Grid Magazine November 2025 [#198]

Philly’s newest winemakers are committing to Pennsylvania grapes

Tom Caruso, Pray Tell Wines

FRESH TURKEYS, PREPARED FOODS, PIES AND BAKED GOODS

It’s Turkey time! Get your taste buds ready for this year’s delectable selection of fresh and local turkeys, homemade sides from Weavers Way’s kitchens, and local pies and baked goods.

Order Online by Friday, 11/21 and pick up

publisher Alex Mulcahy

managing editor

Bernard Brown

associate editor & distribution

Timothy Mulcahy

tim@gridphilly.com

deputy editor

Julia Lowe

art director

Michael Wohlberg

writers Marilyn Anthony

Kyle Bagenstose

Bernard Brown

Luke Carneal

Daniel Sean Kaye

Patrick Kerr

Emily Kovach

Julia Lowe

Liz Robinson

Gabriel L. Schwartz

photographers

Chris Baker Evens

Jared Gruenwald

Tracie Van Auken

published by Red Flag Media

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Content with the above logo is part of Every Voice, Every Vote, a collaborative project managed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. The William Penn Foundation provides lead support for Every Voice, Every Vote in 2024 and 2025 with additional funding from The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, Comcast NBC Universal, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Henry L. Kimelman Family Foundation, Judy and Peter Leone, Arctos Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, 25th Century Foundation, Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation, and Philadelphia Health Partnership. To learn more about the project and view a full list of supporters, visit www.everyvoiceeveryvote.org. Editorial content is created independently of the project’s donors.

Tuning In

On sunday afternoon I made the mistake of turning on a football game. For twenty minutes I sat on the sofa and watched about 18 minutes of advertisements and replays interspersed with about two minutes of actual game play. I used to spend hours doing this on Sundays, but over the past 20 years, I’ve lost my taste for it. These days I prefer getting outside on a beautiful afternoon (or doing just about anything) to sitting passively while the networks and the NFL rent my eyeballs to advertisers. After a few minutes, I turned off the TV and went outside, happy to have escaped, but it was a healthy reminder that this is what we’re up against, and it made me thankful for media like “Planet Philadelphia.”

Grid was created in 2008 to fill a void in the local media landscape — to provide environmental news and information on how Philadelphians can live more sustainably. “Planet Philadelphia,” profiled by Daniel Sean Kaye in this issue, launched on G-Town Radio 10 years ago to fill a similar void on local radio.

But “void” might not be the right word. It’s not only that there isn’t enough sustainability content out there, but that the preponderance of media in general offers a message of consumption and complacency that threatens the environment. This isn’t just a matter of the news focusing on other topics or the American Petroleum Institute running ads glorifying fossil fuels. The advertisement for a luxury SUV that runs at the two-minute warning of an Eagles game, or for an airline during a timeout, are messages to keep burning fossil fuels.

One antidote is careful, considerate discussion of environmental topics: what we need to be aware of, and what we can do. Want to think globally and act locally? The October 17 episode of “Planet Philadel -

phia” started with a World Bank economist talking about how sustainability can benefit job creation worldwide. They moved on to the impact of solar power on Pennsylvania schools and concluded with an encouragement to vote in the November 4 judicial retention election.

And even though the topics deal with no less than the fate of the planet, the show’s tone is calm and low stakes. I say this as someone prone to grumpy rants: Hosts Kay Wood and Linda Rosenwein talk the way I wish I could.

I doubt I’m going to convince any serious fans to turn off the game and follow me into sports temperance. And, of course, it’s not just sports. The same ad-driven business model applies to police procedurals and to your Instagram feed. But whatever your poison, consider swapping two hours of mainstream media for a local radio show about how we should be living.

I’m also fully aware of how dated it is to hype a long-format radio show in 2025, and that I’m not going to turn back the clock to a time before social media eroded our attention spans. I’m grateful for “Planet Philadelphia,” but I also hope that it serves as inspiration for environmental journalists on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and whatever else comes next. If you spot any such creators, please drop me a note at bernard@ gridphilly com

Glass Ceiling

Bird advocates hit a wall at Philadelphia City Council

On oct. 2, 2025, a swamp sparrow smacked into a glass door at the Independence Visitor Center and fell dead onto the entryway’s pavement.

A volunteer window collision monitor with Bird Safe Philly found the bird and documented its demise. Volunteers found four dead or stunned birds that morning, with an additional 13 logged by iNaturalist users across the city. Numbers like these, though sad and avoidable, stand in sharp contrast to those from the same date in 2020, when monitor Stephen Maciejewski found more than 400 dead birds around

by bernard brown

a few high-rises in Center City, indicating that many more were killed throughout the city. The response to that fatal night kicked off a movement, though efforts to protect more birds in Philadelphia have run into a barrier at City Hall.

In the past five years, Bird Safe Philly, an alliance of Valley Forge Audubon, Liberty Bird Alliance (formerly Wyncote Audubon), the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and Audubon Mid-Atlantic, has expanded the effort to document birds killed and injured by windows. During the

spring and fall migration seasons, when tens of millions of birds fly the skies over Philadelphia, volunteer monitors patrol the sidewalks in front of dangerous buildings, while others stand ready to whisk injured birds to the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education’s wildlife clinic.

At night, artificial lights confuse migrating birds, many of which fly after dark and evolved to navigate by the light of the stars and moon. The mass mortality event of 2020 occurred on a rainy evening with a low cloud ceiling — conditions particularly apt to confuse birds. Bird Safe Philly’s Lights

New York City has the best ordinance on window glass. But it’s very hard to get something like that going with City Council in Philadelphia.”

leigh altadonna, Bird Safe Philly

Out Philly initiative continues to encourage building owners, tenants and residents to turn off their lights at night during the spring and fall, and has helped inspire similar efforts in other cities, including Harrisburg, says Bird Safe Philly coordinator

Leigh Altadonna.

Altadonna and Bird Safe Philly’s Stephanie Egger pointed to successes in getting some problem buildings, such as Sister Cities Cafe in Center City, to retrofit windows to make them visible to birds, using a

window film produced by Feather Friendly that’s embedded with patterns of dots. Bird Safe Philly has also worked with local environmental centers to do the same, including at the Wissahickon Environmental Center (also known as the Tree House) on Oct. 9. Environmental centers are often bird death traps, with windows reflecting the natural landscapes around them. When their windows protect birds, they can serve as a showcase to visitors, Egger says.

But those bird-safe windows are a drop in the bucket. “It’s super frustrating,” Egger says. “We’ve been doing this for five years and we have a handful of buildings protected with Feather Friendly.” The National Park Service has been slow to fix lethal windows of buildings on Independence Mall. The Ciocca Subaru dealership in South Philadelphia has so far ignored calls to retrofit its windows. “Comcast is a partner in Lights Out but is still killing a good number of birds each migration, and talking to them about glass seems to be a complete nonstarter,” she says. In the meantime, buildings keep going up with bird-lethal windows. “There’s so much development going on, we can’t keep up.”

What’s needed is action from the City, Altadonna says. “New York City has the best ordinance on window glass. But it’s very hard to get something like that going with City Council in Philadelphia.”

New York City passed a law in 2020 requiring new buildings and renovations to use patterned glass. Grid reached out to the chair of Philadelphia City Council’s Environment Committee, Jamie Gauthier, to ask if she would support similar legislation in Philadelphia. A spokesperson responded by email, “Councilmember Gauthier is a strong advocate for sustainable building practices and bird safety is a part of that.”

Opposite: Bird Safe Philly volunteer Katie Eberhart protects birds from running into the glass at the Wissahickon Environmental Center. This page, from left: Bird Safe Philly volunteers Stephanie Egger, Wendy Clymer, Leigh Altadonna and Eberhart.

Global Citizens

A locally created radio show tackles environmental issues, from Philly to the world by

Just over 10 years ago, Kay Wood, now the cohost of the biweekly sustainability radio program “Planet Philadelphia,” was sinking into depression. An accomplished painter for 30 years, she suffered a herniated disc that badly affected her dominant arm. Her husband encouraged her to find new creative avenues. She did that by creating two graphic novels — “The Big Belch” and “The Big Frack”— inspired by her love for environmental and social justice and her dissatisfaction with most environmental journalism. The graphic novels led to an invitation for Wood to host a program about her interests: global environmental concerns and how they affect everyday life in Philadelphia.

daniel sean kaye

Ten years later, “Planet Philadelphia” is still going and still growing, tackling hard environmental issues plaguing our region and educating citizens on the solutions to these problems. “The first step is getting the word out so that everyday citizens know [the various issues] we’re up against,” says Wood. She feels it’s important to inform listeners about concerns such as fossil fuel dependence and how future generations will bear its impact.

Wood’s husband, Michael Silverstein, helped with the show until his death in 2016. This left her wondering how she could manage it on her own. That’s when she met recently retired Linda Rosenwein through a Quaker Friends meeting. Hav-

ing grown up in a family of scientists, she, too, was interested in environmental issues and was looking for a way to get involved. Today, they are a team, with Wood the host and producer and Rosenwein the production assistant who oversees press releases, researches and books guests. They’ve interviewed guests such as climate change activist Jeremy Rios Griffin, local beekeeper Kathy May, U.S. Sen. Robert Casey Jr. and the World Bank’s former senior vice president Vinod Thomas.

“‘Planet Philadelphia’ is a prime example of what Community Radio represents,” says Tom Casetta, station manager of G-Town Radio. “They aren’t doing this for their ego or anyone’s profit, but for everyone. That authenticity is why ‘Planet Philadelphia’ succeeds.”

“People are passionate about this subject,” says Wood. “We’re not a ‘gotcha’ show. We’re about good, solid, quality reporting and want to tell the whole story as best we can. There’s a real desire for strong reporting on environmental issues beyond ‘doom and gloom,’ beyond ‘is climate change real or not?’”

“We focus on things people haven’t heard,” says Rosenwein. “We want it indepth and we’ve worked hard to become experts. Topics are much more complicated than you’d think.”

Wood says the show has been a way for her and Rosenwein to learn too. “There are amazing things we’ve found out,” she says. “Who knew that microplankton is connected to everything on the planet?”

