Bakery to debut on 40th

Brioches, baguettes and focaccias will soon be available on 40th and Walnut streets this fall when Metropolitan Bakery opens for business.

The bakery, which has five other Philadelphia-area stores, signed a lease with the University earlier this week. The operation adds to a growing list of retail announcements over the past few months, including an Ann Taylor Loft, Marvelous Records and a Marathon Grill, which will fill the empty space above the Bridge: Cinema De Lux, just across the street from the new bakery.

The eatery -- filling what temporarily served as office space -- will feature sandwiches and coffee, in addition to baked goods. Indoor seating will be available.

Metropolitan Bakery jives with the ideal sort of business that Penn is hoping to attract to 40th Street, according to University officials.

"The overall strategy for 40th Street is to really bring in some unique businesses that are not available right now in the University City area, and this is a terrific brand," Associate Vice President for Business Development Lisa Prasad said.

"On another level, it's terrific that brand names such as Metropolitan Bakery are now interested in locating here in University City...," Prasad continued. "Ten years ago, I doubt we would have seen this happening."

Bakery owner Jim Lilly echoed Prasad's sentiments.

"University City has been improving so much in the past few years and that whole retail area around 40th Street is just perfect for the kinds of products Metropolitan has," he said.

Lilly, a West Philadelphia of nearly 20 years, said he first became interested in the idea of opening a bakery when he found out through neighborhood organizations that residents were interested in opening a bakery in the area. A long-time customer of Metropolitan Bakery, Lilly said he approached the chain's owners about opening a store in the neighborhood and found them very receptive.

"They know the area, and they always thought that it was a neighborhood that they'd look into," Lilly said, noting that Metropolitan founders Wendy Smith Born and James Barrett first met while working together at White Dog Cafe.

Other vacancies in the 40th Street area include the unit once occupied by Friendly Express, which closed in 2000, and a retail space on the corner of 40th and Walnut streets. University officials were optimistic that both will be filled in the near future.

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