Photos via Capogiro’s Facebook page.

The popular Italian frozen treat shop, Capogiro Gelato, is closing its location on the 3900 block of Walnut Street after eight years of operation. Philly Mag broke the news early Thursday afternoon and a few hours later, Capogiro posted the following message on their Facebook page:

“It is sad but true – this Saturday is the last night the neon will be all lit up. It has been a wonderful 8 years scooping for the University City community and we want to thank you for your support!”

So, hurry up and get a scoop or two before the Penn’s campus location at 3925 Walnut St. closes on Saturday, Sept. 30, at midnight. Or check out Capogiro’s other locations in the city.

West Philadelphia is home to many Ethiopian immigrants and Ethiopian-owned businesses. On Saturday, Sept. 30, the Ethiopian Community Association of Greater Philadelphia, located at 44th and Chestnut, and other Ethiopian organizations in the city will celebrate Ethiopian Day with a day-long festival. The annual event will kick off at 11 a.m. and will feature live music, cultural shows, games and activities for children, food, and more.

Over 15 vendors and 20 organizations will participate in the festival and street fair. The event is free and open to the public. Chestnut street between 44th and 43rd streets will be closed during the festival, from approximately 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On Saturday, Sept. 30, community members are invited to visit the beautiful homes of the Garden Court neighborhood and dine on gourmet meals prepared by talented neighborhood chefs, while supporting the Cheryl Roebuck Scholarship Fund and community projects at the annual Garden Court Community Association (GCCA) Progressive Dinner.

The event will begin at 5:30 with registration followed by appetizers. Then, at 7 p.m., guests are invited to visit several pre-selected homes for dinner. Guests can choose from the following cuisines: classic Mexican, Belgian, Irish, Italian, Ethiopian, and more! It’s a really tasty way to get to know your neighbors. Dessert will be served at 8:30 p.m.  Continue Reading

Demolition of the one-story building at the southeast corner of 46th and Spruce Streets, which began early last week, is nearly complete. The building, which served as a social services building, Transition To Independent Living Center, was gutted by a fire in 2011 and remained vacant since then.  Continue Reading

Mariposa, the cooperative grocery store at 49th and Baltimore, has implemented two initiatives aimed at making a positive contribution to the neighborhood: On September 20, it announced a 10 percent discount program for qualifying low-income shoppers, and back in August it raised its minimum salary from $10.75 to $13 per hour.

The 10 percent discount emerged from a sense among Mariposa’s leadership that many of the store’s products aren’t accessible to all its neighbors. Hillary Wickline, Mariposa’s marketing coordinator, said the organization knows that even with government assistance, healthy food can be out of reach.

“We just want to make sure that we’re creating a welcoming space within this environment and not serving just a group of people with a steady income of, like, $50,000 a year or something like that,” Wickline said.  Continue Reading

Two local schools, Penn Alexander School and Independence Charter School West, are holding drives this week to help those in need after the recent devastating hurricanes, “Harvey,” “Irma,” and “Maria.”

Independence Charter School West, located at 5600 Chester Ave., is collecting first-aid items for the areas affected by the hurricanes. The following donations are being accepted through Friday, Sept. 29: bandages, anti-bacterial ointment, flash lights, batteries, soap, antiseptic and alcohol wipes; or any other item you believe will be of use for those affected by the recent natural disasters.

Donations can also be dropped off at Independence Charter School in Center City (1600 Lombard St.).  Continue Reading