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BY TIFFANY LIAO

In print | October 5, 2006

South Street in Philadelphia is known for its bohemian atmosphere and excellent shopping. Any given day, tourists and natives alike pound the streets to scrounge for treasures from the thrift store racks or to chow down on a falafel. Although The Gap and Adidas have infiltrated the zany stores that line the street, bargains and unique finds still thrive. Here are a few standouts that won’t break your budget or cramp your style:

Tattooed Mom

530 South Street
(215) 238-9880

As any seasoned shopper knows, pounding the pavement can leave one famished. Luckily, bar and diner Tattooed Mom and its legion of tattooed waiters are ready to fulfill your need for everything from a vegetarian-friendly falafel and tahini to a carnivorous Philly 8-oz. steak. Clearly designed with young adults in mind, the only amenities the restaurant offers are an ashtray filled with lollipops and plastic toys at each table and a large basket of condiments. With eclectic music drifting from the jukebox, pistachio walls cluttered with antique clocks and vintage movie posters and the mismatched tables and chairs, Tattooed Mom achieves the “hole-in-the-wall” feel without the grunginess. The menu is diverse and thrifty, perfect for the penny-pinching college student. Entrees vary from $2.50 to $7 and during lunch hours from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., all of the generously portioned sandwiches, including the popular chicken club, are half off, often clocking in at an affordable $2.50. There are also frequent specials such as Pierogie Wednesdays, when pierogies are only $0.25, and Taco Tuesdays, with $1 tacos.

Eyes Gallery

402 South Street
(215) 925-0193

Locals call this Latin American folk art gallery and boutique “a menagerie,” and it is easy to see why. The turquoise and salmon walls curve and cave and are studded with mirrored mosaics and small shrines. Poke for hours in its nooks and crannies and the various grass baskets and displays and you still won’t be able to see everything. Intricate displays of merchandise from alpaca sweaters to Peruvian embroidered mittens and caps to antique cabinets hide behind Frida Kahlo prints and elaborately dressed Day of the Dead skeletons. Crucifixes and rain sticks share wall space with loose peasant tops, rugs and carved statues. With such a wide array of goods, prices can range from $0.25 for a colorfully painted miniature bird to over $1,500 for the ornate statues and paintings. If you’ve left the store with a taste for the arts, the creator of the mosaics decorating the store and certain walls in South Street holds a workshop every month at the store.

The Curiosity Shoppe

529 South 4th Street
(215) 413-2301

This unique shop is perfect for those who love nosing around yard sales. In the front of the store, wares from local artists are sold, like one-of-a-kind clothing and hand-blown glass jewelry. Behind a curtain of umbrellas and posters, the “thrift store” section of the store has bins of clip-on earrings and old vintage button pins mingled with antique glass bottles, racks of clothes and vinyl records. Everything is reasonably priced with clothes under $10, records at $2 and the collection of books and thrift store gems such as brass owls and cameo pins affordable at $5. The last Friday of every month, The Curiosity Shoppe hosts a show for local musicians and provides refreshments. Owners Peter and Hannah MacLeod welcome all submissions of art, including photography, jewelry and clothes, to sell in the store.

Moo Tattoo

13 South Street
(215) 521-1490

Moo Tattoo doesn’t look like a typical tattoo parlor. This bustling parlor with a perennial rush of customers has walls devoid of hot rods and “flash”. Instead, paintings by the owner and books make up the minimal décor of Moo Tattoo, which prides itself on cleanliness and professionalism. With the recent flood of students coming at the start of the school year, employees take the time to explain the procedure as thoroughly as possible to first-timers and to make sure all feel comfortable with the tattoo. The minimum fee for a tattoo is $60, with prices rising into the thousands with the more elaborate designs. Tourists usually end up picking designs, although locals either bring in designs or work with the tattoo artists to create their own.

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