“It’s hard work, but I’ve never had a better working relationship,” says Rosenwein, mentioning the long hours she spends sound editing and the intimidation of being live on air. She adds that connecting local life with global issues is crucial and has made them better journalists. “We talk about things other people really want to know. Since we don’t know what we don’t know, we ask questions.” ◆

Listen to “Planet Philadelphia” on the first and third Friday of the month at 4 PM on 92.9 FM WGGT-LP, streaming on gtownradio.com and on 89.1 FM WXVU on Thursday mornings at 9 AM. Visit planetphiladelphia.com to submit ideas for future episodes.

PHOTO BY CHRIS BAKER EVENS

Kay Wood (left) and Linda Rosenwein dive into environmental topics twice a month on “Planet Philadelphia.”

EARLY CHILDHOOD

HIGH SCHOOL

Safe at Home

Philadelphia City Council is weighing a new rental inspection program. Studies show it may improve tenants’ health

by gabriel l. schwartz, p h d.

As p hiladelphia mayor Cherelle Parker’s $2 billi on housing plan moves forward, heated debates condtinue about another set of municipal housing proposals that could transform Philadelphia tenants’ rights.

In June 2025, Philadelphia’s City Council considered three housing bills, collectively known as the Safe Healthy Homes Act. The package was introduced by Nicolas O’Ro-

urke, an at-large council member who belongs to the Working Families Party.

One of the bills authorized the city to create a fund for tenants to relocate if their buildings are condemned by city inspectors. It was signed into law, though it remains unclear how the fund will be financed.

The other two bills stalled. One was an ordinance that would broadly strengthen tenants’ rights, and the other – known as

the Right to Repairs — would shi ft how Philadelphia ensures housing is safe for tenants, empowering the City to proactively inspect rentals for housing code violations. These bills deal with housing policy, but they’re also matters of public health.

I know this because I am a researcher in Philadelphia who studies how housing affects our health outcomes. And in particular, recent research by myself and others suggests the fate of the Rights to Repairs legislation could have major implications for Philadelphians’ well-being.

Housing

protections today

To understand this new evidence, it’s important to first understand the system of housing regulations Philadelphia has now, in the absence of the proposed Right to Repairs legislation.

PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL

Demonstrators demand safe rental housing at a hearing in June.

When a landlord rents an apartment, Pennsylvania law mandates that apartment must be habitable and free of hazards such as mold, cockroaches and dangerous dilapidation.

This legal principle is known as the “implied warranty of habitability.” Every state except Arkansas have some kind of policy like this, though they vary in how much they hold landlords responsible for tenants’ safety.

Under Pennsylvania’s warranty and related municipal law, if conditions deteriorate in a rental property, Philadelphia tenants are first supposed to alert their landlord, who has 30 days to fix the given violation — such as rodents or lead exposure.

If landlords refuse, however, tenants are in a bind. They could file a complaint with the Department of Licenses and Inspections, which might come and issue a citation. Tenants could also file a lawsuit against their landlord, and they are entitled to withhold rent. But all of these options risk provoking your landlord — at potentially high cost.

Invoking your warranty rights as a tenant can therefore be tricky. You have to know your rights, document repair requests in writing and be willing to take your landlord to task legally.

That’s challenging in a city like Philadelphia, where most renters — outside of a pilot program in some ZIP codes — aren’t guaranteed lawyers in housing court. Indeed, nationally, nine in 10 landlords have lawyers in housing cases, while nine in 10 tenants do not.

The stakes are high for tenants. If they complain, they risk eviction — and that’s amid a shortage of affordable housing in Philadelphia and across the country

In 2018 alone, according to a local news investigation, Philadelphia landlords filed over 2,000 eviction cases soon after tenants raised habitability issues, despite such retaliatory evictions being illegal. More upto-date estimates are hard to come by, as these illegal evictions are not systematically tracked.

Still, tenants have little choice. Philadelphia does not require that an apartment pass an inspection before the city issues rental licenses or certificates of rental suitability. If housing violations arise, it’s on tenants to assert and defend their rights.

Do habitability laws work?

Housing quality protections for tenants, in other words, largely boil down to implied warranties of habitability, plus associated fines the city can issue. But this works only if tenants are able to properly document violations, submit complaints and defend themselves from the blowback.

Despite warranties forming the backbone of Philadelphia’s housing quality gover-

nance system — and concerns that these laws saddle tenants with unreasonable enforcement responsibilities — little is known about whether warranties are even effective. Do they keep tenants from getting sick due to poor housing conditions?

To find out, fellow researchers and I examined what happened when nine states enacted implied warranty of habitability laws like the one in place in Pennsylvania

These bills deal with housing policy, but they’re also matters of public health.

City Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke speaks about the proposed Safe Healthy Homes Act at a hearing in June.

today. We wanted to know whether renters’ health improved after warranty policies were enacted, compared with other states where such laws didn’t go into effect over the same period.

We also used homeowners as a control group, comparing whether renters’ health uniquely improved when these laws were enacted. Homeowners are useful here because we wouldn’t expect homeowners’ health to be affected by these laws.

Our findings were stark: We found no improvements for renters at all, across a slew of housing-related health outcomes, even 10 years after enactment.

There were no effects on renters’ asthma, respiratory allergies, bronchitis, mental health, hospitalizations or even less clinical outcomes such as self-rated health.

To be clear, implied warranties of habitability are important laws and are surely helpful for individual tenants. Broadly speaking, however, our findings suggest that these policies simply don’t work.

That is likely especially true in Pennsylvania, a state whose implied warranty of habitability was given an F- by researchers who evaluated the comprehensiveness of states’ policies for protecting tenants’ well-being.

A 2014 study in neighboring New Jersey helps shed light on why these policies fall short.

Researchers there examined 40,000 eviction cases, looking for whether tenants successfully raised implied warranty of habitability violations as a defense. Given how often landlords retaliate after violation complaints are made, one might expect thousands of tenants party to these lawsuits to have invoked their warranty rights.

The result? Only 80 tenants did so — 80 out of 40,000.

In practice, then, existing data paint a bleak picture: The vast majority of tenants lack the financial resources, legal knowledge, alternative housing options or freedom from fear necessary to protect themselves from unsafe conditions at home.

The city’s current housing policies do not protect tenants from unsafe housing, while proactive rental inspections show real promise for fighting persistent housing-related health problems.

Proactive rental inspections

show more success

What policies might work instead? Cities such as Rochester, New York, may provide an answer.

In 2005, Rochester implemented a more proactive rental inspection program to combat their child lead-poisoning crisis — a problem Philadelphia shares.

This meant that Rochester’s municipal inspectors began proactively inspecting rental units on a regular basis and issuing fines for any violations they found. Tenants did not have to file a complaint and therefore weren’t forced into adversarial disputes with their landlords.

The results were dramatic. By 2012, childhood lead poisoning in Rochester had dropped by 85%. This decline was nearly 2.5 times faster than the rest of New York state. Further, scientists found that units that were inspected every three years had one-third of the rate of housing code violations as units inspected every six years

The question is whether Philadelphia’s government will act on that knowledge.

Where the legislation stands

Both of the unpassed bills within the Safe Healthy Homes Act remain up for consideration; policy staff at Councilmember O’Rourke’s office expect a new public hearing on the bills in early 2026.

Over the summer, though, amendments were drafted for both bills to help secure the support they need to pass, both from Council and related municipal agencies. This includes tweaks to Right to Repair, the legislation that would authorize the Department

Disclosure: Gabriel L. Schwartz’s research described in this article was funded through a pilot grant from the University of California San Francisco Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative. UCSF had no role in the design, completion or reporting of that study. The views expressed in this article solely represent the scientific opinion of the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of either UCSF or Drexel University.

of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) to launch a proactive rental inspection program.

The amendments acknowledge a legal limitation faced by City Council: While it can “authorize” L&I to enact such a program, Council lacks the authority to command L&I to do so. Right to Repair’s “authorization” would thus operate more as a road map, providing a municipal legal framework, articulating avenues for funding, implementing related requirements for landlords and declaring Council’s interest.

The good news for Right to Repair’s proponents is that L&I, motivated by the demands of organized tenants who attended the bill’s hearing in June, is now developing a pilot proactive rental inspection program regardless of the bill’s passage. According to Councilmember O’Rourke’s office, the budding program is slated to focus on midsize multifamily properties to start. But it remains to be seen whether this pilot materializes, how strictly it will be enforced and which kinds of properties it will target long term.

Whether the Right to Repair is good policy for Philadelphia is a question for city legislators, and the fate of any proactive rental inspection program is in L&I’s hands. But research is increasingly clear: The city’s current housing policies do not protect tenants from unsafe housing, while proactive rental inspections show real promise for fighting persistent housing-related health problems. ◆

gabriel l. schwartz, phd, is a social epidemiologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Management & Policy at Drexel University, as well as core faculty at Drexel’s Urban Health Collaborative. His work examines the effects of housing insecurity, segregation and police violence on the public’s health.

Under Water

Philly’s water bills are rising fast, and the 10-year forecast calls for more rate hikes by

In September 2024, Philadelphians saw their monthly water bills jump by about 12%, the second-largest rate hike that year of any large water system in the country. This year, rates went up by nearly another 10%, now pushing a typical monthly bill close to $100, according to the Philadelphia Water Department.

But if these recent increases seem eye-popping to the city’s residents, they may not have seen anything yet, says Robert Ballenger, an attorney with Community Legal Services, who also serves as public advocate before the City’s independent Water, Sewer and Storm Water Rate Board. Perhaps nobody outside PWD’s own staff pays closer attention to the finances of the utility than Ballenger, and he uses two words to describe how he sees its financial future: “pretty terrifying.”

kyle bagenstose

The other half, he says, is a complex mixture of rising operational and maintenance costs — aging infrastructure, wages, inflation — and decision-making on how to pay for it.

Andrew Kricun, former executive director of the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority and current managing director of the nonprofit clean-water consulting firm Moonshot Missions, says utilities like PWD could be more self-sufficient. In the 24 years he worked for that neighboring utility across the Delaware River, a tenure that ended in 2020, Kricun says he and colleagues dramatically improved water quality and implemented large capital projects while raising rates only once. (The utility’s rates later jumped 22% in 2023 and are scheduled to increase 3% annually through 2027, according to Tap into Camden, but still average less than $70 a month).

