South Street Shuts Down
A way of life is passing, going online.
South Street is colorful and tacky. But not as much as it used to be.
I’ve never much liked South Street. Since I first visited it nearly 15 years ago as a red-eyed college freshman, a basic tenet has held: unless you’re a meat-necked biker or a catcalling teen—or, for that matter, a red-eyed college freshman—it’s an unpleasant place. Then, as now, it’s hectic, claustrophobic, tacky as sequins.
Still, there have always been reasons to walk it, even if you’re not looking for a “Bitch Please” T-shirt or a case of pubic lice. When I moved to Philadelphia in 2001, a trip to South Street meant stops at Spaceboy, Pearl and TLA Video. The Book Trader countered Johnny Rockets’ garish idiocy; Tower Records, while overpriced and faceless, was a passable time-killer. There was Got Game?, with stacks of 8-bit cartridges, and a few blocks west, on Ninth, was a dim, loftlike space selling antique pillars, dusty curiosities.
Once Pearl’s run comes to its abrupt end on Sunday, every one of those places will be gone -- though the Book Trader survives, less vitally, in Old City -- added to the roster of vanished South Street businesses. Walking South has become depressing in a whole new way. Block after block holds long-empty storefronts, the windows tagged and smudgy. What isn’t vacant has been dulled: Phila-Deli is now a Payless, a creamsicle glow warming cheap and boring shoes. That strange antique store is now a very familiar coffee shop. Tower has been halved and redressed as a Walgreens. For all of Tower’s flaws, few are the times I’ve hung around Walgreens, browsing ibuprofen.
Steady corporate takeover, mounting vacancies and the city’s 2008 renovation project—which has left its blocks cold and denuded—have all but killed South Street. And when something dies—Patrick Swayze, Charles Nelson Reilly, the Montreal Expos—its virtues, previously ignored, become clearer. South Street might have been cheesy and tiresome, but at the very least you could duck out of the churn and find something interesting. A book or an album you’d been looking for, a few minutes of quiet. Such refuges are almost gone now, the balance tipped towards the fluorescent-lit, the fake and the empty.
This has been happening throughout Philadelphia, at varying rates, for years—and in areas that should propel the city’s retail economy. Swaths of Chestnut Street go unused; in Chestnut Hill, closures are routine. The three rows—Antique, Fabric, and Jeweler’s—are dotted with rental signs. Across the city, landlords hope to lure something that can stick, something lacking risk: one more chain restaurant, one more Starbucks. Maybe one of those Clear outlets.
The faded economy, as is so often the case, bears much of the blame. But when it comes to unique places, places of interest, the economy has only sped a trend. Our habits, you may have heard, are changing. Why walk to, say, AKA or Joseph Fox when you can get what you want more easily—and possibly for free—while sitting in sweatpants?
This is termed a market shift, consumers voicing a preference. But this preference is increasingly stripping our physical and mental landscape. Forgo that walk to Old City or West Philly or Germantown Avenue and you don’t see or hear the things that make being here worthwhile. You miss the untold details— the juxtaposed buildings, the curious side streets, the bits of conversation—that, more than cheesesteaks or pretzels or football, are what this city is. For a time, you understand less.
I’m writing this on a Wednesday, which, much to my wife’s chagrin, is a big day for me: on Wednesdays, new comic books are released. Later tonight, I’ll visit the shop on South Street, do a little page-flipping. While I’m there, I’ll probably thank a clerk for recommending Parker, by Darwin Cooke. It was great. I might chat with a stranger, or just keep to myself, let my mind float. I’ll buy a few things, or possibly nothing. Because it’s less about consumption than ritual. Not especially exciting, or even memorable. But rewarding in its subtle, accruing way.
When the economy rebounds, the old places we’ve loved will not return with it. The way we spend our time and the way we obtain things have permanently narrowed. For now, my comic shop survives, as do a handful of booksellers, a couple of record stores. You probably have a list of your own, places whose importance you’ll realize only after they’ve gone. For our sakes, I hope they stay with us. But at the present rate, it’s hard to say what will last. The Internet has made things so easy in so many ways—though easy, I’m learning, is not the same as good.
