(actually in November 2003) a privately-owned, limited liability company was created in America’s Birthplace. Conceived to serve residents and visitors of the nation’s 5th largest city, Philadelphia Home Art Garden (PHAG), opened their friendly doors in a 900 square foot boutique on 12th Street, a welcome addition to the colorful “Gayborhood” in the heart of the City of Brotherly Love.
PHAG was the chicest of shops with style fit for kings (and, of course the queens), yet their offerings were truly accessible to all. By 2007, their shelves were filled to bursting with every cool, kitschy product under the rainbow. It was time to grow! So, PHAG moved from their humble neighborhood beginnings to a grand, bi-level showroom. It was a castle on Walnut Street- offering a magical ray of hope for individuality in a retail corridor filled with mass-marketed, chain stores. Life in Philly was simply PHabulous!
Soon enough, another RETAIL GIANT stomped into the city looking for independent businesses to devour. Eyeing a quaint, family-owned shop on Antique Row, the GIANT exclaimed,
“Fee Fi Fo Fum, I’ll eat this indie business, yum, yum, yum!”
In an instant, the independent business was gobbled up.
But this was a RETAIL GIANT, and so it was never satisfied. When it came upon a second independent business in Washington Square, it looked just as delicious as the first. Once again the RETAIL GIANT boomed,
“Fee Fi Fo Fum, I’ll eat this indie business, yum, yum, yum!”
And it swallowed the second independent business in one big bite.
From Midtown Village, PHAG quietly watched what was becoming of their neighbors and acted swiftly to outwit this big retail blockhead once and for all!
PHAG packed up their home, art, and garden and (with the help of a little PHairy dust) built a beautiful new kingdom on the World Wide Web. In this magical land, even more shoppers could browse and buy online for their own castles without fear or judgment any time of the day or night.
Meanwhile, the big, RETAIL GIANT was still looking for a meal. Since it couldn’t read (RETAIL GIANTS have tiny… brains) it didn’t see the PHashionable sign that proudly proclaimed “THIS INDEPENDENT BUSINESS HAS GROWN AND MOVED ONLINE.”
So the blockhead RETAIL GIANT once again shouted,
“Fee Fi Fo Fum, I’ll eat this indie business, yum, yum, yum!”
But before it could get even a teeny taste, a little gnome with a big mouth of his own stepped out of the door and yelled . . .
“BITE ME! But, if you’re in the market for an amazing dining room table, visit www.thephagshop.com.”
PHiladelphian’s applauded, the blogosphere was aPHlutter, and PHAG lived happily ever after.
