After news broke out earlier this week that Penn Book Center, the independent bookstore operating on Penn’s campus since 1962, is going out of business and closing next month, the owners – Ashley Montague and Michael Row – received a lot of messages of support from community members. The University of Pennsylvania’s English Department has also launched a petition on Change.org urging the University of Pennsylvania to “save” the store by possibly offering discounts for textbooks purchased there, much the way Princeton supports its independent bookstore.

“This closure would mean an immeasurable loss to Penn’s intellectual community and to that of the surrounding University City neighborhood,” the petition reads. “We believe that of all universities, Penn, with its strengths in business innovation, is capable of finding a solution to this problem.”  Continue Reading

Penn Book Center, one of Philadelphia’s oldest independent bookstores, will close its doors next month. The reason for closing is not surprising: the business has been experiencing losses due to online sales giants, like Amazon, selling textbooks at cut-rate prices.

Penn Book Center was founded in 1962, and current owners – Ashley Montague and Michael Row – purchased the business in 2005. Located on Penn’s campus at 130 S. 34th St., the store carried many books that appealed to students, professors and scholars.  Continue Reading

Staying in town for the holidays? Check out holiday hours for selected businesses, as well as SEPTA’s and City holiday schedules. We’ll update the list below when more information becomes available. If you’re a business and want to add your hours, please feel free to do so in the comments. Happy Holidays!

SEPTA

Dec. 24: City transit routes will operate on a Modified Weekday schedule.
Dec. 25: Buses, trains, and trolleys will operate on a Sunday schedule due to the holiday.
Dec. 26 – 28: Buses, trains, and trolleys will operate on a Modified Weekday schedule due to the holiday
Jan. 1: Buses, trains, and trolleys will operate on a Sunday schedule due to the holiday.  Continue Reading

Just in time for your holiday gift shopping, the Winter Express Shoppers’ Trolley (W.E.S.T.) will return Saturday (Dec. 8), 12-5 p.m., to offer free rides along Baltimore and Lancaster Avenues. This is a great opportunity to learn more about local businesses, meet the owners and explore gift shopping and dining opportunities on the avenues.

The trolley will stop at designated shopping and dining destinations, and businesses will welcome riders with specials, promotions and giveaways, like free seasonal beverages and festive baked goods. There will be great gift shopping opportunities, discounts, and more! Get your ticket stamped at listed businesses for a discount at each one (see the full list and map here). Continue Reading

Photo from The Green Line Cafe Facebook page.

Storefront windows of several West Philly businesses were smashed overnight and some businesses were burglarized, prompting a burglary report from the 18th Police District (see below).

The Green Line Cafe posted the following message on their Facebook page this morning:

“Not what we wanted to wake up to at Locust Street this morning… No one was hurt. We’ll be opening late today, though.”  Continue Reading

A self-service pet washing facility is likely coming to a storefront near the corner of 47th and Baltimore.

The Cedar Park Neighbors zoning committee voted earlier this week to support a special zoning exception required by the city for the ground floor of 806 S. 47th St., which for many years was the location for Vincent Goffredo Plumbing and Heating. The proposal will soon go before the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment for final approval.

The facility, which the owner told the committee will grow to include grooming services, will include six elevated stainless steel wash tubs – two each for small, medium and large pets. The large tubs will even include a ramp that will allow your Saint Bernard or Newfoundland to walk right into the tub. So if you’re tired of bending over the bath tub to scrub down your pup, this might be for you.

The service will include a dryer, shampoos and brushes. A small pet washing, up to 25 pounds, will cost $12. Mediums will cost $14 and larges will be $16.