T he 3900 block of Walnut Street will soon be losing two of its best-known tenants -- College Pizza and West Philadelphia Locksmith will be moving farther from campus, to 42nd and Chestnut streets.
With the University soon to be demolishing most of the block, there was little question that the block's tenants would have to move. However, the lack of support from the University for some of the block's small businesses is a great cause for concern.
The 3900 block of Walnut Street is surely not the highlight of campus retail. The tenants on the block, however, are the kind of businesses which Penn should be working to keep around campus. They're not high-priced clothing outlets or fancy restaurants, but they do provide important services that students can't find elsewhere on campus.
In addition, many of the owners are members of the community and live nearby. With the change which has taken place in campus retail in the last decade, these are the kind of retailers that Facilities and Real Estate Services should be working hard to preserve.
However, Locksmith owner Phil Paul said the University provided almost no support whatsoever in helping his store relocate. College Pizza owners echoed the sentiment.
The businesses on the 3900 block -- many of which have operated around Penn for more than a decade -- need the University's help. Most are happy to see improvements coming to the block, but few can afford the extremely high rents which will likely be charged once the block is rebuilt.
Chain stores are beneficial and popular with students, but the University should always strive for a balance between chains and mom and pop stores. Chains come and go often, but local owners feel a stronger tie to the community. Officials say this is already happening, but that's hard to believe after the treatment received by College Pizza and West Philadelphia Locksmith.
These are important, long-time businesses, and they shouldn't be forced to move even farther away from students.
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