We’re talking going from a $1 billion-per-year utility to a $2 billion-per-year utility.”

robert ballenger

That’s because, Ballenger says, the city’s water system is coming to terms with historic disinvestment — having to replace pipes and treatment plants well past their lifespan — at the same time that new regulatory requirements for both drinking water and sewage pollution are bearing down. PWD’s own projections, he adds, predict that it may have to double its revenues between now and 2036 to keep up.

“We’re talking going from a $1 billionper-year utility to a $2 billion-per-year utility,” Ballenger says. “I attribute 50% of that concern to the absence of [outside] funding,” he adds, especially for capital projects needed to meet federal mandates.

He credits that primarily to the historical consolidation of more than 50 water systems into a single regional entity — and the cost efficiencies that came with it — as well as heavy reliance on the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank, which doles out low-interest loans for water infrastructure. So, in Kricun’s view, while a historic decline in federal funding for water utilities has made a “substantive” difference in their finances, the challenge is “not insurmountable.”

PWD says a similar strategy is not in play here in Philadelphia. Over the next six years the department estimates it will need to spend $4.7 billion on capital costs alone, or about $800 million annually, spokesper-

son Brian Rademaekers wrote in an email to Grid. But state officials have told PWD they can only set a goal of providing up to $100 million a year in low-interest loans, if the state budget allows it, according to PWD. That amounts to only a fraction of the department’s capital costs, let alone operations and maintenance. The department will likely need to pay for much of the rest through financing or rate hikes.

“Capital investments and related infrastructure financing will remain a driver for rate increases in the future,” the department says.

Public legal advocate Robert Ballenger sees significant rate hikes in the water department’s future.

The end of federal funding

Riding the wave of the 1960s environmental movement, Congress created the Clean Water Act in 1972 and the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974, introducing a robust regulatory framework to clean up industrial pollution and sewage. Cities like Philadelphia were required to build modern, expensive wastewater treatment plants.

Congress also created the Construction Grants program, which provided tens of billions of dollars to help directly pay for the upgrades.

“It was one of the largest civilian federal

expenditures in the 20th century,” says Rebecca Hammer, senior attorney and deputy director of federal water policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “It was really quite a large investment that had huge benefits for public health and the environment.”

But that changed in 1987, when President Ronald Reagan and a Democratic-controlled Congress agreed to scrap the grants program and replace it with a pair of revolving loan funds. These programs, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, now award a few billion dollars a year to state governments, which then use

it to provide mostly low-interest loans to utilities. When the money is repaid, it can be loaned out again.

Hammer says the changes go a long way in explaining the financial pressures faced by big-city utilities across the country. Congressional Budget Office data show a fourfold decrease in the amount of federal funding for water infrastructure since the sunsetting of the Construction Grants program. Hammer says that means Uncle Sam now effectively pays cents on the dollar of what it used to for major capital projects, even as federal regulations have continued to tighten.

And needs are growing: Hammer points to EPA calculations showing utilities nationwide will collectively have to spend $1.25 trillion by 2041 to modernize their infrastructure and guard against climate change. PWD goes further, pointing toward an American Society of Civil Engineers report stipulating nearly $3 trillion in need by 2033, more than a third of which represents a “funding gap that needs to be addressed,” the report concludes.

“It’s been challenging for communities because at the same time federal investment has gone down, costs have gone up,” Hammer says, noting that treatment plants and other infrastructure installed in the 1970s are reaching the end of their lifespan.

PWD says planning documents from the 1980s show federal grants covered as much as 75% of the costs of wastewater treatment plant upgrades in the city at the time. Now, the best the department can hope for is low-interest loans, such as the $100 million loan it received from the commonwealth in 2021 to pay for major upgrades at its aging Northeast Water Pollution Control Plant. Such loans often come with favorable terms compared with other financing options, but they will still cost Philadelphians tens of millions of dollars in repayment that they wouldn’t have faced a few decades ago.

There are grants available, but PWD does not qualify for them due to how the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST), which serves as a clearinghouse for federal loan funding, calculates need.

Robert Boos, PENNVEST’s executive director, says its formula assesses the ratepayer cost of each project application, with an eye on affordability. If a project will cause rates to increase by more than about 1% of median household income for a given utility, it may qualify for grant funding.

“You could have raw sewage running down the streets in a more affluent community, and they may only qualify for a low-interest loan because they have a financial capacity to address it,” Boos says.

But others say PENNVEST’s formula leaves PWD at a distinct disadvantage. The water department calculates that the sheer scale of its system means a project would have to exceed $300 million to qualify for a grant, a figure rarely reached and one that exceeds

PENNVEST’s annual grant budget anyway.

Patrick Starr, executive vice president for programs at the nonprofit Pennsylvania Environmental Council, adds that residents of neighborhoods like Chestnut Hill and Rittenhouse buoy Philadelphia’s median household income — about $61,000 in 2023 — and paper over affordability issues in poorer areas. PWD makes a similar point, noting that less-populated Allegheny County has historically received more PENNVEST funding than Philadelphia, since it contains more than 100 municipalities in addition to Pittsburgh.

“Sadly, as impoverished and obsolete as our system is, because we have pockets of wealth … it sort of throws a wrench into the PENNVEST formula,” Starr says, adding that if Philadelphia was broken into 12 subsystems, he understands that “maybe six or seven” would qualify for grants.

Despite the hikes, PWD rates below average

Every year, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority analyzes rates for the utilities of the country’s largest 33 cities. Its most recent report for 2024 ranked Phila-

delphia as the 19th most expensive, even after it hiked rates by the second largest percentage nationally that year, trailing only Los Angeles. And a January 2025 report from Bluefield Research, a market research firm, found Philadelphia’s rates also about average nationally — and by far the lowest rates of the four Northeast cities it analyzed. Bluefield calculated the average monthly bill in Philadelphia at just over $100 a month, compared with about $150 in New York City, Boston and Portland, Maine.

“One of the reasons they don’t qualify for PENNVEST grant funding is because their rates are so low,” Kricun says of PWD.

Kricun reiterates that he believes utilities can generally get by with smart and robust use of low-interest loans, along with programs like bill assistance for low-income ratepayers, enabling the raising of rates without harming the most vulnerable.

Ballenger, the consumer advocate, says he believes the City has already made some headway in this regard. In 2017, the City’s Department of Revenue and PWD launched

Workers replace a lead service line, one of the expensive infrastructure tasks on PWD’s agenda.

a Tiered Assistance Program, which allows low-income ratepayers to obtain “significant savings by offering a consistent bill based on their income.” Along with implementing new shutoff protections and taking steps to ensure cash reserves aren’t inappropriately large, Ballenger feels PWD has “bought into” efforts to assist vulnerable ratepayers.

But he remains concerned about just how much rates will increase over the next decade, and says he favors PENNVEST redoing its formulas. Already, the state agency has adjusted its formulas for Biden-era funding dedicated to lead service line replacement, Boos says. The agency has since directed millions of dollars of grant money to low-income neighborhoods where the pipes often exist, regardless if they were part of a larger utility that wouldn’t typically qualify, including projects in Philadelphia.

“We did not want to be another Flint,” Boos says, but adds that the program remains PENNVEST’s “one exception.”

Councilmember Mark Squilla, chair of the Appropriations Committee and sometime inquisitor of PWD, perceives the department as an entity that at times is too

It’s been challenging for communities because at the same time federal investment has gone down, costs have gone up.”

rebecca hammer, Natural Resources Defense Council

quick to throw up its hands in seeking outside funding. He notes that PENNVEST bent its rules on lead service line funding and suggested that through being proactive — making applications for projects and advocating politically with anyone who will listen — there may be more funding victories to be had for PWD.

“My goal with the water department is

… let’s have a plan in place so when money does become available, we can be shovel-ready,” Squilla says. “Not just say, ‘This will never happen, we’ll never have those resources.’”

Kricun adds that, similarly, some utilities across the country have succeeded in working with their congressional delegations to get one-off, earmarked federal grants for capital projects. That can be a dirty business that leads to funding inequities, but it is in the toolbox.

“It’s a zero-sum game, but if you can get it, good for you,” Kricun says.

Yet others say that PWD has sometimes failed to look even closer to home, such as seeking out philanthropic funding from entities like the William Penn Foundation, which maintains a focus on clean water issues in Philadelphia. Advocates note that PWD does appear to be taking steps to address such criticisms: This year the department applied for and received a $2.1 million William Penn Foundation grant to study a potential stormwater reduction tunnel in North Philadelphia. Ballenger notes the department has also formally agreed to meet with his office and other officials to discuss potential ways to get better funding from PENNVEST.

For its part, PWD says it welcomes collaboration with advocates and other stakeholders and already works alongside City agencies “to seek grant [and] cost-effective financing support,” adding that it has an internal team “continually focused on applying for funding from state and local entities.” But given the size of the gap between what’s needed and what’s available, the department says it believes paradigm-shifting funding can only come from one place, and it’s not from the relatively small pots of local and state grant funding.

“While every dollar of funding/financing counts, suggesting that those dollars will add up to significantly influence customer rates in the coming years is overly optimistic,” PWD says. “There is an acute need for these investments nationally and an associated funding gap that clearly needs to be addressed at that same level.” ◆

Foreward

At NextFab, we believe the best gifts aren’t just objects–they’re the start of a lasting memory. We know that when it comes to creating something truly special, the details aren’t just details–they are the product of genuine care and skill.

This holiday season, skip the anonymous, mass-produced aisles. Instead, choose a gift with an extra special touch that tells a story and helps a small business thrive right here in your neighborhood. By shopping local and supporting our community of makers, you are giving a gift made with intention, skill, and love.

This year’s guide is a celebration of the creative energy flowing through right out of our Philadelphia makerspace. You’ll find unique pieces ready to become part of your own family tradition:

ȫ For your home, find a piece of Functional Home Decor–from an heirloom-quality cutting board by Untitled_Co to the whimsy of a ceramic Beast of Burden soap dish by Grace Choi, ready to hold a ring by the sink.

