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South Street (Philadelphia)
Encyclopedia
South Street is an east-west street forming the southern border of the Center City
neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
and the northern border for the neighborhoods of South Philadelphia
. The stretch of South Street between Front Street and Seventh Street is known for its "bohemian
" atmosphere and its diverse and urban mix of shops, bars, and eateries. It is one of Philadelphia's largest tourist attractions.
Named Cedar Street in William Penn
's plan of Philadelphia, South Street was the traditional southern boundary of Philadelphia's city limits before the city annexed the townships of Passyunk
, Moyamensing
and Southwark
.
Until the 1950s, South Street was known mainly as a garment district, with stores for men's suits and other clothing. Real estate values plummeted after city planner Edmund Bacon and others proposed the Crosstown Expressway, a short limited-access expressway connecting the Schuylkill Expressway and I-95
that would have required the demolition of many buildings on South Street and Bainbridge Street (an east-west street one block south of South Street). The newly cheap property attracted artists and counterculture-types. The proposed expressway was never built.
In the 1960s and 1970s, South Street was filled with clubs and bars that fostered a live local music community. It was not uncommon for South Philadelphians to "bar-hop" across the clubs, listening to live bands along the way. This community of fans helped attract recording contracts for many artists, including Kenn Kweder, the "bard of South Street"; George Thorogood
; and Robert Hazard
.
In the 1980s, South Street became one of the city's main tourist attractions. Tourists flocked to the nightlife that South Street had accumulated over the years, and the "neighborhood" community aspect was stripped from it. Many of the South Street clubs closed, replaced by chain stores and shops to cater to tourists.
Today, the name "South Street" is popularly attached to an eight-block stretch of South extending after 8th street (and a few adjacent streets). It remains a popular hangout area for teens, college students, and twentysomethings with its assortment of bar
s, take out
eateries, sex shops, gift shops, and retailers catering to hip hop fashion
, punk fashion
, and/or urban culture
. A few restaurants and independent boutiques targeting a slightly more mature clientele are interpersed with these businesses. Retail chains found on the street include Walgreens
, Johnny Rockets
, two Starbucks
locations, Auntie Anne's
, Dairy Queen
, Haagen-Dazs
, and Rita's Water Ice
.
The Orlons
, a music group from Philadelphia, released a 1963 song based on (and entitled) South Street, which begins with the line "Where do all the hippest meet?" Another Philadelphia-area band, The Dovells
also mentioned South Street in their 1963 hit "You Can't Sit Down
".
Philadelphia band Need New Body
has a song called "So St RX" which is about South Street.
Fear
's 1982 song "I Don't Care About You
", which name-checks the neighborhoods associated with the punk movement in the United States in the early 1980s, begins with the line, "I'm from South Street Philadelphia".
The Dead Milkmen's 1988 song "Punk Rock Girl" makes references to Zipperhead (a punk rock/alternative clothing and accessories store) and The Philly Pizza Company, both of which were located on South Street. Portions of the video for this song were filmed on South Street. Zipperhead has since relocated to South 4th St. and been renamed to Crash Bang Boom. A few years after Zipperhead founder and building landlord Rick Millan sold the business to a local musician and his wife, the store was relocated and renamed.
Boyz II Men
's debut song and video "Motownphilly
" was filmed on South Street.
Singer Songwriter, Jake Laufer's 2009 rockabilly song, "Center City," about a guy from Tennessee coming north to meet up with his Philly-based girlfriend, features several several South Street landmarks, including Lorenzo's Pizza and Famous 4th Street Deli.
The HBO
comedy special The Diceman Cometh, starring comedian Andrew Dice Clay
, was recorded at South Street's Theater of the Living Arts (and was mentioned in the special by Clay).
The block of South Street between 5th and 6th Street is shown in the opening credits of the FX Network show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
".
During Mardi Gras
in 2001, celebrations at South Street restaurant-bar Fat Tuesday got out of hand. Drunken partiers spilled out onto the street and began looting Tower Records
and other stores and businesses before Philadelphia police quelled the ruckus. The incident made Philadelphia the subject of ridicule on many late-night TV
talk shows. Subsequent years have seen more police and fewer partiers on South Street on Mardi Gras.
Center City, Philadelphia
Center City, or Downtown Philadelphia includes the central business district and central neighborhoods of the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. As of 2005, its population of over 88,000 made it the third most populous downtown in the United States, after New York City's and Chicago's...
neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and the northern border for the neighborhoods of South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south, and the Schuylkill River to the west.-History:...
. The stretch of South Street between Front Street and Seventh Street is known for its "bohemian
Bohemianism
Bohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people, with few permanent ties, involving musical, artistic or literary pursuits...
