Philly Office Retail

Jumpstarter Spotlight! Friday is when we get to introduce you all to one of our amazing Jumpstarters. Meet Jhanel Wilson! Jhanel is a chemical engineer turned real estate investor and entrepreneur. As Founder and CEO of The Savvy REI, she shares her 17+ years of hard lessons & personal strategies to help people understand, master and succeed with real estate investing. Her tip for investing in a seller's market is Always be mindful of value, which rarely equals price. ...In hot markets, it's best to find off-market deals, or invest in areas that are hidden gems. There is always a distressed seller, wait for a good opportunity" Jhanel is renovating FOUR triplexes with the Jumpstart Germantown Loan Program. Mt. Airy is about to have excellent triplex units available!

The Mural Arts Philadelphia Program is creating a new mural on the side of POR’s building located 5224-28 Greene Street. This weekend our tenants Zoetic Couture who occupy the space worked on the mural with fellow Germantown Residents. #germantown #phillyofficeretail

Jumpstarter Spotlight: "This is my 4th Jumpstart funded project. Their community-first approach goes hand in hand with my desire to improve underserved communities of color that are oftentimes an after-thought for other developers and lenders" - RJ Griffin. Jumpstarters making a difference! RJ - we're so glad you're a part of the Jumpstart community. Pictured here is RJ at his latest Jumpstart project in Nicetown/Tioga.

Thank you Jim Cassidy, principal of C2 Architecture, for taking the time to show us your exciting rehab and new construction of four houses on W Queen Lane. As an architect, Jim is helping Philly Office Retail reconstruct the Max Levy Building in Wayne Junction. Now he is doing his own development projects! We are proud of the positive difference he is making in our Germantown community! #jumpstartgermantown #reuse

Look who stopped by our offices yesterday... 22 year Max Levy Autograph Company employee Rich Rosenfeld! Rich dropped off a framed copy of the 1931 floor plans for the original Max Levy building at 212 Roberts Ave, in Wayne Junction, which we are carefully converting into 32 apartments. Rich entertained us with many previously unknown stories about the building like the fire that destroyed the mill in the rear during the 1970’s that was so hot it melted the windows on Max Levy! And how Max Levy removed a rear brick wall to install a RCA built Autograph machine in the mid sixties and took out that wall again in 2008 when they moved to NE Philly!

Today is the day!

We are making serious progress on our most recent Wayne Junction project, the renovation of 4555 Germantown Avenue, which is a blighted building 1/2 block from the Wayne Junction Train Station. Do you have a good use for the 1st or 2nd floor of this newly renovated commercial property (approximately 1,100 sf per floor). If so, please contact [email protected]! #waynejunctionrevitalization #jumpstartgermantown

Hey, all you real estate friends and sightseers, join me on Saturday, January 9th, 10am - 12pm, to check out this spacious house for sale on East Johnson Street... in Germantairy. We would love to see it sold to someone who can do a nice renovation and either live there, rent it out or resell it to a homeowner. It is currently set up as a triplex but zoned as a single family home. #jumpstartgermantown #JumpstartPhilly

Check out this excellent article on recent Jumpstart Germantown graduate, Ajee Wilson, who signed an agreement of sale on her first house in Germantown shortly ...after going through the Training Program this past October. She is not just a world class runner. She is also a goal oriented doer, making her dreams come true. #jumpstartgermantown #JumpstartPhilly See more

Philly Office Retail is offering its development services, pro bono, to this exciting project to bring more affordable housing to Philadelphia. If successful, we would like to see tiny house developments on vacant lots throughout the City. #JumpstartPhilly #AffordableHousing

EJ Duff’s work is amazing! EJ has completed a few projects for our office in Germantown and also a 22’ communal table for Trolley Car Station in West Philadelphia. https://www.inquirer.com//hurricane-woodwork-philadelphia-

Congrats to POR tenant Attic Brewing Co. on winning a Silver Medal for their Bloodhound Brown Ale at the 2020 Great American Beer Festival, the world's largest professional beer competition!!!

Philly Office Retail is excited to announce a new restaurant opening in Mt. Airy! Cherish Philly is located at 7060 Germantown Avenue and features breakfast, lunch and smoothies! Meet us at their grand opening tomorrow morning. @cherishphilly

Check out the exciting revitalization happening around the Wayne Junction Train Station and join this Preservation Alliance tour of historic Wayne Junction on October 23rd at 2pm! Philly Office Retail has space for you! #WayneJunction #jumpstartgermantown https://25017.blackbaudhosting.com//Special-Architecture-W

Preparing for tonight’s virtual Preservation Alliance Awards. Philly Office Retail is winning two awards for the adaptive reuse and preservation of the Charles Schaeffer School at 4701 Germantown Avenue and the Blaisdell Pencil Factory at 137 Berkley Street. Raise a glass to the Philly Office Retail team and our wonderful tenants - Attic Brewing, Deke’s BBQ, Forefront, Elwyn and Jumpstart Germantown!

