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.
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.
Woodrow’s Sandwich Shop
Forget those hard-breaded, limp-lettuced sandwiches that are commonplace on party platters. The options here are inspired (condiments include bacon-cranberry jam and long hot aioli), classic (there’s a roast pork hot tray) and made-to-order fresh. Just ask fans like Meek Mill and the Eagles. 630 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, woodrowsandwich.com.
Tinys Bottle Shop
When the PLCB temporarily closed all its stores, Philly wine shops stayed open and kept us drinking and drunk during the apocalypse. And they deserve all the attention in the world. 3124 Richmond Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134, lunarinn.com/tinys-bottle-shop.
The Little House Shop
Go here, buy something for your host (Hamptons-inspired beach blanket? Cobalt blue goblet? Hand-hooked cow portrait pillow?), and earn yourself a permanent spot on everyone's guest list. Eagle Village Shops, 503 West Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, PA 19335, littlehouseshop.com.
V Marks the Shop
You don’t need to be a vegan to shop at V Marks the Shop. All you need is curiosity — about upping your plant game, yes, but also about all the delectable faux concoctions you’ll find. (Hello, coconut bacon and fig salami!) The South Philly grocer is more than a tiny wonderland of meatless products; it’s also a gateway into that more-considered life you’ve been putting off, figuring it was going to be too “inconvenient.” Check and mate. 1515 McKean Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145, vmarkstheshop.com.
Hibernian Coffee Shop
It’s owned by a Mexican family, it serves Scrapple, a full Irish breakfast, burritos and chicken curry – and there’s always a line out the door. God bless America. 3711 Garrett Road, Drexel Hill, PA 19026, facebook.com/Hibernian-Coffee-SHOP-142157512516498.
Amelie’s Bark Shop
At Amelie’s Bark Shop, the customizable coconut flour birthday cakes are almost too pretty to eat, but that didn’t stop our taste-tester from diving face-first into the icing. (Bonus: They deliver!) 1544 East Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19147, barkshopbakery.com.
Omoi Zakka Shop
Some of the office accessories at Omoi Zakka Shop. Photograph courtesy Omoi Zakka Shop The supplies here are often ingenious (pen holders that clip onto notebooks, an ergonomic package cutter), clearly high-quality (Blackwing pencils, a goat-leather all-purpose carrying sleeve), and always display-worthy (brass rulers, soft leather journals). But mostly, they’re fun (see: cat-shaped paper clips, Pac-Man sticky notes). Because if you haven’t embraced the fact that your home office is possibly your permanent office, it’s time. 41 South 3rd Street; 1608 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106; 19103, omoionline.com.
M Concept Shop
This six-month-old boutique corrals Philly's fiercest fledgling design talent (Senpai + Kohai, Lobo Mau, Meri + Fete) into one boundary-pushing space, proving that the cool kids don't always hightail it to New York. 1540 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146, mconceptshop.com.
Poi Dog Snack Shop
Even if you close your eyes and try really hard, a Philly street corner will never be a Hawaiian beach, not even for a second. And yet somehow, the Big Island flavors coming from Poi Dog are transformative. Crispy chicken tacos with guava katsu sauce, tofu poke, Kona coffee mochi, ahh. poidogphilly.com.
Superior Shoe Repair
When other places tell you they don't have the right glue or that strap isn't worth fixing, Superior is always there with the right equipment, the necessary TLC and a quick turnaround. Hands down, the city's most skilled shoe surgeons. 138 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, .
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.
Small Oven Pastry Shop
Small Oven’s two flavors of soft-serve per weekend get the same consideration as the dessert menu at a Michelin-starred restaurant. In the height of summer, pastry chef Chad Durkin makes peaches and mascarpone or watermelon and lemon-lime. In the fall, there’s cappuccino and tahini or apple pie and butterscotch. Toppings include homemade sauces and cubes of pound cake that are as thoughtful as the ice cream. 2204 Washington Avenue , Philadelphia, PA 19146, smallovenpastryshop.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.