Last night’s Dollar Stroll on Baltimore Avenue drew the now-customary big crowd. Here are some photos from the event. Click on any of the images below to start a slide show.

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Here’s the detailed map of tonight’s Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll (5:30-8:30 p.m.). Click to enlarge.

(Courtesy of University City District).

Are you ready for your first Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll this summer? This is one of the coolest summer events in West Philly. You can get $1 food, drink and other items from local businesses. The first of three Dollar Strolls schedule will be Thursday, July 19, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., as always along Baltimore Avenue between 42nd and 51st Streets.

Over 20 businesses are participating in this stroll, both the usual suspects – Milk & Honey, Green Line Cafe, Dock Street Brewery, Baltimore Pet Shoppe, VIX Emporium, Elena’s Soul, Mariposa Food Co-op, etc. – and new businesses and vendors. Look for $1 items and deals from such new participants as Thrive Fitness, The Sunflower Truck Stop, Studio 34, Maru Global Takoyaki, Independent Rock, and a few others. And yes, Subway is participating too.

In addition to shopping for $1 items, don’t miss live music by The Makes (between 46th and 47th Streets), the Independent Rock School (50th Street), the Give & Take Jugglers and entertainment by various street performers and fire artists.

Check out the event’s flyer below for the full list of participants and what they are offering.

(click to enlarge)

And the winner of Honest Tom’s venerable taco truck is … Maru Global (Facebook page), the folks who specialize in authentic Japanese street food.

Maru Global’s plans for the truck are still coming together, but it is sure to feature takoyaki – a fried dough ball typically filled with octopus, ginger, onion and other delectables – maybe some curry fries, onigiri or their famous desert balls.

Maru Global won the truck as a result of a contest Honest Tom ran earlier this month asking would-be entrepreneurs to write him and explain why they should get the truck.

The winning of the truck is the latest in a tumultuous string of recent events for Maru Global’s Chef Ryo Igarashi and his wife Nicole Igarashi, who handles the business side of the operation. They had to close their restaurant, Tokio Global, near Headhouse Square in April after Ryo underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. As he recovered they returned to the kitchen to prepare a whittled down mobile menu for events and festivals around the city.

“Honest Tom” McCusker’s 1970 step van, which he bought with credit card cash advances, will now be a key part of that mobile operation.

Congrats to Maru Global and well done to Honest Tom for paying it forward.

 
After nine years near the Penn campus on 40th Street, The Marvelous, a music and musician supply store, is moving into the location formerly occupied by Wake Up Yoga (4916 Baltimore Ave.).

Milan Marvelous, the owner, said that they’re planning to open the doors on Baltimore Avenue on July 12. “We’re totally stoked, because the new space is simply luscious … We’re looking forward to our new neighbors – Dock St, Firehouse Bikes, Elena’s, Satellite Cafe, Vix, Mariposa, etc.,” said Milan.

This week, the store is throwing a big “moving away” sale (July 2 – July 7), with everything marked down up to 50% off. The store’s last day at 208 S. 40th St. will be Saturday July 7.

Visit The Marvelous Facebook page for more information.

If you are a noodle lover, this news should make you happy. Ramen Bar may be coming to the former Locust Moon Comics space at 40th and Locust Streets soon if their liquor license application gets approved. The building at 4040 Locust Street, owned by 4040 Locust Street Partners, L.P., formerly also hosted Strike Bowling Lounge, and the Redcap’s Corner gaming shop. Keswick Cycle opened at this location last year.

Foobooz reports that an ad looking for a head chef for a ramen restaurant close to the University of Pennsylvania was posted online back in January. The opening date listed in the ad was May 2012 and it looks like it could be for this restaurant. Judging by the boards covering the building, the opening may be later than May. We’ll let you know as soon as there is more information available.