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Mon
Jul 9
2012

Former Mugshots Location is Getting a New Tenant

A few months ago, Fairmount Avenue stalwart Mugshots moved out of its ultra-prime location at 21st & Fairmount, directly across the street from Eastern State Penitentiary. Their new home is just a couple of blocks to the east, at 1925 Fairmount Ave., in the still relatively new mixed-use building built by Loonstyn Properties. We can certainly understand the allure of the new construction space and we’re hearing that the relocated Mugshots is doing pretty well.

For the past few months, the space at 21st and Fairmount has sat vacant. Considering that over 250K people toured Eastern State Penitentiary in 2011, it’s kind of a surprise, no? In fact, ever since Mugshots left the space, speculation has run rampant as to who would take over the space.

The building

Taking over this space, with plans to open in time for Terror Behing the Walls, is… OCF Coffee House.

Yes, friends, the very people who sponsor this website are opening a new coffee shop in the 4,200 sqft space where Mugshots used to pull their espresso shots. And demo has already gotten started!

Take a look at these photos, showing the space before demo began:

Where people used to order drinks, etc.

Looking to the west, inside the space

Looking back in the other direction. This place is massive.

Now, for some photos in mid-demolition:

Bar is all gone

Space looks much more open now

OCF Coffee House currently has one location, at 18th & South, but growth is a’ comin’. In less than a month, a second location that we’ve mentioned a bunch of times before, at 20th & Federal, is set to open its doors. The new Point Breeze cafe, a scoatch smaller than the South Street location, will operate in almost exactly the same fashion as its predecessor. The Fairmount Avenue location will be about five times the size and will have beefed up operations, with a legit kitchen in the basement and a hundred seats. Design will be handled by Studio:Christiansen, like the other two stores, though several finishes and details will be different, as you might expect.

18th and South location, today

Another view

We’ll (obviously) have some updates on this in the weeks to come, along with photos, floor plans, etc etc etc.

Full disclosure: OCF Realty is the parent company of OCF Coffee House and Naked Philly.

25
COMMENTS
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Posted in Spring Garden | Tagged , , , , , , , | 25 Comments
  • http://twitter.com/McJenna McJenna

    2 coffee shops within 2 blocks? Hmmm.

  • Frejo

    Agreed McJenna.  Who needs 2 coffee shops in Fairmount?  Plus there’s the Starbucks on 20th/Callowhill.

  • Drew Peenuttsak

    I have no loyalty to Mugshots and welcome the new place.  Hopefully it will be service from someone other than dirty hipsters??  If so, I’ll be there for the ribbon cutting.

  • Calldoctor

    I just don’t think I want to drink real estate coffee.

  • Arbiter

     Check out the OCF Coffee House on South and see how you like the service first.

  • Y Lama3

    what’s the deal with the OCF at 10th and South???

  • Anonymous

    Opening next week….they were waiting on the real estate commission to approve it as a branch office.

  • Anonymous

    What about the dowdy yuppie customers who act like entitled tools?

  • dddffdfdaeregddfdsdasddsd

    I have not been in Mugshots since it moved. I know it is nice to be in a new building. But to give up what I think is the best location in the area seems stupid to me. 

  • Tartan69

    Not to mention Cafe L’Aube on 17th and Wallace, as well as all the other little bodegas (and Wawa) that serve coffee.  Yet another coffee shop is definitely not what Fairmount needed.

  • Drew Peenuttsak

    I don’t have to deal with them.  The dirty hipsters who see their jobs of serving coffee as a chore and perform it with poorly and with disdain - them I have to deal with.  You like shltty service from somebody who hasn’t bathed for days, good for you.  Mugshots is right down the street pal.

  • 3rd&Brown

    How ’bout punching some bigger windows into that facade? Looks like a prison to me.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ori-Feibush/8213741 Ori Feibush

    I will be replacing all the windows with the blessing of historic.  I doubt they will be replaced before we open but certainly within a few months.  I agree that the current ones are terrible.

    I will also seek approvals to open the South windows that look onto the church.  It’s a gorgeous building….a cross breeze is nice and so is the view.

  • Tartan69

     I stand corrected a bit, in that apparently there will be a full kitchen and not just coffee.  I missed that on first read-through.

  • EbpXYZ

    Oh joy! What the neighborhood desperately needed, another coffeeshop! 

  • EbpXYZ

    4 in 3, if you count Rye Bread and Philly Flavors…

  • Former Fairmounter

    This is absolutely horrible! Seriously, that space should be turned into an awesome new restaurant/bar/byob/brew pub/gastro pub etc. different from the others in the neighborhood. Heck, an Indian restaurant would probably do very well (something Fairmount is lacking I believe). It is a shame that a great local business was bullied and pushed out of the space after all the work they put into expanding it! The new Mugshots space is full of light, energy, and space and I only hope customers remain loyal. I also hope they understand the hard work and heart it takes to run a local, sustainable, conscious business like Mugshots. Fairmount does not need another coffeeshop, total bummer!

  • Fairmounterrrrrrrrr

    Not true at all.  The owners of Mugshots have been fighting for years and preferred to destroy their business rather than figure things out.  No one was bullied out of any location.  The owner of the building bent over backwards to try and keep them.  They had a lease and walked away from it to avoid coming to an agreement with each other.  Check public docket for “Mugshots” dating back to 2011.

  • Current Fairmounter

    If know so much what Fairmount needs why didn’t you stay and make it happen?
    Did the ‘burbs come a callin?

  • Guest

    lame

  • Fairmounterrrrrrrrrrr
  • Fairmounterrrrrrrrrrr
  • Angie

    Angie here from Mugshots. Just wanted to give you the story
    directly from the source. We moved from our location at 21st and
    Fairmount  because the landlord jacked up the rent unreasonably. We got a
    great offer from someone who’s interest in developing the neighborhood is in
    line with Mugshots’ triple bottom line philosophy. Unfortunately we had no
    choice, but we’re ecstatic to be in a newly designed space where we can serve
    you better, just a block and a half from our original location. If you haven’t
    been in yet, please stop by and check it out!

  • http://nakedphilly.com/spring-garden/update-new-ocf-cafe-at-21st-and-fairmount-is-moving-along/ Update: New OCF Cafe at 21st and Fairmount is Moving Along | NakedPhilly

    [...] in July, we told you about plans for a new OCF Cafe at the former Mugshots location at 2100 Fairmount Ave., across the street from Eastern State Penitentiary. Since then, plenty of work has taken place at [...]

  • Kimberly

    I think people totally underestimate Rye. I’m pretty snobby and their coffee combined with service makes it the best in our area. Also, they actually have good food unlike some places where their food just tastes like pre-made stuff. Their peanut butter cupcakes are so yummy.

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