New Businesses in the Neighborhood

BELOW IS A SNAPSHOT of locally-owned and nationally franchised businesses that have recently opened their doors or will open in the very near future.

Blk Ivy Thrift & Vintage

Boba King

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop

Doro Bet

Carbon Copy

Cleo’s Bagels

CM Chicken

Delco Steaks

Freebird Greenery

Garces Trading Company

High Street Hoagies

Honeysuckle Provisions

Irie Entrée

KPOD

LaScala’s Fire

Lil Sum Sum

The Lucky Well

Madis Coffee Roasters

Maison Sweet

Misconduct Tavern

RadioKismet

Soul Greedy

Two Locals Brewing Company

Honeysuckle Provisions

Madis Coffee Roasters

Philadelphia’s First BlackOwned Brewery Arrives in University City in 2023

Two Locals Brewing Company has signed a lease to open Philadelphia’s first Black-owned brewery and taproom at 3675 Market Street in uCity Square. Two Locals plans to open in summer 2023.

Founded by brothers Richard and Mengistu Koilor, Two Locals got their start with a one-gallon home brewing kit in 2016 and won a silver medal from Philadelphia Home Brew club for their ‘Nubian Brown Ale’ only 3 years later. You can find their beer at various taverns like Local 44 and City Tap House as well as at Eagles games.

The Koilors are working with Wexford Science & Technology to develop the 6,000 square foot space at 37th and Market Streets, which will offer a food menu with bar mainstays as well as a weekly featured Liberian dish to pair with an expanded roster of craft beer. Their stouts, IPAs, lagers, and fruited tart ales strive to bring unique flavors influenced from their West African and Caribbean heritage. They will also continue to collaborate with local breweries to create featured beers, and will offer Pennsylvania-made ciders, wines, and liquors.

Beyond their food and beverage offerings, the Two Locals’ space will serve as a focal point to support community initiatives such as school supply drives, apprenticeship programs, and events featuring local artists.

Public Art in University City

Our 2.4 square mile neighborhood is a bustling center for innovation and is a nationally recognized as a hub for advances in science, research, and medicine. Cutting-edge discoveries originate out of 1.89 million square feet of lab space in research hubs including Schuylkill Yards, uCity Square, Pennovation, the University City Science Center, and Drexel’s ic@3401. Our confluence of labs, benches, and clinics contribute to Philadelphia ranking as the #8 cluster for life sciences research talent according to a June 2022 report from CBRE, who also ranked University City as the top North American tech submarket for rent growth from 2020-2022. Discoveries initiated in University City spark billions of dollars in economic growth and attract international attention in fields like biotech, robotics, and medicine. In 2022, 127 patents were issued to University City businesses and institutions, who also accounted for $930 million in NIH funding and have generated over $23 billion in cumulative R&D spending. With lab spaces occupied at a rate of 95.1% and much more inventory on the way, University City is poised to continue being a regional leader in innovation for years to come.

Research & Development Expenditures at University City Institutions

Source: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

Cumulative Research & Development Spending at University City Institutions

Source: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics