Category: Business

Posted on by

New Business for Oxford Avenue

Nana’s Day Care is going to open up in the old state store building at 4721 Oxford Avenue. It was once the Hub Arcade and then a State Store took up some of it.  Oscar’s alley was popular for a time there.  During the 30’s if briefly housed WFKD, Frankford’s own radio station.

It has slowly gone down hill since the glory days. Now it enjoys a fine view of the drug dealers who patrol Oxford Avenue between Frankford Avenue and Griscom Street.

Nana has another location at Torresdale and Frankford Avenues.  The question is will this new site be a replacement or an addition.  So far no comment from Nana.

They bought the building a few years ago and have been doing a lot of work over the last 2 months to get it fit for use.

Nana’s Day Care new location at 4721 Oxford Avenue 

The first thought many people express about a new day care center opening is why can’t a better business get into these buildings.  Well if there was a demand, they would but right now there is not, so its economical for the day cares to move in.  While they are there, they keep up the building and that is much better than a dilapidated wreck.

This will be a tremendous improvement to the block, bringing a formerly blighted building back from the brink.

Posted on by

SEPTA Tokens on the Way Out

Say bye bye to SEPTA tokens.  This is the beginning of the end, starting next month  Get the details at the link below.

SEPTA to phase out tokens at subway stations – Story | WTXF

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Transit officials in Philadelphia say they will begin phasing out sales of tokens at subway stations next month.

Source: SEPTA to phase out tokens at subway stations – Story | WTXF

Posted on by

South End of Frankford Showing Some Progress

Took this picture today as I was out on my bike. It is the building right on the creek as your enter Frankford on Frankford Avenue (after crossing Erie/Torresdale Ave).

The building has been empty for years and is in a terrible state of disrepair. Well, people were in there working (you can see one man in the photo above the MZR tag). There are two dumpsters in the parking lot.

Additionally the DiPinto Caterers redo (across the street) looks to be almost complete, and the Domestic laundry was having masonry work down.

It is nice to see this investment in Frankford.

Posted on by

Have a Pretzel

You can get a really good pretzel, right here in Frankford.  It’s up at 5331 Oxford Avenue.  Pretzel Works has been there a long time baking pretzels and bagels for commercial customers.  Mike Naselsky, the owner, decided to open up a storefront window for people to buy retail and I stopped by to see what was happening.

Pretzel Works – 5131-37 Oxford Avenue

The pretzels are the old time Philadelphia style soft pretzels.  They are very good and you can pick up some bagels while you are at it.  The bagels are really good also.

Mike (right) and the guys in the bakery

Pretzels are 3 for 2 dollars.  Toppings are available.  Drop in and see those guys, say hello, have a pretzel.  Open Monday through Friday from 6 AM to 2 PM.  215-288.4002.

Posted on by

Why Does a Restaurant Need Bullet Proof Glass

Don’t know and don’t care

It isn’t really about restaurants though.  It’s about Stop and Go stores that are operating with an LCB license for a restaurant.  If they did not have that license, they would not be selling beer and liquor by the shot.  So, if they are doing that in violation of the regulations, their license should be revoked.  End of story.

Well no, not in Pennsylvania.  For some reason the LCB finds it impossible to enforce that regulation.  It actually falls to the State Police and must be a low priority to them.  Why the LCB can’t do it themselves has never been explained.

There has been a lot of controversy over the bill sponsored by Philadelphia City Councilwoman Bass that attempts to do what the State and LCB have never done, which is regulate these stores.  Sounds like a good idea.  Somebody should do something.  However, included in the bill is a requirement to take down the bullet proof glass in those places.  That is an overreach that just clouds this issue.

I understand how people feel when they go into a place where the cashier is in a cage. It makes you feel like you are in an unsafe neighborhood.  Makes you feel unwelcome and untrusted.  It makes me want to stay away from that store and that is what people should do.

If people are robbing the corner stores at gunpoint, it is unsafe but its shouldn’t be the government who decides what a business needs.  If you don’t like the store with the bullet proof glass with the cashier in a cage, stay away.  When enough people do that, the business will go away too.

Here are some of the places in Frankford, operating with an LCB Restaurant license.

4705 Frankford Avenue – Terminal Deli – License R254

 

4507 Frankford Ave. – License R254

 

4738 Frankford Ave. – License R7670

 

1640 Bridge Street – License R263