How Philly’s “Small Town” Adapts to Families Settling Down in the Neighborhood
By Brenda Hillegas • Photos By The Video Content Factory
When my now six-year-old was just a couple weeks old, he attended his first of many events in Manayunk. It was a pet blessing ceremony in early fall at Pretzel Park, which features newer playground equipment, a seasonal farmer’s market, an annual Parks-On-Tap stop, Halloween costume parade, and even a weiner dog competition depending on the time of the year. If you walk down onto Main Street, there’s no shortage of even more activities, shops and services, and plenty of restaurants. A quick lesson in the neighborhood’s cultural history can be found in the new welcome center and headquarters for the Manayunk Development Corporation, which officially opened this summer. Step inside for displays on the development of the neighborhood, notable people, purchase Manayunk swag or inquire about renting the building’s community space. But, if you’re there, then you probably already know that our neighborhood, with a multitude of independently owned businesses and steps away from the walking and biking trails of the Schuylkill River, is full of small-town charm and plenty of outdoor space while still being a part of Philadelphia.
If you’re reluctant to head to the ‘burbs and want to raise your family in the city, Manayunk is the right place. When talking to parents and business owners here, everyone mentioned similar plus points: Manayunk is ‘best of both worlds’, it’s a vibrant, charming, tight community, you actually know your neighbors, many lived here during or after college and decided to stay when it became time to grow their own families. Want to know more about this gem in a big city of neighborhoods and what makes it so appealing to young families? Let’s dive into it.
“It’s my favorite place in Philly. It is such an amazing community, easy access to both the city and the suburbs, and it’s a young demographic that I enjoy living in. I knew this was the perfect place for my shop,” says Mallory Minor who owns Minor Details, specializing in unique gifts and customizable items. “I knew filling the niche of being a super affordable, trendy store would be perfect for the younger college students that come through Manayunk each year, but also the young twenty and thirty-somethings in their professional lives starting their families.”
“Manayunk is a wonderful place to raise children! Word must be getting out, because there is a growing community of young families that make use of our beautiful parks and wonderful public schools. Walkability is fantastic, and kids get an opportunity to know so many folks when we’re traveling by foot,” says Chris Maguire, who owns Tubby Robot Ice Cream Factory with his wife, Kelly. He notes that being able to add another one-of-a-kind business to Main Street is a privilege. “I love catching up with old neighbors and meeting new ones just about every day.”
As more families move in and begin to create their own traditions, businesses have been adding kid-friendly activities and menu items into their daily operations. “I like to focus my inventory on Philly sports, Philly-related items, and Taylor Swift, so you can always find those items available in all kid sizes. I’m happy to help out a customer with a custom order as well. I’ve done children’s birthday parties, t-shirts, gifts for partygoers, or anything you could possibly need help with,” Mallory adds.
Danielle Du Plooy, who opened The Brass Tap with her husband Izak last year, fell in love with Manayunk when she moved to Philly over 10 years ago. “With its vibrant nightlife and frequent events, my husband and I knew that Brass Tap would be a fantastic addition. The community has been incredibly welcoming.”
Their bar and restaurant is steps from Neighbors Park, where you’ll find a playground, basketball courts and a splash pad. The location is perfect for playdates followed by lunch. The Brass Tap welcomes families and understands the need for hardworking parents to have a space to spend quality time together. They hosted Easter egg painting and a bunny brunch last spring, provided painting supplies for a bring your own pumpkin event in October, and have Christmas activities planned soon. The bar’s private event space is ideal for kid’s birthday parties and there is no charge to rent it.
“The abundance of family-friendly activities in the area is something we love,” says Du Plooy. “Since welcoming our baby boy last year, we’ve enjoyed several local festivals. As he continues to grow up, we’re excited to engage in more local classes and events!”
Manayunk’s annual celebrations are looked forward to by the community and there’s something to do outside in all seasons. The StrEAT Food Truck Festival lines Main Street with food trucks from the surrounding areas, and the two-day Manayunk Arts Festival just celebrated 35 years of showcasing 300+ local and nationally known artists and crafters. At Out & About in Manayunk, LGBTQ+ artists, performers, organizations, and entertainment provide an experience that’s safe and welcoming for everyone. Kids can trick-or-treat at shops after showing off their costumes in Pretzel Park (where farmers market vendors also hand out candy), families bundle up to enjoy holiday light displays in December, and ice sculptures outside of many of the businesses during Founder’s Philly Freeze Out,. There’s also RoxYunk PorchFest, a community-led day that encourages people to wander around and listen to music set up on porches and driveways across the neighborhood- passionately organized with weekly meetings leading up to performance date.
