Northern Liberties Business Improvement DIstrict is thrilled to announce the grand opening of the neighborhood's first community arts center, maker space, art gallery and artists studio. This is the fourth grand opening in a row for NLBID and another amazing female-owned and Black owned business adding to the diverse small business mix. 1040 Creative grand opens this new arts and culture hub at 1040 N. 2nd Street, Suite 301, at Liberties Walk, this Friday, May 6th, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. The opening event is free and open to the public, and will feature lite bites, meet the artists, a pop-up show and live music. Looking beyond opening, registration is now open for classes for spring and summer, with offerings like Senior Makers Meet-up, Cartoon Express, Still Life Studies, Intro to Toy Design, Little Picasso, Wednesday Wine Down, Davinci Art Club and many more. For more info and to register, visit them on social media at @1040creative.

1040 Creative, Arts Center, Northern Liberties

"Northern Liberties Business Improvement District is thrilled to welcome so many new restaurants, retailers and now even a community arts center and another make-focused space," said NLBID Executive Director Kris Kennedy. "1040 Creative offers much-needed opportunities for adults, teens, and younger kids to gather and be creative together. Their Wednesday Wine Down is particularly cool. What a wonderful way to get to know your neighbors or gather with friends and shed the day! We're delighted to have them here in Northern Liberties."

She added, "Seeing businesses like 1040 Creative choose Northern Liberties as their home is fantastic. It really reinforces what a friendly, collaborative neighborhood Northern Liberties is. Between Hudson Table, where you can sign up for a wide variety of cooking classes, to brand new 1040 Creative, which offers art classes for children through adults, and the many comedy nights around the neighborhood, Northern Liberties offers so many ways to try something new."

1040 Creative is a brand new idea and concept brought to life by three owners, makers and artists. This female-owned business is also multi-culturally owned, in the words of the owners, as two of the owners are Black artists - and together they welcome everyone from every background - they want everyone to feel this is an artist and creative home away from home from people in the neighborhood and across the city.

For the concept, 1040 Creative is a brand new new cultural hub with art classes for all ages from toddlers to seniors, pop-up workshops, family arts days and gallery exhibitions. The space is also studio space for all three founders.

Pauline Houston McCall is an artist, educator and activist with deep roots. She currently resides in Northern Liberties. She has a currently commissioned exhibition at 30 Hudson Yards in New York City and has had recent shows at Capitol Health System in New Jersey and the African American Museum in Philadelphia, as well as other work in shows across the country. She also travels throughout the City bringing music and art to multiple schools and centers.

Sheena Garcia is a Philadelphia born artist, curator and arts educator, born and reared in the Northern Liberties section of the City. Garcia’s artwork has been exhibited regularly with Dizyners Gallery and the Painted Bride in Old City Philadelphia. She has also exhibited consistently with Gallery 54 in Soho, New York City. She is currently partnering with New York City's Intersection Media as a volunteer curator for the artworks that appear on Philadelphia's LINKPHL, digital kiosks screens, as well as Plus Kiosks in NYC.

Marcy Morris is a multimedia artist, poet and dancer, that is deeply involved in community outreach projects throughout Chester and Camden. Morris is the founder and director of Marcy Morris Artistry, a celebration of imagery and illustrations that celebrates the beauty of the multiple neighborhoods she serves by way of the art making process.

For the grand opening celebration on May 6th, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm, look for a reception with light fare, live music, meet the owners and more. Local musicians Robb McCall and Bert Harris will perform during the event.

Beyond opening weekend, registration is now open for classes - with more to be added. Offerings will include:

* Senior Makers Meetup Club - Senior Adults 62 and up - small sculture

* Make Break - Working adult art breaks at lunch with Corporate Innovative Art Lab

* Still Life Studies - Drawing and painting

* Wednesday Wine Down - Recreational art and sips afterwork

* Cartoon Express - Dream up your own characters

* Art Mix - Paint your own wearable and functional art

* Little Picasso - Drawing and painting

* Intro to Toy Design

* Color Get a Grip - Painting class

* Davinci Art Club - Drawing painting and sculpture

Classes take place in the 1,600 square foot multi-level space that includes also a lounge, library, classroom, exhibit space and studios.

For vibe, 1040 Creative exists to create a warm and welcoming vibe where our neighbors and surrounding communities feel free and comfortable to come and take a class or drop of their child to take a creative class. 1040 Creative seeks to bring a culture or haven of creativity and inspiration. 1040 Creative is a cultural hub where you can take in beautifully curated exhibitions by local and national artists. The founders are partnering with architects and developers and interior designers to set in motion commission pieces and murals for new construction in the area and throughout the city. Those talks are already in motion- stay tuned!

When asked why Northern Liberties, Houston McCall said, "Nothing exists like this on this side of the city and near Northern Liberties. We feel there is nothing like this and the community need is there, especially on the heels of the pandemic. Creative social interaction is vital right now."

She added, "We opened in Northern Liberties because we have deep roots here. I have lived here for 21 years and one of my partner, Sheena Garcia, was born and raised here. We both had an opportunity to watch Northern Liberties change and transform and we always wanted to be part of that transformation. We always wanted to break down those barriers of gentrification with more inclusiveness. We also opened here because I know so many of the families here as I bring Art, Music and Gardening programs to many of the preschools and primary schools in the area. I also know many of the Artists in this area. Northern Liberties is the birthplace of our women Artist collective“ WOMEN HOLLER of which premiered in 2004."

