ABOVE PHOTO: Blue Sole Shoes (Photo by R. Rabena for VISIT PHILADELPHIA® / VISIT PHILADELPHIA®)
VISITPHILLY.COM
PHILADELPHIA – ‘Tis the season to start making a holiday list and checking it twice. This year, shoppers can make an impact with their holiday spending by supporting Philadelphia’s many Black- and Brown-owned businesses. Through Visit Philadelphia initiatives, visitors and locals can shop – both in-person and online – for their nearest and dearest, and in turn support the Black and Brown-owned shops and boutiques that help make Philly Philly.
“There is no better place to visit, celebrate and shop for the holidays than Philadelphia,” said Visit Philadelphia president and CEO, Angela Val. “At Visit Philadelphia, we are committed to ensuring that the value and benefit of tourism extends into our neighborhoods, our communities, and especially to Black- and Brown-owned businesses who were hardest hit during the pandemic.”
Shop Black Business Friday:
On Thursday, November 17, Philadelphia City Council, in collaboration with Visit Philadelphia, announced a resolution to declare each Friday in December “Shop Black Business Friday.”
Philadelphia City Councilmember At-Large Katherine Gilmore Richardson, who introduced the resolution, stated, “The Shop Black Business Friday initiative – through the support of Visit Philadelphia – enables residents and visitors to give back to our community by shopping and supporting our local Black- and Brown-owned businesses.”
Philly PHLASH Shopping Loop:
To elevate the impact of Shop Black Business Friday, Visit Philadelphia, and the Philly PHLASH have teamed up to make it easy to shop at some of the city’s Black- and Brown-owned businesses this holiday season thanks to the all-new Philly PHLASH Shopping Loop, a bus route that will run to four neighborhoods once a day on Fridays from November 25 through December 23. Details include:
Every ride on the Philly PHLASH Shopping Loop is free.
Shoppers can board the bus at the Independence Visitor Center in Old City at noon and if they do the entire route, will return to the IVC by 4 p.m.
Advance registration is encouraged, but not required.
The bus will stop in South Street Headhouse District, West Philadelphia, Northern Liberties and Center City.
Riders will have one hour to shop before the bus departs for the next neighborhood.
Shoppers can find a comprehensive list of diverse businesses in each neighborhood at visitphilly.com/shoppingloop as well as via a card available on the PHLASH
Those who drive into Center City can take advantage of discounted parking when they show their PHLASH pass.
Shop Philly with James Bradberry:
Visit Philadelphia’s Shop Philly holiday collection is now available online at: visitphilly.com/shop, and exclusively focuses on Black- and Brown-owned businesses. The holiday collection was curated by Philadelphia Eagles first-year cornerback James Bradberry.
Bradberry is helping shoppers score big in the gift-giving department with amazing gift ideas across a range of budgets. Bradberry selected many items that reflect his diverse interests – he’s a foodie who offers private cooking lessons to friends and family (check out his hot sauce and seasoning selections), an avid reader (there are multiple books in his collection) and a philanthropist. There are also relaxation picks (teas, incense, salt soaks and specialty soaps) that might actually be on his own wish list for post-game recovery.
“I am new to Philadelphia, so curating this Shop Philly holiday collection was a great opportunity for me to get to know my new city better,” said Bradberry. “I’m also really proud that my collection is exclusively focused on Black- and Brown-owned businesses. It’s always important to support these businesses, but it’s especially important now as they continue to recover from the impact of the pandemic.”
The Shop Philly holiday collection is available through mid-January, 2023, and features 33 items.
Shop Philly makes it easy for visitors to find the perfect memento they may have missed while in town for a recent visit and for homesick Philadelphians looking to reconnect with their hometown. Plus, this holiday season, Bradberry’s curated collection offers a great way for those who can’t make it out for Shop Black Business Friday to show support for Philadelphia’s diverse businesses.
Shop Black- and Brown-Business Instagram Frame and Stickers:
Visitors and locals can show their support of Shop Black Business Friday by using the custom @LoveGritPhilly social media frame. Visit Philadelphia’s Love + Grit podcast shares authentic and diverse stories of the city to inspire visitors and locals alike. Guests have included Jeannine Cook of Harriet’s Bookshop, one of the businesses featured in Bradberry’s Shop Philly collection. The frame can be used on Instagram Stories or Instagram Reels while users are shopping or opening a gift at home. To activate the frame, follow three easy steps:
1. Visit @lovegritphilly on Instagram
2. Tap the “stars” tab
3. Click “Shop Black Business” Frame
Instagram users also are able to share their Philly pride with five custom Love+Grit stickers that promote shopping at Black businesses. Follow these steps to use the stickers:
1. Open Instagram Stories
2. Click on the sticker icon
3. Search for the stickers by typing “love grit philly” or “shop black business”
Visit Philly Overnight Package:
With so much happening in Philadelphia, shoppers and visitors should make plans to stay over with the Visit Philly Overnight Package, which includes one- or two-night hotel accommodations at 36 hotels, along with free hotel parking (valued at up to $100). Plus, for the first time ever, Visit Philly has added a pick-your-own perk option, with three different add-ons for those interested in Philly’s impressive history, arts & culture, and culinary scene.
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