In addition to the Holiday Gift Card Promotion (running through Dec. 24) and West Philly Forward Fundraising campaign where you can donate directly to local businesses and organizations, University City District has recently launched another campaign supporting West Philly businesses – West Philly Favorites.

The new campaign features a curated series of gift packs filled with handcrafted and locally produced items from small neighborhood businesses, including VIX Emporium, Renata’s Kitchen, Jezabel’s Cafe, Metropolitan Bakery, Snapdragon Flowers, and more. All proceeds from sales of West Philly Favorites packs go to participating businesses. 

You can buy packs individually (see photo) for weekly pick-up at Trolley Portal Gardens (40th and Baltimore) or purchase a subscription to four weeks of packs for a discount. Sales for individual packs close two weeks prior to pick-up, and pick-ups begin the last week of January 2021 and run for four weeks straight.

West Philly Favorites packs and subscriptions make great gifts! If you’d like to purchase boxes or subscriptions for someone else, you’ll be sent a gift voucher after your purchase is complete.

For more information about this campaign and to place your order(s), go to the West Philly Favorites website.

By the way, one of the campaign participants, VIX Emporium gift shop, has announced that they will be closing their physical location at 50th and Baltimore for two months starting January 4th. During these months, when VIX will be making repairs and improvements to their physical space, the shop will be open online only, with pickup, shipping, and local delivery available. VIX’s hours before they close on Jan. 4th are the following: Dec. 22 & 23: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Dec. 24, 26-31, Jan. 2-3: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

VIX Emporium’s shop window and a Jolly Trolley (Photo from VIX’s Instagram page).