Saturday, October 22, 2011
Controversies and successes both reigned supreme.
Last weekend's Philadelphia International Art Expo that closed down Germantown Avenue for three days was met with joy by people at the event—and with a lot of resistance from Avenue business owners, who didn't know the street would be blocked off until a few days before the event. Links to all of our articles about the expo are below. If you have any other ideas about stories coming out of this event that we should cover, let us know at zach@patch.com. Art expo organizers were happy with the way things went. Businesses, though, mostly weren't pleased. That's because they didn't know the Avenue would be closed until the week of the event. Neither did Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller's office. Some businesses had great sales during the event; …
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Some did well, while others suffered, especially on Friday.
It was a mixed bag for sales at Germantown Avenue businesses during an art expo last weekend that closed the 7100 block of the thoroughfare for three days. Some reported better sales than usual, while others did not. It appears that business did fairly well at relevant Germantown Avenue establishments on Saturday and Sunday, when the expo had gotten into full swing and more people were browsing the vendors' art. Establishments like sit-down restaurants suffered on Friday, though. One thing appears to be clear—any store that sold coffee did very well. InFusion Coffee & Tea owner Jane Shapiro said she also hadn't known the event would close the Avenue, but said her business still did "fantastic" throughout the entire festival as people …
Business owners were upset they didn't know about the event in advance.
The city managing director's office may change the way it issues permits for street closures after business owners said they were blindsided by news that an art expo would close Germantown Avenue for three days last weekend. Deputy Managing Director Jazelle Jones said the office hasn't officially made any changes yet. But she said it is mulling the possibility in the wake of the fallout from the expo. Avenue business owners said they were upset they didn't know the Avenue would be closed for three days until a couple of days beforehand. Jones, however, had been under the impression that they knew it would be closed. She said she told event organizer Mercer Redcross of October Gallery that he had to notify the businesses that the Avenue …
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Mercer Redcross said he thought the atmosphere on the Avenue was good throughout the weekend.
Philadelphia International Art Expo organizer Mercer Redcross said he was pleased with the way the event went this weekend. This weekend's expo was the 26th such version of the event. This was the first time it was held along the 7100 block of Germantown Avenue. The Avenue was closed from Friday morning until late Sunday night. Redcross said he was pleased with the turnout. He doesn't have exact numbers, but he said he was happy that it was able to attract relatively large crowds to a commercial area of Mt. Airy. October Gallery is based in the neighborhood at 6353 Greene St. and also runs some operations out of 7165 Germantown Ave. (which used to host the North by Northwest restaurant). "We were pleased with the attendance," Redcross said…
40.06003
-75.19091
7165 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/october-gallery-organizers-pleased-with-avenue-art-expo
/locations/5646074
Owners say they had no problem with the event itself but said they wish they had known sooner the Avenue would be closed.
It wasn't that business owners along Germantown Avenue had an issue with the idea of the Philadelphia International Art Expo, which took place there last weekend. Multiple owners said they could have gotten behind the event, which closed the Avenue to traffic between Mt. Airy Avenue and Mt. Pleasant Avenue from Friday morning to Sunday night, if they had known about it in advance, or if they had been properly consulted before a permit was granted for the closure. "If (event organizer Mercer Redcross) had come to me, I probably would have been like, 'This sounds great,'" Food For All Market owner Amy Kunkle said. Some said they said they suffered financially as a result. Other businesses had great sales during the event. Either way, …
40.0602
-75.19103
E Mount Airy Ave & Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/art-expo-avenue-closure-causes-consternation-among-business-owners
/locations/5646094
40.05837
-75.18939
E Mount Pleasant Ave & Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/art-expo-avenue-closure-causes-consternation-among-business-owners
/locations/5646095
The city deputy managing director's office said she was disappointed with the way things went.
Although a weekend art expo brought many to Germantown Avenue, city and neighborhood groups are concerned event organizers kept them in the dark about the extent of its reach before it happened. Councilwoman's office not notified Representatives from Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller’s office and the Mt. Airy Business Improvement District said Mercer Redcross didn’t notify them the 7100 block of Germantown Avenue was to shut down from Friday morning through Sunday night due to the Philadelphia International Art Expo. Redcross attributed the confusion to a communication breakdown. Philadelphia’s managing director's office approves street closure permits. Deputy Managing Director Jazelle Jones said she met with Redcross about a month before …
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Photos from the event.
The Philadelphia International Art Expo has been going on throughout the weekend. Here are photos from Saturday.
Friday, October 14, 2011
School groups dominated the crowd Friday as artists showcased their work.
It was quite a diverse crowd of artists at the Philadelphia International Art Expo on Friday. Pastelists, jewelers and wellness practitioners united at the event, which shut down Germantown Avenue between Mt. Pleasant Avenue and Mt. Airy Avenue—it will remain closed until late Sunday night. This is the first year it is happening here. It's being put on by October Gallery, which is based in Mt. Airy. The crowd on Friday was dominated by school groups, which brought children on trips to see the art and to walk around in the sometimes-rainy, sometimes-not weather. "I like that," said Heaven Understanding, who was selling jewelry from Ghana as well as her own work. This was Understanding's first year ever at the expo, and she said she wanted …
40.05993
-75.19084
Germantown Ave & W Mount Airy Ave, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/art-expo-gets-going-on-germantown-avenue
/locations/5646158
Thursday, October 13, 2011
This is the first time the expo will appear on this block.
October Gallery Operations Manager Lamar Redcross knows there's an unknown element to the upcoming art expo that will dominate Germantown Avenue this weekend. But that's part of the reason he's excited for it to finally happen. The Philadelphia International Art Expo, which will bring together a melting pot of more than 125 vendors and artists—some who come from as far away as Brazil for the annual event, which is in its 26th year—is on the 7100 block of Germantown for the first time ever, which already gives it a sense of newness. There are more reasons, though, that Redcross is full of anticipation. He likened the expo to a Phillies game, which is essentially a clean slate before it begins since neither the fans nor players know exactly …
It will be closed from Mt. Pleasant Avenue to Mt. Airy Avenue from 6 a.m. Friday to 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
Updated: Thursday, 9:49 a.m. Several Germantown Avenue blocks will be closed throughout this weekend for the October Gallery's Art Expo. The street is scheduled to be closed from Mt. Pleasant Avenue to Mt. Airy Avenue from 6 a.m. Friday until 11:59 p.m. Sunday. David Fellner, who owns the building at 7165 Germantown Ave. that will act as the de facto headquarters for the event, said the street closure is happening, in part, for logistical reasons. Organizers didn't want to take down booths at the festival—according to October Gallery operations manager Lamar Redcross, there will be more than 125 vendors at the event—once a day was complete. Closing the street for the entire weekend will allow the entire festival to be taken down only once…
40.05848
-75.18951
7100 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA
/articles/germantown-avenue-to-close-for-art-expo-this-weekend
/locations/5646179
Eugeneperry.com
7:02 pm on Friday, October 21, 2011
Eugeneperry.com Ok, I definitely agree about some steps being omitted but I'm pretty sure everyone benefited from the event- the city, the artist, the art collectors, and of course the local business owners. However, for the future events all parties needs to be notify well in advance. Let's not make it a big deal of this others issues need the attention. more ›