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đŸ›ïž The draw of outlet shopping | Morning Newsletter

And the best eats at our Food Festival

Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
    by Paola PĂ©rez
    Published 

    The Morning Newsletter

    Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

Welcome to a partly sunny and breezy Sunday.

As indoor malls struggle, Philly-area outlets are consistently pulling customers. Our main read explores how they have managed to survive and even thrive.

Further on, get a taste of the best eats from Saturday’s inaugural Inquirer Food Festival.

— Paola PĂ©rez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Outlasted by outlets

As malls struggle to match their glory days, some outlet malls in the Philadelphia region and beyond have transformed into one-stop shops, drawing steady crowds and relatively strong sales revenue.

đŸ›ïž Two major Philly-area outlets have found success and higher occupancy rates, despite being less than 20 miles from malls in King of Prussia and Cherry Hill.

đŸ›ïž Shoppers are reeled in thanks to a combination of factors, including food and dining offerings, family-friendly events, and new brands.

đŸ›ïž These centers have also embraced their reputations as go-to destinations for deals, especially as people seek better retail value during economically turbulent times.

Consumer reporter Erin McCarthy stopped by the outlets and dug into the data to see how open-air outlets have evolved.

What you should know today

  1. A badly bruised Sen. John Fetterman was discharged from a Pittsburgh hospital Saturday, after a fall near his home in Braddock earlier this week.

  2. A man’s murder conviction was overturned because of its connection to a disgraced former Philadelphia homicide detective. Now, police say the man is suspected of committing another homicide.

  3. A Norristown man was charged with murdering a companion and hiding his body in a trash can by the Schuylkill River Trail.

  4. “Hands off Venezuela” protesters rallied in Philly to denounce U.S. attacks on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and threats of possibly more aggression.

  5. Most hemp products with THC are now banned. Critics say the federal ban could crater the unregulated hemp industry.

  6. A Germantown woman turned herself in Wednesday after allegedly stealing more than $61,000 from the Philadelphia School District, authorities said.

  7. A Saturday demonstration outside of a Tesla dealership in Devon coincided with “No Trillionaires Day,” a nationwide mobilization lashing out at a recent deal poised to make CEO Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire.

  8. A New Jersey man was dead hours after eating at a barbecue. Months later, a doctor helped his widow find the culprit: a tick-related red meat allergy.

  9. What could a Michelin star mean for Philly restaurants? In at least one case, it could spell survival.

Best Food Fest eats

đŸŽ€ I’m passing the mic to city and culture service reporter Hira Qureshi.

It was about 11:10 a.m. Saturday when I approached the bustling line of hungry food enthusiasts snaking down East Allen Street between Fishtown’s Fillmore and Punchline Philly venues. Folks patiently stood in line to enter the inaugural Inquirer Food Festival, where just under 50 Philly chefs and bakers awaited with demonstrations and exclusive treats.

Entering the food hall illuminated in colorful lights was a fever dream of Philly best and brightest in dining. Booths with chefs plating succulent oysters, mini kibbeh tartare sliders, and crispy Ethiopian wings for long lines of ticket holders filled the large space in front of the main stage inside the Fillmore. And across the street at Punchline, nine bakers displayed sweet and savory creations for the Great Inquirer Bake-off as Party Girl Bake Club and Midnight Pasta Co. offered hands-on classes.

Sounds of BWC Sounds, Snacktime, and other live performances echoed in the background as I canvased the array of dishes at both venues. Snacking between the two extravagant layouts, I collected a stack of plates and a list of favorites. — Hira Qureshi

Get the full recap.

❓Pop quiz

By how much did first-year enrollment drop at Drexel University this year?

A) 10%

B) 33%

C) 19%

D) 24%

Think you know? Check your answer.

đŸ§© Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Art collection now housed on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway

NONFAT BOUNDARIES

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Maureen Egan who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Cam Jurgens. The Eagles’ offensive lineman is back in the lineup as the Birds take on the Lions on Sunday.

🧘 Photo of the day

đŸŽ¶ Today’s track goes like this: “You can never win or lose / If you don’t run the race.”

One more musical thing: Ahead of her Monday show at the Met Philly, Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan spoke to pop critic Dan DeLuca about raising daughters, making her first original album in over a decade, and why she has trouble “keeping her mouth shut.”

đŸ‘‹đŸœ It’s a good day to have a good day. Thanks for starting yours with The Inquirer.