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dg2121 t1_j7mv9k6 wrote

Any off brand clothes shop

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Baron_Von_D t1_j7mw8td wrote

That Apple shop on Chestnut, Bundy Computer.
Unless someone can vouch for them, it seems like a front. Every time I have walked by, there's been nobody in there. Also, like four blocks from the Apple store. How are they making money?

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Brahette t1_j7mwb2n wrote

The old Italian restaurant in Manayunk, Il Tartufo, I'm convinced was some kind of money laundering or drug front. I ate there one time to scope it out and it was the oddest experience and only further convinced me. They're closed now though

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flyingpanda5693 t1_j7mwnx2 wrote

Alex’s pizza in Roxborough/Manayunk. Little cash only pizza place that seems to only be open for like 4hrs a day. The lifers around the area talk highly of it but I’ve never seen people going in and/or out.

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LP788 t1_j7mx1tc wrote

Replying to Brahette (#1,748,533)

The owner had another restaurant off of South Street. Also, there was some history there about the owner having an affair. It was pretty messy if I have the right place.

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Ng3me t1_j7mxkxf wrote

All hookah stores.

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GumshoeAndy t1_j7my1ha wrote

There's a spot that opened not too long ago on 19th and Snyder, the Royal Salute. There was no way that place was opened with the intention of making money.

Runner up: The old Pizza Pub.

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jamin_g t1_j7my5lx wrote

The Sunoco and car wash at 6th Ave Girard.

2

tibs_l t1_j7mz56o wrote

Southampton Spa (but I love it there)

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ColdJay64 t1_j7mz7oy wrote

South Square Paint and Hardware

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BroadStreetRandy t1_j7n1rnt wrote

Not sure if it’s still there, but when I was at Temple there was a pizza place at the corner of Oxford and Master. Maybe it was called pizanos or something like that?

We never could tell how they stayed open because the place was pretty big but always completely empty save for a few sketchy characters. The pizza wasn’t that good. The service was shitty and I remember vowing to not go back there. It was our running joke that it was a front for the Russian mob.

Like a year later, before ghost kitchens were a widely known thing, I got the shittiest breakfast delivered from an unknown place on Uber eats. It was that pizza shop.

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estellato12 t1_j7n1twm wrote

mad greeks pizza in university city, it’s next to two other pizzerias which are far more popular. not a single person goes to this place and it’s still open somehow.

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pasnow t1_j7n1ud7 wrote

Replying to flyingpanda5693 (#1,748,556)

Like 15 years ago I heard they were offered something like $1 million just for the business, NOT even the building.

Nearby in Andorra is Pina's pizza, whose pizza boxes have very Christian sayings on it (ex: Walk With The Lord). Supposedly the owner had problems/debts but found himself long time ago. Although I've read thats a bit playing a part or overcompensating things.

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Cuthbert_Allgood19 t1_j7n2hv1 wrote

It used to be Hats on the Belfry on South, but these days? DEWS Deli on 10th. I went in once and the stock was so low I thought they had gone out of business months before. But nope, regular hours

2

TitanUp9370 t1_j7n3a9p wrote

Honest Lou’s Exterminating Supply on Lancaster and Spring Garden. I went there once for mouse traps and they were cheap but it was cash only. I frequently go by that intersection and I’ve never seen anyone go in or out…

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lvlufasa t1_j7n3idw wrote

Living in Old City, every single art gallery or boutique clothing store. I know most are by appointment only, but I never see anyone in any except for an occasional party/show on a Friday night. I’m sure it’s probably just rich people hobby and they don’t care about losing money but some of them have been there forever and the floor/walls always have the same paintings or furniture

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SanjiSasuke t1_j7n423n wrote

Replying to BroadStreetRandy (#1,748,873)

I'm so happy someone brought up Pizzano's! My immediate thought, as well.

My friends and I also theorized it was a front for the Russian mob (although I think we found out they weren't Russian?) My friends got wings there every week as a tradition, mostly because we were right there.

The food could actually vary in quality quite a bit. And not by menu item, but at random. Sometimes the pizza or fries would just be inexplicably better or worse.

They also had weird stuff like pinball machines and old quarter toy machines that would cycle in and out.

They are gone now, which is sad in a nostalgic way.

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Sweet_Sprinkles_4744 t1_j7n4i6h wrote

I don't know if it's still there, but the Manayunk Diner. I haven't been in that area since we moved out of East Falls in 2015. The diner was good, then closed for a while, opened back up under new management.

The "menu" was a printed piece of 8.5x11 paper, folded in half. The omelet that I ordered came out gray. We were the only people there, and the staff acted like we were wasting their time coming in to eat there.

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nayls142 t1_j7n6nhk wrote

There's a big building at Broad and Market that I'm pretty sure is full of crooks...

0