Philadelphians want Zara, Abercrombie, and Nordstrom stores, says Center City District

Philadelphians want Zara, Abercrombie, and Nordstrom stores in Center City. That’s according to insight from a survey conducted by the Center City District, a business advocacy group, published on Tuesday.

The survey, part of CCD’s annual retail report, was launched in late June and ran through Labor Day weekend. Some 376 respondents completed the survey, while nearly 1,200 responded to the question about what kinds of specific businesses they would like to see added.

Respondents also reported wanting a Crate & Barrel, REI, and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

“I’m hopeful that the brokers who represent some of these companies will take notice,” said Prema Katari Gupta, president of CCD.

The new report indicates that Center City retail occupancy has remained steady since midyear at 83%. That’s down from 84.5% in September 2023 and 89% in 2019.

People are also seeking more options for experiential spaces and family oriented spots such as a Lego Store, movie theaters, and independently owned music venues, according to the survey.

Center City has seen an influx of experience-based businesses recently, and that’s a good thing for the area, Gupta said.

A Formula 1 racing arcade is moving into the former West Elm on Chestnut Street, and a mini-golf site, Puttshack, opened earlier this year at the Shops at Liberty Place. Beat the Bomb, in the 1200 block of Chestnut Street, where players complete distinct tasks, is just another of the latest additions in experience-based businesses.

“The last five years have taught us the value of in-person experiences and how much we enjoy gathering and celebrating,” Gupta said. “Doing things together is what makes us human, and, you know, seeing that in some of our storefronts is terrific.”

Another trend the report captures is the rise of cookie businesses in Center City. The area is host to 17 bakeries — eight of which focus on the sweet treat. Cookie businesses that have decided to move into the area in the last two years alone include Chip City Cookies, Blueprint Cookies, Taylor Chip, and Levain Bakery.

“I’ve been astonished by some of the lines that I’ve seen in front of some of these new stores,” Gupta said.

According to the survey, some 34% of respondents also want grocery stores — particularly Wegmans or Aldi.

This insight comes as Center City is losing a grocery store. The Giant Heirloom Market at Eighth and Market Streets is set to close after Christmas, The Inquirer reported earlier this month.

The report also touts the success of Open Streets: West Walnut, which CCD held in partnership with the city and Rittenhouse Row, another business advocacy group. The program, which closed stretches of Walnut and 18th Streets to car traffic for four Sundays in September, was successful in adding pedestrians to the area, including some visitors from over 10 miles away, the report indicates.

The program translated into 79% of businesses bringing in more sales than usual. Open Streets will return on Dec. 8 and 15, on Walnut Street from 15th to 19th and 18th Street from Chestnut to Locust.

Outdoor dining also continues to be popular and above pre-pandemic levels in terms of capacity, the report indicates.

Outdoor dining seats are often filled, yet their availability has shrunk by over 2,000 seats since 2021. In a CCD report earlier this year, the decline in outdoor seating in large part was attributed to the recent regulation of those spaces by the city.

“There is an opportunity to rethink the streeteries in particular and see what their role is in the future,” Gupta said. “We’re hopeful that there’s an opportunity for us to partner with the city, to sort of think about how could we sort of improve and optimize streeteries to make them great for everyone.”