ȫ For a loved one, choose something from our Elevated Fine Jewelry collection like a sterling silver and gold jewelry for special occasions from Virginia DeNale Jewelry, or a bold statement piece from Wynonna Metals.

ȫ For the true Philadelphian, celebrate The LOVE of Philly with an ornament of a local favorite from Jawnaments, or a Fishtown Sign on your home.

From the highest-end, custom furniture and fine jewelry to cheeky, handmade accents, every product in this guide is a creation from the talented makers, artists, and tinkers who define the NextFab community.

Shop local, choose handmade, and create core memories that will last for generations this holiday season.

About NextFab

The products in this Gift Guide are all made from the NextFab makerspace in Philadelphia, by the hands of one of our members who make up our diverse community.

NextFab is a Philadelphia-based membership-based makerspace, offering shared workshops and education across disciplines like woodworking, metalworking, laser cutting, 3D printing, textiles, jewelry making, and digital manufacturing.

A membership unlocks the tools, classes, and educational resources needed to build products, transform ideas into solutions, and explore making as a professional pathway. By purchasing a gift from this guide, you directly support the creative journey of these Philadelphia-based entrepreneurs.

Featured Maker Profiles this year include the participants of NextFab’s Artisan Accelerator, a 12-week program that provides creative entrepreneurs with business education, access to resources, and community support to build viable businesses. Generously funded by the Commerce Department, this program provides access to NextFab for 12 months and shared studio space to grow their endeavors.

Elevated Fine Jewelry

Higher-end pieces using gold, sterling silver, or precious stones, often custom or heirloom quality.

1.

Aimee Petkus Jewelry prices vary

Geologist-turned-metalsmith who uses sterling silver and gold around unique mineral specimens, crystals, and gems for one-of-a-kind treasures. aimeepetkusjewelry.com

2.

Virginia DeNale Jewelry

$875

Handcrafted sterling silver and gold jewelry for special occasions and everyday wear, with a classic yet modern feel. Featuring an 18” sterling silver articulated collar necklace. virginiadenalejewelry.com

3. Historical Dream

$300+

Designs that revere historic ethnic leaders and promote an everyday awareness of communities that have enriched American culture. historicaldream.com

4. Wynonna Metals

$150–$200

Handcrafted sterling silver jewelry as the perfect gift for the person who wears their edge with a

Zoe Marchiano of Wynonna Metals

Marchiano crafts sterling silver jewelry that strikes a balance between boldness and elegance. Her work is meticulously handcrafted, blending an edgy, modern aesthetic with superior craftsmanship to ensure enduring value. Each piece is a signature gift — a lasting testament to an uncompromising style, built to be a statement for this lifetime and beyond.

5. Hershal Wiggins Designs

$500–$1,000

Custom, handcrafted fine jewelry and watches using Argentium silver, 24k gold, and precious stones, making each piece a lasting heirloom, featuring a 22k gold pendant with an 18k gold clasp and rice pearls.

Wiggins is a master watchmaker and jeweler who creates intricate, high-value pieces under Hershal Wiggins Designs. His work is rooted in meticulous craft, blending technical precision with artistic design to ensure the highest quality and longevity. Every watch or jewelry submission is a true legacy investment, built to be a reliable, beautiful, and enduring heirloom.

Statement & Unique Jewelry

Pieces with a distinct style, often incorporating unconventional materials or themes.

1. NOSHADE

$15–$30

A lifestyle brand offering bold, unique statement pieces like jewelry, digital art, and home decor that aim to empower confidence and self-expression. Noshade.shop

2. no. 27 collection

$15–$30

Unique, sustainable jewelry from repurposed vintage pieces, sterling silver, and brass. no27collection.com

3. Niki Leist Jewelry

Prices vary

Fine jewelry in sterling silver or gold, featuring Knot Studs ($145) and Entwine Earrings ($185). nikileist.com

4. Virginia DeNale Jewelry

$150–$200

Handcrafted sterling silver and gold jewelry for special occasions and everyday wear, with a classic yet modern feel. virginiadenalejewelry.com

5. ArtesinA

$20–$300

Shelisha Harper of NOSHADE

Harper, the designer behind the forward-thinking lifestyle brand NOSHADE, is on a mission to empower confidence through bold, unique statement pieces. Her collection, ranging across jewelry, digital art, and home décor, is designed to ignite self-expression in every aspect of life. Her pieces carry both a striking aesthetic and a powerful message of empowerment.

Functional Home Decor

Gifts that bring style and smarts to a space, helping you organize, elevate, and get things done.

1. Scrapyard Aesthetics

$80–$100

One-of-a-kind home or office decor, scrap metal artwork, including clocks, lamps, and sculptures. etsy com/shop/ scrapyardaesthetics

2. Compass Rose Spatial Design

$80–$100

Design practice that creates site-specific metalwork and public art, such as the “Night Vines” metal trellis, a piece of whimsy designed to interact with your garden. compassrose -sd.com

3. True Love Carpentry

Prices vary

Specializes in custom-built-in solutions for old homes and decorative/functional home objects like reconfigurable “Tool Boards” for the kitchen and the Puzzle Table, perfect for the gamer in your life ($800). smarritos com

Laura Smarrito of True Love Carpentry

Smarrito’s work across True Love Carpentry emphasizes quality, custom creation, and lasting value. Whether crafting bespoke millwork for historic homes or designing durable, customizable furniture, her expertise lies in using traditional carpentry to build objects intended to endure and inspire for years to come.

4. Tombino

$35–$50

Functional art featuring manhole covers from around the world, permanently etched into coasters, trivets, magnets, and wall art. tombino.shop

5. Loma Living

$58

Home goods that solve real problems, perfect for tech enthusiasts, like their sleek, minimalist MagSafe Charging Stand. lomaliving.com

6. Grace Choi

$65–$110

Elevate the everyday with the enchanting Beast of Burden Soap Dish, designed to be a durable, playful friend that will hold your soap (or other small treasures).

@gracebunella

7.

Untitled_Co

$150–$200

Small batch design studio creating heirloom quality objects for the home, including home and kitchen wares, focusing on sustainable design and ethical practices. Untitledco.design 4

Artful Lighting & Wall Decor

Pieces focused on illumination, display, or large-scale decoration.

1. HAYATO

$80–$100

Timeless gifts for history and art enthusiasts, symbolic artworks inspired by Philadelphia and American ideals, such as the Golden Ratio American flag, and historic map prints. hayatomatsushita com

2. Chachi Studios

$350

Sustainable, high-craft furniture-making company specializing in lighting and custom home goods, featuring the customizable Chachi Lamp. chachi-studios.com

MAKER PROFILE

Andrew Moreau of Chachi Studios

Moreau creates distinguished, functional art for the home, focusing on sustainable materials. His lighting and furniture are significant contributions to the world of modern design, blending unique forms with industrial materials. Andrew’s pieces are signature gifts, carefully crafted to serve as bold, sculptural statement pieces that define a space and become cherished components of a home’s lasting heritage.

3. Maria Schneider Arte

$500–$1,000

Unique, illuminated art installations, a ‘garden in an illuminated box,’ created using LEDs and laser-engraved plexiglass to challenge perception. mariarschneider.com

4. Ly & Lines

Prices vary

Concept-driven visual artist creating sculptures, paintings, and murals, informed by her Vietnamese roots, exploring themes of cultural identity and contemporary life. lyandlines.com

5. Brick & Wire

$55+

Inspired by Philadelphia’s cityscapes, pieces include enameled jewelry, unique light switch plates, and photography embedded in handmade paper. liahuntington.com

6. nothing unwanted

$35–$50

Lightplates inspired by Black culture and Afrofuturism that are durable, simple to install, and a thoughtful way to bring beauty to the smallest corner of your home. @winteriorss

HEART & HOMETOWN GIFTS

Philly Holiday Jawns

Capture the heart, humor, and iconic sights of Philly, perfect for decking your halls or gifting a piece of home.

1.

Girl Holding a Pen

$15–$30

Calligraphy-based design studio specializing in elegant and local Christmas ornaments and wedding products, commemorating life milestones or a significant place. girlholdingapen.com

2.

Jawnaments

$15 - $30

Unique, hometown ornaments depicting iconic favorites from across Philadelphia and neighboring communities, recalling special, local memories.

jawnaments com

1.

G + RIZZ

$5–$30

Art and lifestyle brand creating paper goods, art decor, and dope apparel with a focus on Philly pride, humor, and authenticity, creating “art for humans.” Featuring the “Jawn” stickers and pins. gandrizz com

4.

Fishtown Signs

$200–$300

One-of-a-kind fish-shaped address signs for your home, office, or beach house, or as the perfect housewarming gift. fishtownsigns.com

Personalized & Keepsake Gifts

1. m.a.b.e.l

$90–$180

Reimagined vintage quilts transformed into contemporary, one-ofa-kind items like quilt garments and waxed canvas quilt tote bags, pairing rugged durability with unique charm. mabelstyle com

2.

Niki

Leist Jewelry

$215

Fine jewelry in sterling silver or gold, specializing in custom pieces, including the unique fingerprint pendants to capture a moment in time. nikileist com

3. Letterportrait by HAYATO

$80

Deeply personal, custom artwork that transforms a person’s name into a modern geometric monogram, making it a unique keepsake for newborns, weddings, and special occasions. letterportrait.com

Apparel & Wearable Expression

Clothing and accessories that make a statement

1. Livetodream

$275

Exquisite handbags crafted from a combination of leather and wood. etsy.com/shop/ekarasek

2. YemiArt

$55–$75

Textile works, including hand-dyed fabrics (indigo, batik) and wearable art like scarves and wraps infused with cultural storytelling. @yemisi_art

3. I’m Good

$55–$75

Unique clothing and accessories to show someone you think they’re cool, that explores mental and emotional struggles, blending cynicism, humor, and hope. imgood.community

MAKER PROFILE

Trebor Adams of I’m Good

Trebor Adams, the creative force behind I’m Good, transcends traditional retail by blending craftsmanship with deep emotional complexity. His brand is dedicated to exploring mental and emotional struggles, offering a variety of lasting, high-quality apparel and accessories that mix cynicism, humor, and hope. Trebor’s pieces serve as a stylish, authentic way to show the recipient that you recognize their complexities and think they’re cool.

