History

Created in 1958 as a nonprofit partnership between the City of Philadelphia and the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, PIDC has spent the past 65 years driving growth to every corner of Philadelphia.

60 Years of Driving Growth

In 2018, PIDC celebrated its first 60 years of impact on Philadelphia’s economic growth and development. Go back to the innovative founding of PIDC in 1958 and travel through the first 60 years of its history, the partnerships between City government and the business community through the Chamber, the exciting growth and success of our clients, and the impact of our work on Philadelphia’s economy.

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Client Success Stories

We are not slowing down after more than six decades of driving growth to every corner of Philadelphia!  Check out more recent updates on PIDC’s impact and success stories.

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Recent Stories

March 20, 2024

Move, Breathe, Thrive — The Growth of Monarch Yoga

Amid the uncertainty of COVID-19, while many businesses were pausing operations, one small business dared to defy the odds and  set up shop. Monarch Yoga emerged as a respite from the stress and loneliness many of us felt during the pandemic. Michelle Dillon opened Monarch Yoga in June of 2020 to answer the call for

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March 20, 2024

Mixing Business with Family: Cathryn’s Cake Salon Finds Recipe for Sweet Success

In Philadelphia’s West Oak Lane neighborhood, there’s a bakery that’s about more than fresh cakes, pastries, and desserts; it’s about family. Cathryn’s Cake Salon is a testament to the power of family-owned businesses.  Inspired by Fluellen family matriarch Cathryn, the bakery is a true family affair. Cathryn’s Cake Salon is powered by mother Cheryl Foat

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March 14, 2024

Amazing Kidz Academy Celebrates 10 Years in Business

It’s no secret that there are lifelong benefits to early childhood education. Children who attend preschool are not only more likely to succeed in kindergarten, they’re successful throughout their entire school experience and beyond. Lisa Smith and Clarence Morris III, co-founders of Amazing Kidz Academy, know how important preschool education is to early childhood development

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March 17, 2023

Client Feature: Highway Construction Company Olivieri & Associates Expands by Purchasing Available Land in Eastwick

PIDC client, Olivieri & Associates, is a woman-owned heavy-highway construction company founded in 1999 with notable projects that include the historic street reconstruction of the 300 block of South Philip Street, which won the 2019 Preservation Achievement Award from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. Olivieri & Associates also just completed the PennDOT Riverfront Gateway Sidewalk Design Project along

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March 17, 2023

Client Feature: H&Mcare Breaks Ground on $13M Project for Home Care Support Services

Last month, PIDC client H&Mcare – a Black- and immigrant-owned home care support services business – celebrated a groundbreaking at 71st and Woodland Streets in Southwest Philadelphia. The $13 million project will provide critical services for the community, including housing to more than 22 individuals over the age of 65, an urgent care, a pharmacy, and residential

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March 17, 2023

Client Feature: Made Institute Fashion School Celebrates 10 Years in Business

Made Institute Fashion School CEO, Rachel Ford, started teaching couture sewing classes out of her live/work loft space in the Old City neighborhood in 2012. She wanted to share techniques she had learned working 10 years at the Philadelphia Opera to this city’s growing number of makers and designers.   Now, after 10 years in business, Made

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February 21, 2023

PIDC Client Spotlight: Silvia’s Bakery

PIDC client Silvia’s Bakery is a Hispanic-, immigrant-, woman-owned bakery that specializes in making Dominican cake, Hispanic desserts, custom cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and cake pops from scratch.  Owner Silvia Paulino grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. Her mother was a seamstress, and her father owned a grocery store in the Dominican Republic in which she often

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October 27, 2022

Torrado Construction

PIDC client Torrado Construction is a Hispanic-owned general construction firm specializing in commercial construction, renovations and rehabilitations, concrete, removal services, and painting services. Luis E. Torrado, who established the company in 1995, has devoted his time to working on projects that bring positive change to underserved communities.

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August 25, 2022

CLIENT FEATURE: YOWIE

PIDC client YOWIE is a Black-, woman-, and millennial-owned home and life shop focused on curating small collections from founder Shannon Maldonado’s friends, independent artists, and designers. Founded in 2016 as an online business, YOWIE attracted a cult following for its eclectic items and workshops and events. Shannon relocated from New York City to open

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June 28, 2022

Celebrating Immigrant Heritage Month – Q&A with Dock Street Brewery

This Immigrant Heritage Month and beyond, PIDC celebrates and supports immigrant business owners and we encourage you to join us in doing so. This month, we interviewed Dock Street Brewery owner Rosemarie Certo on the importance of support for immigrant business owners. Here’s what she had to say.  Dock Street Brewery Rosemarie Certo, owner PIDC

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