In January, we wondered about vacant commercial space in the White Building at 12th and Sansom Sts., and speculated about businesses that would replace the shuttered T-Bar and Dada Rug and Art Gallery. Last month, two new businesses filled that void.

Empty corner

JAR BAR has replaced the rug and art gallery, and it’s your one stop-shop for all things “juicy and raw” (hence JAR, get it?).  We knew awhile back that Jennifer VanHeeswyk Richmond and Joel Odhner would be bringing their Catalyst Cleanse to Midtown Village, and with their passion for rich, raw foods, the duo’s concept has evolved into a whole menu that excludes gluten, dairy, and high-fructose corn syrup.

Interior shot of JAR BAR

So what is raw food exactly? This category is comprised of healthy, nutrient rich foods that are never cooked over 115

…

Coming to the former Blue Lotus Gallery at 111 S. 12th Street is Jar Bar. Based on the Catalyst cleansing system, which is a five-day juice cleanse, Jar Bar will focus its menu on a raw food diet; how trendy of them! Raw foodism (breaking out the technical term) is a lifestyle that promotes only consuming uncooked, unprocessed and generally organic foods. The Catalyst juice system (similar to the haute NYC Cooler Cleanse business) is a series of easily digestible juices you drink for three, four or five days to cleanse your body and restore the energy its been wasting on digesting harder foods. Spicy lemonade and cashew milk are just two of the (gulp) flavors Jar Bar is offering. Catalyst had a pick-up location in Philadelphia before (yet no one seemed to know this) at 1713 Spring Garden Street. Businesses also occupying the…