Tyshawn Brooks of TrYBe Designs

4. TrYBe Designs

$400–$500

Custom lifestyle apparel, artistically charged, wearable art. All items are bespoke to the client and can be specialized or personalized accordingly.

@tybrooksdesign 4

Tyshawn Brooks, the creative force behind TrYBe Designs, crafts highconcept, contemporary apparel that stands out in the world of modern fashion. Focusing on innovative cuts and unique design, Tyshawn creates investment-grade wardrobe pieces intended to be statement items. His pieces promise exclusivity, high quality, and a lasting place in any collector’s wardrobe.

MAKER PROFILE

Amber Bowie of Mackenzie Madison of Philadelphia

Amber Bowie, founder of Mackenzie Madison of Philadelphia, specializes in crafting handmade apparel focused on lasting connections. Her pieces, particularly her premium Mommy and Me collection, are designed with attention to quality fabrics and bespoke detail, transforming clothing into enduring family treasures. These are significant gifts that invest in shared memories and exceptional, generational style.

5. Mackenzie Madison of Philadelphia $35–$50

Mom-owned brand creating handmade, family-inspired apparel and accessories that celebrate motherhood, childhood milestones, and local Philly pride, including matching mommy-and-me outfits. mmofphilly com

Heirloom Furniture & Design

Destined to become cherished family heirlooms and definitive signature pieces or experiences.

1. M. Blackburn Furniture Maker

$1,000+

Fine furniture and custom millwork, these custom, heirloom pieces are built to be cherished and passed down through generations. blackburnfurniture com 2. Yrcinc

$100–$150

Abstract, figurative sculptures that explore the human form in motion (ballet, yoga, tango, etc.), creating a unique and intriguing art piece. samyankellart.com

$200–$300

Sculptural accessories for the home using discarded and fractured materials, designed to incite a sense of fun. kevinbhuang.com

3. Kevin B. Huang Studio Art

Crafted for Adventure & Experience

Unique gifts that facilitate an activity or experience.

1.

Ben Banjos

$500–$1,000

One-of-a-kind gourd banjos, ukuleles, and other folk instruments made entirely from raw, natural materials. @benbanjos

2.

NextFab

$149+

Dive into the world of making with a NextFab membership, providing access to tools, equipment, classes, and a community of makers. nextfab.com

3.

Vino Glassworks

$200–$300

Handblown glass studio specializing in stemware, barware, and hands-on glassblowing experiences. vinoglassworks.com

MAKER PROFILE

The luthier behind Ben Banjos, Ben Hart, translates generations of woodworking tradition into instruments of lasting beauty and sound. Each banjo is a meticulous, handcrafted piece designed to be played, celebrated, and passed down. Ben’s work embodies the ultimate legacy investment: an enduring treasure that creates its own history through music.

Ben Hart of Ben Banjos

4.

Blind Mice Tailors

Prices vary

Unique, nerdy embroidery files for at-home work and commission services for embroidered garments and costume work, inspired by gaming and convention culture. Featuring the downloadable “D20 of Thorns” ($12) or jacket ($175). linktr

Sara Winters of Blind Mice Tailors

Winters translates her passion for cosplay, gaming, and nerd culture into textile creations. With an innate dedication to tactile creation and rich texture, Sara crafts exquisite, high-impact embroidery files and custom garments. Her work—from sharp, customizable jackets to intricate costume commissions—is a significant, investment-grade piece of wearable art. It is a signature gift for the gamer or otaku in your life, ensuring the ultimate level of craftsmanship and detail for their next jaw-dropping look.

Mark Lee of marklee boats

Mark Lee doesn’t just build boats; he crafts the foundation for unforgettable expeditions. As the maker behind marklee boats, he specializes in traditional skin-on-frame canoes—unique, high-quality vessels designed to facilitate a deeper connection with the water and the craft of paddling. These are investmentgrade adventure tools that turn the simple act of rowing into an enduring, personalized experience.

5. marklee_boats

$1,000+

Custom, ultra-lightweight skinon-frame canoes and kayaks that are ideal for the adventurer who values portability and handcrafted quality.

@marklee_boats

“If you look for it, you’ll find that the perfect handmade gifts are actually all around you.”

Amber

is a Mom-owned brand creating handmade, family-inspired apparel and accessories that celebrate motherhood, childhood milestones, and local Philly pride, including matching mommy-and-me outfits.

•

Bowie of Mackenzie Madison of Philadelphia

Sunny Skies?

Despite its popularity, Pennsylvania’s solar energy future remains stalled by liz robinson

Given the sweeping cuts to the tax credits that were part of the federal budget bill, and all the clean energy funding cancellations and rescissions by the Trump administration, you might assume that the solar industry would be down in the dumps and busily preparing to shut down. Indeed, some solar developers are preparing for bankruptcy, and in fact, several companies, including Posigen, a very key player in the Philadelphia region, have already laid off many of their employees.

The solar industry has been on this roller coaster before. In 1980, when President Jimmy Carter was replaced by Ronald Reagan, solar water heating was the primary casualty. (At the time, solar photovoltaics [PV], or solar electricity, were still expensive and had not yet become popular.) Reagan’s sudden withdrawal of federal support for the emerging solar industry caused massive changes, with local businesses closing left and right, investment moving to Germany and the United States losing its advantage as the global leader in solar. Then in 2012, when the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding was not renewed, Pennsylvania experienced a similar 180-degree turn, with a sudden drop in support for both energy efficiency and solar. The Mid-Atlantic Solar and Storage Industries Association estimates that many solar companies either closed or left the state at that time due to the lack of favorable state policies for renewable energy in PA.

The current about-face in federal policy has echoes of these earlier shocks, with one very big difference: solar PV is now the cheapest and fastest form of energy in the world. This means that solar can outcompete fossil fuels on a level playing field. That said, in Pennsylvania we do not have a level playing field — the state provides more

than $3.5 billion in subsidies to fossil fuels annually — and so we will see more solar businesses go under in Pennsylvania, or move away to greener pastures.

Sun Day, September 21, was a national day to celebrate the fact that solar energy is now cheaper, cleaner and faster than any other form of energy on the planet, and is growing more rapidly than any other form of energy. When you look closely at the data, you can’t help but notice that the really explosive growth is coming from China. China is, frankly, eating our lunch. The country is adding an average of 3 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity every day. The United States is adding almost 3 GW of solar every month, and this represents a significant increase from the year before. Sun Day was designed to provide an opportunity for all Americans to show their love of solar. In Pennsylvania, as in almost every state, solar is the most popular form of energy. Eighty-one percent of Pennsylvanians — Democrats and Republicans, urban and rural, young and old — said in a 2022 Vote Solar poll that solar energy was their favorite energy source.

It’s not hard to see why people like solar. It’s cheap, clean, fast and provides resilience, independence and protection from increasingly frequent and steep rate increases. In fact, solar is the only resource that can be built quickly enough to meet the growing demand for electricity that is driving those rising costs. A backlog in construction of gas turbines and high global demand means that it could be 2032 before a new gas generating station can come on line.

Sun Day was also designed to draw attention to the fact that solar is much more expensive in the United States than it is in most of the rest of the world, due to our arcane permitting and interconnection processes. These “soft costs” add an unnecessary 30% to 50% to the cost of solar in the United States.

The reality is that solar developers are busier than ever as they race to reach as many customers as possible before the residential tax credits expire at the end of 2025. Most solar developers are swamped with work right now. Commercial customers, like schools, nonprofits, local governments and businesses, must start their solar projects by July 2026 or complete them by 2027 in order to qualify for the tax credit. That sounds better, but commercial projects are more complicated than residential ones, and they take longer.

A huge and rapidly growing problem in Pennsylvania is interconnection. This is the process of connecting solar to the grid. Pennsylvania’s interconnection rules were developed 20 years ago, and are now out of date, incomplete and not up to the task of meeting current demand. As a result, many projects are delayed months and months by inadequate interconnection processes, and some of these projects never get built for this reason. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) promised to open a docket on interconnection back in May to address these issues, but here we are six months later, and nothing has been done. Given that we have an energy crisis on our hands, with rising demand and inadequate supply driving up prices, it is surprising that the PUC has made no response to the realities on the ground.

Permitting is another related “soft cost” that can easily be streamlined. A number of states are adopting permitting software, such as SolarAPP+, which automates solar permitting. While the City of Philadelphia hasn’t adopted software yet, it has developed the EZ permit, a paper process that greatly streamlines residential permitting, reducing the typical time to get a permit from a week to a day. With the expansion of the Solarize Philly program to the surrounding counties, streamlining permitting and speeding interconnection become even more urgent. Helping as many schools, local governments and businesses save money by going solar is truly a priority. The next year is critically important for the solar industry as it adjusts to another abrupt shift in federal policy. How much damage is done to the industry will depend in no small measure on state and local energy policy. ◆

Liz Robinson is Executive Director of the Philadelphia Solar Energy Association.

From left: Atiba Kenyatta, Maxine Dixon and Jonathan Krigger of the Philadelphia Energy Authority proclaim their support for clean energy at Sun Day.

Home Turf

Seed farm signs a 10-year lease at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education by luke

carneal

Moving to a new home is a chore. Now imagine relocating an entire farm.

That’s what the folks at Truelove Seeds did in March — for the third time in nine years — when they moved to a two-acre plot at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Roxborough.

Owen Taylor, cofounder of the Philadelphia-based seed company, on a hot morning in mid-July, says that until now, the seed growers had “never felt permanent anywhere,” but this new farm could finally

be a long-term home. Truelove Seeds signed a 10-year lease on the land, with a five-year renewal option. Taylor says one of the best parts of the move is that this site is a 15-minute drive from Truelove’s Germantown office, significantly closer than any of their previous farms.

A footpath leads from a small parking cutout on the side of Hagys Mill Road to an open plot of gently sloping land. Rows of vegetables run across the field in sym-

metrical patterns — a crop layout designed largely by Miki Palchick, the farm manager. The scents of herbs and flowers mix together to create a sweet and spicy aroma.

