed or left the street. The feeling continued that we felt attached to each other to this day. The 20th reunion had about 400 people, and the 40th had close to 200. Of course, quite a number of people are no longer alive – drugs, etc. There was an event that stopped the Renaissance. It was a festival that included rock bands and people were on rooftops at 6th & South and threw beer cans down chimneys and ruined the street. I believe it was WXPN that sponsored it and South Street was never the same after that. The festivals that we had created stopped. Dale Shuffler: My fantasy was that we would all buy property and be able to control the way it went; but as soon as the Renaissance won, the speculators moved in like locusts. First the Black Banana moved to Old City, as well as most of the artists. Then the Painted Bride went to Old City. But speculators followed. They always follow artists, because they know artists find cheap large spaces. Cathy Blair: A New York businessman came into the area buying up storefronts and jacking up the rents so high that the small businesses couldn't make it. And that was the decline of South Street. One by one they closed. You can't charge thousands a month and expect a small business to make it. Rita Gaudet deVecchis: I am tired of the negative press that the street gets, especially the tired reporters who insist upon digging up the "riot" from 2001 – like it was South Street's fault. The melee was caused by an unruly group of drunks, most of whom did NOT live in Philadelphia or anywhere near South Street. Most were underaged and brought their booze with them. Joel Spivak: I don't think it ended. You can still see, as I’m calling it, the South Street Spirit. [During the Renaissance], when people were in trouble or needed some money or needed whatever they needed, an amazing amount of people showed up to help. When Bridget Foy's caught on fire, every restaurant in the neighborhood reached out to employ their employees. That’s what I mean about the South Street Spirit.
Kenny Kodak and David Lore, who call themselves the Minstrels of South Street, entertain passersby in 1981. "Just singin' a song for spring,” [1981], Govan, photographer. George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA.
Ruth Snyderman: Right now the future of South Street is kind of bleak. Some new businesses have moved in and some blocks are better than others. But there must be at least 50 vacancies. When Michael Axelrod (from N. Y.) started buying up many of the buildings and charging very high rents, none of the small shops could survive and chains started filling the spaces. The special feeling left the street. Michael Axelrod has sold quite a number of buildings now, but he still has a big share in the street. Nothing will change to make it affordable again, I fear. Mona Plumer: I believe that [South Street] has always been an ever-evolving area with a vitality that may change, but does not fade. The rebuilding of Bridget Foys will bring a new life to the 200 block, and the addition of the long-awaited grocery store would make the stretch central to the Queen Village neighborhood. Other positive changes await as you travel up the street. Rita Gaudet deVecchis: I love South Street. It is a street that is always in flux, with one constant: alacrity. Whether it be: tourists exhibiting the excitement of their first visit to the street; the enthusiasm of store owners to welcome new businesses as they open; the eagerness of folks to readily pitch in and help when and where it's needed; and the positive energy of diversity that is enveloped and welcomed here. There is an energy on South Street that can be found no where else on this planet. While many cities may have streets likened to ours, how many are bordered on both sides by a historical urban neighborhood like Queen Village? If they exist, I've not seen them. That we co-exist is amazing.
What do you think the future of South Street looks like?
Are there any lessons you learned that might help South Street rebound again today?
Dale Shuffler: If the artists had been able to own and control the properties, it would be a better place than the honkeytonk place it is today. Once speculators owned the properties, they raised the rents. The same thing happened to Old City and Manayunk.
Albert Malmfelt: The one lesson I learned, to my regret, is that I should have owned my building. Buildings owned by those operating the businesses located in them — not chains or absentee landlords — can make those businesses viable on a long-term basis.
