Photo by Hanbit Kwon
The future of the building housing an auto body shop and second-floor martial arts gym damaged by fire late last month is still unclear. The City’s Department of Licenses and Inspections deemed the building “unsafe” soon after the Sept. 24 fire.
Damage from the fire caused the closing of Ren’s Auto Repair and Collision and 8 Limbs Academy, a popular kickboxing school and fitness facility.
The building’s owners have indicated that they are interested in repairing the building.
8 Limbs has been able to maintain a schedule of classes, holding them in various spots in the neighborhood, including Clark Park, nearby Studio 34 and St. Mary’s Nursery School on Penn’s campus.
Co-owner Kate Allen said 8 Limbs is looking for a new permanent location in West Philly. They need a space that’s 3,000 to 5,000 square feet. Give them a shout if you know of anything.
October 17th, 2019 at 3:39 pm
I feel badly for the 8 Limbs family. I took a few classes there when they first opened and Kate and her husband are genuinely good people. Hopefully, they’ll find a new space nearby where they can grow their business. As for the car repair shop, while they provided a needed service, a new location might be best for them.