MANAYUNK LIVE|SHOP|DINE|PLAY
FALL 2016
Around The World And Back Again Culinary globetrotter Craig Wilson makes his long awaited return to Main Street.
Greek Sisters Bring International Fashion To Main Street There’s Something Cooking On Krams Ave. Your Guide To Manayunk Apartments
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Catering for events of all sizes • Great wines • Craft beers on tap • Seasonal cocktails • Artisan breads Outdoor dining • Market menu • Breakfast • Lunch Dinner - every day • Award-winning Sunday Brunch 4266 Main Street, Manayunk, PA 19127 | 215.487.2663 | WinniesManayunk.com
Catering
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4312 MAIN STREET MANAYUNK, PA 19127
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MANAYUNK magazine
LIVE SHOP DINE PLAY
AUGUST/SEPTMEBER 2016
contents
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Mark Your Calendar
“Fall� in love with our upcoming events.
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Sneak A Peek
Check out our sweet summer photos from the Manayunk Arts Festival and Hidden River Blues Festival.
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Cover Profil
Craig Wilson tells us about his journey that lead him back home to open two restaurants on Main Street.
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Now Open
New businesses are popping up along Main Street.
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LIVE.
Around Town
On the hunt for Manayunk Apartments.
Editorial + Production Editors Jane Lipton, Caitlin Maloney, Megan Douress, Joan Denenberg, Leo Dillinger Design Cantor Design, cantordesign.com Sales M7 Media 610.417.9261; bauerjim7@gmail.com Photography JPG Photography - jpgphotography.com Stephanie Nolt - snfoto.com Alexa Nahas - alexanahas.com 4
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Manayunk Makers
Just behind Main Street, something special is being made.
SHOP.
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Business Savvy
Two sisters with a worldly sense of fashion.
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Business Savvy
A software engineer turned cigar aficionado
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DINE.
Conversation With The Chef
Chatting with Charles Franzone III.
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PLAY.
Get Physical
Set Your Goals with Kasey Manwaring.
Manayunk Magazine
is published quarterly by the Manayunk Development Corp. Manayunk Development Corporation 4312 Main Street Philadelphia, PA 19127 215.482.9565 | info@manayunk.org
COVER Photographed by JPG Photography - jpgphotography.com
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The Bazemore Gallery | 4339 Main Street, Manayunk Contact us for a free art consultation • www.TheBazemoreGallery.com
100% Organic 4330 Main Street • Manayunk www.TheJuiceMerchant.com TOC.indd 5
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR details available at
Manayunk.com
monday
sunday
sept 18th FALL STREAT FOOD FESTIVAL
sunday
sept 19th - sept 30th FALL RESTAURANT WEEK
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The StrEAT Food Festival kicks off two weeks of Manayunk Restaurant Week with restaurants offering three courses at three prices - $15, $25, & $35.
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The StrEAT Food Festival returns with Philly’s best food trucks and vendors lining Main Street from 11AM-5PM.
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Oct 22nd-29th HALLOWEEN IN MANAYUNK
Join us in Manayunk for Halloweek! Trick-or-treating, costumes parades, carnival games and more will be taking place all week long.
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monday
sunday
nov 7th - nov 13th Manayunk Cocktail Week
Enjoy a weeklong celebration of the craft of the cocktail. Visit your favorite participating Manayunk bars and restaurants and take part in a variety of tastings, dinner pairings, cocktail competitions, and happy hours! Must be 21 OR OVER to participate.
Photos by JPG Photography (jpgphotography.com) Photos By Dave Scarpello
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THE ROYAL ATHENA
LUXURY APARTMENTS & FURNISHED SUITES
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CITY LIVING IN THE SUBURBS The perfect location to live, work and play. World-class architecture encapsulating the best in amenities and location. Studio, one and two bedroom stylish living spaces meticulously crafted to enhance your life. Every detail and every experience at The Royal Athena has been carefully designed to exceed your expectations. Photos By Dave Scarpello
Welcome to the only place you’ll want to call home.
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Private access bridge 24-hour resident clubhouse 24-Hour fitness center Pool and sundeck Business center and conference room Catering kitchen and private dining room Movie theater with private viewing lounge Bike storage and repair station Pet-friendly atmosphere On-site Heritage Trail
LEASING AND SALES CENTER NOW OPEN, VISIT US AT:
600 RIGHTERS FERRY ROAD, BALA CYNWYD, PA 19004 | 610.667.6767 | THEROYALATHENA.COM ONEILLPROPERTIES.COM MarkYourCalendar.indd 7 Towpath.indd 43
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SNEAK-A-PEEK Manayunk hosted its 27th Annual Arts Festival in June with artists and crafters in seven categories from painting and sculpting to mixed media and photography. Festival attendees came from all over the East Coast to get a glimpse of the finest art pieces around.
Photos by JPG Photography (jpgphotography.com)
Then in August, the 2nd Annual Hidden River Blues Festival took place at Venice Island. Concertgoers enjoyed music from six local acts and headliners Charlie Musselwhite and Samantha Fish. Here’s a peek at photos from both events by our friends JPG Photography.
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LIVE: SUB-URBAN CHARM
On The Hunt
Your guide to apartment hunting in Manayunk. By Jessica Jozwiak
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ith the recent development of two new apartment complexes in Manayunk, the Royal Athena and The Isle, and with an influx of new residents looking to call Manayunk home, we put together this handy apartment hunting guide. From renovated warehouse loft spaces to modern new construction, there’s an option perfect for every one and every budget. THE STATION
CANAL HOUSE
The Lofts At Chimney Hill 161 Leverington Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19127 If you’re looking for an apartment with undeniable character, look no further than The Lofts at Chimney Hill. “What makes this complex so special and unique is the industrial look with exposed beams and spiral ducts and large bright windows with polished chrome blinds,” Jackie Kaplan of Neducsin Properties said. There lofts come in several floor plans including studios, one and two bedroom units. Located on Leverington Street, the Lofts at Chimney Hill are just a few short blocks from Main Street on a quiet, treelined street with a neighborhood feel.
Canal House 4312 Main Street Philadelphia, PA 19127 You truly can’t get any closer to Main Street than living at Canal House! Situated right next to Winnie’s LeBus, these units sit right in the heart of the action. With steps leading right to the towpath and a fitness center in the building, exercise could not be more in reach, even 10
THE LOFTS AT CHIMNEY HILL
VENICE LOFTS for those with a hectic schedule. For the city workers or lovers, the Manayunk Train Station is a five minute walk door to door and the 61 bus stop is directly out front. “We have a small neighborhood feel, but still very urban and close to Center City Philadelphia,” explains Jami Woodward of Canal House. Convenience is at the forefront of Canal House living and perfect for those seeking a city and small town balance.
Venice Lofts 4601 Flat Rock Road Philadelphia, PA 19127 Industrial Age textile mills meet modern amenities in this complex making it a truly unique comfortable, yet luxe living space. Venice Lofts features a combination of loft residences and townhomes, each featuring high quality features and finishes. With huge walk-in closets, pet-friendly living, and floor to ceiling window walls, Venice Lofts is a highly sought-after residence nestled between the Schuylkill river and Manayunk canal. This complex is known for creating a neighborhood feel through their resident events. They embrace the attitude of brotherly love and are constantly pro-
viding opportunities to make new friends!
The Station at Manayunk 1 Parker Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19128 This complex shows that you can really have the best of both worlds living in a historic neighborhood and being just a short train ride to the city. The Station at Manayunk sits across the street from the Ivy Ridge train station — just a 15 minute trip to Jefferson Station in Center City. Or for those Main Line commuters, access to 76 is all but a mile away. Inside the Station at Manayunk, great amenities are available such as a shared bike program, balconies, garage parking, a 24-hour fitness center, and refreshingly unique architecture. Stop by for a tour and check out why they’re known for being a perfect balance between contemporary design and modern leisure.
Propper View Apartments 4368 Cresson Street Philadelphia, PA 19127 Another premier Manayunk property is Propper View
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410 SHURS LANE
PROPPER VIEW
ROYAL ATHENA
THE ISLE
Apartments, housed in an original 1888 era building that was originally home to Propper Brothers Furniture. The 18 apartments all features 12’ high ceilings, original hardwood floors, exposed brick in many units and stainless steel appliances. Located on Cresson Street, just above the Palm Tree Market so you’ll never have to go far for eggs or sugar. Other location benefits include being just a block walk from the Manayunk Train Station, extra basement storage for personal belongings and secure bike storage too. One and two bedroom units are both offered in his historic buildling.
410 Shurs Lane 410 Shurs Lane Philadelphia, PA 19128 An easy walk down the hill to downtown Manayunk, these upscale Euro-influenced apartments are ready and available for those looking to be close to Main Street, but in a more serene location. This once 19th-century factory space has been gutted and beautifully redesigned. “We tried to combine the original elements with the clean, modern feel of
new construction,” says Jason Dempsey of DP Partners. The renovated mill now features a gated parking lot, fitness center, and a courtyard with fi e pits, grills, and seating. With stunning interiors, unique exposed beams and soaring ceilings, 410 Shurs Lane is sure to impress.
ning river views. A pet lover’s dream, residents can bring Fido whether he is a Chihuahua or Great Dane without any breed or weight restrictions! The Royal Athena is available for lease as well as short-term corporate rentals.
The Isle Royal Athena 600 Righters Ferry Road Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 (Entrance On Main Street) Although the Royal Athena doesn’t have the Manayunk zip code, there is one feature that makes its residents feel as though they did. They have reopened a bridge exclusively for the residents to walk or drive down connecting the Cynwyd Trail to the Schuylkill River Trail leading right into the heart of Manayunk. This luxury apartment complex is a true extension of Manayunk offering a hotel feel while remaining immersed in the community. The Royal Athena boasts many stunning features inside the complex including a pool with grills and cabanas, a fitness center, screening room, clubhouse and stun-
1 Cotton Street Philadelphia, PA 19127 If water views from every room and a private bridge directly to Main Street entice you, then The Isle is right up your alley. Aside from beautifully designed modern units, the complex features swanky amenities such as a community deck on the Schuylkill, a large indoor fitness center, and green features. “Clean lines, natural light, and all-new everything gives each unit a contemporary vibe — in an openstyle living space you can make your own. There’s really nothing like it in the area.” says Ryan Kasperski, Brand Manager of Bozzuto. The complex located directly behind Main Street will be ready for leasing late 2016. In the meantime, you can schedule a tour by visiting their website. Fall 2016 | manayunk.com 11
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SHOP: MANAYUNK MAKERS
What’s Cookin’ on Krams Just beyond Main Street, entrepreneurs find a home of their own.
Photo courtesy Zsa’s Ice Cream.
By Ainsley Maloney
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Top photo courtesy Zsa’s Ice Cream. Bottom photo by Emily Wren Photography (www.emilyeren.com).
At Rittenhouse Farmer’s Market, a seven-year-old turns his ice-cream cookie sandwich from Zsa’s Ice Cream cart sideways and takes a long, rotating lick of the creamy vanilla middle. At Manayunk’s Hidden River Yarns, an expectant mother cradles an armful of soft lavender yarn and pictures the blanket she’ll begin knitting for her newborn. At a shower on the Main Line, a bride-to-be takes her very first bite of the decadent mocha chocolate cupcake, custom-made by N utmeg Cake Design, and closes her eyes in delight. What do all three of these customers— likely without knowing it—have in common? They’re all enjoying treats that have been handcrafted, baked, or packaged in a small section of industrial buildings, hidden off a one-way street, right here in Manayunk. From Cramped to Krams Back in 2014, Danielle Jowdy, co-owner of Zsa’s Ice Cream with her partner, Parker Whitehead, were renting the kitchen of a private school in Montgomery County. There, they created made-from-scratch concoctions to sell from their food truck and at farmer’s markets. Meanwhile, their wholesales to co-ops and artisanal markets were growing. “We were bursting from the seams, space-wise,” Danielle said. At the school, “we had limited hours to load because of buses. There was never a guarantee there wouldn’t be an extra-curricular activity. We needed a place of our own.” Meanwhile, just last year another business owner, Meg Skill, was easing into the launch of her specialty cake business, Nutmeg Cake Design, by renting the kitchen from Bakeshop on 20th on its off-hours. Though a wonderful start, Meg was ready for a more permanent setup. At first, she looked into commissary kitchens, rented by the hour. But, she said, “They’re still transient spaces. While that works well for people who make food in bulk—who can get in, make the food, and get out—it doesn’t work as well for businesses, like mine, that are customized and handcrafted. Wedding cakes can take 20 to 30 hours between baking and detailing. I needed somewhere where I could ‘set up shop,’ and work all night if I needed to.” Soon, both Danielle (through a connection at the Manayunk StrEAT Festival), and Meg (through an ad on Craig’s List) were connected to Matt Woodruff. Matt, at that time, was in the process of splitting his family’s large industrial building, located at 220 Krams Avenue and previously rented by LeBus Bakery, into six 500-to-700square-foot commercial kitchens. He was looking for tenants.
The timing, location, and setup were perfect. In late 2014, Danielle and Parker moved into one of Matt’s 700-square-foot un-finished kitchens that allowed them a blank slate to design their perfect space. Though it came with health code approved walls, floors, drains and sinks to get them started. Danielle and Parker purchased all of their own equipment and outfitted the space themselves. As for Matt, he made sure all the proper wiring was where it needed to be and provided to scale drawings, which made their kitchen design process smoother. “It has a 10-foot-by-10-foot walk-in freezer, a giant sink that fits full sheet pans for our ice cream sandwiches, and we worked with Matt to figu e out the best spot for our ice cream machine,” Danielle said. For Meg, in early 2016 she selected a fully furnished 600-square-foot kitchen in Matt’s building, removing the build out process completely and allowing her to move right into her new space and start baking. What Meg now pays in rent per month for her own fully furnished private kitchen is equivalent to what she would have paid for one week in a commissary kitchen. “Spaces like this are very rare in the city. It’s a gem of sorts,” Meg adds. Outside both their kitchens, is a huge parking lot, and quick access to 76—both major boons. “The lot fits our two ice cream trucks and delivery truck,” Danielle said. Meg adds: “If you can imagine loading wedding cakes on 20th Street with my flashers on, while Septa buses were going by,” she said. “N ow, I have my own permanent space. This location is ideal.” For Meg, her new central location has opened her business up to the Main Line providing a whole new market for her to reach. A Place of Their Own Without Matt, Meg and Danielle say, their dream of having a private kitchen space would have them taken years—if at all—to materialize. “At this point in my business, taking out a loan to build out a commercial kitchen space from scratch wasn’t an option,” Meg said. This is where having Matt as their landlord has been clutch. Since Matt previously used the space for his sister-in-law’s bakery, then Le Bus, he’s a health-code pro: he works closely with city inspectors to ensure the kitchens meet the health department’s regulations. He creates the blueprints, to scale, of each kitchen’s space and equipment. He compiles a list of the exact materials used throughout the building, down to the type of paint. And for some tenants he also collects procedures for cleaning surfaces and handling food, health department requirements, so they don’t have to worry about that. “We handle all of the things that Fall 2016 | manayunk.com
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Coming Together Meanwhile, one block down Kram’s Avenue, there’s a different type of business with a similar backstory: Kelbourne Woolens, a wholesale distributor of unique artisan Fibre Co. yarns to local independent yarn and craft stores across North America, including Hidden River Yarns on Main Street and Loop in Center City. Two years ago, Courtney Kelley and Kate Gagnon Osborn were operating Kelbourne out of a two-story historic home in Conshohocken. Their entire inventory was stuffed onto the second floo . “Our yarns are custom blends, and a lot of our colors are kettle dyed with really subtle variations,” Courtney said. “We were growing, introducing new colors every season. We needed a commercial warehouse space.” In December 2014, they moved into the 3,500 square foot warehouse at 228 Krams Ave., owned by Neducsin Properties. It offers everything: more space and a loading dock, which eases the delivery of their yarn, all imported from Peru and Ireland. Now, Krams Ave. is home to seven unique businesses that, just 3 years 14
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Laying Low Being somewhat of a hidden gem in Manayunk, however, also means being obscure from customers’ view. “That’s kind of the point,” though, Danielle said. Aside from picks-up for orders, the buildings are not open to the public. They are industrial buildings, not retail shops. Courtney recalls a time a customer made that mistake: “I remember, she came in, looked around, and—you could see it on her face, the look of, Oh my god, this is the WORST yarn store EVER! There’s crap everywhere. I can’t even look at the yarn, because everything is in bags!” Courtney recalls, laughing. While their location may be incognito, the true benefit of being in Manayunk is what the neighborhood offers them, personally, Courtney said. “In Conshi, there was nothing around us. Now, we’re so close to Main Street, it’s been nice to stop into Volo and get a cup of coffee. We have lunch at Lucky’s whenever we can—the guys know our French fry order (Main Street fries, no salt, sauce on the side).” Supporting small businesses is really important to Courtney and Kate. Even if the benefit is not direct—let’s face it: Lucky’s won’t ever place an order for a whole bunch of yarn, Courtney said, with a laugh—the impact is larger. “We make our money off of small businesses in small towns, and Manayunk does that better than anywhere else,” Courtney said. “We are here because of Manayunk. This building wouldn’t exist in other neighborhoods. So I guess you can say that we find it really important to support this Main Street because, really, we are working very hard to support all of the Main Streets, all across the United States.”