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Philip Roger Roy BY JACQUELINE PENROD Philip Roger (Phil) Roy understands that neighborhoods develop over time, and the impact culture has on that development. Spend some time talking to him and you easily see the enthusiasm Phil has for coalescing culture and neighborhood. Phil grew up in Mount Airy and attended Central High School, where his interest in literature was sparked. He graduated in 1969 and attended Kenyon College in Ohio – where he studied political science, English and, finally, theater. There, he created The Eclectic Literary Magazine, a "post-beatnikera" magazine distributed to 60 colleges across the United States. Then, along with two partners, he opened a coffee house to showcase folk singers. He named the cafe Grendel's Lair – a nod to the many English majors at Kenyon. The cafe became a venue for folk singers, featuring musicians like (former Monkee) Michael Nesmith and Dave Van Ronk. Phil had found his calling; in 1972, he returned to Philadelphia and opened a club at 5th and South Streets. Having saved the "Grendel's Lair" sign from its Kenyon namesake, he called the club "Grendel's Lair Cabaret Theater." It became popular with music fans and presented hundreds of musicians, including Phil Ochs, Odetta, David Bromberg, Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, Charlie Byrd, McCoy Tyner, Geraldine Fitzgerald and The Police. Eventually, competition increased and profits declined. New clubs like Electric Factory's Bijou Cafe, and Just Jazz made it harder to consistently book performers. To keep Grendel's Lair ahead of the curve, Phil needed a niche market. In a twist of fate, an agent suggested that Grendel's Lair might be a good venue for off-Broadway theater. Phil booked a production of Brendan Behan: Confessions Of An Irish Rebel (with Shay Duffin as Brendan Behan) for a short run. When that went well, he booked a second one-man show called The World of Lenny Bruce. That sold out for the entire 7-week run. Recognizing that theater shows, which could run for months, added stability, Phil changed his business model for Grendel’s Lair. With a talent for producing shows, Phil soon had hits not only at Grendel's Lair, but also at theaters across the country. His biggest hit, Let My People Come, ran at Grendel's Lair for a decade, as well as in 20 cities in the U.S. and Canada. Time passed: the tone and tenor of South Street evolved, businesses changed, rents rose, and theater and music clubs were replaced by retail stores. In 1987, at the end of its lease, Grendel's Lair Cabaret Theater closed. But Phil continued on. He licensed the rights to a show called Family Secrets and produced it at the then-abandoned, New Market Cabaret Theater, 2nd and Pine Streets. He operated that venue from 1997 through 2000. After the New Market was bought and demolished by Will Smith, Phil shifted to the Society Hill Playhouse. There he produced The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron? and Say Goodnight Gracie, and was associate producer and general
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South Street pioneer Phil Roy in his Queen Village home. Photo by Jacqueline Penrod
manager for the wildly successful Menopause the Musical. It ran for 3 1/2 years, until 2008. Phil's relationship with Society Hill Playhouse continued for several more years, with productions of My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish, & I'm in Therapy! and Respect - A Musical Celebration of Women. He also ran the Penn's Landing Playhouse for four years, presenting shows like Maurice Hines in Tappin' Thru Life; My Son The Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy and others. Even though Society Hill Playhouse and Penn's Landing Playhouse are now gone, Phil continues to license, produce and tour shows in more than 16 cities throughout the USA. For all these years, Phil has been our neighbor. His community roots run deep: a paternal greatgrandfather owned a stable on the 400 block of Bainbridge Street and was a founder of the Romanian Shul, now known as Society Hill Synagogue. From the 1920s through the mid-1980s, his grandmother owned Bluebird Bridal shop at 531 South Street, and Phil's mother, Rita Roy (The Mother of all Realtors), was one of the top realtors in Philadelphia, retiring when she was 92! Phil moved to Queen Village in 1972, bought his first home here in 1981, and moved into his present home in 1983. Phil likes Queen Village because it is "comfortable and livable" with "just enough bustle." We're lucky not only for his institutional history, but also for his wonderful spirit.
Ron Kaplan BY AMY SHELANSKI
Ron Kaplan has never lost faith in South Street: "It's been alive, vibrant and changing since before the Revolution. No reason it won’t continue to evolve." Ron Kaplan has lived in Queen Village for over forty years – all just steps from South Street. He wasn’t from South Philadelphia, although his parents were. Raised in Northeast Philly, he remembers coming to South Street with his father to buy clothes. In fact his bar mitzvah suit came from Krass Brothers. He recalls Lenny’s hot dog cart as a favorite place to hang out while on shopping outings. Ron went west to South Dakota for college and then came back to Philadelphia. In 1968 he lived at 10th and Pine until that area began to get too expensive. He moved to an apartment at 429 South Street in 1971. A 3rd floor walk-up, 2-bedroom, completely renovated with a new kitchen, window A/C, and new carpet was an astonishing $200/month. His friends worried he was paying too much. He remembers big block parties and masquerade promenades on South Street. Everyone joined in – the hippies, the old Jewish merchants, the LGBT crowd. The threat of the Crosstown Expressway united South Street. And, when it was defeated rents on South Street began to rise. In 1974, Ron bought a building at 608 S. 3rd Street for $13,500 and lived there 40 years. In 1974, the Theatre of Living Arts (TLA) was the center of the action on South Street. It was heated in winter and airconditioned in summer. Many South Street neighbors worked there. Among the shops on South Street were old Jewish clothing stores, new art galleries and little avant-garde hippie stores that sold all sorts of funky, handmade things. Until the Crosstown Expressway was defeated, rents went down, buildings were empty and artists could afford to move in. After its defeat and after the bicentennial, people saw moneymaking opportunities on South Street. Ron – who originally worked in the wholesale shoe business, and did a stint at the old Paper Moon (which then became Zipperhead) – went to work in 1971-1973 in sales for the Drummer, Philly’s regional underground newspaper. TLA, by then a cinema, was his biggest account. In the 60’s TLA brought live theater to Philadelphia. Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito and a host of others played there. In the mid-to-late 70s Ron was the stage manager at Grendel’s Lair, where The Police played their first U.S. tour, and edgy theater like “Let My People Come” was presented. In 1981, Ron went back to publishing as the co-founder and publisher of the South Street Star, a newspaper that lasted until 1988. Ron has a philosophical long view of South Street. It has changed constantly over the centuries. First the Lenape were
Relief sculpture is seen on a building wall at the intersection of South and Third Street in 1976. Relief sculpture on South Street, [1976], Gottlieb, photographer. George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, PA.
here, then the Swedes and the British and then the Americans. There has been more than one South Street Renaissance. It’s not so down now, and it will change again. What’s terrible, according to Ron, are absentee landlords whose business model holds back real development and improvement on the street. But that too will eventually change. Ron has never lost faith in South Street: “It’s been alive, vibrant and changing since before the Revolution. No reason it won’t continue to evolve.”
