Fabric Row was all about fabric once upon a time. Hence the name. But as the years have passed and the internet has become more and more a source of… well, everything, fabric stores have faded and other businesses have come to the corridor. We've always thought that Fabric Row would be a fertile ground for bars and restaurants, and actually had our eye on a double-wide space for many years but to no avail. Fabric row has had some food establishments (we're looking at you Famous 4th Street), but the booze has been slower to come around until rather recently.
Hungry Pigeon opened at 4th & Fitzwater a couple months ago but we only got there for the first time last week. We actually told you about this a little over a year ago and we've gotta say this place was worth the wait. We got the breakfast bowl which was a tasty mix of porridge, kimchi, avocado, and poached egg. Owned by a chef and a pastry chef, they offer fresh baked pastries every day along with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Also there's a full bar. As you can see in the photos above and as you can pretty much tell from walking into the place, it was a fabric store for many years, most recently housing Jack B. Fabrics while they rebuilt their space across the street following a fire. We've heard good things about their nighttime offerings, and imagine this place will turn into a popular neighborhood drinking spot if it hasn't already.
Half a block to the north is BeerLove, a place that opened about a year ago but we only discovered recently. BeerLove is a bottle shop and a beer tasting place that also hosts events. Per a Philly.com story, they also offer a membership program that enrolls people into a beer-themed CSA-style club. We'd love some more details on this because it sounds amazing.
Assuming success for both of these businesses, we could see additional bars taking a second look at Fabric Row. A decade from now, we could easily imagine a bunch of additional bars and restaurants on Fabric Row and hardly any fabric stores. We're always happy to see new businesses open but it will be bittersweet as the character of the corridor continues to drift away from its historic nature. Alas, these things change over time and we humans are mostly powerless to stop it.