Left: Photography By Jessica Cooper Photography (www.jessicacooperphotography.com); Right: Photography By Anna Dianich.
would be really difficult for a typical kitchen to do,” Matt said. “If you’re not familiar, it can seem very daunting. We thought, why have everyone re-learn something that we can help them with very quickly?” It’s of little surprise, then, that over the past 3 years, Matt has attracted a wonderful group of tenants to his one-story horseshoe-shaped building, which he officially calls Manayunk Commercial Kitchens. In addition to Zsa’s and Nutmeg, Save Your Fork Cakes and Queen Bee Pastry, both custom cake designers, share a space. Peddler Coffee rents a unit for its roasting machine to stock its coffee shop near Franklin Institute. The Juice Merchant rents a space for its up-and-coming juice truck. Then there’s Pantry Boy, a Blue Apron for crockpot lovers. “They’re just a great group of tenants—they’re energetic, they’re active, and they’re always thinking about their businesses,” Matt said. “It’s been really nice to have them here.”
ago, were spread out across Philly, working in isolation and squeezing into schools and houses. Being in Manayunk offers them not only the private space to finally make their own, but also a built-in community. “It’s been awesome to be in Manayunk around other women-owned businesses,” Meg said. “And working alone can be isolating. It’s nice to pop over to Danielle’s and say hi.” Danielle adds: “We look out for each other. If someone gets a UPS delivery and isn’t there, we’ll grab the package. It’s nice to be in an area with people who are in the same industry.”
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Planning - Coodinaaon - Styling
Photos By Becka Pillmore
a little luck and a lot of love. clovereventco.com
M E L I S S A K E L LY P H OTO G R A P H Y
Left: Photography By Jessica Cooper Photography (www.jessicacooperphotography.com)
for all your moments, large and small
M ELISSAKELLYP HOTOGRAPH Y.CO M | 215-630-4387 | melissa@melissakellyphotography.com
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SHOP: BUSINESS SAVVY
Meet The Ladies Behind LILA
Sisters Lisa and Laura Anne Lamprou bring international fashion to Main Street. By Caitlin Maloney Photography By Melissa Kelly Photography (www.melissakellyphotography.com)
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ack your bags, you’re about to leave on a jet plane and travel across the Atlantic to the world of international fashion — welcome to LILA Fashion International, a new women’s fashion and lifestyle brand with international flair opened by sisters Lisa and Laura Anne Lamp ou. “The premise of our store is working with small talented designers who are based internationally and who don’t have the resources to have a presence in the US,” Laura Anne said. “We have the privilege of bringing them over here and sharing them with local shoppers.” But why international brands you ask? Long before they found their way to Main Street, the sisters’ story began almost 5,000 miles away in Greece where they were born and in Saudi Arabia where they were raised for most of their childhood. Though the sisters were raised abroad, you wouldn’t know it by your initial conversation with them — they have little to no accent at all. It isn’t until their mother calls from Greece to check in on the shop that the the sisters switch seamlessly to their first language. Their father on the other hand, is an American second generation Greek who was born in San Diego and met their mother in Greece while stationed there with the Navy. And at the international schools they attended as children, the base curriculum was taught in English and the electives were taught in the native language of the country. So, in Greece their core classes were taught in English, but their electives in Greek. “In both languages people are surprised that we don’t have accents, we get comments and questions about it all the time,” Lisa said. “I think that’s what happens when you are raised fully bilingually.” Growing up in Saudi Arabia, most people assume the girls grew up in a tent and rode a camel to school every day, Lisa joked. Though that was not the case, living abroad certainly gave the sisters a unique experience, specifically a fashion focused one. While living in Saudi Arabia, a
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conservative country, the girls were allowed to wear whatever they wanted, including shorts and bathing suits, in their two controlled environments — school and home. The only time they had to blend in with the locals was when they went to public places like the bookstore or mall when they had to put on their abayas, the black cloaks traditionally worn by Middle Eastern women, to show respect for the culture they were living in, Lisa said. “We could wear whatever we want and go and never had to think twice about what we were wearing underneath” Laura Anne said. “You could be wearing pajamas and throw the abaya over it, so as children we saw it as fun.” Abayas are often seen as restrictive, but the sisters say they saw it as liberating. The women in the Saudi Arabia really found a way to express their personal styles with abayas. “You could get them embellished with gemstones or rhinestones,” Laura Anne said. “These women are very put together and they pay a lot of attention to beauty with perfectly manicured nails and fabulous hair and handbags and it definitely rubbed o f on Lisa and I.” Culturally, fashion is looked at very differently in the Middle East and Europe. “You would never go in sweats anywhere,” Lisa joked.
