Fabric Row (''Der Ferder'', "the fourth", in
Yiddish
Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ver ...
) is a historic
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
textile and garment district located on South 4th Street in the
Queen Village
Queen Village is a residential neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that lies along the eastern edge of the city in South Philadelphia. It shares boundaries with Society Hill to the north, Bella Vista to the west and Pennsport to the south. ...
neighborhood of
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
between Bainbridge Street and Catherine Street.
History
Fabric Row had its beginnings when the area was still part of the
District of Southwark. Starting in the late 19th century when peddlers were able to purchase licenses for $25. Those who could not afford the $25 fee would rent a cart for $0.25 per day. This business practice allowed some to profit until the 1950s when pushcarts were banned. The area later became a known fabric market where there existed up to 30 fabric retailers between the 1930s until the 1950s at its peak.
In 1996, fabric shop owners on South Fourth Street successfully lobbied the city for official recognition of the "Fabric Row" name.
Preservation efforts
In 2015, the area went through major renovations with many services offered by the organization that manages the
South Street Headhouse District
South Street in Philadelphia, originally named Cedar Street in William Penn's original street grid, is an east–west street forming the southern border of Center City and the northern border for South Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. The South St ...
.
As generations get older and with the lack of succession, many businesses in Fabric Row ceased operations. For example, Marmelstein's had been in business for 96 years before its closure.
There are preservation efforts to retain the "fabric industry" culture on Fabric Row even though the textile market in Fabric Row still remains strong to this day. However, many businesses face uncertainty when the older generations pass and the younger generations leave.
Demographics
In 2016, Fabric Row, a neighborhood statistic which also includes 3rd and 4th Streets, had a population of 175 in an area of 0.004 square miles, giving a population density of 40,972 per square mile. The median household income is $93,750. The area consists of 96 males and 79 females. The median age is 31.6 for males and 34.8 for females.
[ Since the year 2000, the area has experienced a growth of 7%.]
See also
*Southwark, Philadelphia
Southwark was originally the Southwark District, a colonial-era municipality in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Today, it is a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Because of its location south of the ...
, the former district inside which the neighborhood resides in.
*South Street Headhouse District
South Street in Philadelphia, originally named Cedar Street in William Penn's original street grid, is an east–west street forming the southern border of Center City and the northern border for South Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. The South St ...
, the current neighborhood that this neighborhood is associated with
References
{{Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Culture of Philadelphia
Neighborhoods in Philadelphia