Photo courtesy of VIX Emporium/Chrissie’s Tea Cup.

VIX Emporium, the West Philly business specializing in unique handmade gifts and local crafts, will feature three local, Black-owned businesses at three pop-up shops on the first three Saturdays in May.

First up, on May 6, it will be Chrissie’s Tea Cup. Inspired by her late mother’s love of a good cup of tea, maker Wydia Becton combines organic herbs and traditional tea leaves to create her signature blends. Stop by the shop from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to try popular Zodiac teas as well as tea brewing and serving accessories.

Then Tote Jawn will appear at VIX on May 13. This local business offers an alternative to single-use plastic bags with their stylish canvas tote bags, all Philadelphia themed! They have different bags featuring each Philly neighborhood. Continue Reading

The popular Cedar Park buy local shop, VIX Emporium, is celebrating its 15th Anniversary this Saturday (Nov. 19) with a pop-up out front and special discounts and giveaways inside the store, located at 5009 Baltimore Ave.

The pop-up, featuring West Philly artist and entrepreneur Tracy Feldman, will be held from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tracy, who is the owner of the brand Atomic Pop Vintage, will present some of her own 60s and 70s inspired art prints, as well as some vintage goodies from her Queen Village shop.

Inside, guests are invited for special one-day AnniVIXary XV discounts. VIX will also give away its 2023 West Philly calendars to each customer, while supplies last.

“Thanks to all of our supporters for 15 great years on Baltimore Avenue!,” VIX owner and long-time West Craft Fest organizer Emily Dorn wrote in a special email message. Continue Reading

Many small local businesses have been hit very hard by the pandemic, but they’re holding on and some even have some exciting news to share with the community:

Lil Pop Shop Partners with Weckerly’s Ice Cream

From left to right: Weckerly’s owners Andy Satinsky and Jen Weckerle, and Lil Pop Shop owner Jeanne Chang (Photo by Megan Kelly).

West Philly’s Lil Pop Shop and Fishtown’s Weckerly’s Ice Cream, have recently announced a new partnership. Starting this Friday, April 16, Lil Pop Shop customers will be able to enjoy a variety of scoops and other ice cream treats from Weckerly’s. Over in Fishtown, Weckerly’s flagship shop (9 W. Girard Ave.) will offer a selection of Lil Pop Shop’s small-batch fruit and cream based-pops. Continue Reading

Mariposa Food Co-op (Archived photo).

More West Philly and University City shops have reopened in recent weeks or are reopening soon as Philadelphia has been slowly reopening under the Green coronavirus reopening phase. Restaurants have also begun reopening their indoor space. Check out some business news and updates below.

• Gift shop VIX Emporium (50th and Baltimore) is reopening to customers for in-person shopping this Saturday, Sept. 12 with COVID-19 safety protocols. The store will be open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and will offer private shopping appointments on Wednesdays (you can book an appointment for yourself and two guests here; a $10 deposit will be credited toward your purchase).  Continue Reading

The Inside of Zed’s Last Minute Gift Shop at 4501 Baltimore Avenue. Owner Pam Williams said she cut the space in half and will sublease the empty space to Adja Hair Braiding. (Photo by Annamarya Scaccia / West Philly Local)

We’ve all been there. A holiday, a birthday or some special occasion and we’re not only sans a gift, but we can’t seem to find a good place to pick one up at the last minute. And there we’re left, empty-handed.

That’s where Zed’s Last Minute Gift Shop comes in. Opened a few weeks ago, the new gift boutique, which replaced Rebel’s Closet at 4501 Baltimore Avenue, offers an eclectic mix of vintage and modern pieces that run the gauntlet of affordability. From artisan housewares and children’s items to handcrafted jewelry and trinkets, patrons can purchase a pop-top glass water bottle for around $5 or pick up an oversized mirror with a carved wooden frame for $300, depending on your gift-buying needs.

And you can guarantee that what you buy is unique. As part of Zed’s business philosophy, owner Pam Williams said that her shop will never carry the same item twice. According to Williams, once a particular item is sold out, like a cutting board or wine carafe, visitors shouldn’t expect to see that exact design or brand back in stock. Instead, Williams told West Philly Local, she will replace the product with a similar piece from a different company to “avoid repetition.”

Williams is still building inventory, though, and is looking for helpful input from the community she’s lived in for over 25 years. (At the moment, Zed’s only carries national and regional brands, but she’s open to looking at portfolios from local designers with a stationery line.) “We’re going a little slow. We had a soft opening because we want to know what the consumer wants. We don’t want to buy a lot of something that [people didn’t ask for],” said Williams, former owner of Cafe Pier One—what is now Atiya Ola’s Spirit First Foods. “Like our sign says outside, come in and take a look because we want to know what you think.”

She continued: “You don’t necessarily have to buy. Just take a look and tell us what you’re looking for, and if we don’t have it, we’ll see what we can do.”

Zed’s Last Minute Gift Shop is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

–Annamarya Scaccia