West Philadelphia fabric shop owner gets boost for legacy business with new storefront
WEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Paid Sponsor Partnership: Philadelphia Corporation for Aging
Denise Garris continues to sew what her parents started at Garris Fabric & Fashions.
"Garris manufacturing business was founded by my father, Victor Garris, in 1947," says Garris. "My mother taught both of us how to sew."
She says her mother had her do a lot of sewing by hand.
"I started making my own clothes," she says.
She has a photo of herself wearing the first outfit she made in fourth grade.
Her parents moved the business to its current location in 1966.
"He made the children's dresses and my mother made and designed dresses for other people," she says.
Her parents even made the flower girl's dress for Princess Grace's wedding.
Garris purchased the store from her father in 1981.
"He wanted me to learn a lesson that nothing is free in life," she says.
But the store did receive a free facelift thanks to the Storefront Improvement Program.
The Philadelphia Commerce Department partnered with different organizations, including the nonprofit ACHIEVEability, to improve the 60th Street corridor.
"We want to be able to generate more foot traffic here to support these businesses and make sure that the businesses that we have on the corridor meet the needs of the residents surrounding it," says Jamila Harris-Morrison, Executive Director of ACHIEVEability. "We really believe that we can transform this neighborhood for everyone."
Garris Fabric & Fashions got a fresh coat of paint, along with an exterior sign and lighting.
"The revitalizations of the storefront is a great deal and a great help," says Garris.
After retiring from a teaching career in 2011, Garris says she is committed to working at the store. She sells fabric by the yard and by the bolt, along with notions. She also carries African fabric from The Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria.
Besides doing alterations and making custom clothing, she also teaches sewing classes three days a week.
"I'm so proud of this community," she says. "I am so happy to see it doing the 360 change."
Garris' business is the first of six being helped along the 60th Street corridor through the Storefront Improvement Program. You can celebrate with her at the grand re-opening of her business next week on August 20 at 11 a.m.
For more information:
Garris Fabric & Fashions
44 S. 60th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19139
Philadelphia Department of Commerce - Storefront Improvement Program
ACHIEVEability