" atmosphere and its diverse and urban mix of shops, bars, and eateries. It is one of Philadelphia's largest tourist attractions.
History
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
's plan of Philadelphia, South Street was the traditional southern boundary of Philadelphia's city limits before the city annexed the townships of Passyunk
Passyunk Township, Pennsylvania
Passyunk Township is a defunct township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The township ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.-History:...
, Moyamensing
Moyamensing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Moyamensing was originally a township on the fast land of the Neck, lying between Passyunk and Wicaco. It was incorporated into the Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania and is today primarily a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.-History:The...
and Southwark
Southwark, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Southwark was originally the Southwark District, a colonial era municipality in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Today, it is a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
.
Until the 1950s, South Street was known mainly as a garment district, with stores for men's suits and other clothing. Real estate values plummeted after city planner Edmund Bacon and others proposed the Crosstown Expressway, a short limited-access expressway connecting the Schuylkill Expressway and I-95
Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania
Interstate 95 is an Interstate highway running from Miami, Florida north to Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the route is known by many as the Delaware Expressway, but is officially named The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. and locally known as "95"...
that would have required the demolition of many buildings on South Street and Bainbridge Street (an east-west street one block south of South Street). The newly cheap property attracted artists and counterculture-types. The proposed expressway was never built.
In the 1960s and 1970s, South Street was filled with clubs and bars that fostered a live local music community. It was not uncommon for South Philadelphians to "bar-hop" across the clubs, listening to live bands along the way. This community of fans helped attract recording contracts for many artists, including Kenn Kweder, the "bard of South Street"; George Thorogood
George Thorogood
George Thorogood is an American blues rock vocalist/guitarist from Wilmington, Delaware, United States, known for his hit song "Bad to the Bone" as well as for covers of blues standards such as Hank Williams' "Move It On Over" and John Lee Hooker's "House Rent Boogie/One Bourbon, One Scotch, One...
; and Robert Hazard
Robert Hazard
Robert Hazard Robert Hazard Robert Hazard (born Robert Rimato, (August 21, 1948 – August 5, 2008), was a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, musician, probably best known for composing and recording the song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", which Cyndi Lauper covered, turning the song into a...
.
In the 1980s, South Street became one of the city's main tourist attractions. Tourists flocked to the nightlife that South Street had accumulated over the years, and the "neighborhood" community aspect was stripped from it. Many of the South Street clubs closed, replaced by chain stores and shops to cater to tourists.
Today, the name "South Street" is popularly attached to an eight-block stretch of South extending after 8th street (and a few adjacent streets). It remains a popular hangout area for teens, college students, and twentysomethings with its assortment of bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
s, take out
Take Out
Take Out is a 2007 short film written by Screenwriter and Producer Bill Hall, with Jonathan Budine as the Director, Producer and Editor. The short introduces Mary Ann Emerson, appearing in her first lead role, and includes veteran New York City actor Alexis Suarez. Scream Queen Debbie Rochon...
eateries, sex shops, gift shops, and retailers catering to hip hop fashion
Hip hop fashion
Hip hop fashion is a distinctive style of dress originating with African American youth on the scene of New York City, Los Angeles, Orlando, Chicago, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Detroit, Memphis, Atlanta, St. Louis, Jersey City, Miami, Toronto and Vancouver among others. Each city...
, punk fashion
Punk fashion
Punk fashion is the clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, jewelry, and body modifications of the punk subculture. Punk fashion varies widely, ranging from Vivienne Westwood designs to styles modeled on bands like The Exploited. The distinct social dress of other subcultures and art movements, including...
, and/or urban culture
Urban culture
Urban culture is the culture of towns and cities. In the United States, Urban culture may also sometimes be used as a euphemistic reference to contemporary African American culture.- African American culture :...
. A few restaurants and independent boutiques targeting a slightly more mature clientele are interpersed with these businesses. Retail chains found on the street include Walgreens
Walgreens
Walgreen Co. , doing business as Walgreens , is the largest drugstore chain in the United States of America. As of August 31st, the company operates 8,210 locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901, and has since expanded...
, Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets is an American restaurant franchise whose concept is to create a classic American restaurant atmosphere. The theme is the diner-style restaurant that had become a common sight by the 1950s...
, two Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
locations, Auntie Anne's
Auntie Anne's
Auntie Anne's, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is an American chain of pretzel bakeries founded by Anne F. Beiler and her husband, Jonas, in 1988. Auntie Anne's serves products such as pretzels, dips, and beverages...
, Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen, often abbreviated DQ, is a chain of soft serve and fast food restaurants owned by International Dairy Queen, Inc, who also owns Orange Julius and Karmelkorn. The name "Dairy Queen" is taken from the name of their soft serve product, which the company refers to as "Dairy Queen" or...
, Haagen-Dazs
Häagen-Dazs
Häagen-Dazs is a brand of ice cream, established by Jewish-Polish immigrants Reuben and Rose Mattus in the Bronx, New York, in 1961. Starting with only three flavors: vanilla, chocolate, and coffee, the company opened its first retail store in Brooklyn, New York, on November 15, 1976...
, and Rita's Water Ice
Rita's Water Ice
Rita's Water Ice is an East Coast regional chain based in Trevose, Pennsylvania in Bensalem Township, selling mainly Italian ice, frozen custard, and gelati , as well as its specialty creations.-History:...
.
South Street in popular culture
The Orlons
The Orlons are an American R&B group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that formed in 1960. They received gold discs for the million selling achievements of three of their singles...
, a music group from Philadelphia, released a 1963 song based on (and entitled) South Street, which begins with the line "Where do all the hippest meet?" Another Philadelphia-area band, The Dovells
The Dovells
The Dovells were an American music group, formed at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1957, under the name 'The Brooktones'. The members were Arnie Silver, Mark Gordesky, Len Borisoff , Jerry Gross, Mike Freda and Jim Mealey...
also mentioned South Street in their 1963 hit "You Can't Sit Down
You Can't Sit Down
"You Can't Sit Down" is the name of a song performed by The Dovells and released as a single in 1963. The song reached number three on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. It is a vocal cover version of the 1961 Phil Upchurch Combo original instrumental....
".
Philadelphia band Need New Body
Need New Body
Need New Body is an avant garde music collective band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and beyond, numerous members of which have gone on to become members of the band Man Man.-Members:*Christopher Powell / Pow Pow – Drums*Tookie Sherman – Keyboard...
has a song called "So St RX" which is about South Street.
Fear
Fear (band)
Fear is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1977. The band is credited for helping to shape the sound and style of American hardcore punk, the group started out as part of the early California punk rock scene, and gained national prominence after an infamous 1981...
's 1982 song "I Don't Care About You
The Record (album)
The Record is the debut album by Los Angeles hardcore punk band Fear, released in 1982"We Got to Get Out of This Place" is a cover of the song made famous by The Animals.-Track listing:All songs by Lee Ving, except where noted....
", which name-checks the neighborhoods associated with the punk movement in the United States in the early 1980s, begins with the line, "I'm from South Street Philadelphia".
The Dead Milkmen's 1988 song "Punk Rock Girl" makes references to Zipperhead (a punk rock/alternative clothing and accessories store) and The Philly Pizza Company, both of which were located on South Street. Portions of the video for this song were filmed on South Street. Zipperhead has since relocated to South 4th St. and been renamed to Crash Bang Boom. A few years after Zipperhead founder and building landlord Rick Millan sold the business to a local musician and his wife, the store was relocated and renamed.
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
's debut song and video "Motownphilly
Motownphilly
"Motownphilly" is Boyz II Men's 1991 debut single for their debut album Cooleyhighharmony. The single was a success peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Michael Bivins, who co-wrote the song, provides a guest rap on the song...
" was filmed on South Street.
Singer Songwriter, Jake Laufer's 2009 rockabilly song, "Center City," about a guy from Tennessee coming north to meet up with his Philly-based girlfriend, features several several South Street landmarks, including Lorenzo's Pizza and Famous 4th Street Deli.
The HBO
Home Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
comedy special The Diceman Cometh, starring comedian Andrew Dice Clay
Andrew Dice Clay
Andrew Dice Clay is an American comedian and actor who played the lead role in the film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.Clay has been in several movies and has released a number of stand-up albums...
, was recorded at South Street's Theater of the Living Arts (and was mentioned in the special by Clay).
The block of South Street between 5th and 6th Street is shown in the opening credits of the FX Network show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an American television sitcom that premiered on FX on August 4, 2005. New episodes continue to air on FX, with reruns playing on Comedy Central, general broadcast syndication, and WGN America—the first-ever cable-to-cable syndication deal for a sitcom...
".
During Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
in 2001, celebrations at South Street restaurant-bar Fat Tuesday got out of hand. Drunken partiers spilled out onto the street and began looting Tower Records
Tower Records
Tower Records was a retail music chain that was based in Sacramento, California. It currently exists as an international franchise and an online music store....
and other stores and businesses before Philadelphia police quelled the ruckus. The incident made Philadelphia the subject of ridicule on many late-night TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
talk shows. Subsequent years have seen more police and fewer partiers on South Street on Mardi Gras.