Perhaps a million years ago, we spent some time working on the 1500 block of Sansom Street. Back in those days, we came to deeply appreciate all the goodies at our fingertips on that block. Nodding Head was a frequent lunch spot, and Oscar’s was a regular (and smoky) haunt after work. Invariably, someone would pick up a few dozen pretzels at the Philly Pretzel Factory and bedlam would break out in the office. And though we were probably poisoned there at least once, the buffet that was replaced some years back by Ladder 15 was always a filling and inexpensive option for either lunch or dinner.

South side of Sansom

While the south side of this block is chock full of retail options, the north side offers quite the opposite. A parking garage takes up about half the block, and the rest contains blank storefronts that are generally the backs of buildings on Chestnut Street. But according to Michael Klein, one of those storefronts will soon be transformed into something that fits in perfectly with its brethren across the street.

We think it's this one

Music venue and restaurant Tin Roof has signed a lease to open a three story, 12K sqft establishment in this space. Based in Nashville, Tin Roof has eleven other locations, and this would represent their first foray into the northeast. At their other locations, they have live music almost every night and serve a menu with southern-influenced bar food.

Their first location

This new business will give new life to a blighted storefront on an otherwise excellent block. We don’t know whether the good vibes can spread to the other underused storefronts next door, but would it be too much to ask to at least pretty them up a little bit? Of course, the biggest win for this block would be the elimination of the parking garage on the corner of 15th & Sansom, but we’re not foolish enough to think that will happen any time soon.