February 25, 2022 — With International Women’s Day (March 8) around the corner, it’s time to celebrate the leading ladies of Philadelphia’s restaurant, brewery, and bar scene. In honor of March being Women’s History Month, we’ve gathered a plethora of women-owned and operated businesses including Erin Wallace of Devil’s Den, Jill Weber of Sojourn Philly, and more. These women and many more have worked tirelessly to serve their community and have persevered through tough times brought on by challenges related to the pandemic.
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Sojourn Philly is comprised of four local restaurants, including Café Ynez, Sor Ynez, Jet Wine Bar, and REX at The Royal. The esteemed restaurant group is helmed by Jill Weber, who is the owner of Sojourn Philly, a wine expert, and an archaeologist. She founded Sojourn Philly in 2017.
Weber’s archaeology career has taken her to places like Syria, Turkey, Armenia, Oman, Iraq, and Italy. One of her discoveries was found at a royal cemetery in Syria. Between 2000 and 2010, Weber excavated and analyzed bones that she determined belonged to a kunga, an animal that had been described in literature and art between 2600 and 2200 B.C. but had never been found before.
As for Weber’s restaurant group, Sojourn Philly has previously participated in Philly Wine Week and has partnered with fellow women entrepreneurs such as the Sisterly Love Collective, a coalition of women restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs across Philadelphia promoting sustainable success and founded under the belief that women are stronger together. Sojourn Philly has also teamed up with The Voter Project to raise awareness for the need for poll workers.
1525 South St | 215.735.1116 | www.jetwinebar.com
1524 South St | 267.319.1366 | www.rexphl.com
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In a largely male-dominated industry, Nancy Barton stands at the helm of Philadelphia Brewing Company, one of Philadelphia’s oldest and largest breweries located in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. Barton and team brew an impressive 15,000 barrels of beer per year, consisting of five year-round beers, several seasonal beers, and occasional one-off recipes, including their flagship beer — Kenzinger. One decade after opening Philadelphia Brewing Company, Barton launched The Peacock Room — a 30-seat tavern selling Philadelphia Brewing Company beers and Commonwealth Ciders on tap and in bottles, as well as snack plates and craft cocktails made with local spirits.
Barton has expressed strong interest in community involvement and focuses on local distribution instead of distributing heavily across the country. Barton has shown support to local pet shelters by hosting fundraisers, and in most recent years, hosting “Caturdays” at Philadelphia Brewing Company where the Pennsylvania SPCA brings adoptable cats to the tasting room for potential adopters to choose from.
2440 Frankford Ave | 215.427.2739 | www.philadelphiabrewing.com/
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Erin Wallace, of Devil’s Den, Philadelphia’s leading craft beer bar, is not only one of the few female bar owners in Philadelphia but she is also a fixture in the city’s ever-growing beer scene. Wallace founded Devil’s Den in 2008 with the aid of her extensive knowledge of local and imported craft beers from her years as a server and bartender in various bars and restaurants.
Wallace is also the regional founder of the Philadelphia chapter of the Pink Boots Society, a non-profit organization with international membership which supports women working in the brewing profession, especially in creating craft beer, and was recently elected to the National Board. As for Devil’s Den, Wallace and the bar/restaurant have many accolades from multiple publications and have appeared in Philadelphia Magazine, and on Foobooz’s Top 50 Bars list on several occasions.
1148 South 11th St | 215.339.0855 | www.devilsdenphilly.com
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East Passyunk Business Improvement District (EPABID), home to more than 160 independently owned shops and restaurants, boasts an impressive count of 81 women-owned and co-owned businesses, amounting to about 45% of the total businesses on the Avenue.
Women-owned businesses have been prevalent on East Passyunk Avenue for several generations. Nancy Melchiore, owner of Headhunters Hair Design, a boutique hair salon, has been in the business for over 30 years and is a member of the EPABID board. Colleen DeCesare, owner of Black and Brew, a breakfast and lunch café, has been on the Avenue for 15 years and runs Black and Brew with her wife, Jennifer. DeCesare, along with other entrepreneurs, helped to re-establish the South Philadelphia corridor. Additionally, Cara Stipa, owner of The Utopia Collection, a luxury boutique event planning and design firm, opened her storefront in the midst of the pandemic, and since has helped brides design and plan their ideal wedding.
For additional information and for a complete list of businesses along East Passyunk Avenue, go to www.visiteastpassyunk.com and follow EPABID at www.facebook.com/eastpassyunk | Twitter: @EPassyunkAve | Instagram: @eastpassyunk.
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Sherri Daughtery is the proud owner of Stella of New Hope, Ghost Light Inn, Carriage House of New Hope, Ferry Market, and the iconic Bucks County Playhouse, four bustling businesses located in New Hope, Pennsylvania alongside her husband, Kevin.
Sherri and her husband are the founders of Bridge Street Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports the local community through the acquisition of historic landmarks and aiding in their transition to self-sustaining contributors for the community. With the Bridge Street Foundation, Sherri bought and renovated the Bucks County Playhouse and the Ghost Light Inn in 2011 to restore the waterfront businesses in New Hope, PA.
50 S Main St, New Hope, PA | 267.740.2691 | www.stellanewhope.com/
50 S Main St, New Hope, PA | 267.240.7131 | www.ghostlightinn.com
8 E Mechanic St, New Hope PA | 267.740.7131 | www.carriagehouseofnewhope.com/
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Alicia Crawford-Zeleniak is the Director of Operations at PUNCH Media, a full-service boutique agency specializing in public relations, marketing, media management, events, consulting, and brand development. Crawford-Zeleniak is a marketing communications specialist with experience both on the client and agency sides of the business.
She has previously worked as talent in TV and radio spots and has managed broadcast campaigns from concept to production to post-production. Before working for PUNCH Media, Crawford-Zeleniak managed national branding and acquisition advertising as Director of Marketing Communications at Comcast.
10 N 3rd St | 215.592.0120 | www.punchmedia.biz
-Hannah Church