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“We’ll never fully understood the sweat pant and flip flop culture, but we have actually assimilated now, I love Lululemon and would wear it everyday if I could, but then I’m reminded daily when my mom FaceTime’s me and says, ‘What are you wearing? That’s not ladylike, don’t you want to put some makeup on?’” Lisa still makes fun of Laura Anne when she gets dressed up to go to the supermarket, “That’s just me,” Laura Anne said. “Growing up abroad you see people put a lot of effort into how they present themselves.” In Saudi Arabia, fashion magazines are not a common site and any magazines brought into the country had anything deemed inappropriate blacked out — literally with a Sharpie marker, Laura Anne said. But when Laura Anne was in 7th grade, her teacher asked everyone what they wanted to be when they grew up, and without hesitation, she said she wanted to be a fashion designer. “I ended up going home and telling my mom and she opened up a magazine she brought from Greece and showed me Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana and other designers and at that point, the world sort of opened up to me and I’ve never been the same since,” she said. When Laura Anne was in high school, the family moved back home to Greece, and designer fashion became even more in reach. “There is a lot of weight to high end fashion designer brands in Greece,” Laura Anne said. “ We went to a school where there were a lot of wealthy kids who came to school wearing very high end designer brands. Those four years were a tremendous influence for me. While Laura Anne’s personal style is more high fashion, Lisa describes her personal style as more equestrian chic. “I did a lot of horseback riding, so for me high fashion was Ralph Lauren,” she said. “I wear a ton of really nice leggings with polos, I love over the knee boots in the
winter and equitation jackets. Hermes was huge for me because of the equestrian influence. As the fashionista of the family, Laura Anne always had her heart set on owning a boutique one day. Lisa on the other hand, was originally on a medical path when she realized the path she was on wasn’t making her happy anymore, so she went to Laura Anne and said, “Let’s open a boutique.” When it came time to bring “I don’t even know their concept to life, the sisters how we did it, I turned to 99 Designs, an online platform of graphic designers stayed overnight that bid on your graphic dein the store some sign project needs. It was over dinner at Jake’s and Cooper’s nights just to Wine Bar that Lisa and Laura get it finished. Anne looked through the submitted design concepts and saw their dream start to become a reality. Little did they know they were sitting diagonal from the storefront they would later call home. After opening an online shop in July 2015 and running a successful online store for almost a year, the sisters started testing their business in different markets throughout the Philadelphia region by hosting pop-up shops. “We were testing on the Main Line and a few other locations, but the pop-up shop we did here at Pineapple On Main was very successful,” Lisa said. “We had people come in one day and come back again the second.” Even though Manayunk seemed to be the right fit for their market, Lisa and Laura Anne weren’t really prepared to open a storefront at all. But with encouragement from a few other merchants on the street, they Fall 2016 | manayunk.com 17
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quickly connected with Dan N educsin and the day after their pop-up shop was over, Lisa got got a call from Dan saying that he had a space for them. “When I first saw the space, I’ll admit it left something to be desired, but I had a vision,” Lisa said. “I brought in Laura Anne and said to her, ‘Trust my vision.’” Once the lease was signed, it was on to designing the space. “We wanted it to feel feminine, sexy, and have an international component to it,” Lisa said. “We wanted women to come in and immediately feel like they could just be in here and live in here. We just wanted women to feel like it was a store made for them. We are here for you — we were made for you.” With a little help from local vendors including Philadelphia Woodworks, who build their cash wrap, Lisa’s boyfriend Edward, who made all the hanging racks, and their parents FaceTiming from Greece to share their opinion, the store quickly came together, almost overnight. “From the day we signed the lease on May 24th, it was exactly four weeks until we opened on June 25th,” Lisa said. “I don’t even know how we did it, I stayed overnight in the store some nights just to get it finished. When I look at it now, it looks like it’s always been like this and that is what makes me feel like I did a fantastic job.” When it comes to the clothing in their store, the sisters say they strive to bring in clothing directly from where they are manufactured and in the country of origin where they were designed. Their sandals are made in Cyprus by Cyprian craftsman and women, and their Vice Versa handbags are made in a factory in Greece that they visited themselves. They tend to work with designers who are very transparent and share pictures of their craftsmen and woman and how they make the products. “We want people to know that real people make these things,” Lisa said. “I don’t place a lot of orders July through September because that’s when most of these countries go on vacation so those factories close down.” Carrying items that come with a lot of longevity and not fast fashion pieces is also an important aspect for the sisters. “We try to curate pieces 18
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that are going to be timeless and an investment in your wardrobe. People need to start looking at clothes that way again, that’s not what the clothing industry ever was,” Lisa said. “Shopping truly is an artwork, it’s about knowing how to buy for yourself and what looks good on you and knowing what patterns and fabrics are quality and not mass produced.” As for the designers they carry, Laura Anne’s favorite without hesitation is Madame Shou Shou. “I feel like her designs resonate so much with my personal style. I love florals and embellishments and a lot of her pieces have an open back which I find incredibly sexy but demure,” she said. “I would wear every piece from the Madame Shou Shou collection in my everyday life. I think that’s how we choose everything in here, we couldn’t select anything we wouldn’t wear ourselves.” For Lisa, their wood sunglasses by Zylo Eyewear are a staple of her wardrobe. “The quality is impeccable,” she said. The sisters also sell their own jewelry collection in the store as well, all made from sterling silver and semi-precious stones, designed by them and produced by craftsmen and women in Greece. To find these unique items from around the world, Lisa and Laura Anne visit two shows a year - Pure London and TRANOI in Paris. “We not only have to market our boutique, but also market the designers we have since they aren’t as well known in the states,” Lisa said. “We have to explain why you should pick Madame Shou Shou over JCrew and Daddy & Fox over Victoria’s Secret.” Your stop into LILA isn’t just about the clothes, it’s also about the shopping experience they have created. When you walk through the doors, soft music plays from a playlist the sisters created, which features Parisian cafe music, Greek hymns and other international tunes. At the counter are chocolates and cookies their mother sends over from Greece and dog treats courtesy of the shop dog, Olivia Jane. “We try to make it feel like you are transported overseas for a small period of time,” Lisa said. “I want you to come in and indulge on a for-
manayunk.com | Fall 2016
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Dog Walking • Pet Sitting • Vacation Services
215-508-1903 4374 Main Street Manayunk www.toptailsdogwalking.com eign sweet treat and I want you for a second to be transported to Paris, London, Singapore, or Greece.” Though running the webshop was rewarding, being able to see the garments on customers in person has been the most transforming part of the job, Lisa said. “It’s great to see someone’s face light up when they come in and open the curtains and say they love it,” she said. “You don’t get that feeling online, they can write a review and tell you how great an item is, but it’s not the same.” The girls admit they have night and day personalities, and though they certainly disagree on many points, at the end of the day, they both love the business and each brings a set of valuable skills to the shop. Laura Anne is the creative mind behind the business, handling the marketing and media relations, while Lisa handles more of the business side, spending her days manning the shop. “Lisa definitely liaisons with the designers and handles the accounting, she is here doing the groundwork and interfacing with customers while I’m at work,” Laura Anne said. “For me, because of my agency background, I’ve been able to support with our public relations and social media efforts.” Not only do they have different personalities, but they also have very different body types and personal styles, but the one thing they have in common is their love for LILA and the clothes and lifestyle products they sell. You’ll often see them modeling their favorite pieces on their webshop and on their social media accounts. “We want people to see that we love these clothes,” Lisa said. “We pick things we think we look best in. I’m all about maxi dresses and knee length shorts and Laura Anne loves rompers and open back dresses, so we choose to model those on the webshop. We want people to know we love and back the pieces we sell.” For those they didn’t catch it, the name LILA comes from a mix of both sisters names — Lisa and Laura Anne. Fall 2016 | manayunk.com 19
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COVER PROFILE
What’s The Dish
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A Main Line native brings international cuisine and fresh Italian favorites to Main Street. By Caitlin Maloney Photography By JPG Photography (www.jpgphotography.com)
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hef Craig Wilson was a freshmen at Harriton High School when he first stepped into a kitchen. Though Craig grew up on the Main Line, his family didn’t have a lot of money, so when he wanted to play football, he had to figu e out a way to earn enough money to buy his own equipment. So, he walked into the Merion Cricket Club and asked for a job. He started as expected by washing pots, was promoted next summer to run the salad station, and then it was on to cooking hot food. “Lo and behold I didn’t know I was actually stepping into what would be a lifelong career as a chef,” Craig laughed. “I was able to watch what was going on around me in the kitchen and was just very curious about it because it had the whole vibe of competition and team work and on top of that I come from a very creative family, so cooking really hit both sides of my brain.” Craig spent time working at a lot of restaurants on the Main Line and in Philadelphia under European Chefs before he eventually found his way right here to Main Street, for the first time that is. He was the chef at Steven’s, which was located in what is now home to Castle Roxx and he also ran the kitchen at U.S. Hotel Bar & Grill 20 years ago. But after a few years on Main Street, Craig’s adventurous spirit got a hold of him and he packed his bags for Thailand for what would turn out to be a year and a half culinary experience. “I needed to be able to offer something unique as a chef because I didn’t have any formal training,” Craig said. “I was able to travel around Southeast Asia and picked up all these great cooking tools.” His most treasured skill, Craig said, is the way he learned to make Fall 2016 | manayunk.com 21
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fresh curry using a mortar and pestle, a trade he still uses today for dishes at MAYA.J. “Everyone goes to Chinatown to buy a bag of curry — I was taught to get all the elements and I grind them fresh every day,” Craig said. “Everything was made by hand and it was fresh and delicious.” In Eastern culture, the men often go out to catch the fish and women stay back and cook it, Craig explained. But when Craig joined the women in the kitchen after a day of catching fish, he quickly realized he was out of place. “They called me the ‘Giant Chef’ because all the Asian women were small and so were their counters,” he laughed. “They were teaching me how to make all this great food and I was teaching them how to make pizza dough and burgers because that’s what they wanted to learn to make.” Craig’s time in Asia had a huge influence on his personal palette and Thai and Vietnamese food continue to be his two favorite cuisines. “Thai food is up there, it doesn’t always get a fair shake,” he said. “But Vietnamese is definitely my favorite. I really just like delicious piles of fresh herbs and chillies, that’s really what it boils down to for me.” Shortly after coming home from his year and a half adventure abroad, Craig and another chef friend packed their bags again, and their bikes, and headed to Western Europe. They flew into Amsterdam, put their bikes together and set off biking across the countryside.