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1. Anonymous said... on Jan 25, 2010 at 07:59PM
“It feels even worse for those of us who frequented Zipperhead and the original JC Dobbs and even Von back in the day (and totally agreed, BookTrader is a mere shell of its old self). But it's just one more symbol of the monoculture that's swept America in the past two decades, isn't it? Most of the interesting, quirky stuff has vanished, replaced by big box stores and other places that are devoid of personality but where you can get "stuff" more easily. To some, that's progress, but for those of us who enjoy the small, unexpected, interesting, off-the-beaten-path things in life, it's just sad. And you're right, it's probably not coming back.”
2. Anonymous said... on Jan 26, 2010 at 10:14AM
“I had the good fortune of working and being part of the night life in the South St., Headhouse area back in the 80s when that was the place to go. Places like Rusty Scupper, Cafe Nola, Dickens Inn, Lily's and many more ghosts of the past came alive during those days and you could feel the energy when you walked the streets at night. I knew the area was headed for a downward spiral when Friday's, Wawa and the rest of corporate America was introduced into the neighborhood. It has long ago lost it's appeal and almost certain it will never return to the glory days I remember. I now work nights near Old City and watch the young people standing in line to get into the clubs at night. Unfortunately for them they will never know how exciting South St. was back in the day.”
3. Eric said... on Jan 26, 2010 at 11:22AM
“I must say South Street has changed over the years. Some of my best times in college were on South Street. It even got better when Miami Cafe opened up, but like many other places, they were shut down. So what is happening around that great section of the city? There are still notable places that sell unique clothing and restaurants that offer great dining experiences. Now we just need a little kick to push it in the right direction (again).”
4. Marlana said... on Jan 26, 2010 at 02:07PM
“I totally agree that South St. is now a place i don't even like to drive around let alone walk up and down the streets like i used to. I remember sitting on the floor of Tower books for hours with friends when i was about 16 and just looking through magazines to kill time. Another favorite store was Zipperhead, even though its now Crash Bang Boom its nothing like it used to be. Every store is the same thing over and over again, nothing special anymore, no creativity anymore. Its a shame but i guess the old South St will have to be a chapter in my childhood/teen memories”
5. Anonymous said... on Jan 26, 2010 at 02:34PM
“And let's not forget the loss of those beautiful, chopped down trees along with the stores, another blow to the atmosphere. Especially in the spring when all the blossoms were blooming, you could stroll in and out of the shops, get a margarita and fries with mayo at Copa, watch a movie at TLA (sigh), get a drink at Dobbs and yes, way back when, stroll all the labyrinth around Head House. The memories are many and sweet for those of us that lived and worked there. But with all the lamenting, I am left with pondering the alternative. The entrepreneurial spirit that created all those interesting businesses is what's missing. Where is the next generation of artists, leaders, risk takers? It's time for them to take action and create their own memories instead of ascending into the lull of the big box retailers. Come on guys!”
6. Anonymous said... on Jan 26, 2010 at 09:41PM
“10% of the cities population are millionaires under 40. Northern Liberties and Fishtown are now great neighborhoods. They used to be dumps for the longest time. Brewerytown is getting nicer too. South Street was a dump but then it was turned into a a artistic Mecca but rich people don't care for that.”
7. Anonymous said... on Jan 27, 2010 at 11:43AM
“Although I agree with the lament of South Street, I have to say that - for all that has happened in that district over the past decade, there are signs of a new era developing; mostly found on the cross streets.
Indie-owned shops are hanging on (some more barely than others); new destinations are slated to open (3 restaurants within the next few months alone - as well as a few interactive community spots); and most importantly, those who invest seem to have a newly focused eye on what possibilities the Street holds.
Yes - many of the 'old guard' are gone. South Street alone didn't kill most of them off; as noted in the opinion piece - online shopping gave the biggest punch to many of those former stores. Others simply timed out - life goes on.
Greed took much of the street over in the 1990s; rents went through the roofs, forcing many businesses to adjust to the point of closure. Sometimes you need to have something die before you can see it reborn.
Here's hoping.
”
8. Mateo said... on Jan 27, 2010 at 02:42PM
“Unfortunately, this is the dark side of people buying things online just because it's "cheaper." Retail stores pay high rents, city taxes, wages to cashiers, insurance, etc., while e-commerce sites have virtually none of those expenses. Even buying something at a chain retail store is better for the local economy than buying online. On top of all that, online shopping is almost always tax-free to the buyer, which is an insane giveaway by the govt. in this day & age. There should be the same sales tax for online shopping as for retail, which would drive customers back into the stores and would lower the deficit at the same time.”
