Want to Commit to a Co-Working Space
Flow State CoffeeBar
Flow State CoffeeBar. Photograph by Jeff Fusco
Thirty bucks gets you everything you need for a productive day: wi-fi, a breakfast pastry, lunch, unlimited drip coffee, and, most importantly, a reserved seat with access to a power outlet. 2413 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125
J. Brite Cleaners
All the convenience of a suburban spot — one-day turnaround, friendly workers, on-site cleaning, after-hours drop-off, a drive-through, parking! — but in the thick of the concrete jungle. 617 South 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Devon & Pinkett
Photograph courtesy Devon & Pinkett.
Here’s the mark of a truly talented florist: Every instance of the work is stylistically varied yet impeccable. Kate McManus, based in Chadds Ford, pulls off classic and romantic, funky and modern and every hybrid in between with bouquets, table arrangements, and larger installations that all feel lush and textured.
Capa Shoe and Leather
They’ll fix your downtrodden soles and broken straps with the artisanship that has kept them in business since 1936. 1015 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Via Bicycle
Curtis Anthony of Via Bicycle. Photograph by Jeff Fusco
Curtis Anthony’s shop looks like your granddad’s garage, and it has bikes and parts older than your granddad. (Some date back to the 1890s.) And Anthony won’t try to sell you $700 in new gear if a $7 part will do the trick. 622 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146
Heather McBride
Can you say relaxed? However you define family, McBride will make you and your crew feel so chill you’ll forget the camera is even there. Keep reading here.
The Organizing Professionals
Janet Bernstein. Photograph by Jeff Fusco
Janet Bernstein and her team will remove the clutter from your closets and cupboards—and let you fool the world into thinking you are, in fact, a Type A person. Keep reading here.
PackagePost
Though still very much in start-up mode, PackagePost connects you with a nearby business that will keep boxes safe while you’re not home. Don’t yet see your ’hood in their area of service? Make a request via their website.
Queen of Wands Tarot
What Jenna Matlin is not: a hocus-pocus street psychic charging $100 to fix “curses” found during $5 tarot card readings. What Jenna Matlin is: an intuitive woman with a master’s in organizational psychology who dispenses insightful life advice, balances chakras, and even provides spiritually guided business consulting. And you don’t have to travel: All her sessions can be done via phone or webcam.
Philadelphia Design Collective
Emily Reddington, Kristen McFeely, and Deirdre Affel of Philadelphia Design Collective. Photograph by Linette and Kyle Kielinski.
Soul (and, okay, sometimes great natural light) is the secret to moving a property from just-listed to off-the-market. This staging team blends warm colors, mid-century and vintage furniture from their private warehouse, and a robust knowledge of the local real estate scene to make potential buyers feel at home in every room.
Transit
In a head-to-head against CityMapper and SEPTA’s own app, the winner is Transit, which relies on crowdsourced data to tell you exactly where your bus or train is and when it will get to you.
Vaux Studio
Vaux Studio. Photograph by Alexa Nahas
Why go to Vegas when with as little as one week’s notice, you can get hitched in the company of up to 25 guests in a cozy, light-filled space on Spruce Street? Package rates vary, but each comes with an on-site officiant who definitely won’t be dressed like Elvis. 1209 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Frederick W. Oster Fine Violins
Photograph by Getty Images
For 45 years, Oster has sold 17th-century instruments so expensive that he won’t even list some prices. If his luthiers are good enough to handle those masterpieces, you bet they’re good enough for your grandmother’s old fiddle. 507 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Atelier Jacobi
From his unassuming workshop in the BOK Building, seasoned technician Mark Jacobi makes repairs — and custom parts — for principals from the biggest-deal symphony orchestras in Pittsburgh, Dallas, and right here in Philly. 1901 South 9th Street, Suite 512, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Cunningham Piano Company
This 128-year-old company designs pianos from scratch and restores priceless Bosendorfers and Steinways for people all over the world. Additional location in Germantown, by appointment only. 198 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406
A Minor Tune Up
Twenty years ago, Chris Cromer was a music education major at the University of Delaware with dreams of opening his own brass repair shop. These days, he performs tune-ups for horn players who tour with the likes of Justin Timberlake. 1704 North Scott Street, Wilmington, DE 19806
JohnnyDents
Owner John Guglielmucci spent more than 19 years perfecting his top-secret technique for smoothing out bangs and dings without the need for paint repair. He’s quick, too, so your spouse doesn’t need to know a thing. 2710 Haddonfield Road, Pennsauken, NJ 08110
Flexdrive
Because you’d go broke booking Zipcars for more than three days at a time, Flexdrive gives you wheels for anywhere from a week to a month or longer for a reasonable flat fee that includes both insurance and maintenance. (Rides range from Kia Rios to BMW 3-series.) Available at Holman dealerships in Fort Washington and throughout South Jersey.