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“Our goal was to cook our way through Europe,” Craig said. “I’ve always been adventurous — I’m very nomadic.” They would walk into nice upscale cafes and restaurants and ask if they could peel potatoes, or other manual tasks, once inside, they would get to see how the brigade kitchen operated. “We would work for free for the day and then they would feed us dinner and we would be on our way,” Craig explained. “One night we actually slept behind a restaurant we were working on in the French countryside.” While in Europe, Craig spent a lot of time in Spain and quickly grew fond of the Spanish tapas style of eating. So upon his return to the states, he headed to New York City and worked as a chef and eventually opened a tapas restaurant of his own called Tasca. Now at MAYA.J, Craig still features tapas portion sizes, but is quick to explain why he calls his current menu small plates. “Tapas is specifically talking about Spanish food — it’s a word that’s indigenous to the Spanish culture — it’s all Mediterranean and Spanish style cuisine,” he said. “Small plates is just the word you can wrap around all of the different cuisines of the world. I’m giving you a little piece of that country when I turn out a plate from that cuisine.” Instead of spending $35 on one large plate, Craig said he loves small plates because it allows you to graze eat and have a little variety instead of being stuck with one giant plate of food.
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“We were struggling for a name for the restaurant, but we wanted to keep everything in the family so he threw out the name MAYA.J after his daughter Maya and son Jesse,”
After operating a few other restaurants in New York City and the Finger Lakes, Craig finally felt the calling to come home. His original plan was to move back to Philadelphia for just a short period of time before moving to Costa Rica and opening a restaurant, a dream he had for some time. He decided spending more time with family was best. “I was originally planning on getting a job as a chef, but the itch to have my own restaurant started again,” Craig said. After coming through Manayunk one day and seeing a for rent sign on the old Chabaa Thai building, Craig knew he was looking right at the perfect opportunity. “I really like Manayunk, I’m happy to be here,” he said. “I like seeing Tommy from Zesty’s and throwing back wine with Bruce [owner of Jake’s & Cooper’s], these are all guys I used to look up to and chefs I worked for when I was in my early twenties — they were the big restaurant guys, so it’s fun for me to be back on Main Street where I worked as a young chef and with the guys that worked so hard building this place up. I feel like I’m home.” If you asked Craig last year if he thought he would ever own a restaurant on Main Street, he would have laughed in your face, because that was far from the plan he initially had. But besides his family, another thing was keeping Craig in Manayunk — his now wife Jaqi. Craig met Jaqi right before opening MAYA.J and though Jaqi was a little concerned about his new endeavour — her father had been in the restaurant industry for most of her life — she knew it was something that Craig was meant to do, so she happily jumped on board for the ride. Jaqi now helps with the backend of the restaurant, handling marketing, accounting, and managing their staff. As for the inspiration behind MAYA.J, Craig joked that the current design was his fourth vision for the space. “When you walk into a place you have to figu e out what the space lends itself to — I looked around at the restaurants already here and looked at what the street needed, and with my small plate specialty I just thought that global plates with craft cocktails wrapped around it would be great, and it seems to be working well,” he said with a smirk.
Craig hasn’t been on his own with the new venture though. Besides Jaqi, Craig pulled in his longtime childhood friend Eric Weinstein as his business partner. Eric has proved to come in handy in more ways than one, the first, was in the name. “We were struggling for a name for the restaurant, but we wanted to keep everything in the family so he threw out the name MAYA.J after his daughter Maya and son Jesse,” Craig said. “Once I heard it, it stuck. It has a little ethnic sound to it as well, so it’s the perfect fit. Plus, I love the kids.” When it came time to crafting the menu, Craig wanted to make sure it hit a lot of areas if he was going to call himself global. “Some things I’ve made before and some things I hadn’t,” he said. “The mac and cheese, I’ve been making that for years and I have some secret ingredients in there that I’ll never share with anybody,” he said. “There’s a lot of people that make mac and cheese, but I’ll put mine up against anybody’s — it’s the only thing that I’ll be cocky about because I know it’s good.” Craig also knew it was important to offer a lot of gluten free and vegetarian options for Manayunk diners. “Manayunk is different in that it’s a big health conscious town now and the diners are getting wiser and smarter about what they are putting into their bodies,” he said. “We are going to keep expanding on that — my fall menu will include even more vegan and vegetarian options.” Beyond Craig’s regular selection of land, farm and sea based menu items, he also offers unique nightly specials. “I like to keep those fresh and moving and I’m going to be honest with you, I try to change my menu seasonally, but it’s really when I feel like everyone starts getting bored with it,” Craig laughed. “I want my cooks to be inspired and I don’t want them to feel like it’s boring or mundane and I want my customers to look forward to new items.” Not only are diners taking note of Craig’s unique menu, the press is too. MAYA.J was just named one of the best new restaurants in Philadelphia by Thrillist. And besides the noteworthy food, the cocktails are also getting some attention. Their craft cocktails are all skillfully made with fresh ingredients and homemade juices and syrups. “We just try to make Fall 2016 | manayunk.com 23
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good solid simple cocktails,” Craig said. As for Craig’s favorite menu item at MAYA.J, he recommends his Raman. “It’s the bomb,” he said. “I just think it’s beautiful and I love to make it — I take pride in the raman broth I make.” When not dining at his own restaurant, Craig and Jaqi often head to their favorite Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Ha on 13th and Washington. “Let’s face it,” he said. “We eat out most nights of the week at least two nights will be down there, otherwise at home we’re happy with white rice and a fried egg on top or our daughter Noelle will whip together some crazy delicious salad for us.” After just being open a few months on Main Street, Craig already started to get the itch again to have another restaurant and thought having a BYOB Italian place would offer people another choice on Main Street. So, when a restaurant went vacant just a few doors down from MAYA.J, Craig didn’t hesitate to scoop it up and Gigi Italian Bistro opened in August. “Part of it was offering a more simplistic understandable restaurant,” Craig said. “There’s a lot of funky restaurants on Main Street, but there’s just not anyone blowing out good mom and pop Italian food.” And Craig’s no amateur when it comes to Italian food. He owned and operated Union Block Italian Bisro in the Finger Lakes for seven years. “I turned a bookstore into a 50 seat restaurant and people would wait for three hours to eat there. I sold it to my manager and it’s still thriving and still killing it,” Craig said proudly. As for the menu at Gigi, it matches closely to the menu he created for Union Block. “I’m doing healthier versions of the old classic Italian dishes — a lot of fish, homemade and dry pasta and four of my speciality sauces,” he said. His four staple sauce options include his parmesan creme sauce, his long sauce, which is most similar to a marinara, and his short sauce, which is a quick pan made sauce with garlic and basil, and lastly he has his pomodoro sauce. There’s also the Gorgonzola cream sauce which is admittedly his favorite and he describes his bolognaise as “out of this world” — and we can’t argue that. For the pizza lovers, he also makes Roman style thin crust pizza including his favorite the Biacno. The dining experience at Gigi has all the comforts of home, big oversized chairs and cushioned benches for seating. The goal for Craig was 24
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to make it feel laid back. And how can we forget the Gigi’s lining the walls of the restaurant? To make it feel like a true family establishment, Craig reached out to his social media community to send in pictures of their Gigi’s (grandmothers) and the response was overwhelming — he’s still trying to get them all up on the walls. “I came home to be with my mother and my memories of my mother and grandmother were them taking care of the family and cooking for us,” Craig said. “So this is homage to them and all the mothers and grandmothers who worked so hard to cook and take care of their families.” For Craig, he’s excited to be back in the kitchen at Gigi, making some of his favorite Italian dishes, but he says it’s still fun to see MAYA.J grow. “I bartend one night a week at MAYA.J so I can see people and talk to them to get the pulse of the restaurant,” he said. For Jaqi, she thinks Gigi and MAYA.J are the perfect balance for Craig. “MAYA.J is his food playground, GiGi is the stability, so he has a nice balance between the two,” she said. “We’ve planted seeds here and want to be here for awhile — we bought a house up the hill and my parents even moved a few doors down.” Craig’s life is much more tame now than in his traveling days — he lives right up the hill from his two restaurants, he and Jaqi recently got married and baby number one is on the way, ready to join his two stepchildren, Noelle and Lucas. But, Craig has no plans of stopping yet and to him, his adventure on Main Street has just begun. “You have to understand that I knew what Manayunk was back in the day and when I came back here, I saw all this development that was going on and I see the revitalization happening right in front of me and I want to be a part of that,” he said. Since we opened both restaurants, Craig said other Manayunk businesses have been really supportive. The Little Apple, Pineapple On Main and Gary Mann Jewelers all dine at both restaurants often and have been helpful in getting the word out. Brandy from The Little Apple also gave Craig that great Manayunk sign for his photoshoot. As for what’s next, “we’re talking to some other people about some really cool ideas on Main Street,” Craig said. “We’re here long term, we want to grow with the community, we’re hunkering down for the long haul.”
