Business Curfew forces most Philly businesses to close at night

Philadelphia To Clear Homeless Encampment In Kensington — Source: Spencer Platt / Getty

A new curfew ordinance requires businesses in certain Philadelphia neighborhoods to close between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The new curfew goes into effect 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10 for businesses in Germantown, Fairhill, Hunting Park, Frankford and Mount Airy as well as Kensington.

Mitesh Patel, owner of The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy on Kensington Avenue, believes the law would potentially disrupt essential services his business provides beyond its public hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“We’re already in a bad area, and I don’t think putting a bill under the umbrella of a nuisance business is the right way to fix the underlying problems,” Patel said.

Patel also expressed concern that the ordinance may shift criminal activity rather than reduce it.

“The supposed bill is supposed to deter crime. I think what will happen is that crime will go elsewhere. In other streets, vacant buildings will become the new spot, or more residential areas,” he said. “We need to use the existing laws and actually address the issues. Treat the actual problems and not say it’s a business’s fault.”

According to data from the Institute for Justice, 14% of Philadelphia’s night time economy comes from the food, beverage and hospitality industries.

Despite the pushback, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker announced that she will not do anything to prevent the bill from becoming law.

“I want to wholeheartedly affirm that I support the intent of her legislation. We have been unapologetic about affirming, under the Parker administration, that we are going to war with the status quo in the City of Philadelphia and that is what Councilmember Lozada is working to do with that legislation,” Mayor Parker explained.

A spokesperson for the city of Philadelphia said that enforcement of this bill will start in 60 days.