Unlike produce farms, crops on a seed farm are not grown to be picked at peak ripeness. Instead, everything stays in the ground until it has gone to seed. Sheil Grandhi, Truelove’s seed farm and office assistant, describes this process as one that requires the growers to “actively steward everything throughout the growing season.” It necessitates patience.

Before the move to Roxborough, the crew farmed a plot in western Delaware County on a seven-year lease. During that time, they were always on the lookout for a setup that

To read more about Truelove Seeds’ work in food sovereignty and heirloom seed keeping, read grid’s March 2020 (#130) profile of the company.

We felt like we could invest in this space in a way we couldn’t with the previous spaces.”

owen taylor, Truelove Seeds

could last longer.

They nearly signed a lease with Temple University Ambler as the first tenant in a farm-incubator program, before the double whammy of the COVID-19 pandemic and a destructive tornado resulted in the plan being scrapped.

Looking out over the farm, Taylor says, “We felt like we could invest in this space in a way we couldn’t with the previous spaces.”

The willingness to invest is evident in the infrastructure they’ve already built, including a 10-foot deer fence, a hoop house for drying seeds and, maybe most crucially, a deep well. “The well wasn’t finished until, I think, early June,” Taylor says with a grin. “So, we were planting without knowing if we had anything to water with. We were filling buckets with rainwater, and luckily it rained consistently enough that we didn’t ever have to use them.”

While the generous rains have mostly been a blessing, Taylor explains that in cer-

tain spots on the farm where the soil has high clay content, pooling water has hurt some plants. “Some of the tomatoes seem particularly unhappy,” he says.

Still, most of the crops are doing well. The first seeds sown in spring were planted on a sunny mid-April day with the Pennsylvania Flax Project, an organization working to revitalize the state’s use of the once-common fiber crop. As I wrap up my visit, I overhear Taylor and Grandhi talking with Bill Shick, the PA Flax Project’s director of agriculture. They hold bundles of yellow-green stalks in their hands, inspecting the dried flowers. The crop is ready for seed harvest.

“We’re not just this company producing seeds for sale,” Taylor explains. “We’re part of a robust network of seed keepers.” Truelove sells — in addition to what they produce at the Schuylkill Center — seeds grown by more than 70 farmers from across the country.

Back on the home farm, Truelove is growing seed for the Palestine Heirloom

Seed Library, the Iraqi Seed Collective, the Italian Garden Project, a local community of Burmese Karen farmers (who, until recently, grew at Novick Urban Farm) and the Norris Square Neighborhood Project, among other partners. Currently, the farmers are building a relationship with the nearby Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School.

The two-acre plot at the Schuylkill Center has been used for various farming programs and tenants with varied success over the years, according to Erin Mooney, the center’s executive director. “Knowing Owen and the incredible work that Truelove carries out through its mission, having Truelove bring the farm to our location was a winning solution for us both,” Mooney says. “We look forward to a long partnership together.”

Owen Taylor of Truelove Seeds looks forward to sinking roots down at their new location at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education.

OPEN HOUSES

Grades Pre-K-4

Tuesday, November 4, at 8:45 a.m.

Grades 5-12

Tuesday, November 11, at 8:45 a.m.

Grades 5-12

Athletics Open House Saturday, November 15, at 9:30 a.m.

The only all-gender pre-K to 12 Quaker school in Center City friends-select.org 215-561-5900

the Food issue

BON APPÉTIT!

Pour yourself a glass and enjoy. Natural wineries in the Delaware Valley are producing reds and whites (and some oranges) from grapes grown nearby, rooting their wines — and their drinkers — in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey terroir. ¶ Cocoa doesn’t grow here quite yet, but it does in West Africa. Join a Ghanaian-born chocolatier as he builds connections with his family’s heritage and to growers across the Atlantic. ¶ Of course, food doesn’t have to be fancy to be delicious. As any Philadelphian knows, the local cheesesteak landscape extends far beyond South 9th Street’s cheesesteak Disneyland, but local steak fans might not be familiar with the plant-based versions giving local vegans (and anyone else) a new taste of the classic. ¶ Whatever your tastes, and however fancy you want to be, we hope you find something yummy in this issue.

Slow Cocoa

Artisanal chocolate brings a Ghanaian immigrant back to his roots BY MARILYN ANTHONY

Ebo Nunoo’s grandfather was part of a generations-long line of cocoa farmers in rural Ghana. In search of more opportunity, he moved his family to Accra, the nation’s capital, and became a shoemaker. Decades later, his grandson Ebo left Accra for the United States to attend college and find his own opportunities. It’s unlikely that any family member would have predicted that the profession Nunoo would eventually pursue would involve Ghanaian cocoa.

Ebo Nunoo’s path to becoming a chocolatier was anything but direct. Unable to afford completing his college degree in Ohio, Nunoo and his older brother went

East looking for work, eventually settling in Philadelphia. Nunoo married and built a corporate career in client relations, brokerage services and retirement portfolio management. The birth of their daughter in 2018 led Nunoo and his wife to examine their hectic two-career lifestyle. “I realized I wanted to start living the life that I wanted our daughter to see me in. For me, that life meant to slow down, to be present, to be with her and with my family.”

His first step was enrolling in the entrepreneurship program at Temple University to complete his undergraduate degree. The idea for Xoxoa came to him as a byproduct of a business competition he won at the Fox

School of Business. He then began a multiyear immersion in all things chocolate. “I wanted to learn the history of chocolate from the Mayan and Aztec techniques,” he says. “I discovered bean-to-bar chocolate is the modern way to make fine chocolates using ancient techniques.” Nunoo traveled to San Francisco and Vermont to visit boutique chocolate producers and found a community of people that was “really open and sharing.” He took classes, did more research and realized that startup equipment costs didn’t require a huge investment. After purchasing his first melanger — a cocoa bean grinder — he began “learning by doing” in his home kitchen. Looking back on this dramatic career pivot, Nunoo describes himself as a “reluctant chocolatier (who was) pushed and forged and tempered into chocolate-making by disposition, my history and my story … I realized how much patience and slowness you have to build into making chocolate.”

In 2021, Nunoo launched Xoxoa, a “bean-

Ebo Nunoo has found a connection to his Ghanaian heritage in chocolate.

to-bar” line of exquisitely packaged, uniquely flavored chocolates. For the 47-year-old Germantown resident, making distinctive products such as dark chocolate honeycomb toffee and sweet cream buttermilk chocolate with Ghanaian cocoa connects him directly to his African heritage.

From a West Philly commissary kitchen, Nunoo produces 20 to 40 pounds of small batch confections per month. While he seeks to develop broader distribution and

I realized how much patience and slowness you have to build into making chocolate.”

EBO NUNOO

scale, his fine chocolates can be purchased at Pax Flora Goods, The Frosted Fox Cake Shop and online at xoxoabean.com.

Meanwhile, Nunoo wants his hand-crafted chocolates to be more than simply delicious. He hopes customers savoring Xoxoa products will “take a moment to experience leisure … Our culture has evolved into (a) fast-paced, goal-oriented, let’s-get-it-done-at-all-costs society. Chocolate begs that trend. It’s an important time to share a bar of chocolate with our friends and loved ones.” ◆

XOXOA SINGLE-ORIGIN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH HONEYCOMB TOFFEE

120g (4.2 ounces/ ½ cup) Xoxoa SingleOrigin bean-to-bar dark chocolate (ideally 65–75%, finely chopped) 3 large eggs, separated 30g (1 ounce) granulated sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract Pinch of salt

¾ cup cold heavy cream Xoxoa honeycomb toffee dipped in dark chocolate, for topping

STEP 1: MAKE THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

• Melt the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler). Stir until smooth, then let cool slightly.

• In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar and vanilla until thick and pale.

• Stir the melted chocolate into the yolk mixture.

• In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt. Gradually add remaining sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

• In a third bowl, whip the cold cream to soft peaks.

• Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.

• Carefully fold in the egg whites in two batches, keeping the mixture light and airy.

STEP 2: ASSEMBLE

• Spoon or pipe the mousse into serving glasses or ramekins.

• Chill for at least 2 to 3 hours (or overnight for deeper flavor).

STEP 3: SERVE

• Top each mousse with honeycomb shards right before serving. Optionally, garnish with a touch of sea salt, cacao nibs, or edible gold for added elegance.

Wit-Out

Welcome to the vegan cheesesteak capital of the world

BY PATRICK KERR

Move over, Pat’s and Geno’s. Philadelphia’s sliced-and-diced meat-and-cheese concoction faces a more sustainable, animal-friendly competitor — the vegan cheesesteak.

So, where’s the “beef”? Typically, it’s thinly sliced seitan. Made from wheat, seitan was developed in China about 1,500 years ago and enjoyed by vegetarian Buddhist monks. Today, seitan has gained popularity among vegans, who do not consume animal-based foods. But seitan isn’t just an appealing meat substitute. Compared to beef, seitan uses fewer resources to produce and contains less fat and no cholesterol. Plantbased proteins made from ingredients like seitan, soy and peas enable vegans to enjoy this culturally important Philadelphia food. In lieu of cow’s cheese, various restaurants employ different methods to create a plant-based alternative, ranging from gooey cashew-based “whiz” to melted

vegan cheese slices. Boardwalk Vegan’s award-winning house-made cheese “wiz” begins with a base of carrots and potatoes to achieve its cheddar-like orange color.

Last fall, a panel of judges convened by the American Vegan Center in Old City crowned Boardwalk Vegan’s sandwich the best vegan cheesesteak in Philly for the second year in a row, a feat last accomplished by the now-closed Blackbird Pizza in 2016 and 2017. After a pause in 2025, “the vegan cheesesteak contest is back in April for a

special 2026 edition,” says Vance Lehmkuhl, director of the American Vegan Center.

South Philly’s Triangle Tavern won the 2019 vegan cheesesteak competition and was runner-up last year. “I’ve tried a fair few of them as a longtime vegan and my go-to is Triangle Tavern,” says Erin Bailey, who, along with several other cheesesteak fans, replied to an inquiry Grid posted in a Philadelphia-area vegan Facebook group with more than 13,000 members who share restaurant recommendations and unique vegan grocery finds.

