A former mechanics garage transformed into a bowler’s pipedream, Northern Liberties’ very own North Bowl provides a hang out space unlike any other. Instead of drab, commercially carpeted walls, greasy fast foods and dingy lounging areas typical of bowling rinks of old…

Vintage Modern, a mid-century furnisher and art exhibiter in the middle of Northern Liberties, is tenaciously the oxymoron it purports itself to be. The big hand has made its run around the clock again…

The name “The Little Candy Shoppe” is modest to a fault. This is no petite chocolatier; it’s a dimensional anomaly, smack dab on Liberties Walk in Northern Liberties, where a slice of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory has materialized.

Northern Liberties owner Timothy Martin of Framing Philadelphia specializes in custom frames and is an avid collector of antiques and maps from the 1800’s. While Martin’s frames can accommodate a variety of portraits, landscape stills, and of course, maps…

Northern Liberties’ small-biz specialty shoppes attract Philadelphians from throughout the city’s boroughs. Although only a month after its inception, Casa Papel, specialty/decorative paper supply and related business services, is an exquisite addition to NoLibs’ 2nd street promenade. Owner Cecilia Torres emboldens her clients to “Bring your vision to paper…”

Brown Betty is hands down Northern Liberties one and only one-stop cupcake shoppe. I’m just going to cut to the chase: red velvet with vanilla icing, coconut butter cream, almond pound cake, strawberry pound cake, chocolate on chocolate and vanilla with sour cream icing…

Art StarBoth consignment boutique and art gallery, Art Star – located on a sweet little retail row on 2nd Street in Northern Liberties, offers assorted choice craft and artwork from local artists while doubling as an art venue.

Center City Philly isn’t the only one with sprawling, boutique promenades. Northern Liberties’ very own Liberties Walk has by far become the area’s de facto outlet for chronic, specialty shoppers.

BY AARON STELLA While strolling leisurely through the neighborhoods of Northern Liberties, it’s possible you may stumble upon the 76 Carriage Co, a part of the Trolley and Carriage Company of Philadelphia. Many of the horse-drawn carriages seen toted throughout the city are kept here with their equine counterparts. Grass ranges that abut the stables provide grazing grounds for the horses-and for their relaxation-all of which is yet to be touched by urbanity. Even Carriage Co. structures continue to wear the trappings of imminent and post industrial Philadelphia.

BY AARON STELLA For newly aspiring and veteran artists looking to frame their pieces, Art Salon in Northern Liberties has frames in spades and extra art supplies to spare. The frames themselves range from classic to contemporary: Byzantine, Florentine, Roman, simple steel and bamboo wood, many frames are finished by artisans from across the seas. Proprietor Ryan John saw an opportunity to support greener methods of frame manufacturing when he opened his salon. John only purchases from suppliers who use leftover materials to create more frames instead of dumping the excess in landfills.