Exactly...I'm not blaming anyone, merely stating facts. I loved when ethnics furniture was on the street, but how many mirrors and foyer benches made out of twigs do I need? Loved american pie, but how many $4k beetlejuice-esque grandfather clocks am I going to buy just to support "the scene". If people don't buy, things disappear. Rents remain progressive because monopolists like triad realty buy any building for sale and automatically double the rent in a forced market, and justify it because there's a chain like starbucks or auntie annes on the block. When kiche can't sell the high markup/ high volume stores move in to take advantage of walkby traffic. c'est la vie.

__________________
Peter Cetera:
Sometimes I just forget
Say things I might regret
It breaks my heart to see you crying

Just my opinion...

I think the South Street we all know (knew?) and loved has moved...well, south. There are plenty of artisan stores, boutiques, cute coffee shops, restaurants & bars in QV/BV proper - south of south. 4th Street, Bainbridge, & Christian have a TON of cool places, plus other interesting places scattered here & there. (Plenty of pleather @ Passional on 5th, ha.) The fact of the matter is that South Street is now a tourist destination (even if those "tourists" are from North Philly or the burbs), it's not about the locals anymore. Of course like everyone else I'd love for there to be an Apple store and am p*ssed that a freaking Walgreens took up Tower's space. However, the people spending money are dictating what's there. City Blue is making money hand over fist, did those same people shop at Ethnics Jewelry? No. Would they actually BUY at an Apple store as opposed to just look? Probably not.

I guess what i'm saying is, it is what it is. It will probably evolve, but right now there's no need to b*tch. All you have to do is walk a few blocks and you'll find the atmosphere you're looking for.

As far as clubs, once South Street, once Delaware Ave, now Old City. It's not like they're missing, they just moved. South Street still has plenty of cool, non hip hop bars though.

I shop at ethnics and city blue!!!! (Just sneakers, not p. diddy wear-but I am still a city blue consumer. Got the nikes and sketchers to prove it!)

the shops so. of south are cool. Fabric row and all of 4th street is slowly turning into a cool area. These same places wouldn't be able to be unique if they were on south street paying 10x the rent.

Sometimes, though, I think south street gets a tourist niche that isn't always accurate. Weekday traffic is still fairly local, and weekend traffic is more regional than tourism, especially during this time of year.

__________________
Peter Cetera:
Sometimes I just forget
Say things I might regret
It breaks my heart to see you crying

I was on South St yesterday thinking I could browse the stores and maybe pick up some small unique gifts.

I was a resident of South St from 1976 and although I have moved to So Philly, I still go to Essene and South St has a dear place in my heart.

Thank God for Garland of Letters and Eyes Gallery. Two original South Street stores that never disappoint.

The rest of South Street is junk, in my opinion.

Metalworks is still around. So is mineralistic. So is american pie/abode, although it has moved to the 700 block. decades vintage is still around, and devecchis has been around before the flock of seagulls had a hit. Foys has been around for over 30 years and will surely be around for 30 more. I could be wrong but I don't think the tla was invented yesterday. Yep-your favorite essene is still around, just as other old time 4th street classics like armed and dangerous, hocus pocus, tla video and philly java company.

New businesses have moved in(new as in since the 70''s), but I certainly wouldn't call gayle, ansill, southwark, coquette, bluebond, busstop, redhook, wholefoods, ritz camera, brescia, eyeworks, s&j, sophie's yarns, hand impressions, pageant soloveev, nangellini's, accent on animals, jinxed, emoda, tully cross, all occasions, chique petique, sub zero, and many more shops "junk".

__________________
Peter Cetera:
Sometimes I just forget
Say things I might regret
It breaks my heart to see you crying

Wasn't South Street once considered the location of the cross-town expressway?

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"Simply put it is possibe to have convenience if you want to tolerate insecurity, but if you want security, you must be prepared for inconvenience"
General Benjamin W. Chidlaw December 12, 1954

Yep- thats when the businesses planted trees to show that the neighborhood was worth saving from the highway.

__________________
Peter Cetera:
Sometimes I just forget
Say things I might regret
It breaks my heart to see you crying

Yes. Check the link below for some of the history.

http://www.phillyroads.com/roads/crosstown/

Pretty sure Abode is closed on South Street. They may have moved again, but I do remember going in there as they were wrapping things up on the 700 block.

...it seems to be a trend in Philadelphia retailing (actually probably everywhere, but its just easier to see here cuz we got a grid). A place becomes a destination because its _______ (insert buzzword). In South's case, it became a place for "eclectic and cool." When big retailers found out it was perceived as a cool spot, they came rright in to be part of the hype. But by doing so, they kind of chipped away at the fabric of said "coolness" (unless you REALLY like Blockbuster and Subway). But never fear, the stores that were priced outta South are alive and kicking. Buddha was right about one thing---it'll be reborn ina nother form

The same thing happned on Walnut---chic boutiques replaced by varyingly elegant chains (burberry, bcbg) or boring suburban retailers (jones ny, aerosoles---i like both these stores, theyre not upscale though, like Stiletto or Wayne Edwards).

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“Man who run in front of car get tired.”