New places on Passyunk

**Litter Box** · 12-18-2010, 07:39 PM

SALT AND PEPPER took off some of the paper on the windows and it looks to be shaping up. I'm never good at predicting how long it will take to open but one of nearby merchants said after 1/1.

**Litter Box** · 12-18-2010, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by Hospitalitygirl

Hey, Litterbox, please post some pictures of the lights at night. Thank you.

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Not very good, the first shots were way too warm and this one sort of sucks but...................

**Hospitalitygirl** · 12-18-2010, 08:33 PM

Thank you! I just love those lights.

**Litter Box** · 12-18-2010, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Hospitalitygirl

Thank you! I just love those lights.

I wasn't thinking, that shot included the parking lot which created a large gap in the lights. I'll see if a shot on the 1700 or 1800 block fills things in a bit.

**SPFlyers** · 12-20-2010, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Litter Box

The last two attempts at this location brought L&I down on them. The rent signs are down and the newspapers are blocking the window. It's a good location on the 1700 block of E Passyunk Ave and I hope it's not another bogus bag store.

I saw the bright yellow awning this morning. Another convenience grocery store.

**luchobucho** · 12-20-2010, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by SPFlyers

I saw the bright yellow awning this morning. Another convenience grocery store.

Really? REALLY?

Its as if people can't use even the smallest amount of imagination. There's another one 3 blocks down on P'unk and a million down the side streets.

Fuuuuuuck.

**tsarstruck** · 12-20-2010, 10:18 AM

Salt and Pepper had some sort of reception/party last night. Owner saw us peering in, and waved us in, as he was doing to most people who walked down the block. Very nice guy.

Place looks amazing. A modern but still homey feel. Very open. Hard to imagine this was the same space that used to be cramped and staid. Considering the food that Salt and Pepper turned out in that tiny "kitchen," this is going to be a great spot.

Overheard talk that they'll be ramping up with a few preview nights, and then (I think I heard this) they'll be opening up for real on Christmas. This is going to be a seriously great addition to Passyunk.

**luchobucho** · 12-20-2010, 10:28 AM

Yay.

**Litter Box** · 12-20-2010, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by SPFlyers

I saw the bright yellow awning this morning. Another convenience grocery store.

There has to be a point where they will not get enough business and one or more will have to close but they are very frugal. The semi dollar store is across the street and they seem to have a large customer base so maybe the new store will not last.

**Litter Box** · 12-23-2010, 02:48 PM

They were bringing in stock this afternoon. It could open in a few days. This is next door to the new Plenty, it's a shame the store will probably not complement the Plenty store. Sigh. This is on the 1700 block of E Passyunk.

**Litter Box** · 12-23-2010, 02:58 PM

A couple of stores are being cleaned out, the ex PCS phone store which I heard from one source may become a framing store. A second store which is between China House and Philly Scooters is also being cleaned out. The Scooter store was using it for storage and I'll try to find out if anything good is going into the space.

**Oladybug** · 12-23-2010, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by Litter Box

They were bringing in stock this afternoon. It could open in a few days. This is next door to the new Plenty, it's a shame the store will probably not complement the Plenty store. Sigh. This is on the 1700 block of E Passyunk.

Disgusting. The BID is going to go after them for that horrendous sign like they did with Joe's Market @ Mifflin and Passyunk. And, yes, just how many of these ghetto-looking stores can any one neighborhood support. I don't understand how they stay in business.

**five apples** · 12-23-2010, 04:53 PM

Here is a post from foobooz about it from a few days ago.

The new location of restaurant-on-the-move Salt & Pepper soft-opens tonight at 1623 East Passyunk Avenue. Owner Robert Reilly, who is partnered with longtime Stein and Starr vet Joe Massara in this venture, tells us he’ll be serving a limited menu tonight, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. He’ll close for the holidays and reopen next week with the full menu and regular hours (Tuesday through Saturday, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.). The new location will have a liquor license, but they haven’t finished jumping through PLCB hoops yet, so for the time being, it’s still BYOB. The chef’s name, by the way, is Kouma. He goes by one name, like Madonna.

