Philly Tourism Reps Sample Haddonfield

For the third time in about a year, the Partnership for Haddonfield escorted representatives of some Philadelphia hotels and upscale condominiums on Tuesday to see what’s available on this side of the river. 

While the group was being driven in an open-air trolley, they clucked about the azaleas, the different types of architecture and the historically significant sites that were pointed out by guide Joe Haro. 

Then they hit the shops and their eyes lit up. The hour set aside for shopping just wasn’t enough. Just about every one in the group of about 15 carried a bag when they reassembled at A Little Tuna for lunch and a chat with Mayor Tish Colombi.

The goal of the event was to get hotel staff to recommend a trip to Haddonfield on the PATCO light rail line to tourist visiting Philadelphia. The Partnership for Haddonfield is funded by a tax on borough businesses. Its goal is to promote local business.

It was just like last fall, said Lisa Herd, retail coordinator of the partnership. 

“They expected the history but they were here to shop,” she said. The two earlier tours had to contend with heavy rain. Tuesday, shop windows sparkled in the sunlight, businessmen and women met to share lunch, and mothers and grandmothers sat with toddlers on benches along the five-block retail strip.

Currently, Haddonfield's shopping district has only one vacancy, said Hurd.

Participants in the tour showed off jewelry and home décor, along with items like cupcake-flavored toothpaste and dental floss from soap makers Duross & Langel, during an impromptu show-and-tell as salad was served. Before coffee was finished, two of the delegates from the Philadelphia Concierge Society ducked into Z’s Treasures and Jamaican Me Crazy.

“I’ve been here before, to Jay West. People know about this area for the bridal business,” said Maureen Crumbley. “Now, after today, I know about the easy access from the train station. I thought you would have to walk more. 

“People always want somewhere different to go when they’re visiting Philadelphia. South Street now is so much for the kids. This a nice place to send mature visitors,” said Crumbley, who works in concierge services at the Marriott, which often hosts visitors to the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Charles Johnson, concierge at The Residences at Two Liberty Place, said he was impressed that Colombi took time to meet with the group. “I never ate lunch before with a mayor,” he said. 

Colombi emphasized the number and variety of shops available if visitors spend a few hours strolling through town. She stressed the safety of the district and the availability of parking, either at meters or in free lots off the main streets.

 “We realized 10 years ago we had to do something to revise our retail district,” she said. “Competition from the malls devastated this town. We want people to see that we’re unique in that most of our businesses are owned by the person in that spot.

“It’s friendly. It’s inviting,” Colombi said, and it offers a range of shopping with  independent merchants and artisans. She also talked about the draw of activities like Friday night concerts and Saturday morning’ farmers’ market at Kings Court and the July 4 parade that include floats from neighborhoods and children with decorated bicycles.

“It’s around the corner from where the train dumps you off. We encourage people to take PATCO. It’s 12 minutes from the city,” the mayor said.

Ella James-Brown, president of Philadelphia’s concierge group, said the proximity of the train is a big plus for would-be shoppers and visitors. “People don’t like having to switch from one train to another, or to a bus. They don’t mind public transportation, but they don’t want to have to figure it out,” she said.

“We’ve recommended people visit Manayunk. This is another good spot,” said James-Brown.

Other plus factors the group said they would bring home are the number and range of restaurants, the ability of diners to bring along their own wine, and the number of festivals, beginning with this week’s First Friday and arts and crafts festival in July.

“I want to live here,” said Johnson.