Dabbs renovating Yates Drug Store building
Jenny Hardy Dabbs is working around the clock to revitalize historic downtown Philadelphia and the old Yates Drug Store and hospital building is another one of her projects that got under way this summer.
“My vision for Philadelphia is for upscale buildings and to make everything nicer,” Dabbs said. “I have a ‘Field of Dreams’ vision. If you build it, they will come. We all need to go bigger than we ever thought we could, and whether it’s local or out of town, we can do it if we work together.”
Dabbs is an interior designer and remodel homes and other buildings for a living. She said her favorite renovations are buildings with a history behind them.
She runs her business, J. Dabbs Designs, on the first floor of the former Busy Bee Café, which she renovated into an upscale design studio and home furnishing shop in early 2021 after renting the space from owner Doug Hudson who is connected to the Marty Stuart project downtown.
Her first renovation project was 457 Pecan Ave. She bought the old house in 2005 and renovated it into a gift shop called the Potting Shed, and later into an Airbnb in 2017. She said renovating the old house and then the Busy Bee Café is just the beginning.
“We’re doing bigger and better things in Philadelphia,” Dabbs said. “We’re thinking outside the box and people are starting to support it. I’m glad to be a part of that.”
“Every project I do, I try to do nice, bigger, and better,” she said. “If there’s any history behind a project, I try to use that history. Even if it costs a lot of money, I pay that money. The final product when finished is worth every dime I put into it.”
After renovating 457 Pecan and the Busy Bee Café, Dabbs realized she needed more space for her shop. In July 2021, she discovered the abandoned 1950s-era Western Auto warehouse at 400 Church Avenue and knew it desperately needed a makeover.
“The warehouse was in such dire distress,” Dabbs said. “It had no doors, electricity, cooling, or heating, and everything in there was rotten. I cleaned it out, renovated the whole thing, and brought it back to a cool, usable space. It’s now an extension to my shop. I finished the renovations in January 2022.”
Her most recent project started in April 2022 when Greg and Pam Smith and their daughter Katie contacted Dabbs to help them help renovate the old Yates building on the Square across from the Courthouse on Main Street. Renovations began on July 1.
“It’s coming along great,” Dabbs said. “The Yates Hospital is an old building with an immense amount of character. It was built in the 1920s, so it has around 100 years of history that we’re trying to preserve while getting rid of anything that’s not useful like junk and debris.”
Dabbs said the plan is to turn the first floor, which used to be pharmacy, into a restaurant. The space was most recently a deli.
“We also have big plans for the upstairs, which used to be the hospital,” Dabbs said. “We don’t know what the restaurant will be yet since that is still in the planning stages. There will also be a bakery next to it.”
Dabbs said these projects are only the beginning of her revitalization of Philadelphia and plans on renovating much more. She said she isn’t sure what building will be next.
“This town changes, and as it changes, my ideas also change for what I want it to be,” Dabbs said. “You must be willing to invest and take the time to learn the history of the area and be willing to take risks to rebuild and renovate things. Sometimes it’s hard, but I love it.”
Editor's note: The print version of this story stated Jenny Dabbs purchased the first floor of the Busy Bee Cafe from Doug Hudson, which is inaccurate. Dabbs is renting the first floor and did not purchase the building.