If you can’t judge a book by its cover, can you judge a neighborhood by its structures?

At Aksum, just outside of University City at 47th & Baltimore, owner Saba Tedla combined two storefronts, a former African and Asian grocer and an African clothing store, gutted the interior and made renovations concordant with the area’s local historical district specifications. The windows open accordion-style along the 40 foot storefront to let in the atmosphere of the neighborhood.

Aksum

“It was one of the things I think the neighborhood lacked,” said Tedla about her Mediterranean kitchen. She also opened Seeds Gallery this past summer at 50th & Baltimore.

The kitchen’s red interior walls, contrasted against its black outdoor columns provide an aura of open space. Aksum was awarded the extreme makeover award in this year’s Citywide Storefront Challanges, hosted by the City’s Department of Commerce and the Community Development Corporation.

Closer look

“I felt the need to invest and differentiate myself,” said Tedla, who spent the necessary funds required to create the restaurant to satisfy her standards before opening.

Akross the street

She said after she opened, Lee’s, a corner deli across the street renovated its sign, making it more noticeable and altogether improving the block with small improvements, which can be a contagious enterprise.

Other winners included other West Philly locations like, Guacamole Mex-Grill, at 4612 Woodland Ave., which won honorable mention in the extreme makeover category and various Northern Liberties locations, including Yikes, at 2nd and Girard, and Adorn Boutique, just north of Frankford and Girard, which tied for the Green with Envy Award. We’ll let you know when the Developer’s Espy’s come around.

–Lou Mancinelli