9. Lila said... on Jan 30, 2010 at 11:35AM
“My parents have lived on South St. for over 30 years now, so I grew up there and just recently moved to a dull corner in West Philly. It was great thing growing up - my friends and I always had something to do. But then once I hit high school, it wasn't my South St. anymore. It was a gross kind of place with all the wrong people visiting - from the loud and obnoxious, to the unruly kids on skateboards taking over my sidewalk. But still, I would move back in a heartbeat just to be able to sit on my stoop and watch their fascinating behavior - there is no better entertainment than that.”
10. Johnny Street said... on Feb 2, 2010 at 12:52PM
“Let's bust out the truth for a moment. South Street is dying because the city is dying. As Mayor Street said, “the brothers and sisters are running the city.." right into the ground it seems. Why fight the traffic, take a risk with crime, see dirty streets and pay more for the "privilege" of enjoying oneself in the city?
What the "brothers and sisters" don't seem to realize is that those with the means can go elsewhere; and it would seem that they have.”
11. brendancalling said... on Feb 2, 2010 at 01:06PM
“note to "johnny street": mayor street has been out of office for well over 2 years now.
but hey, on a positive note, it looks like you finally escaped from that time capsule you got sealed up in back in 2005.”
12. Johnny Street said... on Feb 2, 2010 at 01:38PM
“Street or Nutter...different name, same result..which probably explains why the inner city seems to migrate to King of Prussia on the weekends as well.”
13. Feliz Snottydodd said... on Feb 3, 2010 at 10:41AM
“
South Street has always been a dump. People with tattoos are lazy dirtballs with nothing better to spend their money on.”
14. heyyouseguys said... on Feb 4, 2010 at 03:42AM
“having grown up on South St. I've seen the street change from an independent free spirited mecca (with all its ugliness and beauty) into a dull strip mall of a street. I wrote a research paper about south st. back in highschool (10 years ago) and found out that a lot of the buildings were bought by real estate developers in New York, who in order to maximize their profit, lured in the big box McDonalds, Gap, Tower etc. This in turn drove rents up disproportionately and began the 1st wave of closings in the 90's and then 2nd wave in the early 2000's. Having been back in Dec. after 3 years away (lived in Japan and now in SF), I was pretty spooked by how desolate and crappy South St. looks (maybe it was just cause it was cold and snowy...?); the whole "redevelopment" makes the street look like a barren wasteland and more than a third of the shops are closed... so it goes when predatory real estate companies and unchecked rent increases, along with soulless box stores are given free reign”
15. Cleanup Philly said... on Feb 5, 2010 at 01:40PM
“The writer didn't mention the sales tax. Having a sales tax that his higher than the surrounding metropolitan region is going to kill sales, and in a recession, especially, that means the mom-and-pops, the little independents, will not make it. Philly has to lower business and sales taxes, and just abolish wage taxes, if it wants the next generation to start a business selling the neat, interesting, or wacky. South St. can only be South St. if people can be allowed to run businesses in Philly and make a survivable profit.”
16. Newer Deal said... on Feb 5, 2010 at 04:05PM
“A 500 lb. gorilla in the room is the plethora of knock-off jewelry and handbag shops, making it virtually impossible to attract anyone looking to buy legit goods to South St. Combine that with the tendency of over-leveraged landlords to allow their properties to fall into foreclosure, rather than renegotiate leases, and you've got a formula for endless discount denim outlets for years to come. Why can I spot a money-laundering operation from the front door, but L&I can't? Whose palms are being greased?”
17. Anonymous said... on Feb 13, 2010 at 10:59AM
“can anyone tell me what the name of the restaurant that was on south street way back when, it was on the north west corner of maybe 5th or so. It had an upstairs and a downstairs and had a ton of hanging plants in the windows. My sister and I have been wracking our old brains to try to remember. thanks in advance to anyone who may know.
”
18. Jimmy Di said... on Apr 29, 2010 at 10:15PM
“Yes it's like seeing a ghost; Businesses came and went. Unique was an understatement. Walk a half block south on 6th st and you will see the Antiqueriam. I had a small shop there in the 90s.It hasn't change much through the years. You will delight in the fact that it's like stepping into the old South st days. While your in there buy something as I feel it may keep the old spirit of the area alive.
Yes I still feal that spirit. Viva La South St!!!!!!!!”