Treehouse Coffee Shop
Tongue-in-cheek Treehouse claims to grow all its produce and coffee and espresso beans on its roof and milk its own cows up there! It also includes this warning on its website: "Caution, we have lost a couple cows over the edge of the building. So heads up when you park out front." The most laid-back, kid-friendly, Bible-studying, guitar-picking mom-and-pop place to nurse a cuppa joe with some homemade pastry in the entire Philly 'burbs. 120 West Merchant Street, Audubon, NJ 08106, treehousecoffee.net.
Bottle Shop at Local 44
The expertly curated bottle list includes everything from the newest local seasonals in the wall-length coolers to $60 Belgian rarities upstairs on the "balcony." Plus you can drink a cask ale as you browse. 4333 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, local44beerbar.com/bottleshop.htm.
Commerical Snow + Ice
When winter hits, these guys hit back harder, even if that means clearing trickier spots the old-fashioned way with a shovel in hand. Just ask the dozens of schools, townships and businesses that trust them to get the job done. Call or see website for consultation, 00000, philadelphiasnow.com.
Vivi G. Shoes
Before youre actually captured by the covetable selection of footwear, youll be supremely charmed by how, well, pretty the store is: all creams and ivories, with large, cushy sofas and banquettes, and spaced-out shelves not crammed with inventory. Youll feel inspired to browse leisurely and try on thoughtfully, and heartened to buy that pair (oh, lets be serious those pairs) calling your name. And the selection? Pucci. Marc by Marc. Betsey Johnson. Kate Spade. Juicy. Rafe. Cancel your appointments. Youre gonna be here a while. See website for locations, 00000, vivigshoes.com.
Superior Shoe Repair
A daunting thing, handing over your fussiest footwear to this decidedly un-fussy shop. But you neednt worry: Theyll fix whatever the Philly pavement ruined (screw you, cobblestone!) and return your precious pumps (or what have you) the same day, with new heels and new soles, and polished to perfection. 138 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, .
Shop Sixty Five
Sidle up to the bar yes, an actual bar and take in what lies before you: a floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall matrix of drool-worthy designer denim from Hudson, Diesel, True Religion and more. Try on as many styles as youd like, but default to the staff their specialty is eyeing you up and down (in the nicest way possible, of course) and finding the perfect fit. 53 West State Street, Doylestown, PA 18901, shopsixtyfive.com.
Workshop Underground
You'll find a handful of watches peppered throughout Ruben Luna's shop, but the real cache is his collection of 300-plus hard-to-find timepieces (a rare Jaeger-LeCoultre, perhaps?) and he's willing to part with (some of) them. After an initial consultation, Luna, a former design director for Movado, will set up a private shopping appointment at which he'll show you his finest treasures. 1544 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146, workshopunderground.com.
Sherman Brothers
Brothers have been in the shoe biz since 1953, and it shows: Their solid selection (Red Wing, Cole Haan, Wolverine, Alden), frequent sales and helpful staff turn casual shoppers into regulars. Call or see website for locations, 00000, shermanbrothers.com.
Zembo Temple of Skate and Design
When you get bored with showing off your moves on this quirky skate shop’s indoor skateboarding ramps and other equipment, they also host yoga — as well as concerts and comedy. And thanks to a new renovation, Zembo is even bigger and better. 2011 Amber Street, #2, Philadelphia, PA 19125, zembo.square.site.
Fink's
The longtime Northeast Philly shop expanded into Center City last year and showed a whole new audience that the city's very best Italian hoagie comes on a seeded roll with chopped (not sliced) provolone and the gotta-have-it secret ingredient, olive spread. (Center City and Northeast Philly.) 132 South 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, finkshoagies.com.
Gold Million Records
This nifty shop is an homage to vinyl, and a must-stop for diehard collectors, come-lately hipsters, and anyone looking for a present (bowls and clocks made from old albums) for a record fan. Or just a place to show the kids what the world was like before iTunes. 851 West Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, goldmillionrecords.com.
Shoe Museum at Temple's podiatry school
Yes, there are many, many famous museums in Philadelphia. And there’s also the Shoe Museum at Temple’s podiatry school. Mummer shoes. Baby shoes. A locker room with athletes’ shoes. You get the picture. Looking for other always-free museums? Try Fireman’s Hall Museum, the Science History Institute, and the Institute of Contemporary Art. 148 North 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, podiatry.temple.edu/about/shoe-museum-temple-university-school-podiatric-medicine.
9th Street Bottle Shop
Buying wine (or any alcohol, really) in Pennsylvania is generally a pain in the butt. The Di Bruno Bros. Bottle Shop in the center of the Italian Market sweetens the deal with a curated selection at a range of price points, all of which can be opened and glugged across the street in DBB’s sunny piazza. Bring takeout from any of the surrounding restaurants, or grab some chips and tinned fish from Di Bruno’s shelves. 920 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, dibruno.com/9th-street-bottle-shop.
Hakim’s Bookstore & Gift Shop
The city’s oldest Black-owned bookstore is still going strong, selling new and old African American-focused literature — from biography and history to children’s books. 210 South 52nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19139, hakimsbookstore.com.
Tonewood’s Slow Saison Series
In a world flooded with IPAs, Tonewood Brewing’s Slow Saison collaboration with beverage consultant and forager Danny Childs stands out as an exciting exploration of our region’s terroir through the seasons. From the piney notes of the staghorn sumac in the fall’s release to the powerful punch of persimmons in the spring, each beer in the series showcases locally foraged botanicals presented in a way that will make you think differently about nature and beer. Locations in Barrington and Oaklyn, New Jersey, tonewoodbrewing.com.