Beyoncé BeyGood Grant Recipient Kimberly McGlonn on Her Favorite Philly Places and Things
Through her West Philly upcycled clothing brand Grant Blvd, she advocates for sustainability and decarceration.
Grant Blvd founder Kimberly McGlonn. Photograph by Jauhien Sasnou
English teacher turned Jenkintown borough Councilwoman Kimberly McGlonn advocates for sustainability and decarceration through her West Philly-based upcycled clothing brand Grant Blvd. Here’s what the recent Beyoncé BeyGood grant-winner can’t live without.
Favorite Things
Good-luck charm: The sodalite bracelet I picked up from Nepal-Tibet Handicrafts on South Street. My 12-year-old daughter insists I wear it daily — for balance.
Kimberly McGlonn’s sodalite bracelet. Photograph by Jauhien Sasnou
Piece of clothing: Definitely my gray cropped “End Mass Incarceration” tee.
Beauty essentials: Rose water facial toner and rose oil hand cream from Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s beauty essentials. Photograph by Jauhien Sasnou
Indulgence: Long baths with Gold + Water Co.’s salt bath soak with lavender. So relaxing.
Role model: Maggie Walker, who’s a huge badass. She was the first Black woman to charter a bank, used that capital to create jobs for Black women in fashion, and started a newspaper — all before the 1930s.
At Home
On my desk: A pencil cactus, a few books I aspire to actually read, a box of Hot Tamales, and a Makeba “Keebs” Rainey-designed vase featuring Nina Simone.
Kimberly McGlonn’s desk. Photograph by Jauhien Sasnou
Morning ritual: Meditation, stretching, and then some morning affection from my daughter.
Prized possession: My book collection. I have works signed by Toni Morrison and Barack Obama next to lots of vintage texts from some of the most significant Black thinkers, writers and activists of the 20th century.
Current project: Season 2 of my podcast, The School for Disrupters, where I interview community leaders committed to systemic change. The conversations always leave me feeling optimistic and challenged.
Out and About
Favorite place for a beer: Triple Bottom Brewing for the Training Montage IPA. It’s tropical, with a crisp finish.
A beer at Triple Bottom Brewing. Photograph by Jauhien Sasnou
Pizza from Down North. Photograph by Jauhien Sasnou
Favorite restaurant: Kurt Evans’s pizza joint, Down North. His ingredient combinations remind me of Milwaukee, where I grew up.
Favorite boutique: Grant Blvd. [winks] Our Warm Weather ’21 collection is a line of zero-waste all-white garments that use antebellum imagery to connect slavery and fast fashion.
Favorite coffee shop: La Colombe, but not for their coffee. The peppermint cardamom tea is everything.
Carmel-by-the-Sea. Photograph by Bjoern Schmitt/Getty Images
Next vacation: A long weekend getaway to Carmel-by-the-Sea for a super-intimate beach wedding.
Published as “Fashion Statement” in the May 2021 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
