Habitat for Humanity Restore
Would you be surprised if we told you that some well-known Philadelphians can be found scavenging for cast-off decor treasures at the new Warminster warehouse? Whether you’re intent on saving the planet or your wallet, ReStore’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it selection of new and gently used furnishings is diverse and eclectic. A single shopping haul could yield a low-slung velvet couch, a Sub-Zero stainless steel refrigerator, and enough decorative baskets to populate Pinterest. 539 Jacksonville Road, Warminster, PA 18974, habitatbucks.org.
Bernie Robbins Jewelers
It’s only fitting that the Year of the Wedding have a worthy engagement ring. Now celebrating its 60th anniversary, this jeweler is home to a ring so stunning that it may draw attention away from your partner walking down the aisle. A nearly five-carat center diamond from the namesake collection is accented by colorless step-cut trapezoid diamonds on either side and set in a handmade platinum mounting. To have and to hold, indeed. Multiple locations, bernierobbins.com.
Buddha Babe
Kids’ clothes can often look so, well, childish. Tina Dixon Spence’s Buddha Babe appeals to style-conscious moms like NBC 10 meteorologist Brittney Shipp with deliciously soft baby essentials that pack plenty of personality, from the newly redesigned “Philly LOVE” theme to anything splashed with “Lil Jawn.” The store’s new sewing classes are some of the hottest tickets in town, with summer camp for kids and Sip and Sew sessions for parents quickly selling out. 7101 Emlen Street, Philadelphia, PA 19119, buddhababe.com.
The Story Coffee & Bookstore
With its whimsical wall installation made out of books and a cozy coffee-shop ambience (try a cortado), this new shop feels more like a work of fiction than a place that sells it. While the shop has a spiritual bent (it specializes in nonfiction focusing on history, faith and culture), it also houses new and used tomes from the likes of James Patterson and Robert Louis Stevenson. Proceeds benefit the Helping Hand Rescue Mission. 45 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003, thestoryardmore.com.
Latchkey
This quirky shop owned by a former DJ is all that and a bag of chips — the best place to relive your misspent youth or buy some gifts for the millennial in your life. Browse a curated selection of vinyl records (from Britney Spears to Das EFX) as well as items like custom bath bombs and turntables. In true ’90s fashion, there’s a listening station at the front, so you can try before you buy. 1502 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19147, Shoplatchkey.com.
Prajjé Oscar Jean-Baptiste
The Haitian-born, Fishtown-based women’s fashion designer — who stole the TV world’s most stylish hearts on Season 19 of Project Runway — produces gorgeously intricate, brilliantly colorful ready-to-wear and custom gowns, dresses and matching sets influenced by his former home. Don one for your next gala or wedding or simply for going to the grocery store — any way you wear it, you’ll demand attention. prajjeoscar.com.
Pacaso
Unless you’re really going to make use of that palace in Avalon all summer, buying a slice of one using Pacaso will save you a bundle. A one-eighth ownership stake in an Avalon vacation home will likely run you less than a million bucks, and you get to use it for up to 44 days a year. Want more time? Buy more shares. And Pacaso handles scheduling and maintenance for you and your fellow owners. pacaso.com.
3rd Story Philly
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that the people you love, dearly, can sometimes drive you up the wall. If you’re looking for a little more space, the folks at Third Story are for you. This team of architects, developers and builders does more than just plop another level on your house; they take the time to learn what makes your home special and incorporate that into the expansion. 3rdstoryphilly.com.
Jeremy Farson
Twenty-year roofing veteran Farson is quick to respond, shows up when he says he will — and oh yeah, he has a YouTube channel. Farson tours roofs, shining a spotlight on every major and minor problem — some from wear and tear and others that were clearly the mistake of the last dude who did the job. youtube.com/channel/UCCR2iOOP0tUh3jamkjyFzQA.
Tim Gleeson
If you’ve ever admired a cool design element in Yowie or the Deacon Hotel — powder-coated steel shelves, floating desks, a sculptural foam display case that looks both organic and cutting-edge — chances are Gleeson built it. The contractor and fabricator works on home projects, too, using the same visionary perspective for bars, bathrooms and built-in shelves. instagram.com/gleepglop.
Glow Lab
These glow pros deliver customized full- and half-body airbrush tans — that are cruelty-free and vitamin-enriched — out of their Cherry Hill boutique and in your own home, thanks to their mobile service. Now you can look slightly sun-kissed or Miami-bronzed without those skin-frying UVA rays. Goodbye for good, baby oil! 921 Haddonfield Road, suite B32B, Cherry Hill , NJ 08002, glowlabnj.com.
Primp & Play
Mini mani-pedis at Primp&Play / Photograph by Jeff Fusco It’s a genius concept: Mom gets a massage or facial while her little one is entertained with arts and crafts or mini beauty services like chocolate facials and glitter manis. Primp & Play is perfect for spa-day birthday parties, too — and no need to worry about stuffing goodie bags at 2 a.m., because your kid’s besties will make their own lotion, lip gloss or jewelry to take home. 1520 Locust Street, second floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102, primpandplay.com.
Powerhouse Dance
The beauty of Powerhouse Dance isn’t just that it’s adults-only (classes are geared toward those with some dance experience) or that pricing is pay-as-you-take (what grown-up can commit to full-year tuition?), but that the Cherry Hill Artists in Motion Dance Complex hosts a rotating schedule of classes every week — from heels and hip-hop to ballet and street jazz — that’ll get any “retired” dancer back, confidently, on the floor. 1742 Marlton Pike East, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003, powerhousedancesj.com.
The Clay Studio
When the Clay Studio moved from its longtime Old City home to a new four-story facility in South Kensington, it didn’t just expand its footprint. With gallery shows, free community Saturday art workshops, kids’ summer camps and adult classes, plus way more studio space and pottery wheels, there are now more opportunities for all of us to muck up our mitts. 1425 North American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, theclaystudio.org.
Kensington Derby and Arts Festival
The mud pit at the end of the Kensington Derby and Arts Festival / Photograph courtesy of New Kensington Community Development Corporation It takes a lot to get thousands of people to stand around in the pouring rain, but in the case of the Kensington Derby, rain makes the finale even better. After costumed teams have pedaled tricked-out homemade vehicles across three miles of obstacle courses throughout the neighborhood, there’s the pièce de résistance: the mud pit. Some make it through; others break down. Either way, the crowd goes wild. Kensingtonkineticarts.org.