She concluded, "The foot traffic is amazing! We are in the center of activity on Liberties Walk! People are excited walking by. They asked to come in to view the art and usually they always sign up for classes. To be honest, it also is really exciting to be a woman own business and to be a woman of color owned business with a primary goal to reach every demographic and age set with great purpose is exciting and fulfilling. The fact that I signed the lease March 1st, the first day of Women’s History is pretty significant."

All three founders added this is their first brick and mortar, and this community space will bring their life's work from 15 to 20 years to one central place to teach art, make art, exhibit art and curate art.

For more about the center, the makers/artists and the classes, visit:
https://www.explorenorthernliberties.org/event/20220506-1040creativeopening/

Follow 1040 Creative on social:
https://www.instagram.com/1040creative

SEVEN GRAND OPENINGS THIS SPRING
Northern Liberties Business Improvement District welcomes at least six brand new businesses in six weeks - with a total of at LEAST fifteen new businesses about to open and/or be announced this spring and summer. This list has now been updated to include a seventh opening as well - with Bikes by Design being added to the mix!

Pera led the charge with their grand opening weekend April 1st to 3rd, Ray's Reusables in time for Earth Day Weekend on Earth Day Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23rd, and 1040 Creative Art Center and Gallery with a soft opening on Friday, April 29 and grand opening on Friday, May 6th, and Wag Watch, Bikes by Design and The Shake Seafood with their exact date to be announced in the coming days. Northern Liberties Business Improvement District in partnership with Northern Liberties-based PR firm Aversa PR will have more details on grand openings each week as they happen and are confirmed.

Grand Opening April to May:
* Pera Turkish Cuicine
* 70SIX
* Bikes by Design
* Ray's Reusables
* Wag Watch
* The Shake Seafood
* 1040 Creative Art Center and Gallery

Other businesses about to open and be announced include seven new eateries, cafes and restaurants, with even more to still come by this summer. In modern history, this will be the single largest number of new restaurants, retail and small businesses to open in the city's young business improvement district.

Many of the new openings are a result of several years of work by NLBID to recruit and also ready small businesses as they look for a new place to open and/or as they look to expand from festivals and virtual sales to actual brick-and-mortar locations. Programs that worked to recruit these businesses included extensive new business recruitment outreach, the Northern Liberties Pop-up Shops which matched small businesses with vacant retail spaces, and Retail Ready Bootcamp in partnership with the Community College of Philadelphia.

Northern Liberties also saw over a dozen new businesses open during the pandemic already, with a list that included:

* Anejo
* Bagels and Co.
* Figo Ristorante
* Figo Pizzeria
* Set No Libs
* The Learning Experience
* Suya Suya
* Parmigiana
* 7 Boys Collective
* Nirvana Wellness Med Spa
* Ghost Collective
* Ken Loves BYOB

NORTHERN LIBERTIES GROWING AT RECORD RATE

70SIX Boutique is opening in one of Philadelphia's fastest growing neighborhoods - one that will see a population literally double in size within two years. It is also one of the region's hottest food neighborhoods and top restaurant rows.

The population in the popular Philadelphia neighborhood is expected to nearly double in two short years, with 5,000+ new residential units and 184,655 square feet of commercial on deck or under construction. Northern Liberties continues to be one of Philadelphia’s hottest and fastest growing neighborhoods. Currently, there are 5,000+ new residential units and 184,655 square feet of commercial on deck or under construction. There are also other new nearby and adjacent projects announced in recent weeks that will be added to these totals. It is estimated that 5,000 to 10,000 new residents would move into the neighborhood in the next two years, essentially doubling the population in Northern Liberties (Callowhill to Girard, 6th St to the river). An additional 5,000 to 10,000 people are expected to move into adjacent and nearby projects as well.

A running and evolving project list includes:
5th and Spring Garden - 382 units, 6,000 sq ft commercial
Piazza Terminal - 861 units, 35,000 sq ft commercial
6th and Fairmount - 350 units, 18,000 sq ft commercial
418 Spring Garden - 330 units, TBD sq ft commercial
501 Columbus Blvd - 481 units, 37,000 sq ft commercial
310 Girard - 185 units, 6,400 sq ft commercial
342 Girard - 45 units, TBD sq ft commercial
700 N Delaware - 482 units, 10,000 sq ft commercial
918 N Delaware 452 units, 16,855 sq ft commercial
200 Spring Garden - 355 units, 18,000 sq ft commercial
412 N 2nd - 387 units, 20,400 sq ft commercial
417 Callowhill - 220 units, no commercial
814-26 N 2nd St - 52 units, 8,000 sq ft commercial
1102-48 N 2nd - 25 units, 9,000 sq ft

The above growth also will come to include the The Piazza/Liberties Walk, which will be replacing 500 units and 150,000 sq ft commercial over the next several years.

Despite the pandemic, new businesses and the city’s most acclaimed new restaurants have continued to open in Northern Liberties at a record pace. Recent openings have included Bagels and Co., Anejo, SET NoLibs, Ken Love's BYOB, Suya Suya, Pelicana, Stickman Brews, 7 Boys Collective, Studio N Med Spa, Pancho's Cafe, and soon-to-open Figo. Leases have also been signed and secured for at least five yet-to-be-announced new businesses moving into well-known restaurant and retail spaces.