PHAG

It is with a heavy heart I write to report that PHAG has officially closed their doors. They have moved to a virtual location and will be providing wares via the world wide web…

This place is very cool. I walked in just To browse and there was just so much to look at. It was like a museum. And the staff was very helpful and interested to talk with me. I would recommend this place to anyone with a home or business to decorate. I wish I were moving into a new place so I had a. Excuse to buy more stuff.

Strolling down Walnut St. after a nice meal, I noticed a pair of tighty-​whities with the words GINCH GONCH printed on the elastic waist-​band, displayed behind glass. It made me laugh. Hysterically. Not so much the Ginch, but the word Gonch struck a note in my funny bone so acutely, I just HAD to go in.
The store is loaded with classy novelty items. Classy like «BeaverCuts» and «DickyDoos», toys in which you use a magnet to move metal shavings around to form crotch pubes on pictures of male and female naked torsos. Classy like the homo– and hetero-​erotic Christmas stocking stuffers. I notice these things because i’m classy.
So as I was browsing around while holding the fake $ 50-​bill bookmark and pistol-​shaped egg-​mold (more classy items), I stumbled on some real awesome furniture pieces that I would love to adorn my pad with (particularly a huge clock with all the inner workings exposed). There’s some seriously cool stuff there for you to buy or even just to look at. Remember, classy people only.
Pull my finger.

PHAG first caught my eye while I was walking down Walnut St, headed toward H&M (yes, it was the start of fall and I needed a hoodie). The thing that piqued my interest: a MAGNIFICENTLY LARGE STUFFED MUSHROOM CHAIR. I have a thing for mushroom décor, that and gnomes since they go hand-​in-​hand, but that’s neither here nor there.
We walked in, and I was amazed to see the entire nook had mushroom-​related items all in it. The sad thing, though, was the price of the chair itself. If I had about a week’s worth of spare cash from work, it would be mine, but alas. The gentleman behind the counter was kind enough, though, to tell me where I could purchase the other display items in the store. I promptly bought a beautiful bowl adorned with the fungi. There were so many whimsical and homo/​heteroerotic items in the store that I left feeling elated and full of wonderment. I’m so glad I found PHAG, as it reminds me of my little Faces in Northampton, MA. Great place! :D

The PHAG shop has never let me down. The inventory changes regularly, making each trip unique. It has been my single source for greeting cards for the past few years and contributed more than a few interesting items for the house. Everyone that works here is pretty spectacular as well.

Yes, this store is called PHAG. Phaaaaaaaag. Most people think this is lulzy, me included. When I brought my small town sister here, she took their shopping bag home to show mom.
You could browse in PHAG for hours. It’s chock full (and I mean crowded full) of adorable home goods and knick knacks. Upstairs there is a small section of naughtier gifts, sort of like Spencer’s but for queers with much better taste than mall teens.
Everytime I’m here, I want so so so many things that are usually out of my price range. But I can’t leave without getting myself at least a small item. Last time it was a kitchen timer that looks like an old vintage toaster.

Fun place for unique gift items and home décor. If you need a gift or just need to kill time, you could lose hours browsing here. I found so many things that I NEED here.

Let’s hear it for 400 reviews! Yeah me — and as long as we’re celebrating, then hip hop hurrah for PHAG. Yeah, that’s what this store is called. Got a problem with it? No? Me either.
OK, truth be told, it’s actually called Philadelphia Home Art Garden but PHAG is more concise and makes people look at you funny if you say it out loud. That is ok with me, as I have grown accustomed to those quizzical looks of «Is she kidding or is she serious?» that I get oh-​so-​frequently.
Speaking of oh-​so-​frequently, that’s how often I plan to stop by this cute little shop. First of all, I’m an insta-​fan of anyplace that worships at the altar of the garden gnome as much as I do. There are little dudes in pointy caps all up in that joint. They also have adorable housewares and great gifts, too. If you need to scoop up a present for just about anyone you can think of, you should check PHAG out. You probably won’t leave empty handed (unless you are a lobster and in that case, you won’t leave empty-​clawed).

Speaking of napkins with my name on it, I found the most delightful things in this store. Stuffed animals that look like some kind of weird Sponge Bob character until you realize they are penises, pink cuckoo clocks, gumball machine frames for your wall, scented candles (I liked «Morning Wood» and «Tootie Fruitie» the best — though «Sea Men» was also nice), etc. I purchased gifts for my ENTIRE family!
Best of all were the «hello» cocktail napkins — with space to write your name, astrological sign, some of your likes, and your phone number or email. Along with some choices: «Meet me: a) for a drink, b) when I’m sober, c) for a walk, d) at my place, e) outside the bathroom in 10 minutes…»
This gem in the «GAYBORHOOD» is worth a visit.

Hilarious store.

The guys at PHAG have their fingers on the pulse of Philadelphia. This store has a great selection of products that’ll keep you shopping (I always do a couple of loops). Their gift section on the 2^nd story loft is an awesome touch (don’t miss it). And just because I own a home store doesn’t mean I leave empty handed. Smaller stores like these are like great chef’s that provide food to customers but use different ingredients to create a great culinary masterpiece. Don’t miss this one!

PHAG just moved to a new location, which is much more suited for the inventory they have. Overall, I am not impressed with the selection. They have a lot of knock off furniture. Things made to resemble Starck or Aalto, but isn’t, and they sell it at high prices. Seems like a scam to me. Again, like AIA or the likes they have the kitch. Useless fun things like rubber duckies, and wind up Albert Einsteins. Ya know, the basics.

If money grew on trees, this store would never have any merchandise on the floor. PHAG chooses incredibly unique furniture and home décor pieces to sell in this tiny store front. From what I am told, pieces are often from unknown artisans; which make the pieces more amazing but also more costly. Even if you cannot afford the furniture, stop by if you are looking for amusing homo-​erotic gift cards or collectibles and chat with the friendly staff.