Free People has finally opened a storefront in its hometown. Taking over the old Newman Galleries space at 1625 Walnut St., the new Free People store has found a home nestled right alongside its parent company and precursor, Urban Outfitters. In the early 1970’s, Dick Hayne and first wife Judy Wicks (yes, that Judy Wicks) opened a store called Free People in West Philadelphia. After successfully finding a market with the college student set, Hayne (sans Wicks) changed the name to Urban Outfitters. As Urban’s retail footprint grew, the Free People name was brought back as the label for a wholesale clothing line that became available at other national stores and boutiques. Eventually, the brand was spun off into its own retail concept. Currently, there are forty Free People boutiques in the US, and now Philly has an added shopping destination on Walnut Street.

The new store

The Free People line has seen some changes over the years, for a while with many of its flowy dresses filling the racks and selling out at surf shops up and down the Jersey Shore. The label’s latest incarnations are tailored with more detail, have a larger array of fabrics, a bigger variety when it comes to accessories, and higher price points than before.

The venerable Newman Galleries shut its store front doors last year, with signage indicating it was renovating. While it’s now obvious they didn’t retain the street-level address, a posting in the upper floor window indicates they are continuing business by appointment and at their website.

–Lauren Summers