Weaver's Way Co-op Next Door, 8426 Germantown Ave., won 1st place in Bloom Philly Festival's Best Restaurant or Market category. (Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society) by Sue Ann …
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by Sue Ann Rybak
Three Chestnut Hill businesses won awards in this year’s Bloom Philly Festival’s annual window and lobby decorating contest: Top of the Hill Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry, 8705 Germantown Ave.; Chestnut Hill Coffee Company, 8620 Germantown Ave.; and Weaver’s Way Co-op Next Door, 8426 Germantown Ave.
The Bloom Philly Festival serves as the “official countdown” to the Philadelphia Horticultural Society’s Philadelphia Flower Show, which opened on Feb. 29 and runs until March 8 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The theme of the 2020 flower show is “Riviera Holiday.”
“The Bloom Philly contest serves as a unique way to engage our local community and support businesses in the area that also support the Philadelphia Flower Show,” said Jimmy Owens, vice president of Business Development at PHS, in a statement. “We recognize the important role Philadelphia plays in the success of the show each year. The appeal of the city is part of what draws people to the convention center every winter, and the local businesses in the area are a huge part of that appeal.”
This year, 62 businesses entered the contest and half of this year’s 22 winners were from northwest Philadelphia including the contest’s grand prize winner, ARTrageous Brush & Flow, 6345 Germantown Ave., which also won the “Best Representation of the Flower Show Theme” category. As grand prize winner, ARTrageous Brush & Flow received four flower show tickets, plus four tickets to Flowers After Hours, the PHS after-hours themed dance party. All contest winners received four tickets to the flower show and a commemorative framed 2020 Bloom Philly Flower Show poster.
Two other top winners from our area were the Trolley Car Café for “Best Representation of the PHS Mission” and Top of the Hill Orthodontics Pediatric Dentistry for “Best Connection to Business.”
Abbey Orozco, co-owner of Top of the Hill Orthodontics Pediatric Dentistry, said they were excited to have their second win this year. They won the first year they entered in 2017 and have participated every year since then.
“I grew up loving the Philadelphia Flower Show, so I’m happy to be a part of it,” she said. “Our team really has fun planning and crafting our window display. And our patients enjoy it, too.”
Chestnut Hill Coffee Company, 8620 Germantown Ave., won first place for “Best Coffee Shop.” Although Sultan Malikyar, the owner of Chestnut Hill Coffee Co., could not be reached for a quote, he did write on Chestnut Hill Coffee Company’s Instagram page that he was grateful to the “perennial talent of Gregory Funk.”
Funk replied to Malikyar’s message stating that he “started bartering delicious cups for window and holiday display[s].”
“Guests seem to enjoy the seasonality and architecture of the décor,” Funk wrote. “Part chef, part florist, all around black java and honey macchiato fan, the family of Chestnut Hill Coffee is the best.”
Another Chestnut Hill favorite, Weaver’s Way Co-op Next Door, also won first place for Best Restaurant or Market. Chris Mallam, Next Door’s wellness manager, said the co-op was honored to win. He added that the creative designer behind the display was Weaver’s Way employee, Lauren Todd, who has a degree in fine arts. Almost everything in the display window belongs to her – vases, sketch books, bags, paints etc.
“It’s really her creative thought,” said Mallam. “The ingenuity behind the driving force is all her.”
For these local businesses, the Bloom Philly awards only confirm what Hillers already know: Chestnut Hill is the Garden District.
Below is a complete list of winners of the 2020 Bloom Philly Window and Lobby Decorating Contest.
Category winners:
