Women mean business on East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District (EPABID) is a major business and culture hub in South Philly — and it has just reached the milestone of becoming 50% women-owned-and-operated.
EPABID is home to over 160 independently-owned businesses — including over 50 diverse eateries — across a mile-long walkable corridor.
Whether you’re in the area for world-famous cheesesteaks, boutique shopping, or handmade artisan goods, unique shopping and dining options are aplenty.
The equal mix of women-owned businesses is certainly a plus, and this statistic is up roughly 5% from just last year.
Why is this good news?
East Passyunk’s support of women-owned businesses depicts a significant achievement for gender equality in business and entrepreneurship. According to Motley Fool, women own 42% of all businesses in the United States as a whole.
While women-owned businesses are on the rise, women — and Black women in particular — still lack access to necessary education, networking, and capital, making it that much harder to thrive.
Seeing East Passyunk proud to uplift its women-owned businesses sends a message that diverse, creative entrepreneurship is not only good for gender equality and empowerment — it’s good for the local economy, too.
“I looked around and I said ‘Wow, we really do have a lot of women who own businesses here, and the interest has not slowed down,’” the EPABID Board of Directors Chair Pam Zenzola told The Philadelphia Inquirer — back in 2018, when women-owned businesses made up just 35% of the avenue.
In honor of Women’s History Month, EPABID and nonprofit She Rocked It are hosting a panel discussion and networking event that brings together many of the area’s business owners.
Discussions will include overcoming misconceptions about women’s business acumen, real talk about launching and sustaining a business, raising your voice in negotiations, and creating a supportive business community full of women business owners.
Women-owned businesses on East Passyunk Avenue
These small businesses aren’t just owned by women — they’re also great for the community.
Take Urban Jungle, a plant shop and nursery hoping to bring nature to the urban environment. Co-owner Tara Alexander puts it plainly: “Plants make people happy — and we want to bring that happiness to our community in Philadelphia.”
A newcomer to the area is the Sawubona Creativity Project, a nonprofit theater with programs that combine social emotional learning and character education with theater arts for kids and adults alike.
Teaching artist Tanya Morgan leads the charge, creating a space that aims to “provide access to theater arts education, performance, mental well-being programs, and community resources.”
When it comes to dining, River Twice is another woman-run establishment walking the walk. The modern American restaurant builds all of its dishes around sustainable practices to the Delaware River Valley and mid-Atlantic region.
While head chef Randy Rucker is in the kitchen, his wife, co-owner Amanda Rucker is the guiding force behind the restaurant’s sustainable design and approach, connecting to local purveyors and harvesters.
These are only three stand-out residents on East Passyunk Avenue, but you can find the rest of the women-owned-and-operated businesses along the corridor — or online!
They include:
- A Novel Idea
- A Star is Born
- A. Criniti Realty
- Alphabet Academy Tree House
- Alphabet Aquarium
- Alphabet Station
- Amelie’s Bark Shop
- Art of Wellness, LLC
- August Moon
- B2 Cafe
- Bianca Simone
- Big Catch Poke
- Birds of Prey Artistry and Aesthetics
- Black & Brew
- Capo’s Coins & Collectibles
- Carolyn Zinni Bridal
- Creations by Coppola
- Ember and Ash
- Essen Bakery
- Favors and Flavors
- Frame Fatale
- Gabriella’s Vietnam
- Good Buy Supply
- Ground Up Cafe & Coffee
- Halo Hair Philly
- Haus of Wax
- Headhunters Hair Design
- Heavy Metal Hair Salon
- Hollywood Style Josie & Frank’s
- Juana Tamale
- Jazmin Rae & Co.
- Kala’s Estetica Unisex
- Kouklet Brazilian Bakehouse
- LA Hair
- Le Virtu
- Lime Organic Cleaner
- Lucidi Salon & Jewelry
- Mamma Maria Ristorante
- Marra’s
- Mesh Vintage
- Milk Jawn
- Mockingbird Salon
- Moon Night
- Motherland Midwifery
- Movement Source Pilates
- Mr. Martino’s Trattoria
- Mystical Life Meditation Center
- Nice Things Handmade
- Nicole Rae Styer Boutique
- Noir Restaurant
- Occasionette
- Ocho Rios Parrilla
- Palo Santo Wellness
- Pasquale and Anna Scioli, Tailor
- Primal Supply Meats Butcher Shop
- P’unk Burger
- Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar
- River Twice
- Sally’s Paw Spaw
- Sawubona Creativity Project
- Sermania Jewelry
- Society Hill Dance Academy
- South Philadelphia Chiropractic Center
- South Philadelphia Community Acupuncture
- Styland Beauty
- Super Loa
- Supreme Beauty Philly
- The Bottle Shop
- The Dutch
- The Painted Lady
- Tildie’s Toy Box
- Today’s Nail Salon
- Train & Nourish
- Uprising Arts Culture
- Urban Jungle
- Vanilya Bakery
- Whiplash Allure
Featured image courtesy of Melissa Moore/Moore In Focus