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SHOP: BUSINESS SAVVY
SMoKE If You’ve Got ‘Em
How a former software engineer created a home for great conversation and lifelong friendships under the Manayunk Bridge. By Leo Dillinger Photography By Alexa Nahas Photography (www.alexanahas.com)
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t’s not easy moving to a new area and making potential lifelong friends, especially as a grown adult. Konstantinos “Kosta” Fotiadis learned this feeling firsthand after moving to Pennsylvania to begin a software engineering job at Lockheed Martin fresh out of college. “It sounds weird, but try going out and making a new guy friend this weekend. It’s really hard,” Kosta said as he reclined in one of the leather sofas at SMoKE Manayunk, his cigar lounge on Main Street. “It’s even harder on the East Coast versus Indiana where I’m from. It’s a very different culture.” Kosta opened SMoKE in December 2013 to provide a space in Manayunk where patrons could meet cool, interesting people from all walks of life and hopefully make a new friend or two by the end of the night. At the focal point of his business are cigars, the medium that introduced him to some of his closest friends. Back in Indiana and even early on in Pennsylvania, Kosta rarely indulged in cigars. Since moving to Manayunk back in 2006, Kosta attributes his love of cigars to three different sources. The first was Dan, his roommate at the time who knew Kosta was struggling internally to make those lifelong friends that he had back in Indiana. “Dan knew I was in a funk at the time. One day, he invited me to smoke a cigar in the backyard. I had a couple here and there before, but never really got into them,” Kosta said. “That’s when I realized how cool smoking cigars were. I went from being a weirdo in my funk of life to sitting down for an hour or two just to relax and talk. Inevitably, stuff comes out and you start processing your thoughts and get through them. We became really good friends and Dan’s been a big catalyst for all of this.” Dan may have sparked Kosta’s fascination of cigars, but it was an older man named Terry who really fanned the flame. Terry worked at a small cigar shop on Cotton Street and whenever Dan wasn’t around for a cigar, Kosta found solace in knowing that Terry was right around the corner. 28
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After seven grueling months of late nights, hard work,
and too much Papa John’s, the entire vision for the space was complete and SMoKE Manayunk officially opened on December 19th, 2013.
“Here was this 50 year old black man who would chill with me every Friday and Saturday night at six, seven, eight o’clock,” Kosta said. “We’d just sit around and talk about life together. It was always shocking despite our differences in age, race and religion how much we actually had in common.” And before SMoKE there was Ashes, another cigar lounge at the same location where Kosta met other cigar connoisseurs who later became friends. After less than two years of business, Ashes closed down and the building was vacant. But as one door closed on Main Street, another opened for Kosta in May 2013. Kosta had climbed the proverbial ladder at Lockheed Martin and eventually got to work from his current home on Hermitage Street. But the situation at the company began to turn sour as layoffs occurred every six months. Nervous about his own future, Kosta needed to make a decision whether to stick it out at his current job, move back home to Indiana, or find another way “I decided I was going to take some days off to ride my motorcycle, clear my head, and come up with a game plan,” Kosta said. “And it was the very first day, I’ll never forget it, I didn’t even get to downtown Philly. I came down from Hermitage and turned onto Main Street and as I turned onto Main Street, the landlord
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Photos By Alexa Nahas (alexanahas.com)
was hanging a sign in the window that said ‘For Rent’.” Kosta pulled his motorcycle over and got the landlord’s number. He put together a business plan and started calling up the regular guys from Ashes to gage their interest. One friend from Ashes, Joe Tomlinson, signed on as Kosta’s business partner along with two other friends from Indiana, Derek Smith and John John Chuang. Soon enough, Kosta’s friends and many aficionados from Ashes came on board to help out in any capacity they could. Kosta signed the lease right away and the team went to work on “building the dream” at 4453 Main Street. After seven grueling months of late nights, hard work, and too much Papa John’s, the entire vision for the space was complete and SMoKE Manayunk officially opened on December 19th, 2013 But one week prior to opening, there was one tiny issue: no cigars. Being so focused on construction and redesigning the space, Kosta had not even considered ordering the inventory or the additional work behind actually running a day-to-day business. Once his first batch of cigars was ordered, Kosta looked around at different POS systems that could handle his business. After speaking to other shop owners, he found they didn’t really like their current systems even though they had spent $6,000 to $10,000 on it. With a background in software engineering, Kosta figu ed why not build his own? What started out as a “glorified spreadsheet” soon became a full-blown operating system that now runs every facet of SMoKE. It’s worked so well for Kosta that the project has become a second business venture for him. Everything from automatic inventory and payroll updates to sale transactions, Kosta thanks his “Hellas B.A.E” (“Hellas” meaning Greek, Backend Analytics Engine). “I call it my Bae,” Kosta said with a laugh. “It makes my life so much easier. It manages the shop. It keeps everything here going smooth and it handles everything from clocking in to inventory. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but for any small business owner, nobody wants to get the call on Friday afternoon when you’re out of town that you’re out of this or that. So it’s been really helpful.” The first weeks after opening the shop were anything but glamorous. Kosta was a one-man staff working 12 hours each day with just four different cigar companies and 15 hookah flavors. Today, Kosta now has a legitimate staff of specialists who “know more about tobacco than probably 90% of the world” along with a humidor that holds more than 500 different cigars from 40 different brands and about 80 different flavors of hookah. Kosta also dedicates much of his business to serving the
community from helping out North Light Community Center to organizing fundraising events for The Veterans Group every third Tuesday of the month. But the highlight of SMoKE is the dialogue among patrons. Even though many cigar lounges don’t allow controversial conversations on their premises, Kosta embraces it. So much so that he’s starting up a program on Monday nights strictly dedicated for discussions surrounding politics that many are too afraid to dive into. “The difference between us and 99% of cigar shops out there is we’re not just a place where you can buy a cigar,” Kosta said. “We’re this lounge space that accommodates those conversations, hangouts, and learning whereas most cigar shops tend to have a backroom that has a lot more cliquey crowd. We have plenty of space. Come in. Sit down. Chill out. There’s somebody here to teach you about cigars if you’re new to them.” N ow that Kosta has managed to find those lifelong friends after more than a decade in Manayunk, he wants to help others achieve the same. At SMoKE, you can strike up a random conversation with someone, but small talk is only useful for about five minutes. Soon enough, you’ll find yourself in one of the deepest exchanges you’ll ever have in your life. And if you’re lucky, you might just make a new friend by the end of the night. That was Kosta’s goal from the start. “The whole reason this place exists is because I moved to the Philadelphia area and after living here for ten years, I hadn’t made lifelong friends. My lifelong friends were still in Indiana,” Kosta said. “Tobacco introduced me to this opportunity where I made new friends. I thought Manayunk needed something like that. It does. It works. People crave meeting other people.”