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South Street Looks To The Future BY MICHAEL E. HARRIS
Headhouse Plaza is being redeveloped as a unique and inviting public space. Rendering of Headhouse Plaza courtesy of Ambit Architecture and the South Street Headhouse District.
“South Street.” It’s more than just another street name in Philadelphia. “South Street” is a place that evokes images and memories of experiences for Philadelphians and visitors to this city. “South Street” is an easy alliteration for a place that’s almost instantly recognizable for teenagers to octogenarians. Everyone, it seems, has a South Street story. The South Street district is one of the most historic, most visited and renowned areas in the city. As the original southern border of the city, it’s also a street that has an ever-changing character and history as old as Philadelphia itself. 22 November / December 2018
For generations, South Street served as an important commercial center for shopping and retail businesses in Philadelphia. Its business owners and patrons were a melting pot of immigrant families, different ethnicities, races, religions and countries of origin. Along South Street and Fourth Street, the living history of this era can be found in certain fabric stores, retailers, restaurants and building architecture. Many area buildings still reflect a time when families lived on the upper floors and operated their commercial business from ground-floor storefronts. Last month, starting with the amazing Eyes Gallery, the South
“South Street” is an easy alliteration for a place that’s almost instantly recognizable for teenagers to octogenarians. Everyone, it seems, has a South Street story. Street Renaissance began celebrating its 50th anniversary. This year-long event recognizes the impact and stories of the Renaissance era, which began in 1968 and set the template of South Street for the last half-century. In the coming years, many businesses will mark their decades of longevity and success with milestone anniversaries. During this Renaissance period, South Street established a rich and important artistic legacy, most prominently in the famous and prolific mosaics of Isaiah Zagar. There’s hardly a block in this community that doesn’t have one of his works somewhere on it. More recently, South Street has been an eclectic mix: a neighborhood commercial corridor and tourist destination, bringing over one million visitors annually to such landmarks as Philadelphia Magic Garden, the TLA, Jim’s Steaks and Famous 4th Street Deli … or simply to walk the street and people-watch. For many years, South Street was “the” entertainment and restaurant center of Philadelphia – plus home to an eclectic mix of national and local businesses and a robust punk and nightlife scene. During this period, the surrounding neighborhoods also went through changes, development and growth. Today, the South Street Headhouse District (SSHD) contains 435 businesses – over 90 percent of them small and independently owner-operated. More striking is the number of South Street and Fourth Street businesses owned and managed by people who live in the immediate neighborhoods. They represent a special level of local investment and passion for the district … and a wide-ranging mix of food and beverage, retail and services. Many of the “Best of Philly” business in the entire region are located in SSHD. To name a few would be to leave out many more. South Street is also remaking itself again. Like the rest of the nation, the entire retail landscape in Philadelphia is changing. Today there’s online retail, new shopping preferences, changing neighborhood demographics and new shopping locations and experiences. Once a primary shopping destination, South Street now competes with many newer retail areas and growing business communities in Philadelphia. New investors are purchasing properties in the area. For an urban commercial corridor like South Street to thrive, it needs to position itself for the future. So, over the past several years, SSHD has taken major steps to compete and improve the economic vitality of our commercial corridor, These include: popular new street festivals, improved public relations and marketing, capital investment like lighting improvements and working with the city on various quality of life issues. Moving forward, SSHD is striving to make South Street a corridor with both vibrant daytime and nighttime economies. Building on our artistic pedigree and unique collection of stores and businesses, SSHD is looking at ways to re-
Bright lights, big city looking west along South Street. Photo by Kyle Ober
establish South Street’s magic for the next five to ten years. To do that, we’re conducting a retail market analysis, gathering data from perception surveys, learning from best-practice networks and working with public and private partners to attract and retain successful businesses and keep evolving. Our vision is to further South Street as a special place that is welcoming, unique, interesting, engaging, artistic, safe, and serves the needs of both residential neighbors and area visitors. We also want to change the narratives and perceptions that can perpetuate a self-fulfilling cycle of decline. We need to celebrate and build on our history, and welcome change and development that will certainly happen on South Street in the coming years. We welcome neighbors to positively work and engage with SSHD, support area businesses, and help us further improve the commercial corridor we share. South Street has always been about varied groups of people working together for the common good. That’s still a great recipe for our success. November / December 2018 23
Holiday Shopping For Kids BY HILARY YOUNG Once Halloween rolls around, the rest of the year is really all downhill from there. This time of year, it’s hard to avoid the reminders that the holidays are just around the corner, and that gifts for friends and family don’t just buy themselves. Whether you’re proactive about your holiday shopping, or a big procrastinator (guilty as charged!), it’s good to be prepared with a plan of action so that you can ultimately spend less time shopping and more time actually enjoying this time of year. No matter if you’re shopping for a baby or a big kid, Queen Village and the surrounding area has plenty to offer holiday shoppers:
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Little Moon and Arrow 729 S. 4th Street
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This offshoot of the whimsical adult store Moon & Arrow (which is just across the street) opened a little more than a year ago to great success. They aim to stock their shelves with long-lasting, sustainably sourced and highquality clothing, toys, crafts and décor for curious babies and toddlers. You’ll find one-of-a-kind gift items in here that littles and their parents are sure to love.
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This is actually one of my favorite places to shop for birthday gifts for all ages, as the selection of books, games, and toys are real crowd-pleasers. With books for babies through Young Adult (and beyond), you’re bound to find something for the little reader in your life. And if you can’t find a book on their shelves, they’ll special-order it for you. While you’re there, check out the selection of puzzles, games and toys, all of which can be gift-wrapped for you free of charge.
Greene Street Consignment 700 South Street Greene Street has a great selection of gently used clothes, although sometimes you can hit the jackpot and find something with tags still attached that has never been worn. With both men’s and women’s clothing to choose from, along with jewelry and bags, you’re bound to find a perfect gift for teenagers in need of some new additions to their wardrobe. And you can’t beat the price!
Head House Books 619 S. 2nd Street
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Atomic City Comics 638 South Street A South Street staple, Atomic City Comics is a great place to find a gift for a comic book lover. With the city’s largest selection of comics, graphic novels, manga and t-shirts, it’s a one-stop-shop for the comic enthusiast in your life.
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215-389-7788 Fax 215-755-6655 rchobertpainting@aol.com 641 Reed Street, Phila. PA 19147
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FeStival oF CarolS Sunday, December 16 6:00 p.m. St. Philip Neri Church W W W. F I R E B A L L P R I N T I N G. C O M
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Teaching Hand Hygiene To Children BY KATIE LOCKWOOD, M.D. Each fall I teach my children’s preschool a lesson on hand hygiene. Quite intentionally, I plan this for the start of flu season, hoping to minimize the spread of illnesses around our classroom. Without fail, my children are always embarrassingly bad when judged on the thoroughness of their hand-washing, which always gets laughs from the audience. In terms of things that I teach children, hand-washing may be one of the most important. In my preschool lesson, I use a fluorescent hand gel called Glo-Germ and a blacklight flashlight to simulate how well they wash their hands … and the “germs” that are left behind from poor technique. I also teach them to cover their cough by sneezing or coughing into their elbows, or cough pocket, instead of hands. The kids love these visuals and proudly tell me about how they used their cough pocket whenever I’m in the classroom. The other parents often tell me that their kids become more vigilant hand washers and monitors at home. My session also includes a book or two that illustrates how gross germs are and how germs get into our bodies. Some of my favorites include: • “A Germ’s Journey,” by Thom Rooke, M.D. • “Fairytales Gone Wrong: Don’t Pick Your Nose, Pinocchio!: A story about hygiene,” by Steve Smallman and Neil Price • “Germs are Not for Sharing,” by Elizabeth Verdict The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (or CDC) says teaching people about hand-washing in the community reduces diarrhea and respiratory illnesses. Some studies have shown a 16-21% reduction in respiratory illnesses like colds in the general population after hand-washing education.1,2 It also reduces absenteeism due to gastrointestinal illness in schoolchildren by 29-57%.3 While we all know when and how we should wash our hands, it’s also a skill we can be lazy about and reminders about technique can help keep us healthier. A few tips: • Make sure you lather your hands in soap and don’t forget under your nails and around your wrists, like my preschoolers do • Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds, which is two Happy Birthday songs
• Antibacterial hand soap is not necessary and plain soap works well • When soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol So make sure you wash your hands well this season – or else a local preschooler may give you a lecture on hygiene. Citations: 1. Aiello AE, Coulborn RM, Perez V, Larson EL. Effect of hand hygiene on infectious disease risk in the community setting: a meta-analysis. Am J Public Health. 2008;98(8):1372-81. 2. Rabie T and Curtis V. Handwashing and risk of respiratory infections: a quantitative systematic review. Trop Med IntHealth. 2006 Mar;11(3):258-67. 3. Wang Z, Lapinski M, Quilliam E, Jaykus LA, Fraser A. The effect of hand-hygiene interventions on infectious disease-associated absenteeism in elementary schools: A systematic literature review. Am J Infect Control 2017; 45: 682–689
Old Pine Street Church Bill Grubb, Associate Broker 610-220-6203 direct . 610-649-4500 office Bill.Grubb@foxroach.com www.grubbadvantage.com For a Free Market Snapshot of House Values go to BestPhillyHomeValues.com
Established 1768
Where History, Faith, Message, Music & Fellowship intersect at 412 Pine Street Sunday Worship 10:30am 215-925-8051 www.oldpine.org
A member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates, LLC
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Fall Preview 2018 BY PIERS MARCHANT I’d have to agree with a growing consensus that 2018 has not been an especially banner year for films up to this point (though the box office returns have been robust). Not that there haven’t been some special releases (Black Panther, A Quiet Place, Private Life, et al.) along the way. But take heart, Queen Village! There is the late-year award season coming upon us, and with it, some truly extraordinary films more than worth your time and interest. Here are five of them:
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Everybody Knows: Yes, I am well in the bag for Iranian auteur Asghar Farhadi, whose films are always filled with complex familial dramas revolving around a central, winding mystery, only slowly revealed in small, reverberating details. His newest film stars Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem as former childhood sweethearts reunited at a wedding in their picturesque small home village in Spain. But what begins as a joyous wedding celebration turns to anxious worry, as one of Cruz’s children is kidnapped from the reception, leaving everyone a suspect. Intricate and crafty, the film has much to say about class, love, and the stunning beauty of Spain. The Favourite: Yorgos Lanthimos is a tricky director, one whose works will either hit you square between the eyes – think The Lobster or Dogtooth – or miss you by a mile (The Killing of the Sacred Deer). I’m happy to report his latest, concerning the complex romantic stylings of late-era Queen Anne (memorably played by Olivia Colman), is tremendous. Famously, the Queen’s primary confidant, Sarah (Rachel Weisz), was also rumored to be her lover, a position of significant power, but when a distant cousin, Abigail (Emma Stone), comes initially for a job of any kind, she ends up in direct competition with Sarah for the Queen’s attentions. If Beale Street Could Talk: It’s a tall order to follow up as lyric an emotional Oscar-winner as Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight, but the prestige the film earned him the wherewithal to pursue a longheld dream project in adapting this James Baldwin novel. With a top-flight cast of youngsters and newbies (KiKi Layne, Stephan James) and powerful veterans (Regina King, Colman Domingo), Jenkins’ film holds much of the same emotional clarity as his
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previous work, and the setting – early ‘60s Harlem – offers the director a chance to explore the racial politics of a repressive and deeply unjust era that feels all too hauntingly familiar.
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ROMA: Alfonso Cuarón doesn’t do small and safe. The celebrated Mexican director’s last film was the genre-defining Gravity. But with this film, he’s gone from space exploration and green-screen mastery to something vastly more reflective and interior – a kind of reminiscence to his own childhood growing up in Mexico City, and the story of his nanny (unforgettably played by Yalitza Aparicio, making her screen debut), and her difficult emotional journey upon discovering her pregnancy. Cuarón shot the film himself, and the imagery, lush, evocative and gloriously black and white, is astounding. It is a Netflix film, but I strongly suggest watching it on as big a screen as you can.
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Widows: You will hear a lot of talk over the next few months about the Oscar chances of various actresses in this year’s race. There certainly have been some amazing performances this year – including Andrea Riseborough in Nancy; and the aforementioned Aparacio, and King – but after you see Viola Davis’ work in Steve McQueen’s slick heist picture, you’ll realize the race is pretty much over before it has begun. Playing the wife of a skilled criminal left suddenly bereft when her husband gets killed on a caper gone bad, Davis evolves from scared and mostly helpless bureaucrat to steely eyed mastermind in short order, and such is the power of her performance that you believe it completely every step of the way. The film has its issues – you don’t want me to get started on the screenwriter Gillian Flynn – but Davis is straight-up astounding.
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5
?? Carpenters'
Hall
BY JIM MURPHY FAST FACTS Name: Carpenters' Hall Address: 320 Chestnut St., Phila., PA 19106 Phone: 215-925-0167 Open: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Mondays, year-round; Closed Tuesdays in January and February. Cost: Free Website: carpentershall.org Built: 1770-74 Owned By: The Carpenters' Company of the City and County of Philadelphia First Meeting: 1771 (before it opened) Style: Georgian Carpenters’ Hall at 320 Chestnut Street is where our country took its first steps to independence. Photo by Jim Murphy
Claim to Fame: This remarkable building was home of the First Continental Congress, Sept. 5 to Oct. 26, 1774 Awards: Named a National Historic Landmark in 1970 Famous Guests: Queen Elizabeth II of England and Prince Philip visited in 1976; King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden in 1994.
"One of the greatest beginnings in all of history began in this little room." So says historian and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough about Carpenters' Hall – the small 50'-by-50'structure set back off the 300 block of Chestnut Street.
Company called on the widow to retrieve the book. But it also provided pensions for widows, educated children of deceased members and even helped some find positions as apprentices.
Often overlooked by tourists and Philadelphians alike, Carpenters' Hall is a marvelous example of extraordinary architecture. It's also where Americans took their first step toward independence from Britain. Robert Smith, the city's most important master builder/architect, designed the building.
• The nation's first bank robbery took place here in 1798 – when the hall was temporary home to the Bank of Pennsylvania. The loot: $162,821. Although Pat Lyon, the blacksmith who had just changed the locks on the vault's doors was imprisoned for three months, he was later released and awarded $12,000. The actual culprit: Isaac Davis, a member of the Carpenters' Company. Stupidly, Davis began depositing large sums of money into the very bank he had just robbed. Under questioning, he confessed, returned the money and never served a day in prison.