One aspect of Manayunk living that seems to appeal to families is the fact that gathering spaces aren’t always specifically designed for kids, but still they are very welcoming. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s seasonal pop-up beer garden is ideal for date nights or getting together with friends, but if children have to tag along, there’s no need to stress about entertaining them.
“[We have] a dedicated game room with foosball, basketball, Jenga, Connect Four and more, which anyone can enjoy anytime they join us,” says PHS’s Associate Director of Activation, Cristina Tessaro. “We also have PHS programs such as plant swaps, botanical water coloring, pressed flower workshops and more, which are all family friendly.”
Cristina believes everyone should enjoy their gardens and there should be no age limit on enjoying beautiful green spaces. PHS partners with Royal Restaurant Group which is known for restaurants like Khyber Pass Pub, Royal Tavern, and Cantina Los Caballitos. All of these spots are family-friendly and the Pop Up Gardens (an additional location on South Street) are no different, says Tessaro. “Our food menu offers a selection of kids items, and many of our regular menu items are chosen with everyone’s tastes in mind.”
“Our menu is, essentially, one giant kids menu,” says Chris Barnes, owner of Lucky’s Last Chance, where the menu is predominantly burgers, mac and cheese, hot dogs and grilled cheese. “Our goal was always to be a place where so many walks of life could come together over the love of simple comfort food, good music, and a cozy environment.
“So many Main Street independent business owners have kids, and so many have chosen to raise their kids here. Coupled with the growing number of young families who have set roots throughout the area and all of the wonderful programming for kids, it’s a no-brainer to see Manayunk as the perfect family friendly destination.”
Twisted Gingers Brewery owner Mark Mayer grew up in the restaurant world, watching his dad run a restaurant in New Jersey. He loved the idea of a neighborhood space and creating a family atmosphere in his brewery was also an obvious choice.
“There was a section of my dad’s restaurant that we called bar booths. Whenever my mom would bring us over there while my dad had to work, we would sit and have dinner. My dad would be able to take care of stuff, but he’d be able to actually sit down and have dinner. That was really important to him. And there were so many times where he controlled the language in the bar,” Mark explains. “He would get up and say ‘you can’t talk like that here. It’s a family restaurant.’ And that always stuck with me.”
If Mark’s customers start cursing when children are nearby, he is quick to tell them to be respectful of the families enjoying their dinner.
Many of Mark’s friends lived in Manayunk after college, but his first job was in Connecticut so he commuted here often to socialize. “A lot of my friends who lived in this neighborhood all met up right after [COVID] restrictions were lifted,” he says. “I remember the kids were all sitting at the table saying the pizza is really good. It was such a good feeling because I was like, you guys are bringing your kids to a bar. It will always be that way because that’s how I was brought up. [Allowing kids] was always going to be a part of it.”
People who lived here during college or just after graduating are finding that even with all of the late night bars and young professional vibes, Manayunk provides opportunities for families to have fun and make memories together.
“I believe ice cream has a nearly universal appeal, and that is especially true for kids,” says Chris Maguire. “We built our Wall-O-Vision system in the hopes of exposing a new generation to classic arcade games. It’s amazing to see kids connect with games that were released decades before they were born.”
“I realized how important it was to have a restaurant that is kid friendly, being a father myself,” says Tim Spinner, owner of Taqueria Amor. “We want to have something for everyone and it’s important that kids have food they love to eat too!”
Taqueria Amor’s “Little Amigos” menu offers standards, as well as mac and cheese tacos and peanut butter, jelly and fluff quesadillas. Plus themed pop-ups are appealing to everyone. In October, they transformed into a Beetlejuice-theme. Previous themes included Taylor Swift, Stranger Things, Barbie, and Wrestlemania.
