New Barber’s Hall, a cornerstone of Philadelphia’s Black heritage, celebrates its historic run before saying goodbye
Owner Jake Adams and his wife, Sarah, were honored Saturday with a street sign near the iconic jazz venue and restaurant, which sold this year.
It’s soon to be “Bye Bye Blackbird” for New Barber’s Hall, an iconic Black cultural space that’s brought jazz, revelry, and community to North Philadelphia for nearly 50 years.
On Saturday, the combination music venue, restaurant, and ballroom located on the 1400 block of West Oxford Street celebrated what will be one of its last hurrahs — the longtime owner, Jake Adams, has sold the building.
Adams and his wife, Sarah, said they plan to keep the joint open for as long as they see fit, though at some point the buyer — neighboring Temple University — will take over the property to enact plans not yet revealed.
Before curtains are called, local leaders and hundreds of loyal patrons gathered to celebrate decades of good times and cultural milestones that took place at New Barber’s Hall, a three-story brick building that dates back to the 1800s and was once a social hub for the city’s Black barbers.
While there was plenty of talk about icons who had once played gigs or simply passed through — from Miles Davis and John Coltrane to Patti LaBelle and Boyz II Men — the afternoon’s focus was largely on Adams, who has diligently played host since purchasing the building in the late 1970s.
To honor the duo, the celebration included the unveiling of Philadelphia’s newest street sign, designating that portion of West Oxford Street as “Jake and Sarah Adams Way.”
“For almost 50 years being a business leader here in the city, Jake has given back numerous times,” said City Councilmember Jeffery Young, whose district covers much of North Philadelphia, as he announced the new placard.
“When we announced we were doing this, people said, ‘Oh my god, I had my baby shower there, my wedding reception there, I met my spouse there.’” Young said. “That’s what this place is.”
Adams, who in addition to owning New Barber’s Hall was a Democratic leader of the city’s 14th Ward, gave bittersweet remarks as he thanked the crowd for years of support.
“I tried to fix the building, I tried to make sure that everybody had a great time,” he said.
The sale is the latest development in the building’s lengthy history.
Originally constructed in the 1860s, it evolved over the decades to house various civic and fraternal organizations such as the National Council for Jewish Women and the Quaker City Wheelmen, and in the early 20th century it spent a time as a bicycle factory.
The Barber’s Hall name came about when Black barbers pooled their money to purchase the building in 1949. It soon became a hub for the city’s growing Black community, and musicians staying at the nearby Chesterfield Hotel — listed in the Jim Crow-era “Green Book” — often stopped by to play.
Adams and his older brother purchased the building in 1978, running it as a jazz venue and soul-food restaurant.
In addition to LaBelle, greats like Isaac Hayes, Grover Washington Jr., and Robert “Bootsie” Barnes graced the room (in an oft-repeated tale, a teenage Jill Scott was turned away because she was underage).
The building was set to receive a historic designation from the city’s Historical Commission in 2024 that would have safeguarded it from demolition. But at the last minute, Adams had a change of heart about the nomination, saying he did not want his children to inherit a building with strict restrictions for potential buyers.
Temple, seeking to expand its footprint under president John Fry, quietly snatched up the building in 2026 for $2.3 million. The school will “explore further uses for the property, specifically related to how it might support the soon-to-be-completed campus development plan,” it said in a statement, according to Philadelphia Business Journal.
In the meantime, Adams told revelers Saturday that the true coda for New Barber’s Hall won’t come until he says so, adding that Temple had agreed to the arrangement.
For those like Lisa Sanders, who grew up just around the corner from the venue, that day will mark the end of an era.
“It’s been a part of our family history,” said Sanders, 58, recounting countless birthday parties and platters of shrimp and chicken at the hall.
“It’s definitely been a pleasure, and [Jake and Sarah] deserve it,” she said. “I’ll really miss Barber’s Hall — but as long as I can still go, I’ll be happy about that.”
