As COVID-19 spread in Philadelphia continues to slow down, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf included the region in the list of 12 more counties allowed to move from Yellow to the Green re-opening phase beginning Friday, June 26. The Green phase allows re-opening of all businesses, including limited indoor operations for in-person businesses, such as hair salons, restaurants, and gyms/spas (at 50 percent occupancy and by appointment).

Masks are still required when entering a business and social distancing protocols must be followed.  Continue Reading

UPDATE: As of Wednesday, June 17, event organizers raised over $4,000, which will be split among participating businesses. To keep the momentum going, University City District will match the next $1,000 raised through the Virtual Dollar Stroll.

The annual Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, the celebration of local businesses and community, was supposed to return on June 4th. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the community couldn’t physically gather to enjoy the tastes and sounds of the Stroll. So here’s some great news: the event organizer, University City District (UCD), has just launched an inaugural Virtual Dollar Stroll where you can support over 30 local businesses.

Here’s how it works:  Continue Reading

Booker’s Restaurant is ready to welcome outdoor diners on Baltimore Avenue (Facebook photo).

Starting today, Philadelphia restaurants and cafes can re-open for outdoor dining as part of the City’s Phase 1 (Yellow) coronavirus re-opening plan.

Some West Philly restaurants that have outdoor seating have already announced their plans to re-open. For some, customers will have to reserve their table in advance, but for others, reservations are not required. All restaurants have to follow the City’s guidelines on how to serve customers safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, including limited seating, 6-foot distance between tables, wearing masks for both customers (unless they are seated) and staff.

Restaurants that don’t have an outdoor dining licence can request an application. Go here for more information.  Continue Reading

There’s a new map out showing more than 150 Black-owned restaurants in Philadelphia and the region.

The project began when local food writer and editor Kae Lani Palmisano put together a database of Philly restaurants open during the coronavirus pandemic. In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, the focus shifted to Black-owned restaurants. The project is crowdsourced and the map was created by South Philly resident and IT specialist Charles Rumford, according to BillyPenn. As the database keeps growing the map will also get updated.  Continue Reading

Small businesses that were damaged or sustained losses during the recent civil unrest can benefit from a new program – the PHL Emergency Business Insurance Support Initiative.

The collaborative program, launched by City Councilmember Allan Domb, the West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative (WPCC), The Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia, Inc. (Barristers) and other community leaders and officials, connects recently impacted small businesses with insurance professionals and lawyer-volunteers recruited by Barristers to help owners review insurance policies, assist with filing claims, and review claims already submitted to ensure accuracy. The volunteers will meet with the small business owners through virtual platforms to assist with their needs.  Continue Reading

Today Philadelphia entered the “yellow” coronavirus re-opening phase, which allows in-person sales at retail stores with some restrictions. Food trucks and limited walk-up service at cafes and restaurants are also allowed. Outdoor dining at restaurants is not re-opening this Friday while the city is still working on safety guidelines, which are expected to be released by next week. Outdoor dining is now expected to start operating by June 12.

The City released Re-opening Guidelines for businesses and institutions last week. While stay-at-home orders are lifted in the yellow phase, residents should still follow safety practices, like social distancing, wearing facial coverings and more. Check out the city’s “Safer at Home” guide for more information and instructions for the yellow re-opening phase.

“This move to yellow is welcome, but it is not by any means a return to normalcy,” Mayor Jim Kenney said last Friday when the guide was released. While public gatherings up to 25 people are allowed in the yellow phase in the state of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia authorities are still not recommending gatherings of any kind.