PIDC BLOG

Client Stories

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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Client Stories

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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Black-Owned

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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Black-Owned

August 24, 2022

PIDC Clients You Need to Know – Millennial Business Owners

This month, we’re recognizing our incredible PIDC clients who are millennial business owners. Millennials have contributed greatly to the new and innovative landscape of the business model as we know it – from embracing digital media to getting creative with e-commerce. Millennials were a big driver of Philadelphia’s population growth prior to the pandemic. According

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Client Stories

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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Black-Owned

March 24, 2022

PIDC Clients You Need to Know – Women Business Owners

This Women’s History Month, we’re honoring women business owners by highlighting our PIDC client businesses owned by incredible women. Check out their success stories and testimonials below. We’re proud to support local businesses through financing, education, and other services for business growth.  We encourage you to support these clients and other women-owned businesses throughout Philadelphia.

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Black-Owned

February 23, 2022

PIDC Commercial Mortgage Loan

The Commercial Mortgage Loan was developed out of a capital need that PIDC identified for small businesses and nonprofits to purchase their existing locations and benefit from investment in their growing neighborhoods and commercial corridors. By allowing businesses to gain ownership of their physical asset, the Commercial Mortgage Loan helps to build wealth for entrepreneurs

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Black-Owned

August 24, 2021

Milligan Group

Milligan Group LLC provides a full range of electrical construction, voice, data, and fiber optics telecommunications infrastructure as well as video surveillance solutions so that businesses’ infrastructure needs are met for this ever-changing industry.  It is a certified MBE, WBE, and DBE firm and a signatory of the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) local

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Black-Owned

July 26, 2021

Custom Arts Studio

Custom Arts Studio is an award-winning, woman-owned company in Philadelphia specializing in custom art and design. It has been featured in multiple media and shopping outlets, including CBS Philly, Philly Metro, 6abc, Wooder Ice, The Philadelphia Tribune, QVC, and the Home Shopping Network (HSN). Moreover, Custom Arts Studio was recently selected as artist-in-residence for the

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Black-Owned

April 22, 2021

African-American Chamber of Commerce of PA, NJ, & DE

Formed in 1993, the African-American Chamber of Commerce of PA, NJ, and DE (AACC) is a membership organization that serves businesses in the public, private, and independent sector that are committed to supporting the economic empowerment and growth of African American businesses located in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Northern Delaware. It’s primary goal

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AAPI

November 24, 2020

High Street Hospitality Group

High Street Hospitality Group is responsible for some of Philadelphia’s award-winning restaurants such as Fork Restaurant, a.kitchen + bar, High Street Philly, High Street on Hudson, and High Street Provisions.  As a notable leader in the Philadelphia restaurant scene for more than two decades, the founder and co-owner of High Street Hospitality Group, Ellen Yin,

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Hispanic & Latino

October 23, 2020

Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

PIDC is a proud partner of the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GPHCC) — a not-for-profit organization devoted to promoting the advancement and economic growth of Hispanic businesses and professionals in the greater Philadelphia region. Established in 1990, GPHCC accomplishes its mission through educational programs, a broad range of services, and special events. The

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60 Stories

December 10, 2018

DAROFF DESIGN

Daroff Design is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed, woman-owned (WBE) interior design and architecture firm founded in Philadelphia in 1973 by Karen Daroff, native Philadelphian and graduate of local Moore College of Art and Design. Staffed with highly talented architects, planners, interior designers and graphic artists, Ms. Daroff’s firm works with their clients, while often partnering

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60 Stories

December 10, 2018

STROTHER ENTERPRISES, INC.

Strother Enterprises, Inc. is a prominent cross-industry food service provider and partner which has been family-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned for over 30 years. The company provides a variety of services to companies primarily associated with sports & entertainment, healthcare, business & government, healthcare. Strother’s involvement in the services management industry began with their dedication to

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60 Stories

June 29, 2018

YIKES

Since 1996 YIKES, Inc. has built creative, proven web design and development solutions for businesses, nonprofit, and healthcare organizations. In 2010, PIDC helped YIKES purchase a larger office space and relocate to E. Girard Avenue in Fishtown. This collaborative, results-driven Philadelphia agency prides themselves on outstanding quality of work, professionalism and unsurpassed customer service.  Professionals

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60 Stories

February 28, 2018

OLDE CITY DAY SCHOOL

Olde City Day School is an early childhood learning and development center.  Founded in 2010 by William and Dana Casper, Olde City Day School has grown across the city, with schools in Olde City, Newbold, and Germantown.  Olde City Day School’s mission is to provide a safe, nurturing environment that facilitates the very best early

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60 Stories

February 28, 2018

COFCO

Founded in 1946, COFCO is a Philadelphia-made company, and proud of its roots. COFCO provides clients with premier full service office furniture. They are the oldest continuously operating commercial office furniture dealership in the Philadelphia region. When operations expanded, they needed a new space to house their team. PIDC was able to help with financing

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60 Stories

February 1, 2018

COMMUNITY MARKETING CONCEPTS

Community Marketing Concepts (CMC) is committed to connecting their client’s messages to their targeted customers.  Founded in 1995 by Linda Chandler, President and CEO, Linda proudly leads her minority and women-owned family business located in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia. The marketing, public relations and communications agency focuses on connecting clients’ messages to their targeted

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