Thursday, August 28, 2014

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

9,999 Villages? One village decides to 'test waters, head off on own'

Fair trade handmade gift shop frantically searching for replacement village to keep name intact. "We just think it's time we did our own thing," said a village representative. "It was an amicable separation...sort of."

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Developers vague about how residents will access condos atop billboard

Above: New plans for 205 Race Street include "several" residential units high atop a controversial billboard across 2nd Street in the shadows of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. This would be the first residential billboard project in the United States and only the fourth in the world. When asked how residents would access the billboard condominium units, the developer replied, "Very carefully. Like, we mean, very carefully." If the billboard access ladder is to act as the main entryway for residents--a logical assumption--city officials would like to see rungs placed every six to eight inches for improved ascent and descent safety. "Having more rungs on the pole ladder will make moving furniture into the building much more pleasant," said one official.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Dunkin' Donuts kiosk opens inside Center City Dunkin' Donuts

Philadelphia--A Dunkin' Donuts inside a Dunkin' Donuts? This is exactly what a java-seeking patron will find on the 1600 block of JFK Blvd in the city's bustling office district. The new downtown doughnut kiosk is the nation's first located within a Dunkin' Donuts store--most are found in airports and malls. The Massachusetts based coffee chain is expanding rapidly in the Philadelphia area, quadrupling the number of locations over the past fifteen years from a scant 25,000 in 2000 to over 100,000 by early 2014. (The company would not comment on the number of new DDs opened since January, but the city estimates it at around 15,000--for a total of 115,000.) There are 48,236 DDs in Center City alone. "We wanted to expand without expanding," said Dale Hightower, chief financial officer at Dunkin' Donuts. "Does that make sense? We can expand and offer lower franchising fees without growing our real estate holdings or rents. This is very innovative stuff." The kiosks will be independently owned and operated from the host Dunkin' Donuts store. The company also acknowledged there are times during the business day when coffee/doughnut demand is so overwhelming that a supplemental kiosk will ease the strain on host store employees. After the first week of business some customers reported feeling confused by the new stand emblazoned with the bright DD logo. "I walked in and the people at the kiosk were waving me toward them, but so too were the employees at the counter of the store. It was very ... odd," said Sarah Beckner of East Falls. 

Friday, August 8, 2014