As Frankford Avenue continues to turn over, retail opportunities continue to crop up. One example is a retail space at 1600 Frankford Ave. which was renovated this year to install larger windows and make the spot more attractive to potential tenants. Back in March, we told you that the owners were seeking a variance for the space to permit a restaurant.

Last summer

Recent shot

We were in touch with Bob Huttenlock, the location’s owner, who told us he was originally planning to open a sandwich shop here, but his partner backed out. He is now looking for other options, including a bakery. With the planned bakery as part of the La Colombe development down the street, that may not be the best option, if you ask us. Still, we suspect that it won’t be long before a restaurant or some other business rents out this newly renovated space.

Future La Colombe will be just a few blocks away

On Frankford Ave., Johnny Brenda’s at the corner of Girard has been the totem for years. Likewise, Rocket Cat at the corner of Norris has hung in there for many years. But in recent years, there’s been an avalanche of new businesses coming to the corridor. Frankford Hall, Fette Sau, Pizza Brain, Little Baby’s Ice Cream, Philadelphia Record Exchange, and more have all appeared in just the last couple of years. And with that La Colombe cafe/distillery/bakery coming soon, it’s clear that the momentum is still on the upswing.

The next few years promise to be very interesting on this corridor, and we’ll be very interested to see what comes next.

–Lou Mancinelli