Article written

  • on 15.08.2012
  • at 11:41 AM
  • by Shannon McDonald, Editor

Right NEast/Wrong NEast: Mayfair gets credit for Tacony’s cool sign 8

Updated:  A reader has called to our attention the Mayfair neighborhood banner hanging in front of Stein’s in the photo used for the Naked Philly story. We can’t fault them for this one.

People love Stein Florist.

The Frankford Avenue flower shop and its eye-catching sign have been written up by written up by architecture columnist Inga Saffron and made a cameo in the movie Mancation.

Stein got some more love over the weekend from Naked Philly. Too bad Mayfair got the credit.

Because people outside the Northeast typically associate Frankford Avenue with Mayfair, the corridor’s other neighborhood often get the shaft. Frankford, Wissinoming, Tacony, Holmesburg, Upper Holmesburg, Torresdale and Morrell Park all have slices of Frankford Avenue.

Stein is at 7059 Frankford Ave., on the east side of the street and south of Cottman Avenue. That makes it decidedly Tacony. Like with the case of media outlets reporting Globe Dye Works is in Port Richmond, we like to remind non-Northeasters that it’s important neighborhoods get proper recognition for their “cool factor.”

We especially expect more from Naked Philly, seeing as this is its “about us” information:

“We’ve defined neighborhood boundaries, networked with developers, hacked into city files (not really) and have no qualms about releasing this real estate information to you. Whether you are an out-of-towner or a local, we know you’ll appreciate all the hard work that went into bringing you the real feeling of Philadelphia.”

The real estate and development site is concentrated more on Center City and its surrounding neighborhoods, but surely its staff knows the importance of neighborhood accuracy?

Outside media don’t care about the Northeast. We have all seen them misuse, misspell and mistake our neighborhoods and our streets, so we at NEast Philly wanted to do something about it. When they get it wrong, we set it right in a segment we like to call Right NEast/Wrong NEast.

  • Preston

    If you look at the top photo in the Naked Philly article there is a Mayfair banner hanging on the pole just outside Stein’s. So I guess even the people in Mayfair are confused as to where they are.

  • http://www.mayfaircivicassociation.com Joe DeFelice

    FYI the Mayfair civic association , Mayfair business association and Mayfair CDC all count both sides of the avenue (and steins) within their boundaries.

  • Jane Kennedy

    I love this segment Right NEast/Wrong NEast.
    As a native of the NE and as a Realtor selling NE for almost 30 years now, I appreciate your effort to correct the injustis most NE neighborhoods get. HOWEVER in this case they may be more right than wrong. Unless you are going by zip code. I think you’ll find most people ” residence” will identify themselves as being in Mayfair on the east side of Frankford Ave below Cottman above Levick to about Gillespie. Keep up the great work – I really appreciate your efforts in keeping the record straight- especially above our great neighborhoods of the NE !

  • Shannon McDonald, Editor

    Thanks for clarifying, Joe. We’ve been using the civic boundary outlines of Mayfair, Holmesburg and Tacony to keep track: http://neastphilly.com/2011/08/10/holmesburg-civic-association-will-expand-coverage-area/

  • lou iatarola

    It’s tricky but what Joe said is true. When it comes to zoning issues and the like, Tacony Civic represents properties up to, but not including Frankford Avenue. So anything on the 4000 blocks is technically considered Tacony. Regarding boudaries, the TCA can’t use Charles or Tackawanna Street as their westerly boundary because some properties are sandwiched in between these and Frankford Avenue. Mayfair and Tacony Civic typically team up to tackle issues that are within a block or two of each other’s boiundaries. Seems illogical to call anything that fronts on Frankford Avenue “Tacony.”

  • http://www.mayfaircivicassociation.com joe defelice

    Agree with Lou – we were simply stating that isnt ridiculous to call it Mayfair – now if you called it Rhawnhurst…that would be a diff story – nevertheless, keep up the good work

  • Shannon McDonald, Editor

    Want to thank everyone who has weighed in on this. Neighborhoods are ultimately defined by the people who live there, and the insight from Joe and Lou is very valuable here. Now to figure out the logistics of doing a RN/WN feature on ourselves…

  • NEMatt

    Sometimes gross mistakes are made in reporting.
    And sometimes trivial ones.
    This to me is trivial.
    As a resident of Mayfair, there is a certain “feel” towards the area as a whole, and
    this strict boundary nitpicking at times is not really necessary.
    I’ve always considered Stein’s, and even the Devon, as a part of my neighborhood – not considering where the damn boundaries are located.
    When I cross “The Ave” during shopping, I don’t think nor consider that I’m leaving Tacony and entering Mayfair – It’s rediculous.
    There are no chain link fences erected to determine where one place is located, this is not 1941 Germany with some wall up to divide peoples.
    Technically, I live in what is called “West Mayfair” – but I never use that specified term – I’m in Mayfair, period.
    I enjoy it all.
    So come on now, and lighten up with these slights and trivialities and enjoy the Northeast as a whole, not sharply defining things.

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