A note from our founder, Pete Merzbacher: We’ve got a big announcement! After 7 years and a million Philly Muffins (plus a whole lot of buns and loaves), we... are retiring the name Philly Bread and transitioning to Merzbacher’s of Germantown or simply Merzabacher’s. So what exactly is changing besides the name? 1. Our branding! Keep an eye out for our brand spankin' new packaging at your local grocer. You can find us at a growing amount of local grocers like Whole Foods Market, Giant Heirloom Market, MOM's Organic Market, Primal Supply Meats, and Riverwards Produce. 2. We built a beautiful new bakery in historic Germantown which has allowed us to dramatically grow our business and now sell directly to the public. 3. We launched an online bread shop that offers a variety of fresh bread and a home baking starter kit. These items will be available for pick up at our new walk-up retail window delivery via an old-school bread truck for zip codes in and around Center City (for starters). 4. A renewed commitment to Germantown and adjacent neighborhoods in the form of charitable initiatives like increased bread donations. Take part by checking out our Bread to Share Loaf in our online bread shop (www.merzbachers.com/shop). The most important things aren’t changing: our deep love for bread and the communities that this craft connects us with; neither are our ingredients, formulas, or processes. We’ll continue to pride ourselves on reimagining classics into delicious breads that strike a balance between inventive and approachable. Our formulas feature simple and honest ingredients from trusted local vendors and farmers. Our team has worked tirelessly to make Merzbacher’s into what it is today, and we couldn’t have done it without you, our loyal customers. Thank you for your continued support as we transition; the team and I look forward to providing you with the best bread to share for years and years to come! See more

The Northwest's Newest Tea and Plant Boutique! Come check us out! You'll be glad you did!

Congrats to Mural Artist Matt Halm on the first of several murals that will be painted around Wayne Junction. Over the next year, the walls of this community, located between Germantown and Nicetown, will be transformed showcasing beautiful, vibrant art that reminds us of our industrial past and what brings us together as a community. Philly Office Retail is proud to play a leadership role in bringing these attractive murals to Wayne Junction. Many thanks to the Mural Arts Program, State Senator Sharif Street and many donors for making these murals happen.

Philly Office Retail is excited to begin construction on its newest Wayne Junction revitalization project at 4555 Germantown Avenue. Can you see your company or organization in this newly renovated 1,100 - 2,200 sf two story building? If so, please contact JeJuan Ford at [email protected]. #JoinTheWayneJunctionRevitalization #jumpstartgermantown

Philly Office Retail is excited to near completion of this exciting adaptive reuse project in the heart of Mt. Airy! Do you own or represent a blighted property that needs love and attention and would be willing to sell it to Philly Office Retail so it can be saved and reused for years to come? https://www.chestnuthilllocal.com//mt-airy-condo-project-/

Sharing your passion for blight removal with the next generation of real estate developers is fun and rewarding! https://www.bisnow.com//philadelphia-cre-executive-ken-wei

Looking for long term, stable employment as a full time Carpenter or Foreman for a fast paced, mission driven developer? Philly Office Retail is the place for y...ou! CARPENTER/FOREMAN Ideal candidate must have solid construction experience, excellent leadership and communication skills, can effectively manage a crew and complete projects in an efficient manner. Foreman Responsibilities: Oversee construction crew of 4-8 people Receive and inventory materials Demolition, structural repairs, framing (both metal and wood), installation of windows, doors, millwork, drywall, acoustical ceilings, kitchen, bathrooms, paint and flooring Coordination with superintendent and subcontractors when needed Qualifications and Requirements: Minimum 5 years as a construction foreman, 10 years carpentry experience Ability to read full construction plans Compensation: $25.00/Hour with paid holidays ____________________________________________________________ CARPENTER Ideal candidates must have excellent construction and communication skills, and can complete projects in an efficient manner. Carpenter Responsibilities: Handle Materials Demolition, structural repairs, framing (both metal and wood), installation of windows, doors, millwork, drywall, acoustical ceilings, kitchen, bathrooms, paint and flooring Coordination with Carpenter Foreman and Superintendent as needed Qualifications and Requirements: Minimum 5 years carpentry experience Ability to read architectural plans Compensation: $16.00 - $25.00/hour, based on experience, with paid holidays If interested, contact Aaron Cushing at [email protected]. www.PhillyOfficeRetail.com