Center City’s retail corridors continue to shift as new businesses arrive and pedestrian activity rebounds. The Center City District 2025 Retail Report highlights 130 new openings over the past year. These businesses span dining, retail and service uses from Vine Street to South Street.

The openings arrive as downtown foot traffic improves. Core Center City, defined as the area between Vine and Pine streets from river to river, averaged 343,540 pedestrians per day. This figure represents a 3.4% increase year over year.

Rittenhouse Row led all corridors with a 9% gain in average pedestrian volume. Additionally, Midtown Village posted a 7% increase. West Market followed with a 4% rise as more employees returned to nearby offices. Even Market East, long challenged, recorded a 1% uptick in daily activity. The findings reflect Placer.ai data analyzed by Center City District.

Storefront occupancy reached 84% in 2025, up 1% from last year. However, performance varied along several key streets. Market Street reached only 68% occupancy, including 72% east of Broad Street and 62% west of Broad. Chestnut Street posted a 79% rate, with stronger occupancy west of Broad. Walnut Street led the group with an 86% occupancy rate.

*Article courtesy of Philadelphia Business Journal

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