Kristy Martin, BSN, owner of The Nice Needle Nurse Aesthetic Medical Spa, decided to open her business on Main Street in Manayunk because she always loved the street. Now that she has a family of her own, staying was an easy “yes”.
“I moved to Manayunk at 21 and at almost 40 have been here ever since. Most of the businesses are small and family owned, which makes the relationships between owners and customers personal and genuine, fostering a sense of connection and trust. I love the people here, most of my patients refer their family members in and after a while, you get to know what feels like everyone.”
Kristy believes that living here with her family does offer the best of both worlds- “It’s a unique town that’s urban in its energy, with the convenience of city living, but surrounded by lush green spaces, parks, and nature trails. We love that our son has a place with children his age to play with at the local playgrounds, and he also has the opportunity to spot turtles and wildlife on nature walks and bike rides in Wissahickon Valley Park.”
Her son attends Springside Chestnut Hill Academy where he enjoys “naturescapes”, something she describes as recess, but with frogs and trees mixed in. He also participates in after care and enrichment programs, available from 3:30-6pm which can include taking classes like chess, yoga, gardening and art.
“Both of our kids go to Dobson and the staff there is excellent at pushing them academically while fostering an environment where it’s expected to be kind,” says Chris Maguire. “The extra care services offered by North Light Community Center are staffed by neighbors and feel like a second home.”
“We provide after care, activities, and homework help for Shawmont, Dobson, Cook-Wissahickon and Greenwoods Charter Schools until 6pm, including van transportation from the schools,” says Rhiannon Smith, Director of Development at North Light. “We also provide an eight-week summer camp full of engaging activities for children 4-12 years old. Childcare subsidies and financial aid are available.”
There are an abundance of classes, after school activities and camps in our neighborhood. “We produce a Theatre for Young Audiences in March that rehearses from January to March. Everyone in the community is welcome to audition,” says Kelly Orenshaw, facility supervisor of Venice Island Performing Arts Center.
“Venice Island is a fantastic spot for kids programming,” says Molly Hebert-Wilson who runs Ms. Molly’s music classes on site. “There’s plenty of space, indoor and outdoor options, it’s easily walkable just off of Main Street, and plenty of parking. The staff are really invested in developing fun, educational, and accessible kids programming.”
Along with early childhood music classes and a spray ground just outside that’s open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Venice Island presents Short Theatre Festival in May, and plans to add more produced shows in June and November.
Born Creative Art Studio hosts parties and classes, as well as a summer camp for ages six and up. Evening “Mixed Media” classes are ideal for ages six-12 as they explore and create various art forms. The studio’s summer camps change themes weekly (you can choose which weeks to attend). Manayunk Arts Center offers youth classes, workshops, and homeschool classes. Elite Sports Factory offers summer camp, youth sports classes with options ranging from ages 6 to 18, and even a drop in Ninja Fun Zone, parents night out events, and day camps when school is out. Venice Island is home to Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation six week camp for ages 10-18. Though they don’t currently have a dedicated program for older kids/teenagers, Orenshaw would be open to start one if people are interested- another opportunity for the community to come together.
“North Light’s Teen Services encompasses an Out-of-School Time program that provides college and career preparation, tutoring, workshops, summer internships and more,” says Rhiannon.
Teenagers who have a bit more independence and can venture out with their friends can easily get around on foot to coffee shops, bubble tea, and ice cream spots. Multiple SEPTA bus routes and a train stop right on Main Street also make it easy to navigate around the neighborhood and into Center City.
“I think Manayunk does an incredible job of balancing nightlife and being really welcoming to families. That shows in the level of excitement people have about getting out and doing fun activities,” says Molly.
“Being part of such a community is great because it allows you to build strong relationships, collaborate with others, and be more directly involved in shaping the local economy. It also creates opportunities for mutual support and innovation, as small business owners,” says Kristy.
“It’s transitioned over the years from more of a college town, but now there are so many young professionals who have started families and call Manayunk home,” says Tim.
Raising children in this pocket of Philadelphia, like Chris Barnes suggests, should be a no-brainer! There’s no shortage of other families to bond with, people to greet, nature to explore, activities to participate in and community spirit! For anyone seeking a nurturing environment with space for personal and communal growth, Manayunk is a solid choice for families ready to plant their roots.