Bass Talks About Keeping Shoppers on Germantown Avenue, Elsewhere

Cindy Bass has a message for Northwest Philadelphia food shoppers.

"We lose a lot of food dollars from people from Chestnut Hill and Mt. Airy and throughout the region who go to Flourtown (and other places)," Bass said. "Just other places to do their shopping. They don't do grocery shopping in Philadelphia. We need to bring those dollars in and that's very important."

The new councilwoman, who took office on Monday, said she has concerns about the Germantown Avenue strip.

Part of the reason for that, she said, is that it's not as busy as it as been in previous years.

A daycare center in Chestnut Hill. Bass said that's the anchor business along the strip and should ideally be occupied by some other business.

"We need for it for it to be busy," she said . "We need it to be a place where people want to come, want to shop, want to spend their money, and therefore bring revenue to the city of Philadelphia."

She also talked about the that would bring a Fresh Market to the area.

Bass said she's spoken to people on both sides of the issue. She wants people to go to Fresh Market but doesn't want them to abandon the other stores.

She wants the businesses to be cognizant of the neighbors as well.

"It's important that folks support the new business but support the existing businesses, as well, (like) Weavers Way and the (Chestnut Hill) Farmers' Market," Bass said. "These were the businesses that have been there from the very start. They've been there from the beginning and this is where so many of us have shopped for years. Don't stop shopping there."