Stephen Teichman
Do you own a horse? Neither do we! But if you did, you could do worse for all your horseshoe needs than the former head farrier for the U.S. Olympic equestrian team. The Unionville resident has spent the past 40-plus years hoofing around the region, hammering and forging along the way. And while he just retired from the day-to-day horseshoe business, he’s still available for consulting. steichmanfarrier.com.
Philly's Fake-Injury Cops
As if the police department needed any more PR problems, the Inquirer reported that more than 650 officers — 11 percent of the force — are out on full-pay injury leave, many of them spending their “recuperation” doing things like running a roofing business or winning an MVP award in a slow-pitch softball league. This is the same department that just received a $30 million budget increase, mostly to cover — what else? — rising officer salaries.
Minimal Chaos
On family trips to the Middle East, Sarah Naji’s father spent hours scouring the souks for the perfect rug. The Point Breeze-based entrepreneur is following in his footsteps with her pandemic-born business. Naji sources hand-knotted works from Turkey and at local antique shops, prizing age (some are 100 years old) and clever colors. She even walks the walk: Her shoes are made from salvaged kilim rugs. minimalchaos.pink.
JKo Beauty
Last year, JKo Beauty founder Jennifer Kochenour launched virtual personalized makeup tutorials so that those of us who wanted to offset our masks with the perfect smoky eye could learn how from the safety of our own homes. This year, as one of the region’s top bridal makeup artists, Kochenour is busy with all those rescheduled weddings. But she still makes time — and is the best in the game — for makeup how-tos. jkobeauty.com.
Massage Bella Vista
First you'll choose your scented oil and your music, and then you'll be ushered into a dark, quiet treatment room where you'll meet your therapist. With any luck, you'll get Blue Simmons, whose expert hands will home in on your sorest parts like a missile on its target. After your 75-minute rubdown, she'll walk you through an at-home regimen to keep you loose between visits. 750 Fitzwater Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, massagephilly.com/bella-vista.html.
Anthony Guerrera at 02 Skincare Lounge
Fellas, here's the thing: The days when your gender was exempt from skin care are looong gone. Visit aesthetician Anthony Guerrera, who understands where you're coming from microdermabrasion sounds scary, but it doesn't hurt; extractions are a must; quality product is essential and will soothe and refresh your skin without breaking your bank. (Seriously, his almost constant discounts make a facial cheaper than a fill-up.) 1735 Chestnut St, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102, skincareloungespa.com.
Flywheel Sports
Last spring, we finally got to see what all the fuss was about when this NYC-based fitness brand opened not one, but two brand-spanking-new indoor cycling studios in our area. Then it finally clicked: the DJ-curated music, the tiered stadium seating, the TorqBoard stats to see, in real time, how you stack up against your neighborthis is why New Yorkers are so addicted. Were in. Multiple locations, 00000, philadelphia.flywheelsports.com/memberships.
The Wall Cycling Studio
Don't let the name fool you: What started as a small cycling spot in Manayunk has become a full-blown fitness studio. In the past year, it relocated to a larger, shinier space and added barre classes — including BYO Baby Barre, in which parents wear their little ones, Bjorn-style — and combo workouts that mix yoga with barre and cycling. And that's on top of unveiling a new Phoenixville location. Yep, they've been busy. (Manayunk and Phoenixville.) 107 Cotton Street, Manayunk, PA 19127, thewallcycling.com/index.html.
Bundy
As an authorized Apple dealer, Bundy -- in business for nearly a century -- does vigorous in-house testing on the rehabbed iPads it gets from a reliable source, and each purchase comes with a free 90-day warranty. But the "open box" items, which have only been used for demo or floor-model purposes, are the real steal: On a recent trip, we spotted a 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2014 priced $400 below nearly identical newer models. 1809 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, bundycomputer.com.
Philadelphia Fashion Incubator
Seventy percent of the brands run by former designers-in-residence at this program are still in business, with notable names like Printfresh and Prajjé Oscar among them. The 13-year-old nonprofit (which executive director Elissa Bloom calls more of an accelerator) gives burgeoning talents the real-life skills they need to become successful and sustainable. And PFI’s first shoppable storefront on Fabric Row seems like a fashion-forward move for future designers, too. 706 South 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, philadelphiafashionincubator.com.
Megan Boni
We admit that there are things about TikTok that still confound us. For instance, how a young woman from the Main Line can post a 19-second video of herself singing “I’m looking for a man in finance,” caption it “Did I just write the song of the summer?” and then have that become the actual song of the summer. It all happened to Boni, a.k.a. Girl on Couch, who tells us she’s signed a music deal with Universal. Modern living! instagram.com/megan_boni.
Ya Fav Trashman
Electeds may talk about cleaning up the city, but Terrill “Ya Fav Trashman” Haigler is out there doing it. (See: the 325 tons of trash he’s taken off Philly streets.) In two years, he’s gone from rogue sanitation worker to full-blown activist, business owner, nonprofit founder, writer (he authored a children’s book on environmental justice) and, yes, Philly favorite. Wanna fix Filthadelphia? Put this man in charge already!
Resting Gift Face
A Resting Gift Face care package. Photograph by Ian Shiver When coronavirus dried up their busy season, publicist Kylie Flett and event designer Donielle Powell pivoted to a new venture: rad gift boxes filled with ways to pass the time during the stay-at-home order. Their first run-through sold out, as did a second batch dedicated to moms, but the just-released ’90s kit (pictured here) is designed to make a Zoom or socially distant happy hour as fun as, well, the real thing. restinggiftface.com.
Style Box by Skirt
Skirt the fashionable Main Line mainstay has answered our busy-women prayers with its new service: Log onto the site, answer a bunch of style questions, and within a day you'll get the most exciting delivery of your week a pretty printed box packed with complete outfits pulled together just for you, plus an accompanying custom booklet explaining how to build each look. Pay only for what you keep. styleboxbyskirt.com.
The Center on Central
The curricula are vast and eclectic-everything from Spanish tutoring to fashion design to theater arts to wheel pottery to fitness to cartooning to glass bead-making-at this kid-cademy founded by bubbly owner Katie Opher and her husband Ron. The lively instructors also oversee summer camps and "date nights" at which parents can drop off their offspring. There are classes for special-needs kids, too, including art and music therapy and social-skill building. 24 West Central Avenue, Paoli, PA 19301, thecenteroncentral.com.