If a sleek online presence indicates the organization and strength of a civic group, than the Baltimore Avenue Business Association (BABA) is stepping up its game. In conjunction with the Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, which brings hundreds in and out of the shops along the corridor, BABA launched its first official website last month.

Stores on Baltimore Ave.

The site, babawestphilly.org, includes your standard information and business directory in a new format. While this certainly isn’t groundbreaking news, it means that the Baltimore Avenue business corridor is concentrating on increasing its presence in the neighborhood and online. In case you didn’t know, the corridor stretches from 40th to 52nd St., plus a block each way off the avenue.

Looking west from 50th Street

“We thought it would help get our visibility more out there,” said Vince Whittacre, the acting head of BABA as well as co-owner of the Gold Standard Cafe at 48th & Baltimore in Cedar Park. BABA members designed the site, which was made possible by grants from The Enterprise Center and the Local Initiative Support Corporation, and features BABA’s newly designed logo.

In the past few years, the west end of the Baltimore Ave. commercial has been on a redevelopment tear, as new stores like Little Baby’s Ice Cream and Hibiscus have opened, while on the 5000 block there are plans for a juice cafe, and Babylon Bistro, and maybe a Greensgrow. As all the new businesses open, BABA can serve as the connecting point between them.

–Lou Mancinelli