Kilimandjaro Restaurant is set to reopen on the 4300 block of Chestnut St.

UPDATE (9/3/2024): Kilimandjaro’s grand opening at 4301 Chestnut St. is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. Visit the restaurant’s Facebook page for updates (@kilimandjarorestaurant).

Here’s some great news for lovers of West African cuisine. The popular Senegalese restaurant Kilimandjaro is set to reopen soon on the same block of Chestnut Street but in a new building. The restaurant will reopen at 4301 Chestnut St., on the ground floor of a new, recently completed apartment building.

Kilimandjaro owner Youma Ba (right) meeting with Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, at Youma Restaurant. (Facebook photo)

Kilimandjaro, owned and operated by Youma Ba, a Senegalese-born businesswoman, operated on the 4300 block of Chestnut since 2005 but closed in early 2022 because the strip mall where it was located was being demolished to make room for the new apartment building.

Kilimandjaro will reopen next door to the recently opened urban discount supermarket, University City Grocery Outlet.

Youma Ba also owns Youma Restaurant on the 4500 block of Baltimore Avenue.

Stay tuned for more details on the reopening. You can also visit Kilimandjaro’s Facebook page for updates.

Photo courtesy of UCD

One more time this year, community members and guests have a chance to enjoy deals from local businesses at the bi-annual Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, which returns this Thursday, Sept. 5.

The second and final Dollar Stroll of 2024 will take place from 5-8 p.m. when guests are invited to stroll up and down Baltimore Avenue between 40th and 51st Streets for one-night-only $1, $3, and $5 deals on food, drinks, merchandise, and more from local businesses and neighborhood vendors.

While strolling along Baltimore Avenue, also don’t miss on fun and entertainment, which is a big part of this event. Here’s what’s happening this Thursday:

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Innovate Capital Growth Fund, an SBIC fund sponsored by The Enterprise Center, has recently announced its first investment: a $2 million equity investment in EMSCO Scientific Enterprises Inc., a West Philadelphia-based distributor of research laboratory supplies and equipment. This investment in EMSCO’s growth strategy will hopefully allow the company to become a world-class distributor of choice for researchers across the globe.

EMSCO is an African-American owned enterprise which has been in business for more than 40 years. The company recently opened a new 70,000 square-foot biorepository/freezer farm facility in West Philadelphia devoted to the processing and storage of human/animal cell and tissue samples for use in cell and gene therapy and immune-oncology research.

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Chai Nashta, an Indian cafe, is coming soon to 4520 Baltimore Ave.. We don’t have a ton of info on Chai Nashta yet, but it’s exciting that the space that until recently was occupied by the shaved ice dessert shop Ice Cave hasn’t stayed empty for long. Ice Cave closed its doors in late spring.

The location on Baltimore Avenue is very close to two popular Indian/South Asian cuisine spots – Desi Village Restaurant (4527 Baltimore Ave) and Mood Cafe (4618 Baltimore Ave). We can’t wait to try Chai Nashta’s drinks and treats and hope the new cafe will be a great addition to the local food scene.

We’ll let you know about the opening date and other details when they become available. In the meantime, follow Chai Nashta on Instagram.

Here’s some exciting news coming from the Shop Penn district this summer.

Later this summer, Cork & Candles will be opening a new store at 3421 Walnut Street, bringing the candle making experience to University City. Cork & Candles, a family-owned small business, is a BYOB candle-making experience that invites guests to create, drink, and connect while hand-pouring custom candles.

“Our mission at Cork & Candles is to create a space where friends gather and have the opportunity to build connections while partaking in a creative experience,” says David Straub, Co-Founder and CEO of Cork & Candles. “We believe everyone is creative and we love helping people tap into that side during their time with us.”

At Cork & Candles, guests can gather with friends and explore a scent library stocked with over 60 unique fragrances, creating a custom blend to craft a handmade candle that is truly one-of-a-kind. Guests can also take part in novelty candle classes that rotate monthly. In addition to classes and candle-making experiences, guests can shop a retail section and purchase candles created in-store. While taking part in the candle-making activities, guests are invited to BYOB (wine or beer) and indulge while enjoying a hands-on and creative experience!

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UPDATE (8/10/2024): The Garden Court Eatery permanently closed at the beginning of August. The space is now empty.

(7/1/2024): A popular local business, the Garden Court Eatery, is permanently closing after more than a decade of operation. The sign in the window says that everything in the store is 50 percent off before it closes. The Korean-American run business, located on the ground floor of the Garden Court apartment complex, has been a local spot not only as an eatery and grocery store, but also has been known for its nice selection of craft beer.

A GoFundMe campaign was launched by community members a few days ago to help the business. The reason for the store closing is due to “building managers refusing to renew their lease,” according to the message posted by the fundraising campaign organizer, Mohini Dutt, on GoFundMe. The business has been experiencing problems with the building managers for a few years, partially due to the construction of an additional apartment building on top of the store. There have been other campaigns to help save the store in the past few years.

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