“Good Dog Bar has the best vegan cheesesteak I’ve ever had, by far,” Jonathan Sanchez says, “and it’s the only vegan thing on their menu. It’s crafted from pea protein and house-made by their chef. 10/10.”

Sabrina’s Cafe, a finalist in the 2024 vegan cheesesteak competition, has five locations in neighborhoods throughout the city and suburbs and even provides air travelers with vegan cheesesteaks at Philadelphia International Airport.

Michael’s Seitan, located in Levittown, supplies vegan cheesesteak “meat” to more than a dozen Philly restaurants, including Monk’s Cafe and Miss Rachel’s Pantry. Provided with the neutral flavor and versatility of seitan, restaurants craft their own interpretations of the city’s most famous sandwich. For a unique twist on a vegan cheesesteak, Michael’s Seitan owner Michael Casady recommends Hibiscus Cafe’s. “It’s a Jamaican style [vegan] cheesesteak that no one else in the city is making,” he says. ◆

...the best vegan cheesesteak I’ve ever had, by far, and it’s the only vegan thing on their menu.”

JONATHAN SANCHEZ

There is no meat or cheese to be found in Good Dog Bar’s cheesesteak.

PHOTO

Brewing More With Less

Saxbys Coffee reduces food and coffee waste on college campuses during Food Saver Challenge

As the holiday season approaches, college campus cafés are preparing for the influx of students ordering coffee and pastries to power them through final exams. But once the semester officially ends, what happens to the product that isn’t sold?

That’s what Saxbys cafés across nine states tackled last academic year as they participated in the Inventory Wind-Down Challenge, the second iteration of the Food Saver Challenge held by the Sustainable Business Network of Philadelphia (SBN).

The first challenge, won by Crust Bakery, was a competition between various food businesses in Philadelphia. Caterers, grocery stores, bakeries and cafés competed to reduce their organic waste or divert it from landfills through strategies like composting, donating and even creating new recipes using food scraps.

For the second challenge, things worked differently: Instead of having different businesses compete, SBN partnered with Saxbys, and the coffee chain had its café locations compete against each other to earn the most points for waste reduction practices. That friendly competition was a great fit for Saxbys, says Rebecca Nichols Franqui, program and membership manager at SBN, since it operates on an experiential learning model, in which most cafés are located on college campuses and are run fully by students.

“They got really invested. They cared deeply and really had fun with it,” says Nichols Franqui. “Lots of them really did embrace the topic and the cause in general of preventing food waste.”

In accordance with the university calendars, most Saxbys cafés close for weeks at a time during summer and winter breaks. As each semester winds down, they tend to see increased traffic during final exam

BY JULIA LOWE

weeks, followed by a massive drop in sales as students leave campus. These drastic shifts were driving large amounts of food waste at the start of each break, necessitating a process for “winding down” inventory without running out of stock.

“We want the guest experience the day before break to be the same as any other day,” says Alexandra Romey, director of product and operations implementation at Saxbys.

Twenty-eight participating Saxbys locations took on the challenge in the final weeks of the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters. Cafés earned points for actions like tracking expiration dates, making purchasing decisions based on actual use, and donating food that would expire during a break to a campus partner or compost col-

lection organization. But that didn’t mean the cafés that ordered the least fared the best – they lost points if a menu item went out of stock.

“You can’t have a Saxbys without cold brew or grilled cheese. Our team has to have these menu items every day until the very end of the semester,” says Romey.

In addition to actual product savings, the challenge also resulted in major cost savings for Saxbys. According to SBN’s Food Saver Challenge report, nine Saxbys cafés saved thousands of dollars during the challenge. It was so successful, Romey says, that Saxbys will continue implementing these inventory wind-downs at future breaks.

“Especially right now when ingredient costs are going up, this has been one way that we’ve been able to keep our costs steady,” says Romey. ◆

The third round of the Food Saver Challenge will be in Montgomery County. SBN was selected as one of the grantees for the County’s $610,000 investment in food systems infrastructure grants. The goal of this challenge will be to divert 75,000 pounds of food from the landfill.

City Winemakers, Country Grapes

How two different Philly winemakers put down local roots after relocating from the West Coast

When visitors step into the Pray Tell Wines tasting room in a warehouse on a treeless street in Kensington, the first question they often ask is, “Where are the grapes?”

It’s a fair question. In Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where owner Tom Caruso ran Pray Tell for seven years before relocating to Philly

BY EMILY KOVACH

in 2024, vineyards stretch across the horizon, tractors traverse the roadways hauling bins of fruit and the scent of fermentation drifts in the air. But here in the city, the winemaking happens far from the fields.

“People know wine is an agricultural product,” Caruso says, “but when they don’t see greenery, they’re trying to make that connection.”

Back in their tight-knit community of McMinnville, Oregon where “everyone and their mom is involved in the wine industry in some capacity,” Caruso and his partner and assistant winemaker, Sydney Adams, could source any grape with a few phone calls. Now, the grapes for Pray Tell’s expressive wines come from Pennsylvania growers — and establishing these relationships takes time, trust and a fair amount of detective work. Setting up shop in Philly meant having to start from scratch.

Caruso and Adams are committed to working with Pennsylvania farmers, to see what expressions they can coax from local grapes with their low-intervention winemaking ethos.

“There’s something beautiful about exploring what this region’s fruit can ex-

There’s something beautiful about exploring what this region’s fruit can express.”

TOM CARUSO, Pray Tell Winery

press,” Caruso says. “How does merlot from Pennsylvania taste compared to Oregon or France? Seeing those true differences of terroir emerge — it’s a wine geek’s dream.”

When Pray Tell finally got its approval from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board in the summer of 2024, Caruso’s first round of emails to local farmers went unan-

swered. It was late in the growing season, and he understood that most growers were out in the fields, not checking inboxes. Harvest yields, he also knew, were down due to crop damage from the spotted lanternfly infestation. And, there was a deeper truth at play: sourcing grapes is a business built on reputation, not cold calls.

So Caruso turned to an old connection. He texted James Wilson, co-owner of Wayvine Wines in Nottingham, Chester County, whom he’d met years earlier at a wine festival. That message led to Pray Tell’s first 100% Pennsylvania wine, a juicy, fruitforward field blend playfully named Fruit Snacks, made from cabernet franc, pinot noir, merlot and riesling.

“This wine is a younger expression of those grapes,” Caruso says. “Their more serious counterparts are in the cellar, and may be ready by November of next year.”

Then came another stroke of luck. After a story about Pray Tell ran in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Caruso heard from Mark Chien, a retired Penn State viticulture professor who connected him with a grower in Adams County, near Gettysburg. The relationship clicked, and Caruso bought gamay, cab franc, merlot and the winery’s first two hybrids, vidal blanc and chambourcin. This year, Pray Tell will process more than 30 tons of local grapes.

Over time, Caruso hopes to collaborate even more closely with growers — discussing decisions like canopy management or harvest timing that can subtly shape a wine’s character.

“That level of input comes with a leveled-up relationship,” he notes, “and a lot of two-way trust.”

Ultimately, he dreams of planting Pray Tell’s own vineyard somewhere in Pennsylvania. “We want to be PA farmers as well as winemakers,” he says. “But right now, it’s about doing right by the grapes we’re working with — and showing what this region can do.”

Deeper in Northeast Philly, another urban winemaker has been navigating similar terrain. Eli Silinis, owner of Camuna Cellars, a kosher winery, moved from the Bay Area in 2019 and faced the same challenge: where to find fruit. His first lead came from answering an online ad for chambourcin grapes grown in someone’s backyard. That one chance connection introduced him to the Outer Coastal Plain AVA wine region in New Jersey and a network of small growers.

“Finding vineyards can be ridiculously circuitous,” Silinis says. “Sometimes, if you find one ‘in,’ it leads to another, and soon you have a better map of the landscape.”

There’s also the added challenge that, for

Pray Tell’s Tom Caruso makes wines tied to local landscapes and climate.

Silinis, not just any fruit will do. He vets all the growers he works with, usually by discussing their growing practices over the phone and then visiting their vineyards.

“I’m looking for what they’re growing — what varieties have people chosen to plant is kind of the first clue — then I see how vineyards look and take in the whole picture,” he says. “I also want to know how much time people have to pay attention to the vineyards; is it their job or their hobby?”

After five years of working with vineyards across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Silinis has built a network of trusted partners. Still, each harvest comes with its share of uncertainty.

“I’ve gotten to the point where I can put the pieces together for harvest, picking up half a ton of this or that,” he says. “But there’s always that tension of making sure you have enough to sustain the winery.”

Both Caruso and Silinis begin fermentations in the fall, after harvest, when their hard-won fruit is processed and pressed. It may be anywhere from six months to more than three years for these wines to be ready to release. The puzzle of creating enough supply to satisfy future demand is ongoing for these two growing wineries, which employ multiple sales channels: selling direct to consumers online, supplying local bars, restaurants and bottle shops and working with wine distributors that sell their wines in other cities and states.

Emmett, a locally focused, Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in Fishtown, prominently features both Pray Tell and Camuna Cellars on its all-Pennsylvania wine list. General manager and wine buyer Marissa Chirico compares her sourcing methods to the way Emmett’s kitchen works closely with Pennsylvania farmers.

She notes that while Pray Tell and Camuna Cellars’ wines have different personalities (Pray Tell’s are “beautiful, dialed in, a nod to the classics,” while Camuna Cellars’ are “playful, joyful, alive in the glass”), both represent the immense potential of our region as a winemaking hub in the Mid-Atlantic.

“They’re both purchasing thoughtfully from people who are proud of their fruit, and the fruit they’re pulling is a good example of the personality of the land where it grew,” Chirico says.

For Pennsylvania to be taken more seri-

AVAs in PA

Did you know that Pennsylvania is the nation’s fourth-largest grower of wine grapes? While we may not have the same “wine country” reputation as California or Oregon, grape growing and winemaking is big business here; the industry contributes upwards of $1.7 billion to the state’s economy each year. ¶ Pennsylvania’s grape-growing regions are spread across five AVAs, or American Viticultural Areas. These are the official appellations of origin used on wine labels, and each one represents a specific grape-growing region. To list an AVA on a wine’s label, according to federal regulations, at least 85% of the grapes in the wine must have been grown in the AVA, and the wine must be produced and finished in the state where the AVA is located. ¶ AVAs are important in providing transparency around the origin and quality of a wine, and helping consumers make purchasing decisions and get to know the shared characteristics of wines from the same region.

