20th and South: Cupcake Boutique

**lbphilly** · 10-05-2012, 10:23 AM

I believe the owner who was responsible for the tasteful paint scheme has sold the building. I'm sure there's a market for $6 (or whatever) cupcakes, but I'm not it. For $6 I could buy all the ingredients to make a whole batch, including the frilly cup liners.

**sockii** · 10-08-2012, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by lbphilly

I believe the owner who was responsible for the tasteful paint scheme has sold the building.

Yes, we did sell, however we do appreciate the comments on the former colors. Happened to like them a lot ourselves, and just finished restoring the same original colors and doing some other upkeep next door.

**BarryG** · 10-08-2012, 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by OffenseTaken

I feel like we're being taunted. It's so seldom that anything opens for business on this side of South, that I think we find ourselves saying, "Anything, just something. I'm sick of living in the neighborhood that when you cross South, it looks like the power is out, it's so dead." So we get a ****ing cupcake shop. A ****cake shop. And with that eye-watering Candy Land color scheme. Jesus.

I can't believe the owners of that building consented to the painting, considering what a beautiful, attentive job they had done restoring the place.

"The neighborhood of no."

**Spicoli** · 10-09-2012, 12:04 AM

Originally Posted by BarryG

"The neighborhood of no."

Exactly. We shot down two very original concepts (for Philly) that would've been perfect neighborhood compliments....and were all set to shoot down a parkside cafe at Julian Abele park, but that fight never even got off the ground.

When you turn away the good ideas, this is what you're left with.

**OffenseTaken** · 10-09-2012, 12:59 AM

**BarryG** · 10-09-2012, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by BarryG

"The neighborhood of no."

Originally Posted by Spicoli

Exactly. We shot down two very original concepts (for Philly) that would've been perfect neighborhood compliments....and were all set to shoot down a parkside cafe at Julian Abele park, but that fight never even got off the ground.

When you turn away the good ideas, this is what you're left with.

I meant that you guys bitch and moan about everything.

Originally Posted by OffenseTaken

**Lolly** · 10-09-2012, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by BarryG

I meant that you guys bitch and moan about everything.

Yeah, they don't get it. Could it be a self-fullfilling prophecy? I rue the day Gladys started that cursed thread. LOL

**rumdrinx** · 10-09-2012, 12:29 PM

while I do believe that the cupcake trend is on the way out, I also think that the cupcakes I have tried (Pamcakes and brownBetty) are dry and have too much icing. I am not one to take on making a really cool mixup of flavors when I bake, which is actually just about never anyway, SO...I think that if this place makes a quality, moist cupcake, sure I might try them for something special. And, i also think that the color adds some pastel whimsy to the area. Why not?

**Dolemite** · 10-09-2012, 01:49 PM

I hear they are adding a roof deck and petitioned the city to remove 4 permanent parking spaces in order to have a pick up zone for people to pick up their cupcakes to go. We must stop this monstrosity!

**OffenseTaken** · 10-09-2012, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by BarryG

I meant that you guys bitch and moan about everything.

I can express my unhappiness about a business that's coming to my block and its paint job. I don't see anyone here trying to put the kibosh on cupcakes. I don't see how "the neighborhood of 'no'" reference obtains.

And anyway, I gave a couple of reasons for optimism in this neighborhood the other day and you shot them down.

**Spicoli** · 10-10-2012, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by Lolly

Yeah, they don't get it. Could it be a self-fullfilling prophecy? I rue the day Gladys started that cursed thread. LOL

Feel free to enlighten me on just what I don't get. My property taxes are about to triple at a minimum. As such, I think its ok to expect a little more out of the neighborhood than a building near my home that looks like it got hit by a drone strike.

When the most recognizable figure is the dude with the maroon hoody, there's a problem. Now I somewhwat knew what I was getting into with the above. I had no idea I was moving into the Scalone's neighborhood. I'm not sure which of the two does more harm.

**Gladys** · 10-10-2012, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by OffenseTaken

Oh come on it does not. if it did no one would be living here at all.

The colors are the company's theme... the same as their store on chestnut. I don't like them but they serve their purpose. (different shades of pink and blue would be a lot better. it doesn't look very professional but I like that a heck of a lot better than the empty place at 20th and christian.

When i saw the paint all i could think of is imagination land.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pifQm3IZ1tc

Sorry lolly, i just got sick of nimbys, which there seem to be a lot of.

**BarryG** · 10-10-2012, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by OffenseTaken

I can express my unhappiness about a business that's coming to my block and its paint job. I don't see anyone here trying to put the kibosh on cupcakes. I don't see how "the neighborhood of 'no'" reference obtains.

And anyway, I gave a couple of reasons for optimism in this neighborhood the other day and you shot them down.

Yes not trying to actively quash new business is a positive but the general tone of the neighborhood is negative, that's what I was commenting on. Business owners feel this and that is why activity below South has been limited to what are at best low-risk middling concepts by right (SoWe, the sandwich shop) and ghetto stores that target a different market. My main criticism of GradHo has been that there are zero reasons to visit if you don't live there or are visiting someone, and the neighbors seem to like it that way. Even for residents, services are far and few between, people seem to prefer to drive to get their errands down. South Street West on the other hand has made great strides and now it is somewhere I visit.

Originally Posted by Spicoli

Feel free to enlighten me on just what I don't get. My property taxes are about to triple at a minimum. As such, I think its ok to expect a little more out of the neighborhood than a building near my home that looks like it got hit by a drone strike.

When the most recognizable figure is the dude with the maroon hoody, there's a problem. Now I somewhwat knew what I was getting into with the above. I had no idea I was moving into the Scalone's neighborhood. I'm not sure which of the two does more harm.

Maybe I am missing your point, are you saying that the cupcake store looks like it was hit by a drone strike and that's why you were bitching and moaning about it?

**ofeibush** · 10-10-2012, 10:01 AM

Businesses do not open South of South because they generally don't get enough foot traffic. Our residents tend to go north to Center City for their shopping.

The whole 20th & Kater mess was embarrassing, but that is not the reason businesses avoid opening in our neighborhood. We have a healthy population with disposable income and just a few retail spaces...yet there is no wait or line at any of our establishments! Show businesses that you care and you will get more of them.

If you want businesses to open in our neighborhood you need to support them. And I don't mean once a month or on special occasions!

**PBResident** · 10-10-2012, 10:11 AM

I've been trying to support Honey's but they have really weird hours.

I was also ready to support 20th and South until I realized it was cupcakes and not a Babies "R" Us.

**ofeibush** · 10-10-2012, 10:13 AM

I know better than to argue with you (even the Mayor's Press Secretary knows better now). You get my point.

**PBResident** · 10-10-2012, 10:15 AM

Totally joking around. And yes I get your point.

Originally Posted by ofeibush

I know better than to argue with you (even the Mayor's Press Secretary knows better now). You get my point.

**Brian616** · 10-10-2012, 10:16 AM

Ori, you're right, but also preaching to the choir here. We have a lot of people who use G-Ho as a bedroom community and not much else; these people are almost assuredly NOT on the boards here.

**Spicoli** · 10-10-2012, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by ofeibush

Businesses do not open South of South because they generally don't get enough foot traffic. Our residents tend to go north to Center City for their shopping.

The whole 20th & Kater mess was embarrassing, but that is not the reason businesses avoid opening in our neighborhood. We have a healthy population with disposable income and just a few retail spaces...yet there is no wait or line at any of our establishments! Show businesses that you care and you will get more of them.

If you want businesses to open in our neighborhood you need to support them. And I don't mean once a month or on special occasions!

I'll gladly walk to any business in my neighborhood worth opening. I go to Sidecar, Resurrection Ale and Lava all the time. I do not and will not go to Kennedy Grocery or anything Christian west of 21st. So which businesses am I not patronizing that are preventing others from moving in?

Originally Posted by BarryG

Yes not trying to actively quash new business is a positive but the general tone of the neighborhood is negative, that's what I was commenting on. Business owners feel this and that is why activity below South has been limited to what are at best low-risk middling concepts by right (SoWe, the sandwich shop) and ghetto stores that target a different market. My main criticism of GradHo has been that there are zero reasons to visit if you don't live there or are visiting someone, and the neighbors seem to like it that way. Even for residents, services are far and few between, people seem to prefer to drive to get their errands down. South Street West on the other hand has made great strides and now it is somewhere I visit.

Maybe I am missing your point, are you saying that the cupcake store looks like it was hit by a drone strike and that's why you were bitching and moaning about it?

Yeah, you're missing it. I'm bitching about the business climate in general (basically the first paragraph of your most recent post), not the cupcake place in particular. My point was that if the neighborhood shoots down the good ideas, what you end up getting is the bad ones that can build by right. In the case of the cupcake place, SOSNA decided to skip having a zoning meeting the month they went to the ZBA, denying the neighborhood the chance to comment on the paint scheme. I actually don't have a problem with having an ice cream store there (which I believe it also is).

The building that looks like it got hit by a drone strike is the Check Cashing Place. That place was sold, gutted for scrap and now is being left to rot by whoever bought it.

Overall, SWCC has zero plan to develop the community, and relies on spot zoning and prayer that something good will come to the neighborhood. This is the result of that (lack of) plan.

**devilspocket** · 10-10-2012, 10:45 AM

In the case of the cupcake place, SOSNA decided to skip having a zoning meeting the month they went to the ZBA, denying the neighborhood the chance to comment on the paint scheme. I actually don't have a problem with having an ice cream store there (which I believe it also is).

SOSNA didn't decide to 'skip' having a zoning meeting. The Zoning Committee does not meet in August. ZBA hearing notices were posted in the shop's windows, so anyone could have attended the hearing.