4th Street in Queen Village has fast become a shopping destination
By Emily Kovach
Many neighborhoods in the city are blessed with its own retail thoroughfare, offering residents and folks passing through a means to shop for anything from groceries to a new bike helmet. But none of the commercial corridors offer such a rich variety of independent retailers as Fabric Row.
A good number of the old-school fabric shops still line the stretch of 4th Street between Bainbridge and Catherine, with their bundles of textiles and baskets of buttons spilling out onto the sidewalks. But over the past decade the street has undergone a true retail renaissance: Previously shuttered storefronts now boast posh boutiques, a high-end wig shop, vintage shops, art galleries, yoga studios, luxe spas. A six-pack of craft beer? A new skateboard deck? An hour of play-time with kittens? Yup! Some of the best pastries in the city (here’s looking at you, Hungry Pigeon)? You can find all of that, and then some, on this charming stretch of 4th Street.
For boutique shopping, here are a few of our faves:
Little Moon & Arrow
This past September, Chelsea Pearce of Moon + Arrow opened a children’s extension of her popular boutique, just down the street from the original location on Fabric Row. Situated in a beautifully rehabbed corner storefront at 4th and Monroe that used to house the Philly Performing Arts Center for Kids, this shop is the antithesis of both big chain kid’s retailers and old-school baby boutiques. Comfy, bright and airy, the shop is inviting and unintimidating, though some of the price tags may cause a bit of sticker shock. But, like the original Moon + Arrow, the unstated ethos of the place is explicit through its curation: Handmade, high-quality items are worth paying extra for; they’re lovely to look at and use, they last, and they support hardworking artists and artisans.
A rack of children’s vintage clothes, plenty of soft, organic textiles and smooth wooden toys for babies, and a preschooler’s dream selection of fabric crowns, magic wands, naturally dyed beads, block sets and sweet stuffed animals are just the start. Books from local artists, adorable greeting cards, charming knit hats, gorgeous mobiles and locally made, small-batch sidewalk chalk (yes, that’s a thing) make splurging on your favorite little one a pleasure.
729 S. 4th St.; 267.457.5403
Bus Stop Boutique
“Life is short; buy the shoes” reads a little sign on a shelf in Bus Stop Boutique. Nowhere will the mandate be more tempting than at this award-winning shoe shop. For the past decade, owner Elena Brennan has curated a chic line of footwear that’s somehow both thoroughly modern and completely timeless. Simple leather flats go toe to toe with minimalist wool sneakers, low-heeled booties, wild wedges and strappy sandals. The selection for both men and women features brands that are hard to find elsewhere in the city, such as SeaVees, United Nude and H by Hudson.
In 2015, Brennan began collaborating with a brand, All Black, whose lovely Oxfords she’s been carrying since she opened. Her own brand, BUS STOP X, started out as a range of low-profile, laceless Oxfords in an appealing range of colors and textures. Each style was named after a female Hollywood icon, such as Jean Harlow. The newest collection enhances the neutral leather tones with glossy, metallic accents and bold pops of color. That classic Oxford silhouette remains, though, combining comfort and style in a way that is seriously stunning. Buyer beware: BUS STOP X also includes an in-house line of handbags that are gorgeous. All of these limited-edition shoes are exclusively available at Bus Stop Boutique.
727 S. 4th St; 215.627.2357
Cactus Collective
There are lots and lots of places to shop for vintage in the city. Many of them have their merits, but ever since opening in 2016 (they’d been doing pop-ups in Philly, Brooklyn and Baltimore since 2014) Cactus Collective has been rocking it extra hard with an ever-evolving selection of apparel, jewelry, accessories and other handmade items, such as herbal wellness products from Primal Apothecary. Owner Lindsay Fryer has an eye for the kinds of 1970s duds that never go out of style: leather jackets, well-worn denims, flowy skirts, wild-patterned blouses, cowboy boots, faded band tees and turquoise jewelry. And fringe… lots of fringe.
Cactus Collective stays true to its name by taking part in pop-ups, hosting other vintage collectors, promoting friends’ projects through its Instagram account (@cactus_collective) and hosting Fourth Friday art shows featuring local talent. As if that all wasn’t enough to justify frequent drop-ins, the pricing at this cozy shop is beyond fair. While very few vintage shops in Philly rival Brooklyn prices, Cactus Collective is extremely reasonable, championing a democratic, everyone-deserves-rad-vintage spirit. Stop by for a look and walk out with something special, every time.
739 S. 4th St.; 267.908.4178