1.

3 1 5 4 2

Valley: This 96,000acre appellation covers parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It crosses the Delaware River north of Philadelphia, and encompasses an area stretching from Trenton, New Jersey to Easton, Northampton County. The area features a hot-summer, humid continental climate, brown gravelly loam soil and a number of microclimates.

ESTABLISHED: 1984

TOTAL ACRES: 96K

NUMBER OF WINERIES: 3

2. Cumberland

Valley: Southern Pennsylvania shares this large area (756,000 acres in total) with Eastern Maryland; it stretches between the Blue Ridge and South Mountains.

limestone-rich soil; grapes frequently grown here include chardonnay, cabernet franc, vidal blanc and merlot.

ESTABLISHED: 1985

TOTAL ACRES: 756K

NUMBER OF WINERIES : 22

3.

Lake Erie: Thanks to the weather moderation of the Great Lakes, this cool-climate region that covers the northwestern corner of Pennsylvania, as well as parts of New York and Ohio, is an ideal grape-growing environment. It’s nicknamed “the Concord Belt,” as nearly 40% of the grapes grown here are concord grapes.

ESTABLISHED: 1983

TOTAL ACRES: 2.2M

PLANTED ACRES: 42K

NUMBER OF WINERIES : 58

ously as a winegrowing and winemaking region, innovative young winemakers — and sommeliers and bar managers who will give them a chance — are two crucial ingredients. These two Philly wineries can help shift things, she believes.

4. Lancaster Valley: This is one of two AVAs that are completely in Pennsylvania; it covers Lancaster and Chester counties. The valley is a geological depression formed between the northern Appalachian Mountains, and is bordered on the west by the Susquehanna River. Its gentle hills, fertile soils and humid continental climate create good growing conditions for grapes like chardonnay, albarriño, pinot noir and riesling.

ESTABLISHED: 1982

TOTAL ACRES: 225K

PLANTED ACRES: 400

NUMBER OF WINERIES: 10

5. Lehigh Valley: Covering Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Schuylkill, Carbon and Monroe counties, the geological features of this area include rolling hills, shale and sandstone-based soils and moderating influence of the Delaware River. These factors set the stage for riesling, chambourcin and grüner veltiler to flourish in its vineyards.

ESTABLISHED : 2008

TOTAL ACRES : 1.2 Million

PLANTED ACRES : 230

NUMBER OF WINERIES : 10

“I think what is important is that people decide to make wine here, wine they’re passionate about and proud of, that can help us discover what grows well and shows well in PA. Both Pray Tell and Camuna Cellars do that exceptionally well." ◆

Recipe for Success

Helping local chefs make their dreams a reality

Modern and boxy, with a silver exterior and sharp, clean edges, it’s hard to believe that Kitchen Korners in Mayfair used to be a run-of-the-mill Northeast Philadelphia garage. What’s inside is just as surprising: a state-of-theart kitchen facility, where local entrepreneurs, caterers, food packagers and other like-minded culinary purveyors can create their products safely and cleanly.

An independently owned, shared-use, multipurpose food contractor business, Kitchen Korners is the brainchild of Alonzo Coates, a local businessman looking to transform the Philly culinary industry by helping fledgling food entrepreneurs launch their businesses.

“We know how difficult a process this can be and we want to offer people a better way to be successful,” he says.

Coates, a Roxborough High School graduate with an economics degree from Penn State, worked as a senior loan officer at a mortgage company before starting his own property business. He then invested in a commercial medical cleaning and dietary services franchise. Today, however, his focus is on Kitchen Korners.

“Here you can develop your culinary skills in a properly licensed, modern, professional kitchen. But you also learn how important it is to maintain great customer

BY DANIEL SEAN KAYE

we provide teach you everything you need to know to be successful and profitable.”

Kitchen Korners’ clients range from Generation Z foodies who want to create fresh, healthy foods for themselves to both new and established businesses, including hot sauce manufacturer Taco Tuesdays, Delphine’s Dishes — known for their macaroni and seafood salads — and Coates’ own gourmet cookies, sold through Black Turtle

purveyor Dadia’s Blend in 2026.

Another Kitchen Korners client is Fifth of a Farm Creations, a jam and jelly business started by Steve and Jennifer Horton. The couple connected with Alonzo after seeing him on 6abc’s “FYI Philly” segment in winter 2024.

“When we met Alonzo, we felt an instant bond. He knows what he’s doing and he has created an amazing space,” says Steve Horton.

Kitchen Korners’ Alonzo Coates has built an incubator for aspiring food entrepreneurs.

GREEN PAGES

Shop your values at these local businesses

finding Kitchen Korners, but none met their expectations. But by that summer, they were fully on board, and have been clients now for about a year and a half.

“The facility lets smaller places grow, thrive and cultivate,” says Steve Horton. He praises the design of the space, which includes ten burners, a double convection oven, a walk-in refrigerator and freezer. “It has allowed us to nurture and grow, and expand our product line,” he says. “And I really like how Alonzo is about helping others grow their dream. He is passionate but also pragmatic and efficient.”

Coates’ future plans include building on the culinary school, outfitting new space with a conference room, bathroom and food

The facility lets smaller places grow, thrive and cultivate.”

STEVE HORTON, Fifth of a Farm Creations

prep kitchen and developing his workforce program to foster financial literacy and entrepreneurship for kids. In October, he went to Florida where he trained in artisanal ice cream and gelato making.

For Coates, sharing his knowledge with his clients and giving them direction is one of the rewards of the business. “It’s all about information sharing — people don’t know what to do, they don’t know what the Department of Health needs and requires,” says Coates. “People’s dreams perish from the lack of knowledge and I want to do everything I can to help them.” ◆

Kitchen Korners is at 2000 McKinley St. in Philadelphia. For more information about Kitchen Korners, call 215-667-5306 or visit kitchenkorners.com.

BEAUTY

Hair Vyce Studio

Multicultural hair salon located in University City servicing West Philly & South Jersey since 2013. We specialize in premier hair cuts, color & natural hair for all ages. (215) 921-9770 hairvyce.com

BOOK STORE

Books & Stuff

They can ban books in our libraries and schools, but they can’t ban the books in your home library. Grow your home library! Black woman-owned online shop for children, teens & adults. booksandstuff.info

COMPOSTING

Back to Earth Compost Crew

Residential curbside compost pickup, commercial pick-up, five collection sites & compost education workshops. Montgomery County & parts of Chester County. First month free trial. backtoearthcompost.com

Bennett Compost

The area’s longest running organics collection service (est 2009) serving all of Philadelphia with residential and commercial pickups and locally-made soil products. 215.520.2406 bennettcompost.com

Circle Compost

We’re a woman-owned hyper-local business. We offer 2 or 5 gallon buckets & haul with e-bikes & motor vehicles. We offer finished compost, lawn waste pickups & commercial services. 30 day free trial! circlecompost.com

EATS

The Franklin Fountain

The Franklin Fountain now offers returnable reusable pints of ice cream in Vanilla Bean, Chocolate & Caramelized Banana! Our ice cream is made with PA dairy & all natural ingredients. franklinfountain.com

EDUCATION

Kimberton Waldorf School

A holistic education for students in preschool12th grade. Emphasizes creativity, critical thinking, nature, the arts & experiential learning. Register for an Open House! (610) 933-3635 kimberton.org

SunGate Educational Community Microschool for up to age 15. Full academic curriculum, movement, nature & arts. Social learning, hands-on & project based. Learning differences welcome. Sliding Scale. sungatecooperative.org

Echo House Electric

Local electrician who works to provide high-quality results on private & public sector projects including old buildings, new construction, residential, commercial & institutional. Minority business. echohouseelectric.com

FARM

Hope Hill Lavender Farm

Established in 2011, our farm offers shopping for made-on-premise lavender products in a scenic environment. Honey, bath & body, teas, candles, lavender essential oil and more. hopehilllavenderfarm.com

FASHION

Stitch And Destroy

STITCH AND DESTROY creates upcycled alternative fashions & accessories from pre-loved clothing & textile waste. Shop vintage, books, recycled wares & original fashions. 523 S 4th St. stitchanddestroy.com

GREEN BURIAL

Laurel Hill

With our commitment to sustainability, Laurel Hill Cemeteries & Funeral Home specializes in green burials and funerals, has a variety of ecofriendly products to choose from, and offers pet aquamation. laurelhillphl.com

GREEN CLEANING

Holistic Home LLC

Philly’s original green cleaning service, est 2010. Handmade & hypoallergenic products w/ natural ingredients & essential oils. Safe for kids, pets & our cleaners. 215-421-4050 HolisticHomeLLC@gmail.com

GROCERY

Kimberton Whole Foods

A family-owned and operated natural grocery store with seven locations in Southeastern PA, selling local, organic and sustainably-grown food for over thirty years. kimbertonwholefoods.com

MAKERS

Mount Airy Candle Co.

Makers of uniquely scented candles, handcrafted perfumery and body care products. Follow us on Instagram @mountairycandleco and find us at retailers throughout the region. mountairycandle.com

MENTAL HEALTH

Mount Airy Candle Co.

Makers of uniquely scented candles, handcrafted perfumery and body care products. Follow us on Instagram @mountairycandleco and find us at retailers throughout the region. mountairycandle.com

RECYCLING

Philadelphia Recycling Company

Full service recycling company for office buildings, manufacturing & industrial. Offering demo & removal + paper, plastics, metals, furniture, electronics, oils, wood & batteries philadelphiarecycling.co

WELLNESS

Center City Breathe Hello, Philadelphia. Are you ready to breathe? centercitybreathe.com

ELECTRICIAN

WEST PHILLY TOOL LIBRARY!

The West Philly Tool Library has been supporting the community since 2007. Our lease was unexpectedly not renewed this year, after almost 15 years at 1314 S. 47th Street. We are asking for your support — in both donations and volunteer time — to help us continue our mission to provide equitable and affordable access to tools and skills. DONATE HERE