A new fashion boutique near Rittenhouse Square is bringing jobs and development to the City of Philadelphia.

Sa Va clothing store owner Sarah Van Aken (above right) didn't expect to open her own Philadelphia boutique so soon:

"I have two clothing brands that I had been manufacturing clothes for in Bangladesh for the last four years."

But with the help of the city's director of business attraction, Karen Randall, Van Aken brought her niche manufacturing business to Philadelphia:

"What she's done in the fashion industry in Philadelphia is going to allow us as an administration to look at the whole eco-fashion manufacturing industry."

Van Aken says she couldn't have done it without Randall, who's job is a new one under the Nutter administration:

"I did this in one of the worst economic crisises of our century, and I was able to get financing for this project because of their help and their support.  And I had someone who helped me all through that process."

(Kuznits:)  "And so you created how many jobs here in Philly?"

"It'll be 22 by the end of the year."
 
Sa Va is located at 17th and Sansom Streets in center city.

PIDC is happy to have provided financing to the Sa Va retail project located at 17th & Sansom Streets in Center City.

The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), is a private, not-for-profit corporation created in 1958 by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and the Commerce Department of the City of Philadelphia to promote economic development and job creation throughout the City.  PIDC provides financing programs and real estate products to business and developer client groups in all neighborhoods of Philadelphia.

For further information on PIDC contact Peter S. Longstreth, President, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, 2600 Centre Square West, 1500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19102-2126, phone (215) 496-8181.