Philly has some incredible art stores, but Eye’s Gallery on South Street is definitely one of the best. The three-story Latin American folk art store was established in 1968 by Julia Zagar and her husband Isaiah, who is a famous mosaic artist.
Before settling in South Philly, the Zagar’s served in the Peace Corps as craft developers to the Inca and Aymara people of the Andes mountains in Peru.
Upon returning to the U.S. in 1968, the couple started from scratch and renovated a vacant building to live and work in, which became Eye’s Gallery.
Isaiah, who mostly did painting, shifted to creating mosaics. His work can be seen all around South Street and on the ceilings, walls, and floors of the store.
The walls are also covered with folk art from 15 different countries. Customers can find vintage items, gifts, flags, toys, statues, masks, toys, and decorations, many of them hand-crafted. Eye’s Gallery is a South Street staple, and a must-visit for art enthusiasts of all kinds.