Foobooz » Menus for Salt & Pepper, Soft-Opening Tonight

**LennyFishkake** · 12-24-2010, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by Oladybug

Disgusting. The BID is going to go after them for that horrendous sign like they did with Joe's Market @ Mifflin and Passyunk. And, yes, just how many of these ghetto-looking stores can any one neighborhood support. I don't understand how they stay in business.

Can't the business association do something to limit these places? Every sh*t store like this is one step backward for the Ave. Be one thing if it aspired to be a quality produce store. But cigarettes & "Daily Products?" Jeez, get someone who speaks English to proof your sign for Pete's sake!

**Oladybug** · 12-24-2010, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by LennyFishkake

Can't the business association do something to limit these places? Every sh*t store like this is one step backward for the Ave. Be one thing if it aspired to be a quality produce store. But cigarettes & "Daily Products?" Jeez, get someone who speaks English to proof your sign for Pete's sake!

I thought that the BID actually did have the power to say yea or nay to new businesses opening up along the Avenue. From what I hear through the grapevine, this place just sprung open without even bothering to contact them. So I'm looking for the BID to intervene here and will hope for the best. Stay tuned.

**Litter Box** · 12-24-2010, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by Oladybug

I thought that the BID actually did have the power to say yea or nay to new businesses opening up along the Avenue. From what I hear through the grapevine, this place just sprung open without even bothering to contact them. So I'm looking for the BID to intervene here and will hope for the best. Stay tuned.

Another property a couple of doors down from the Sunshine store sprung up for rent, the AllState Store. It's a shame with the Plenty store in the works that we could have more than one drag on the block. I was told that the people with the Plenty Store are very high quality and should be a real positive. I asked about the store between the Scooter Store and China House and although the person I spoke to did not know what might be going in he had high praise for the landlord and the tenants he allows to rent. Cross your fingers.

I've only been in JOE's at Passyunk and Mifflin a couple of times and have not been impressed. I sort of doubt that aside from making sure that Sunshine adheres to L&I regulations etc a grocery store is probably ok. I'll track down the email address for the BID and it probably would be a idea if others speak of their concern. The only time I've emailed the BID in past was about the tiles in the Fountain and they resolved that fast.

The BID may be able to contact the landlord of the AllState store and have prospective tenants clear their plans before rushing in.

Yes the awning on the Sunshine store sucks.

**Litter Box** · 12-24-2010, 03:46 PM

Here is the Email address for Renee Gilinger at the BID.

mailto:renee@visiteastpassyunk.com

**Litter Box** · 12-25-2010, 04:21 PM

It looks like Renee at the BID never sleeps. She had already notified L&I about the ugly awning and seems to feel they will have to change it. They may have to have a hearing with ZBA. Joe's grocery changed their awning just by being asked, nice to hear that.

Here is a comparison between Sunshine vs Plenty. FWIW Plenty seems to have put substantial money into a deteriorated facade and it would be a shame to have the store divert attention from good work.

**Oladybug** · 12-25-2010, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by Litter Box

It looks like Renee at the BID never sleeps. She had already notified L&I about the ugly awning and seems to feel they will have to change it. They may have to have a hearing with ZBA. Joe's grocery changed their awning just by being asked, nice to hear that.

I wish the whole damn place could be gotten rid of, but eliminating the sign is better than nothing.

AGAIN, I just don't understand how these junk stores stay in business.

**Litter Box** · 12-25-2010, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by Oladybug

I wish the whole damn place could be gotten rid of, but eliminating the sign is better than nothing.

AGAIN, I just don't understand how these junk stores stay in business.

To be objective about this store, it's only a grocery store and a pretty benign one at that. If they tone down the awning it would be a step in the right direction and not be a visual deterrent to other people thinking about opening a store on the block. As the area continues to transition the weaker stores will leave. I agree with you about the store and I wonder how two very similar stores plus the dollar store within three blocks will cut it.

The nightmare for me would be if the block started to look like the stores across from S Philly High. That block is even too garish for a Mexican border town. We don't need stores trying to out do each other for attention.