Here in late 1774, the First Continental Congress – with delegates from twelve of the Thirteen Colonies (Georgia was missing) – met for 52 days to respond to the Intolerable Acts passed by Britain. Rather than meet at what is now Independence Hall, the delegates reportedly chose a spot less public … and where they were less likely to be coerced by Joseph Galloway, Pennsylvania's Speaker of the Colonial Assembly. His views toward England were too conservative for many of the more radical representatives. Today's building is far more finished than it was in 1774. Funds were low. The interior was "very plain," says an insurance survey. And both the building's frontpiece and arch for the fanlight would not be completed for about 18 years. The members of the Carpenters' Company were not carpenters as we know them today. In reality, they were "master builders," combining the talents of architect, contractor and engineer. Interesting Oddities: • The Carpenters' Company published a secret Price Book or Rule Book for various kinds of construction. Members could be expelled for showing it to outsiders. Even Thomas Jefferson was refused a copy. When a member died, the
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• Ben Franklin and John Jay met secretly in Carpenters' Hall with a French emissary on three nights in December 1775. Their talks later led to critical French support of the colonists' war efforts. • Many companies rented space in the building, including the Library Company of Philadelphia, the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia Custom House and others. C. J. Wolbert & Co., an auction house, was the last tenant. The Carpenters' Company terminated its lease and opened the building to the public as a historic monument in 1857. • The Continental Congress returned here briefly in June 21, 1783, says member and noted preservationist Charles E. Peterson – "when their usual meeting place – the State House – was besieged by mutinous veterans of the Continental Army" who wanted to be paid. It then fled to Princeton. Visit Carpenters' Hall soon. Inside you'll see a detailed model of the building and much more. It's free, a key part of our city's and country's history and well worth a trip. David McCullough says, "To me, it's one of the most eloquent buildings in all of America."
No Cooking Required BY DONNA PANCARI I can hardly remember the days before the Headhouse Farmers’ Market began – filling the Shambles every Sunday with dozens of local purveyors of all manner of produce, dairy, meats, fish and much more. Now in its 10th year and operating year-round, the market is an essential stop for area residents and tourists alike. Amid the stacks of freshly baked bread, bouquets of flowers and baskets of apples, it’s easy to miss the many prepared food items the market has to offer. You shouldn’t – you won’t find a more convenient and varied collection of prepared food made with local ingredients. Below are a few favorites sorted by type of dish, and guaranteed to keep you away from supermarket ready-made meals for good.
Starters Mushroom Dip from Talula’s Table If you wondered what Kennett Square tastes like in a dip, this is it. Serve it with their bagel chips or with flatbreads from Wild Flour Bakery a few tables over. The mushroom soup is equally delicious. Potato Leek Soup from Good Spoon You’ll find a soup at Good Spoon for any meal, really. Our favorite is the turkey and white bean chili - with a slice of cornbread from neighboring Ric’s Bread, of course. Good Spoon offers soups either hot or frozen, and in pints or quarts. Main Dishes Savory Tarts from Market Day Canelé So the beautiful little canelé are of course the specialty here, but don’t miss their sweet or savory tarts. Made with seasonal produce in always changing and inspired combinations, they make a beautiful and delicious brunch dish. Chicken Pot Pie from Griggstown Farm Obviously Griggstown’s superior chicken shines in these pies, but the flaky pastry and local vegetables make them a favorite. There are beef, turkey and vegetarian options as well, along with shepherd’s pie. Sides Macaroni and Cheese from Hillacres Pride This is how you’d make it if you did it yourself – a creamy elbow macaroni mixture that browns and crisps just right in the oven. Pick it up along with their homemade meatballs for a complete meal. Curried Apple Onion Chutney from Green Aisle Grocery Any of Green Aisle’s preserves are creative takes on canning
Known for its fresh produce, Headhouse Farmers’ Market is a great place for prepared foods as well.
local produce, but their chutneys and pickled vegetables make particularly nice accompaniments to almost any main dish. Snacks Popcorn from Blooming Glen Farm So you will have to pop this, but you won’t be sorry you waited for the seasonal arrival of tiny fresh kernels grown by Blooming Glen. Don’t be put off by the size – they’re far more flavorful than commercial varieties. Cheddar Crackers from Ric’s Breads A ridiculously delicious combination of Hillacres Pride cheese and Ric’s baking, available both plain and spicy. You’ll never eat a Cheez-It again. Breakfast Honey Granola from High Street on Market It may seem crazy to go with the granola at a bakery offering the likes of mocha donuts, but the rich combination of oats, seeds and dried cherries baked with olive oil is worth the trade. Or just get both.
QVNA Helps Make Queen Village Safer
Your tax-deductible contribution to QVNA helps support the ongoing operations of the South Street Police Detail and the Mini-Station, and so much more. Please support us at QVNA.org/donate.