M sp of an ev m fo
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Millay.in
Photos By Alexa Nahas (alexanahas.com)
Introducing the newly renovated Canal Lounge, Manayunk’s premier event space. It’s perfect for groups of 25 to 125 people, for any and every event. Contact our event coordinator, Melissa at mgregory@bourbonblue.com for details. BOURBONBLUE.COM Millay.indd Smoke.indd 3331
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DINE: CONVERSATION WITH THE CHEF
Chatting With Charles Franzone’s continues its 60-year family tradition in Manayunk By: Leo Dillinger Photography By JPG Photography (www.jpgphotography.com)
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harles Franzone III was a month away from starting a dream job in California when he first noticed the former Pat and Bobby’s Manayunk Steaks location at 114 Levering Street. After looking through the window of the vacant building, Charles imagined a new future for himself that would continue the 60-year legacy of his family’s business. Since 1955, the Franzone name has been synonymous with family-style pizza when Charles’ grandfather opened their first pizzeria in Bridgeport, PA. Now more than half a century later, Charles’ uncle has taken over the original location and his dad has operated a second shop in Conshohocken well before Charles was even born. “I grew up in the business. My dad worked 90 to 100 hour weeks. I was always there after school doing my homework sitting at a booth,” Charles said. “Growing up in it, it’s become second nature. I’m almost more comfortable there than I am laying on the couch at home.” Even though he was on the verge of a huge break with the new job opportunity, Charles called his dad after seeing the property at the corner of Levering and Cresson and told him that if they could acquire the building, he would cancel his California plans and open a third restaurant under the family name. It took nine months to renovate the space, but Charles and his friend/ manager Matt Jacobson officially opened Franzone’s Manayunk on April 7, 2015. Charles, now 26 years old, learned to grow up at a much faster rate during that process. He knew the product and the brand, but running a business, managing employees who were also his friends, and maintaining a reputation that reflected the quality of the other Franzone’s locations were his greatest challenges. “Because the other stores are so successful, our standard is so much higher. We’re always going to be compared to the other two stores, and even those stores get compared to each other,” Charles said. “For me, it’s being tedious about the recipes, being tedious about how things are getting sent out, how things are packaged, what it looks like. It sounds simple but because we have that other store, it’s a blessing and a curse. The name is there, the brand is there, the marketability is there, and the product is there, but now you have to measure up to all of that.” Charles’ Manayunk restaurant may not be as big or as well established as the other two locations but after more than a year of being in business, he’s taken notice of what works and adjusted the menu to fit the clientele. If you’ve never had Franzone’s before, Charles recommends trying their homemade soups, cheesesteaks and other sandwiches, and of course, their pizza. You might take a step back when you first see a Franzone’s pie. But rest assured, the notorious sauce swirl on top of the cheese is no mis32
take. Charles’ great-grandmother came up with the sweet sauce recipe back when the original Franzone’s location used to be DeJohn’s Steaks. Because of its sweetness, the sauce is spiraled on top of the pie to compliment the homemade dough and cheese blend. “Manayunk now sells itself, which is cool. Everybody’s out and about looking for new things to try,” Charles said. “I knew we had something special because we’ve been in business for 60 years. I knew that the one thing we were going to be able to bring to Manayunk that it didn’t already have was that home family restaurant. We’re strictly here to bring the best pizza to Manayunk.” One of the perks of a family business is the diverse clientele. Some are longtime customers who used to frequent the Conshohocken location and are thrilled to have a Franzone’s in their own backyard. They’ll tell Charles fascinating stories about the other Franzone family members and make the connections. Then there’s the new customers, the ones who move to Manayunk and immediately fall in love with their food. They’re
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“I knew we had something special because we’ve been in business for 60 years. I knew that the one thing we were going to be able to bring to Manayunk that it didn’t already have was that home family restaurant. We’re strictly here to bring the best pizza to Manayunk.”
the culinary influencers who can’t help but spread the word, like the college seniors who pass the tradition onto the underclassmen. Charles’s end goal is to become that neighborhood staple where residents say with pride, “This is where we get our pizza.” “We want people to know that we care about our product more so than probably most people because it represents a family,” Charles said. “My last name is Franzone. When I hear people talking about our food, I take it personally. It’s a reflection on me. It’s a reflection on my dad. It’s a reflection on my grandfather. It gets deep because of how long it’s been around where it’s something that you can’t buy into.” Charles admires the tight-knit community that Manayunk has to offer and the fact that living in close quarters on a hillside really forces both old and new residents to coexist. Being a part of a long-standing family business really put the neighborhood into perspective for him. Charles witnesses the transition of the neighborhood and is excited to play a part in a new generation of business owners. “It’s funny now to think in five or ten years we’ll ask ourselves, ‘How did we ever not have a store in Manayunk?’” Charles laughs. “It was the perfect next step to keep things going and keep things fresh. It rejuvenated some of our older family members. It brought a justification for them where there’s a whole new life now. It could go on for another 60 years.” Charles opened Franzone’s Manayunk to pay homage to his grandfather, his father, and all his family members who’ve helped establish the restaurants’ superb reputations. It’s a symbol of the family’s hard work coming into fruition. Charles was ready to leave it all behind when offered the job in California, thinking that it would be his big break. Ultimately, he turned it down and hasn’t felt any regret because he knows he made the right decision in the long run. “To sum it all up, family is first no matter what. Any business has to make money and it’s there to make money, but this is a family business,” Charles said. “Our family is strong. It’s one unified family among all three stores and I honestly believe that’s why we are still successful because the competition is friendly. You’re never going to find people in your life who are going to be better to you than your family.” 34
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GoalsFit – The Gym That Makes Manayunk Your Playground Kasey Manwaring preps Manayunk locals for the Philly Marathon and more. By Noel Bartocci Photography By Stephanie Nolt Photography (www.snfoto.com) Twenty minutes into meeting Kasey Manwaring, owner and coach at GoalsFit on Main Street, she says something honest and funny. However, she stops herself in fear of sounding like she doesn’t take her work seriously or put maximum effort into every interaction. I egged her on to finish the thought, inherently knowing that there’s nothing damning about what she’s about to say – not about her or anyone that’s achieved success under her guidance. I mean, just hearing about the marathons, triathlons, and feats of strength that she’s accomplished in the last decade or so, one would never assume that she’s ever taken the lazy route. I simply found it funny and rather telling that she never wants her colleagues or clients to think for a second that they don’t get her all even when she’s just candidly talking to me in a coffee shop. This commitment to success and clarity is a standard that Kasey has applied to every aspect of her life. After this brief exchange, I immediately understood the appeal of her training style – Kasey lives it. She’s a teacher by example. What did she say exactly? I’ll get to that.
