Preservation Shakespeare & Co. Brings Old Bank Back To Life Manhattan-based bookstore and café revives an old banking storefront in Rittenhouse Square. Michael Bixler takes a look
Art & Design Social Entrepreneurs Wake Up Lower Walnut Street With Social Design Cafe FRIEDA for generations, a socially-minded startup company, is carving out a home inside the long vacant Maryland Casualty Company office at Walnut Place in Society Hill. Joseph Brin profiles the organization’s forthcoming cafe that aims to combine coffee talk, intergenerational networking, and local design
History Rebooting Bookie’s: Garces Group Awakens The Spirit Of An Old Original Legend In honor of Chef Jose Garces’ reopening of the Old Original Bookbinder’s at Second and Walnut Streets last week, Harry K serves us up this history on a half shell. From its humble beginnings as a 19th century dockside oyster saloon to becoming Philadelphia’s most famous restaurant, Bookie’s reputation still endures
Photography Shining On The Schuylkill Banks With an assist from the Commonwealth, the Schuykill River Development Corporation flipped the upgraded switch to relight the bridges over the Schuylkill River in Center City on September 26th. Brad Maule brings his camera and tripod for a stroll along the banks to bask in their glow
History Blazing Ballerinas And A Rampaging Elephant At 807 Walnut Street Harry K. takes a look at 807 Walnut Street, once a popular place of entertainment that, sadly, saw much death and destruction in the second half of the nineteenth century, and which, as a parking lot today, offers nothing to commend itself
Architecture The Sixth, And Final, Clock We have a winner of round five of Name This Clock and the clue for round six, our last round. Be sure to enter to have a chance to become a Hidden City member for free
History A Castle Of The Occult On Rittenhouse Square During a turbulent year in Philadelphia, Madame Blavatsky laid the foundation for the occult religion of Theosophy. Hunting down the ghosts of 1875, our John Vidumsky found himself in the Theosophy lodge off Rittenhouse Square, a stylish mansion built for the brother of John Wanamaker
Photography Subdued Christmas in Center City Our correspondent takes us on a photo tour of the good, the bad, and the ugly in Center City this holiday season. Shouldn’t downtown have the best displays? And why doesn’t it?