Mayor Cherelle L. Parker Announces Near-Term Actions to Accelerate Market East Revival

Local businesses, expanded public programming, and community engagement efforts will build momentum along Market Street this summer

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker today announced a series of new near-term actions to accelerate the Market East Revival, bringing more local retailers, public programming, and corridor activation to Market Street while advancing long-term planning for one of Philadelphia's most important commercial corridors.

The announcement includes new storefront activations featuring Philadelphia businesses, corridor beautification projects, a major daytime Market East Celebration tied to the city's 2026 events calendar, expanded Weeknights Live programming, and continued next steps from the Market East Revival Advisory Group to guide the corridor's long-term future.

"Philadelphians deserve progress they can see," said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. "We are delivering on our promise of new energy, new business activity, and new momentum on Market East right now while we continue the long-term work of reviving this historic corridor. This is about creating opportunity, supporting local entrepreneurs, and showing the world the very best of Philadelphia."

Mayor Parker's vision for Market East, launched in November 2025, is to revive this historic corridor as Philadelphia's Main Street and elevate it as a premier destination for residents, workers, students, families, and visitors alike. That means a more vibrant corridor where people come to shop, gather, and enjoy culture, entertainment, and retail. Through coordinated public and private investment, neighborhood connections, and sustained activation, these collaborative efforts will ensure that the Market East of today and tomorrow will reflect the energy, pride, and promise of Philadelphia.

Local retailers to infuse energy on the Market East Corridor

Beginning May 6, Philadelphia businesses will temporarily operate in previously vacant storefronts donated and upgraded by the Fashion District and a joint venture between Comcast and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment as part of Meantime on Market, an initiative led by Center City District and Meantime, with funding from the City's Department of Commerce.

Meantime on Market will officially open on May 6 at 12 p.m. A ribbon-cutting celebration will take place on May 7 at 3 p.m.

"Meantime is about creating the conditions for possibility," said Brian Phillips, founder of Meantime and principal of ISA. "By activating a highly trafficked stretch of Market East with local businesses, we're testing ideas, supporting entrepreneurs, and bringing the vibrancy of Philadelphia's neighborhoods into the heart of the city."

Meantime on Market retailers along the south side of the 900 block of Market Street in properties donated by HBSE and Comcast will include:

• Almost Famous (922 Market Street) features upcycled clothing, vintage pieces, and live artistic interventions. The space will host artists working on-site, panel discussions, and music events, reflecting the brand's Black-owned, women-centered ethos as it continues to operate without a permanent home.
• Art Philly (932-934 Market Street) will create a hub for creative exchange, convening artists, storytellers, and community members with Jos Duncan-Asé's Love Lab, an initiative from Love Now Media, a Philadelphia-based multimedia production company focused on empathy-centered journalism and storytelling.
• Clubfriends Radio & Records (926 Market Street), founded by Alexa Colas, will expand its 2025 DesignPhiladelphia installation, I Turned My Living Room Into a Record Store, into an ongoing, immersive experience. The project will serve as a platform for public programming developed in partnership with the Free Library's Music Department and Curator of Exhibitions to tell stories specific to Philadelphia, fostering connection through music, design, and shared cultural experience.
• Rarify (924 Market Street), a Philadelphia-based platform and gallery dedicated to collectible design and material culture, will present an exhibition celebrating the region's rich design legacy. Spanning architecture, industrial design, furniture, interiors, and craft, the exhibition highlights Philadelphia and Pennsylvania's enduring influence on the nation's cultural and creative identity over the past 250 years.
• Siddiq's Water Ice (938 Market Street), a beloved West Philadelphia staple, will open in Center City for the first time, bringing a neighborhood favorite to new audiences and expanding its presence into one of Philadelphia's busiest commercial corridors.
• Two Persons Coffee (920 Market Street), the popular café based in the Bok Building, will also pop up in Center City, extending its community-driven ethos and thoughtfully crafted offerings to a new neighborhood.

"Market East was established well over a century ago as Philadelphia's high street. Today, thanks to Mayor Parker's leadership, a group of public and private sector experts are working together on its future," said Center City District President and CEO Prema Katari Gupta. "These retail pop ups show what's possible when partners come together and invest in this corridor. Thank you to Mayor Parker, Councilmember Squilla, and the three property owners-Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Comcast, and the Fashion District-whose shared vision made this possible."

"We are thrilled to open our space to these incredible small businesses that will make Philadelphia's downtown vibrant this summer," said David Gould, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for HBSE. "This is an opportunity not only to activate this stretch of East Market Street, but to showcase how renewed energy and foot traffic can impact a single block. None of this would be possible without the collaboration with Center City District, Meantime, and our partners at Comcast."

Meantime on Market is made possible by a $1.85 million grant from the City's Department of Commerce and implemented by Center City District.

Market East Corridor and Streetscape Improvements

In connection with the Center City District, progress has started on additional city supported improvements along the corridor, including the planting of 42 new trees, refurbishment of four transit headhouses and 21 bus shelters, and upgrades to lighting and banner poles.

"The mayor has been clear that Market East requires both immediate action and a long-term strategy," said Tiffany W. Thurman, Chief of Staff to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. "We are moving with urgency to deliver visible improvements now while building a revival plan that creates lasting opportunity for residents, businesses, and the future of Center City."

2026 Market East Celebration

As part of Philadelphia's 2026 celebrations, the city will host a first-of-its-kind daytime Market East Celebration in early summer 2026, transforming the corridor with car-free streets, live music, food, and festivities that showcase the culture, creativity, and community spirit of Market East. Additional details will be forthcoming.

Weeknights Live! Programming Expansion

The City's Department of Commerce recently announced Weeknights Live!, bringing live performances by local artists to hotel lobbies along Market East and other venues across the city while helping create a more vibrant and welcoming experience for residents, workers, and visitors.

Market East Revival Advisory Group Next Steps

The Market East Revival Advisory Group continues its work to advance the corridor's future, including a series of planned focus groups and public roundtable discussions that will gather ideas, priorities, and feedback from residents, workers, business owners, and community stakeholders as the Market East Revival moves forward.

"Market East is a corridor with a rich Philadelphia history, and its economic and civic future must be shaped by both bold thinking and broad engagement," said Gerard H. Sweeney, President and CEO of Brandywine Realty Trust and Chair of the Market East Revival Advisory Group. "These next steps will help ensure we build a vision rooted in community input, market opportunity, and the confidence that this corridor's best days are ahead."

"This is how great cities build momentum," said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. "We are making visible improvements now, supporting long-term investment ahead, and ensuring Market East once again reflects the strength and promise of Philadelphia."