On the Ground : Development News

ON THE GROUND: Wolf Cycles howls at history with new ownership on Lancaster Ave.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

New Wolf Cycles manager Sofi Courtney was greeted by boxes and trash bags full of stuff when she ventured upstairs at the shop's recently revived location at 4311 Lancaster Ave.

"We pulled everything out, and right at the bottom there’s a bunch of hats," says Courtney. "Two of them were signed by Eddy Merckx."

Merckx won the Tour de France five times and is considered the "greatest cyclist of all time." One of those hats now hangs in a frame on the shop’s wall.

In operation since 1932, Wolf Cycles is the city’s oldest continuing bike shop with a rich history - and some treasures. In 1976, Carl Miller bought Wolff Cycles from Frank Neumann and Herman Wolf. Although it took Miller over an hour to get to the shop from his Northeast Philadelphia home, he "loved every minute of it." During Wolff Cycle’s later years, his time at the shop began to dwindle. After over 30 years of ownership, he realized it was time to retire.

"My age caught up to me," Miller said.

When he was ready to sell, Miller wanted the business to remain as a bike shop. He was adamant.

"I feel it’s an institution," Miller said. "It’s for the young and old and it should be there. It’s an establishment that that can’t go away."

In November 2011, Sam Davis and Monica Pasquinelli, owners of Firehouse Bicycles on Baltimore Avenue, purchased Wolff Cycles (and dropped the last "f" when it reopened shortly thereafter)

When the new staff arrived, its history began to emerge through old receipts, found objects, and customers. They quickly recognized how much the shop meant to those who grew up in the neighborhood.

"I love that it’s such a neighborhood shop. Everybody has a connection to it," Courtney said. "Everybody’s been coming here their entire lives at least. Or their parent’s lives, their grandparent’s lives. It’s just an incredible community shop."

Courtney said the location of Wolf Cycles "feels very familiar" to its sister shop. The major difference between the two? Wolf Cycles sells a lot of children’s bikes.

"Like everyone bought their bikes here when they were kids," said Cortney. "A lot of it is because people are like, ‘I got my first bike here and I want mine to get theirs here.’"

Wolf Cycles is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. They offer bicycle repairs and services; sell accessories, parts and new and refurbished bikes.

"Right now, we’re serving the immediate local community and students," Courtney said. "We are going for reliable, affordable."

On Tuesday evenings at 6 p.m. (weather permitting), a bike ride to the Belmont Plateau is open to all. If someone does not have a bike for the ride, they can borrow one from the shop.

This summer, Courtney said Wolf Cycles wants to gain visibility in the community and let people know they are there all year round.

Miller said he misses the shop very much. But he is comforted knowing that its history will go on.

"I like seeing the tradition of Wolff Cycles continue," Miller said. "It feels great."

Source: Sofi Courtney, Carl Miller, Wolf Cycles
Writer: Zenovia Campbell

ON THE GROUND: Chic Afrique moves natural cosmetics store west to expanded shop on Lancaster Ave.

Flying Kite Media Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Chic Afrique has moved to a location that's double in size, but what customers see is only the tip of the company's business. "Ninety percent of our sales are online," reports Victoria Onwuchekwa, founder/chief cook and bottle filler at the natural cosmetics store now located at 3943 Lancaster Avenue.

Now offering over 30 products in its cosmetics line, Chic Afrique began as a kiosk at the Echelon Mall nearly three decades ago. Onwuchekwa had just completed her Master's degree in pharmacology at Long Island University, where she became fascinated by the chemistry of cosmetics. While in search of a dissertation topic, Onwuchekwa's mother, who is a pharmacist, suggested she pick a topic near home, and Onwuchekwa embarked on a study of shea butter, a common ointment in Africa that's been growing in popularity here in the US.

"Science, chemistry and pharmacology came easy to me," says Onwuchekwa. "I decided to do something extra on the side." Combining art and science, she developed simple emulsions that are still the basis for an extensive offering that includes body butter, souffle, lotion, soap, hair oil and butter, shampoo, conditioner and even candles.

Onwuchekwa's philosophy in developing products comes from the life cycle. Watoto has ingredients gentle enough for a baby; Karite is meant for a growing child's scrapes and rashes; Okuma is for a young girl who wants to smell nice; Saronia has a potent scent meant to attract suitors, and Ife, which means love, contains turai, a Senegalese aphrodisiac. Onwuchekwa counts all ethnicities among her loyal patrons, and also offers custom labeling for business to business sales locally, nationally and internationally.

Chic Afrique moved from the Echelon Mall to The Gallery at Market East, first in a kiosk and then in a retail shop. Onwuchekwa then expanded to 7th and Walnut streets for a decade; after a brief period doing only wholesale, she opened up another retail spot at 3874 Lancaster just last year.

Less than two months ago, Onwuchekwa's landlord called to offer the much more spacious storefront a block west. It allows shoppers a peek into Onwuchekwa's open kitchen/laboratory, which occupies the entire back half of the expansive space. The business also has three employees.

The building was previously occupied by Grace Church and Community Center, as evidenced by the sign that still hangs above the door. Business hours are Monday through Saturday from noon to 7 p.m.

Source: Victoria Onwuchekwa, Chic Afrique
Writer: Sue Spolan

University City District will be encouraging neighborhood composting through The Dirt Factory

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Composting in University City is catching on. In just a couple weeks, the University City District (UCD) will be opening The Dirt Factory composting facility at 43rd and Market, a partnership between UCD and the Pedal Coop, a bicycle-powered disposal service that serves West (like Plotland at 44th and Locust) and South Philly (like Mercy Edible Park) and Center City.

The Dirt Factory represents the most permanent composting facility the Pedal Coop’s ever had, according to Seth Budick, the manager of policy and research at UCD, who says the cooperative is currently forced to compost at community gardens and other short-lived sites, which quickly hit capacity, forcing the disposers to find other sites. The facility will also have limited hours when other University City residents can use it.

"Our hope is that this facility will have sufficient capacity to allow (Pedal Coop) to expand their collection, increasing the number of residents and businesses that are able to compost," says Budick. This will enable Pedal Coop to handle large university functions at UPenn, Drexel, USciences, and other institutions.

West Philly businesses seem excited about the large-scale local composting option, whether or not they contract to the Pedal Coop. Budick says that Pedal Coop clients Metropolitan and Four Worlds Bakeries, both of which serve bread in West Philly, are especially thrilled about The Dirt Factory. Along with that, he adds that an increasing number of local businesses, affiliated and unaffiliated with the Coop, are asking how they can compost at 43rd and Market.

The Dirt Factory will also have limited hours when University City businesses, non-profits, and residents can compost.

"We hope to begin by opening the site once a week for drop-offs of small quantities of compostables," says Budick. Eventually, the space could open to the public more if the need exists.

The UCD is also planning compost, food, and sustainability workshops for the summer months to be held on-site, says Budick, who promises more details will be announced soon. Also, the site will have smaller composting classrooms where members of the community can learn techniques for composting at home. Additionally, the Walnut Hill Farm recently planted fruits and vegetables at The Factory using neighborhood compost.

Other partners in the composting effort include the owners of the property at 4308 Market St. who offered up the parcel, and the University of Pennsylvania, which sold its used "Earth Tub" composting machines at a greatly reduced rate. The public grand opening for the Dirt Factory will be on June 20, and will feature complimentary refreshments by Four Worlds, Little Baby’s Ice Cream, and Dock St. Brewing Company.

Source: Seth Budick, University City District
Writer: Andy Sharpe