Snail mail may seem like a thing of the past, but every one loves receiving a postcard, right? One of Philly’s favorite photographers Conrad Benner of Streets Dept. has just released a series of Philadelphia prints, only available at Arterial Agents coffee shop on Jewelers’ Row.
Benner tells Curbed Philly, "It's my lens on Philadelphia, postcards much unlike you'd see anywhere else in that neighborhood, let alone the city."
His collaboration with Nick DeJulius, owner of Arterial Agents, has been a long time coming. DeJulius, whose shop doubles as a sort of showcase for local artists, says of Benner, "He's got such a great eye and an authentic perspective on the continual evolution of this city."
Call us nostalgic, but Benner’s work inspired us to search high and low for more distinctly Philadelphia postcards. Here are some of our favorites, all by local artists.
↑ Benner’s postcards feature Philly’s moody skyline, a view from Ben Franklin Bridge, and the always compelling Rail Park. You can buy them ($3 each or 3 for $8) at Arterial Agents.
↑ Joseph Rose and Kate Dawes are behind Black Letter Heart Press, a local printing shop in Philly. The duo uses an antique printing press, vintage wood, metal movable type, and custom made photopolymer plates to create their often humorous prints. Postcards are $5 each.
↑ Hidden City Philadelphia’s online store is filled with an array of Philly-focused merchandise, including a set of five postcards ($7.50) featuring rarely seen spots in the city, all taken by co-editor Peter Woodall.
↑ You can thank South Philly graphic designer Nicole DuCoin for the "Frankadelphia" series of postcards, T-shirts, coasters, and other Philly-themed gifts. This postcard is geared toward the sports fan in your life, but there are others for pretzel- and cheesesteak-loving folks, too. ($2 each)
↑ We’ve written about these vintage prints before: Philly native Andy Thompson’s company created the artwork in collaboration with the Friends of the Wissahickon and the Fairmount Park Conservancy. These notecards come with envelopes (so no, technically they’re not postcards), but are easily frame-able, too. ($12 for a set of 4)