Local businesses are now starting to show up on Google Maps along with some information about them. I’m guessing they’re pulling the info off of sites like yellowpages.com and citysearch. It may not seem like a huge deal but it really is if you’re like me and are curious as to what’s going on around you. Case in point, I knew there was some kind of boat building thing going on at the Dye Works but I haven’t really found the time to inquire about it, let alone go and take pics and get info on it. But boom, google’s done it for me. Here’s the Philadelphia Wooden Boat Factory. They offer boat building projects with hands on learning to help Philadelphia’s youth succeed. Also, I drive by Unity and Wingahoken almost daily but never knew that there was Haydon Bolt Co producing, well… bolts. There’s also a few oddities out there, like the title “Birds Birds Birds” with no other info next to St Mark’s by Sellers and Frankford. I can’t imagine we have an aviary here. There’s more than a few tips that deserve their own posts. Check it out, and find me the titans of the dry cleaning and laundry parts industry.
[link] Google Maps – 19124
Birds, birds, birds is a big store and they sell pets, mostly birds. They always have something interesting in the window. It’s a pretty big store.
Birds, birds, birds has been there a long time, I remember them back in the 80’s. But weren’t they across Frankford Ave????
I think you’re right, they started out in a smaller store on the other side of the street. They took over the two store fronts that were a linen store on the other side when they moved. Sometimes they will have some birds out front in a cage and the wild pigeons will stop by to say hello to them.
Birds is a pet store that has been on Frankford for many years opening in the early 80’s on the east side of Frankford Ave near Margaret and Orthodox Street. Owner then was Jonathan Kim who is a reverad in the Korean New Life Church. He was a war hero and a former President of the Korean Business association. He is trained in the singing of Korean opera and in martial arts. He ran the store with his wife Joan. It later moved to the east side of the 4400 block of Frankford Ave in a small building they purchased. When Shwartzman’s linen store closed they moved into their current location where you guessed it they sold birds and other exotic pets along with feeder animals, dogs, cats, reptiles and feed. They also sold alot of aquariums and supplies. They rented the other building to a man who ran a rescue mission giving out food, after he was evicted for refusing to purchase insurance as required by his lease Joan opened a pet wash business but several attempted robberies caused her to feel unsafe there and she closed it. The current building is huge with several sub basements it is like a labirynth down there. There were thousands of wooden sheves in the basement where Shwartzmans used to store linen. The boards from those cedar shelves have been used to build hundreds of beautiful hand crafted dog houses with shingled roofs sold at the store. There is an amazing huge apartment over the store and a large area that was at one time rented to the now defunct Frankford style Community Arts Organization for dance studio and performing arts space. There were Summer screen movies held there and a monthly dinner and show were held there for two years around the time the Lion theater used to be at St Mark’s church. Jon and Joan have moved on to Ministry work in rural China. They left the store to some friends from China to run. The store is not the great place it once was but still operates with a limited stock and far fewer animals. It was always Jonathan’s dream to open an indoor animal attraction in Frankford however the evil trolls in City Hall wouldn’t allow anything that cool to happen in Frankford so no permits no project. At one time BBB’s had probably the most inventory and sales of any store on the avenue I am guessing.
That’s right, I forgot about the pet shop. I knew that was there, I was confused because google street view opens up onto Griscom Street which I guess is the back of the store.
I remember them now, I think I bought some mice from them back in grade school at St. Joachims. Thanks for the background. It proves that you never know everything about anyone.
Talking business, there is a Phamaceutical company in Frankford that employ 600 to 700 hundred people with a good paying jobs. I guess only a small percentage of employees that reside in Frankford.
Here is the address and web site:
URL Pharma, Inc. (Orthodox St)
1100 Orthodox Street
Philadelphia, PA 19124
http://www.urlmutual.com/url_home_Landing.aspx
Yes, the back of the store is on Griscom behind the buildig that used to be a Salvation army store on Sellers and Griscom which is now the Temple of Faith Church.
I think it would be interesting to read a monthly story highlighting the merchants on Frankford Ave both the individual owners and the store with a history of that business. It might encourage neighborhood shopping if residents got to know the stories of the struggle under the el. Like one of the submissions I once read in a Frankford plan slogan contest during the 90’s; ” Frankford, we are not as bad as you heard.” lol
crazymommy, if you want to spearhead that we would love to put it up. The great things about Frankford is the immense depth of information out there that can be written about. But there’s only so many hours in the day for us to pull stuff together.
Yes I see your point but I am not much of a writer. I would be happy to try to figure it out some way , it seems like a free way to get publicity for the Ave perhaps the BPBPA would like to help.
There is a blue moon coming on Thursday New Years eve! It won’t really be blue, it just means the second full moon in a month. We won’t have another blue moon on New Years Eve until 2028. Everyone in the U.S should be able to see it. So keep you eyes to the sky and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!! !!!!
crazymommy that’s funny, cause we’re not very good writers either. But you know seem to know a lot about the businesses that have been in frankford. More than my father or I. You could just post the stuff on the message board. Just regurgitate whatever comes from memory. We could take it from there, if you have any good info on current businesses, maybe we could head down there and take pics or whatever.
I’ll see what I can come with?
Whatever, no rush, we’ll be around.