Shopping - Shopping & Services

There’s no sales tax on clothing in Pennsylvania! Now that I’ve got your attention, let’s get to some of the places you can splurge on the latest (and cutting-­edge) fashions that come straight from the runway or from some avant-­garde artist’s fevered imagination (see South Street). Your home can get a whole new lease on life courtesy of Philly’s couture decor. In Old City/Center City, you’ll find a number of shopping meccas that will appeal to all ages, preferences, and budgets. There are upscale boutiques on Rittenhouse Row, store after store of sparklers on Jewelers Row, valuable and vintage finds on Antique Row, and the fabulously funky South Street (celebrated as “the hippest street in town” in a hit song of the ’60s).

A short drive beyond Center City, you’ll find a bounty of boutiques lining the historic cobblestone streets of the highly strollable neighborhoods of Manayunk and Chestnut Hill. Then, of course, you don’t want to miss the must-­do destinations of King of Prussia Mall in Montgomery County and Peddler’s Village in New Hope, Bucks County.

In this chapter, I have organized the shops by geographical locations (e.g., major shopping districts such as “Jewelers Row” and “Chestnut Hill”). Keep in mind that, to make it easier to pursue your own areas of interest, some shopping categories such as “Antiques” and “Kidstuff” are explored in chapters of their own.

Shopping - Antiques

For many years, Philadelphia’s Antique Row—spanning Spruce to Lombard, 9th to Broad, later extended to 10th and 11th Streets from Spruce to Locust Streets—was “the” place to shop for vintage treasures. Quite frankly, the row has seen better days and not all of it is quite as well kept as it used to be, but there are still a number of stalwart shopkeepers who remain, among them some who continue to operate highly reputable, esteemed, generations-­old businesses. If you are planning to visit Antique Row, keep in mind that the majority of the shops don’t open until 11 a.m. Not all are open every day, so check before you go.

Shopping

Everywhere you look you’ll find evidence of the abundance of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. It’s in the displays of homegrown fruits and vegetables at farm stands tucked away on narrow back roads. Look for hand-­lettered signs offering just-­gathered brown eggs, goat’s milk, homemade root beer or birch beer, and oven-­fresh baked goods.

Some of the stands work on the honor box system.

You also can find the wares of lots of local growers and crafters in one convenient place at one of the area’s extensive, historic, and fun-­to-­shop farmers’ markets.

The abundance is as much artistic as it is agricultural. You can see it in the multicolored quilts, with their intricate patterns. It is in the masterfully crafted furnishings, toys, and decorative pieces that come from the barns and basements that have been converted into workshops.

Many of these home-­based businesses are owned and operated by members of the Amish community (upward of 80 percent at last count) who, due to soaring land prices, have had to turn to public commerce for their livelihoods. Some operate their own cottage industries, ranging from small shops staffed by family members to factories that offer employment opportunities to other members of the community. Others hire non-­Amish distributors to market their products to customers across the nation and around the world.

Statistics cited by local authorities on Amish life note that while the rate of failure for other American small businesses exceeds 50 percent, it is only 5 percent for those that are Amish-­owned. Even more surprising is that 20 percent of Amish businesses are owned by women.

Due to religious considerations, most Amish- and Mennonite-­owned businesses (both small and large) are closed Sun. Operations that are open on that day will be specified in the text.

Shopping

Nowhere is Pennsylvania Dutch Country’s juxtaposition of old and new, plain and fancy, frugal and lavish more apparent than in its range of retail options, from out-­in-­the-­woods rustic markets to hole-­in-­the-­wall, one-­of-­a-kind mom-­and-­pop boutiques; from tiny workshops, studios, and galleries of artists whose names you’ve yet to learn to as-­far-­as-­the-­eye-­can-­see stretches of name brands in huge outlet malls. And if you’re into antiquing, wear your comfiest sneakers and eat a big breakfast to fuel you up for a busy day.