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About

History is something that’s been written in a book. With the Spring Arts district, it’s our intention to write another. The history of Philadelphia’s Callowhill neighborhood is the history of industrial revolution in America. Mostly farmlands until the mid-19th century, it quickly became the booming manufacturing center of Philadelphia.

If the city needed it, we made it here. This is our Detroit, a place where we made things, once abandoned only to be rediscovered by a new generation eager to dream, build, create, and share.

Just like the long-forgotten taverns and public houses that existed in this very neighborhood, Spring Arts isn’t just a place where products are made, it’s a place where ideas are born. The Declaration of Independence was written among friends, over drinks, in our city. What shall we declare next?

A neighborhood is more than the sum of its parts, and the Spring Arts community’s goal is to foster the synergy that exists between creative kindred spirits.

Every artist needs their tools; it’s our aim to be both the canvas and the brush.

All we need…is you.

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Neighborhood Guide

Food
  1. 1. W/N W/N Coffee Bar
  2. 2. Café Lift
  3. 3. Bufad Pizza
  4. 4. Llama Tooth
  5. 5. Brick and Mortar
  6. 6. Sazon
  7. 7. Chocolate Alchemist
  8. 8. Schmear It!
  9. 9. El Purepecha
Bars
  1. 10. The Trestle Inn
  2. 11. Prohibition Taproom
  3. 12. The Institute
  4. 13. Roy Pitz Barrel House
Arts/Music
  1. 13. Underground Arts
  2. 14. Union Transfer
  3. 15. Phila Moca
  4. 16. Dance Philadelphia
  5. 17. Vox Populi
Shopping
  1. 18. Hiding Place
  2. 19. Liao Collection Asian Antique
  3. 20. Mio Culture
Public Spaces
  1. 21. Pop Up Garden @ Viaduct Rail Park
Murals
  1. 22. “Sundial” by Matt Moore
  2. 23. “Caught Out There” by Kid Hazo
  3. 24. “Buttonwood” by Ryan Beck
  4. 25. “Spring Arts District” by Miriam Singer
  5. 26. “X-Waves” by Andrew Jeffrey Wright
  6. 27. “Eraserhood” by Hawk Krall
  7. 28. “Can we call this life? Yes.” by Martha Rich
  8. 29. “Hamilton Street Mural” by Charles Burwell
  9. 30. “Spring Arts” by Glossblack
  10. 31. “Urban Explorations” by Lauren Cat West
  11. 32. A mural coming soon by Susan Nam
  12. 33. A projection coming soon by Whitney Alexander
  13. 34. A mural coming soon by Shawn Theodore
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Neighborhood History

Haverford Cycles 1896-1924

Existed where they created a line of popular Black Beauty bicycles. They later made motorcycles and record players: the twin ingredients that became Rock’n’roll.

Knickerbocker Ice company 1855-1924

Dates back to the 19th century and was one of the greatest ice powerhouses in the country. Cool stuff, literally.

Clarion Record Manufacturing 1944-1976

Pressed 78 RPM shellac records until RCA created the technology for the 45 RPM record, of which they were one of the first independent manufacturers in the world.

Smaltz-goodwin Co. 1911-1933

The Smaltz Building was built in 1911 for the Smaltz-Goodwin company, one of the most popular manufacturers of stylish women’s shoes in Philadelphia and beyond.

Hershey’s 1876-1882

Milton Hershey’s first business was a candy and candle shop here on Spring Garden, first opened in 1876 when he was just 18 years old. After moving to Lancaster to try his hand at caramel, he later went on to create the world’s most iconic chocolate company.

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