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Wawa Partners With The Neighborhood Sharing Concerns to Help Improve Our Quality of Life To represent residents’ and the business district’s concerns about the Wawa store at 518 S. 2nd Street, Queen Village Neighbors Association (QVNA) president Eleanor Ingersoll and South Street Headhouse District (SSHD) executive director Mike Harris met with Wawa management representatives. Discussion highlights: • While panhandling outside of the store is a concern, a very limited course of action is possible. Wawa does have the right, however, to ask anyone holding the vestibule door to stop doing so. Wawa is committed to do this. • With respect to loitering in the Wawa seating area, signage indicating a 20-minute seating limit will be going up. • For those in the community who want to help the homeless who stand or sit outside the store, here’s good news: Wawa is working on a scan register campaign to give customers an alternative way to assist the homeless – without giving money directly to them. The Wawa Foundation is actively working on putting this campaign together; details to follow.
• Concerning trash, Wawa commits to emptying the can in front of the store as it fills, neatly tying the bag and setting it next to the can to prepare for the daily pickup. • Wawa commits to keeping the sidewalk in front of the store clean from litter and swept from debris. A consistent schedule is being put together to ensure that this happens. • Wawa facilities is looking into regularly power-washing the sidewalk in front of the store. • For deliveries, Wawa is looking into adjusting weekend deliveries to avoid key traffic congestion times around the store, plus having trucks pull tightly to the curb to keep traffic flow unencumbered.
Fragmentation works by Seth Clark
October 26 – December 6, 2018 Gallery Open Hours: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays 12:00 - 6:00pm Open 7 days by appointment tel: (267) 266-0073 email: info@paradigm-gallery.com Paradigm Gallery + Studio 746 S. 4th Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 ®
PARADIGM Gallery + Studio
746 S. 4th Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 www.ParadigmArts.org
@ParadigmGS
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/ParadigmGallery
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KATHY, PATRICK AND THE
July/August 2018
www.conwayteam.com
CONWAY TEAM
CONWAY
We are Here if you Need Us.
We would LOVE to HELP or justBERKSHIRE Give you Our OPINION or HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES FOX & ROACH, REALTORS ADVICE in the SELLING or BUYING of your HOME. “We a part offor helping THANK YOU to All of our CLIENTS, welove arebeing GRATEFUL Your BUSINESS.
NEW LISTINGS
9 0 % o f o u r B u s i n e s s c o m e s f r o m F r i e n d s tthey e l l express i n g F rtoi eusn at d sclosing.” ! Pending
Historic Acme Piano Building 201 Queen St #1 2400 Sq Ft, 3 BR, 2 BA, Beau Hrwd Flrs T/ O, Exposed brick, Balcony, Elevator, Common Roof Deck, 1 car Garage + Meredith Catchment. $1,300,000
830 S Front St
119 Beck St
228 Monroe St
Full of Character & Nice Details. 3+BR, 2.5 BA, Fireplace, Terrific Finished Basement, Wine Cellar, Lovely Garden + Meredith
Enjoy Shaker Style Simple Living 2 BR + Den/2 Bath, Fp’s, Hardwood Floors, Garden & Meredith
WOW 3232 Sq Ft, 20x90 Ft Deep, 3 BR,
Catchment. $525,000
Fp’s, Original Wd Flrs & Lovely Lg Garden.
Catchment. $899,000
$900,000
Mother and son, Kathy and Patrick Conway, have lived in Queen Village all of their lives. They don’t just sell real estate; they are part of the fiber and heartbeat of With 52 years 306 Queen St Philadelphia.129 Catharine St #1 of real estate 776 Sexperience Front St Double Wide Property w/ 1 Car Light! Space! Drama! and wisdom between them, they make a perfect Garage + Extra Parking Spot. Light & Dream Home! 3000 Sq Ft, Great Block. Hardwood Floors t/o, 3 20 x 100 Deep, 5 BR, Great Outdoor team. bedrooms + Den, 2.5 Baths, Fp, Hrwd Flrs T/O, Fab Kit & Deck Great Deck & Garden. $685,000
Washington Mews Lovely 2 BR Condo w/ Private Entrance & Garden, Hrwd Flrs, Exposed brick & Wd Burning Fp. $375,000
1806-
241 Bainbridge St
The Savoy! A Bright & Spacious 892 Sq Ft Condo w/ Windows Surround in a Grt Building. 2 Nice Size BR w/ Walk in Closets, Wd Flrs & Newer Kit. $379,000
Duplex! Each Unit 2 BR/2 BA, Lg Living/ Dining Areas, Fp, Exposed brick, Wd Deck + Meredith Catchment.
$825,000
Space & 2 + Car Parking. Needs Rehab $885,000
Their negotiating skills are second to none. They are kind and patient and go far beyond what is expected of a real estate agent.