K
asey grew up in N ew York, proudly graduated from St. Joseph’s University in 2001, and quickly became a Manayunk resident thereafter. While continuing a 36
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coaching expertise comes in putting the right group together, and not career in sales, she would stay grounded in the community by taking just pushing them. If her and her trainers do it right –they’ll only have serving shifts at Castle Roxx and conducting personal training sessions to push so much before the team starts pushing each other. The energy with friends, slyly trying to get them into running. Staying active in the and encouragement is shared, like an orchestra of musicians as opposed area, even when work took her all over the place, allowed her to be the to a single drummer. productive people-person she loved being. You Should Be Running is a program that capitalizes on the team “I loved the feeling of knowing everyone in town,” she said, also adding dynamic and meets weekly to practice and inspire one another. What that all that time spent locally helped when she finally went into business makes You Should Be Running unique are the programs, which are built for herself. “Being a resident, working and playing (in town) attracted great around specific goals. For example, by the time you read this article, people from the start…the energy (of Manayunk) is my favorite thing.” there’s a group of runners who are either about to achieve (or just reOf course, the start to which she’s referring is 2008, when she would cently did achieve) a goal. leave her established career in sales and follow a dream. Fueled with the This past May, YSBR began the Marathon track, specifically designed confidence of hometown familiarity and the clientele she had built on the as a 6-month training program for the Philadelphia Marathon on Novemside, she started GoalsFit’s and opened its first location o f of Shurs Lane. ber 20. There was also a YSBR program that started at the beginning of The first few months of GoalsFit’s official existence coincided with the September, designed towards the goal of completing the Philadelphia Phillies winning the World Series. As a small business owner, Kasey had a Half Marathon on N ovember 19. Pictures of the runners are often on slightly different perspective of this historic event. “I was so stressed out display at GoalsFit headquarters on Main Street, positively praising those initially, because everyone kept cancelling on me,” she explained. As palbravely taking the challenge. There are also full season programs with pable as the buzz of victory was in the air, it resulted in a little too much which you can begin or hone your running skills, but it’s helping others local partying and a dip in her training appointments. I mean, we’ve all conquer those illusive, specific dreams that keeps Kasey been there — when you’ve got that much celebrating to going. Witnessing someone begin at zero and reach one do, sometimes fitness takes a knee for a minute hundred is every bit as inspiring as you’d assume. Regardless, it was a time in the city when anything felt Encouragement is also a major part of Kasey’s training possible. In hindsight, that must’ve been a magical time “it’s a manageable style. The validation and recognition of accomplishment to start a new chapter, especially one so fitness-focused. is something that should never be undermined. We don’t This is just conjecture on my part, but I choose to beplace…you can exist in bubbles and neither should some of our loftier lieve that that kind of positivity floating around helped goals. In addition to the teams pushing and working with nudge people towards trying what they once considered get your hands one another on the track, there is a Facebook group of impossible — like maybe, running a marathon. current and former teammates. The group has become a Throughout her own passion for marathons, the Philaround it.” wonderful space where members encourage one another adelphia and Boston marathons to be specific, Kasey as well as a share tips that work for them. Essentially, would often take notice of the signs along a course. Not upon completing a program, your support system just just loved ones holding them up in support for their rungets bigger, helping you maintain your new fitness-positive lifestyle ners, but also the runners wearing messages on their shirts. Whether it Maybe running isn’t your thing, but you’re digging the idea of being said their name, “I love you, Mom” or a foundation they’re supporting, it’s part of a team and pushing yourself forward. GoalsFit also offers personal often a positive and/or inspiring message. Kasey, believing that running is training and bootcamp classes all week long, specifically designed to burn arguably the easiest way to start getting fit (as well as the easiest activity to calories, increase strength, and build endurance. All the amazing guidance get hooked on) had an idea about what she would want her shirt to say. one can get towards a specific goal is not simply relegated to marathons. Her shirt would read - You should be running… GoalsFit also wants you to be the best you can be – all the time. It was meant to provoke inspiration. If someone watching these athWhether classes meet at Venice Island, the Roxborough Track, or Goalsletes passing by, assuming that they can’t do it, sees her shirt and absorbs Fit’s location on Main Street, the one thing you can rely on is using the the declarative suggestion — then maybe, just maybe, they’ll give it a outdoors as your gym. Kasey is not content with a small, enclosed space shot. What began as a simple message and point of contemplation, You and feels that the world can easily be your playground. These kinds of Should Be Running became the award-winning program for all skill levworkouts in natural settings around town also teach members how they els it is today, having grown in size and success over the last few years. can stay fit by simply getting out there and being active. You don’t nec“I have to say it, sometimes it’s harder to train just one person versus a essarily need a new fangled machine to climb when you’ve got bridges, whole group — wait, maybe I shouldn’t say that,” Kasey blushes when hills, and staircases that seemingly reach the heavens in Manayunk. she realizes we’re documenting this conversation. I encourage her to fi When I ask Kasey about her relationship with Manayunk, what keeps ish her thought, since I had an idea of where it was going — especially her here, and her programs flourishing, she starts by reiterating that she how it conveys the exact opposite of what she’s afraid of putting across. loves the energy of our neighborhood. She adds, however, that, “it’s a When you’re one-on-one with someone, it’s your job to encourage manageable place…you can get your hands around it.” and inspire him or her in real time — which can be a physically and The excited light in her eyes as she explains this to me informs many emotionally exhausting endeavor. You have to give more than 100% of the professional goals she’s accomplished and will accomplish. She simply by virtue of having to give extra to inspire more out of your clididn’t stop at just enjoying her neighborhood and its people, but she ent. That makes sense, even by the standards of my shaky math. With a merged her love for it with a love of staying active. She got her hands group, however, some of that energy is spread across the team dynamic. around every nook and cranny of Manayunk and made it her personal When you share a goal with a group, you become accountable to every gym. Even better than that, she invited all of us to experience it with her. member of that group. It’s more akin to planting a seed of inspiration I honestly believe that this is why GoalsFit and its leader deserve every and letting it flourish as opposed to squeezing it out of someone, all ounce of credit and praise levied their way. on your own. Both are effective, but in a team situation, a lot of the 38
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NOW OPEN By Abby Panetta It’s been a busy summer in Manayunk as new restaurants and boutiques opened their doors. Check out these new Manayunk additions next time you’re on Main Street. LILA Fashion International (4386 Main Street) Greek sisters Lisa and Laura Anne Lamprou source international apparel and accessories from designers around the globe and feature them in their shop which opened this past June at 4386 Main Street. Shop in store and online at www.lilafashioninternational.com. Threads on Main (4353 Main Street) Manayunk’s newest fashion retailers, Threads On Main, opened this past August in the space that was previously home to The Little Apple. Owner Anna Purcell ran a successful blog, Thoughts on Threads, before opening her first retail location on Main Street which features designer clothing and accessories for women. Gigi Italian Bistro (4357 Main Street) Manayunk gained a new BYOB with the opening of Chef Craig Wilson’s second Manayunk restaurant, GiGi Italian Bistro (he’s also the owner of MAYA.J just a few doors down.) Grab your favorite beverage and pop in to Gigi to try Chef Craig’s famous short or long sauce.
Salon L Manayunk (4120 Main Street) Salon L’Etoile has closed their doors and has moved down the street and reopened as Salon L. The new location has a fresh look and more space, but the same great staff. Besides their amazing hair treatments, the new salon also features a makeup and brow bar. Parking is also offered on site for customers during the duration of their appointment. The Little Apple (4361 Main Street) After a few years in the original location, owner Brandy Deieso, packed up and moved the store just a few doors down to it’s new home in the space previously housing JL Racing. With the new space also came the addition of new merchandise a fresh look for The Little Apple, but don’t worry, Brandy still carries the longtime Little Apple brands we know and love. Tubby Robot (4369 Main Street) Coming soon! We are eagerly awaiting the opening of Tubby Robot just like you, but we promise, it’s worth the wait. We had our own personal flavor sampling and we can’t get enough of Tubby Robots unique flavors.
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