Mercedes-Benz Collection
Philly is a pilot market for this service that lets you drive the Benz you want, when you want, for as long as you want, and swap it for another anytime. It’ll cost you — plans start at $1,595 per month — but isn’t the indulgence worth it?
Wise Guy Computer & Phone Repair
Photograph by Getty Images
No-wait, no-hassle, no-attitude service for all your tech devices — including gratis appraisals for items you think are beyond fixing. (So worth it before throwing something out!) 525 South 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Pet Nanny
Instead of Fido going to the doggie motel, the Pet Nanny comes to Fido. Pet-first-aid-certified “nannies” stay overnight with your fur baby when you’re outta town — and while they’re there, they can also vacuum your carpets, water your plants, and even pick up a few groceries. Services the Main Line.
JDog Junk Removal and Hauling
Like calling in the National Guard to restore order to your chaotic garage: The veteran-owned-and-operated JDog franchises (the company is headquartered locally) will remove your clutter (mattresses, old TVs and other large appliances included) and get things shipshape.
Gunning & Company
Whether you’re grieving the loss of a loved one or gritting your teeth over an impending move, these Main Line pros will take care of the really hard part: getting rid of all the stuff you don’t want. They carefully document, research, price and stage everything to sell, then invite the public in to buy over one to three days.
Atelier Art Services
These folks moved the Barnes collection from Lower Merion to the Parkway. They’ll handle your masterpieces with equal care.
Three Day Rule
Local TDR reps Lauren Ladd and Michal Naisteter (who, not for nothing, holds a master’s in human sexuality) will comb Instagram, LinkedIn, and even cute guys at the grocery store to find you a match. For premium members, they’ll also check in post-date to help you secure a second.
Bach to Basic
Give Allison Odhner your destination and head count, and she’ll find a plush rental for your crew, craft a custom itinerary of goat yoga and yacht charters, and — patron saint of group travel that she is — organize payments. (Gents, she does bachelor parties, too.)
Cary Neff
What good is private air travel without a private chef to feed you in-flight? Neff — a longtime personal chef for tony Main Liners and, on occasion, Will Smith — can customize your menu, package it according to aviation regulations, and provide flight attendants with meticulous instructions (and piping bags!) for PJ-worthy plating.
Rockwater Pools
Anthony DeFazio and his team expertly handle all the annoying stuff that comes with owning a pool: chemicals, cleaning, repairs, and, in one case, evicting a pesky family of ducks. Plus, they answer texts and calls quickly. (We’re talking within the hour.)
Stone + Glidden
This three-decade-old home AV contractor can set you up with state-of-the-art sound systems, automated lighting and temperature, security and more, all controlled (if you want) through an app on your phone. 628 B Street, King of Prussia, PA 19406
O’Neill Masonry
Specialist Jimmy O’Neill knows that masonry is both an art and a science. He’ll cure what ails your crumbling mortar and can handle brick, stucco and concrete, too. Services Philadelphia and its Pennsylvania suburbs.
Spots & Dots Cleaning
Is the snowy rug in your great room now the color of the cab sauv you served at that epic party last night? These commercial-grade cleaners will make everything like new — and they also do upholstery. Services Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey.