Pending
1110 Lombard St #13
Reduced $599,000
115 Pemberton St tree Lined Block. 3 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, 3 Fp’s. Finished basement & Yard. $850,000
For Rent
Conway Team broke ground as 840 S American St “B” 246 Delancey St 704-06-08-10 S 4thThe St award winning
Home w/ parking (poss 2 “ first mother/son teamsTerrific the in the city and has car), Extra Lg EIK w/ nice side & rear this” garden, 2 BR + denracking & 1.5 BA, Tucked Circa 1767. 3 BR+ Den, 2.5 BA, Buildings 2 run St to St. All been making real estate history ever since away off the Street. $423,900 Hrwd Flrs, Fp and Lovely Garden. Commercial 1st Floor & Apt up the highest awards attainable, client and agent above.$4,300,000 kudos and breaking sales records with their trademark For Rent SOLD SOLD honesty, genuine caring and work ethic.
A Terrific Investment Opportunity in one of
For the Conway’s, success is part of their DNA. 771 S 7th St (N.E Corner of 7th & Fulton) A Big Corner Property running 75’ down Fulton St. Zoned RSA5. Could be a Wonderful Dream Home. Needs a Rehab. $450,000
SOLD
2200 Pine St #105
927 S 2nd St
Property. 1 BR/1 BA Condo, Tons of Light, Hardwood Floors T/O & Exposed Brick $309,900
Shot Tower Place Award Winning Design! Lovely 4 Story Home w/ 2 Car Parking, 2600 Sq Ft, 4 BR, 2.5 BA, Hrwd Flrs, Fp, Fin Bsmt, Garden & Deck $835,000
830 S 2nd St “B” “Live the Dream” all in this 25’ Wide, 3432 Sq Ft, 5 BR/3.5 BA, Hrwd Flrs, Fp, Garden, Huge Rf Deck + 1 Car Parking. $6000
SOLD
SOLD
730 S Front St
715 Carpenter St
1986 is the one that makes her most proud. $699,000 $950,000
Pool & 2 Car Parking. $5700
SOLD
SOLD
707 S 3rd St
Super Building! Triplex! This Great Newer Corner Home has QV! Meredith Catchment. A Real Kathy’s background is in Social Work and of all the Bi Level 1st Fl 2 BR+ Den/2 BA, Lg Rms it all - Light - Drama - Space - Garage Trophy House w/ Every Bell & Whistle. & Exposed 2ndReal Fl-Efficiency. 3rd Rookie - 3 BR + 2 Dens 2 Full + 2in PR’s, Fp, 4500 Sq Ft, 5 BR, 4.5 BA, Den/Media awards she has Brick. won, Estate of-Year Fl 1 BR + Den/1 BA + Meredith. Rm, Fp, Elevator, Hrwd Flrs, Garden, Garden & Fabulous Deck.
SOLD his SOLD Patrick joined Kathy 22 years ago after starting career as an agent with another firm. Even then he knew he could learn more from his mother about
200-210 Lombard St #503
201 N 8th ST #214
ABBOTTS SQUARE - Society Hill
Metro Club 1700 Sq Ft, 2 BR, 2 BA, Wood Floors, Gourmet Kitchen, High Ceilings, 1 Car Private Parking
West Facing (sunsets & CC Views), 1 BR, 1.5 BA, Hrwd Flrs + Balcony
$294,000
1 Queen St #14
+ Fab Views. $524,991
Penns Landing South! 2 BR, 1.5 BA, Fab Kitchen, Hardwood Flrs, Private Deck & Garden, Private Garage Parking + Meredith Catchment. $450,000
Why pay condo fees when you can buy this nice single family dwelling? 3 story, 2 BR, 1.5 BA, lots of custom built-ins, eat-in kitchen & yard.
$299,000
sales and people. He is savvy, tenacious, witty, smart 908 S 11th St 1618 Addison St and is a winner of2many awards. With the A Free Standing Bedroom prestigious Home w/ Original Hardwood Floors, Good Light, 4 BR, 2.5 BA, Hrwd Flrs T/O, Cooks Conway “never say never” attitude the word on the Eat In Kitchen & Large Private GarKitchen, Roof Deck w/ Center City $379,000doesn’t fallViews den.apple 10 Year the Tax Abatement. street is that the far &from tree.
212 Catharine St
922 S 2nd St
WOW – 6 unit bldg or could be a Fab Mansion Home. 145 deep x 20 wide, 5112 sq. ft, 45 ft Grdn. Details & character t/o + Meredith Catchment.
$1,300,000
$699,000
SINCE THE LAST ISSUE WE SOLD OVER 33 HOMES 530 Walnut Street, Suite 480 best in the real estate industry. Kathy, Patrick and their team are very professional and communicate with you on a regular basis. They also responded to me quickly whenever I had the best!"
David Schernecke
www.conwayteam.com FOR MORE INFORMATION AND A LIST OF OUR INVENTORY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS, OPEN HOUSES AND VIRTUAL TOURS CALL ON OUR FABULOUS RENTALS
kathy@conwayteam.com - patrick@conwayteam.com Society Hill Office – 530 Walnut St #480, Philadelphia, PA 19106 Kathy: 215-850-3842 Main: 215-627-6005 Patrick: 215-266-1537
Independently Owned and Operated Member of the Prudential Real Estate Affiliates Inc.