The Closet Works Inc.
Lazy Susans, corner pie shelves, slide-out linen drawers … the pros at this Montgomeryville outfit use every trick in the book to get you the most space for your sundries, and they’ll top ’em off with whimsical door and drawer hardware. Services Greater Philadelphia.
Jove
Missed out on a house you wanted because you couldn’t find an agent to show you inside? Download this app, and someone will be at your next choice in 15 minutes or less. Currently works with agents in Philadelphia, Delaware and Camden counties and on the Main Line.
House Without an Agent(’s Fee)
Houwzer
By putting its employees on salary, Houwzer — a Philly start-up — can replace a seller’s agent’s commission with a flat $5,000 fee and reduce a buyer’s agent’s commission to 2.5 percent. The result: more money in your pocket at the end of the process.
Jumpstart
Want to live in tomorrow’s next hot neighborhood? Jumpstart’s four-week neighborhood-based training programs will teach you how to rehab a house, and they’ll finance your first project if it’s in one of the city neighborhoods in which they operate. Scouting a location outside their established zones? Download Jumpstart’s free workbook and train yourself — or make the case that your block should be next.
Rachel Street of Hestia Construction
Any DIY Network star can spruce up a 1970s suburban colonial, but it takes special finesse to rehab a centuries-old city rowhome. Philly Revival host Rachel Street — who’s also a real estate agent — does so using locally made and reclaimed materials whenever possible.
The Centurion Lounge
Illustration by Sunny Eckerle
AmEx holders can kick back on the funky wave couch, eat from a menu designed by Michael Solomonov, and even shower. Rumor has it this is Carson Wentz’s lounge of choice. Terminal A.
Minute Suites
If all the lactation suites are taken, pop over to the serene and soundproof nap rooms at Minute Suites. If there’s space available, it’s yours — for free! — for up to 30 minutes so you can pump in private. A/B Connector.
Read & Return Program at Heritage Books
You can get a 50 percent refund on the paperback you picked up by returning it to this bookstore (or any of the other 850-plus Paradies Lagardère-owned airport shops throughout North America) within six months of purchase. Terminal B/C Connector.
Wine to Go From Vino Volo
For those who want nothing more than to sip on a healthy pour of pinot grigio while thumbing through Us Weekly at their gate, we’re happy to report that your wish has been granted. B/C Connector and D/E Connector.
Winner Airport Parking
Winner’s kind attendants take you to your terminal in your own car, then bring it back to you when you return. No shuttles. No car-seat shuffles. No now-where-the-hell-did-I-park-again. And it’s only $2 more per day than the long-term lot. 6717 Essington Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19153
Terminal F
Flying JetBlue, Frontier or Southwest out of Terminal E? Walk five minutes to oft-forgotten Terminal F (home to only one airline, American Eagle) for shorter TSA lines.
Women’s Restroom Next to Gate E13
Gorgeous natural light spills across the sinks, all of the stalls are spacious enough for an outfit change, and there’s even a separate makeup ledge and two full-length mirrors, so you can primp without pissing off the people who just want to wash their hands.
United Club
It’s not the biggest or the newest, but wood-paneled walls and other clubby touches make it feel more private. And because PHL isn’t a United hub, it doesn’t fill up as fast as all of the American options. C/D Connector.
Avo Toast at La Colombe
The fact that you can drink Corsica instead of settling for too-bitter Starbucks is already a big win. Add La Colombe’s more-than-generous avocado toast to your order, and you might not care if your flight ever takes off. Terminals A, B and E and B/C Connector.
Independence Prime
Go ahead and put that $45 filet mignon on the company card. For once, the airport upcharge might actually be worth it.
Terminal B
Masterminded by Rick Blatstein’s OTG, this $40 million terminal revamp added eight glitzy eateries to the heart of PHL. You’ll also find more than 1,000 iPads where you can play games, catch up on the news, and order a meal from any of said glitzy eateries and have it delivered right to you.