3 new stores open along Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill

Three new stores have opened or soon will along Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill —Villevillakula, Greenology, and Green Street Consignment Kids.

“We have a lot of new businesses opening,” said Martha Sharkey, executive director of Chestnut Hill Business District. “It’s really cool to see the mix of the stores coming to the Avenue.”

Chestnut Hill Business District has a retail recruitment program that was introduced four years ago, and it’s responsible for bringing 15 new retail businesses and eight new restaurants to the neighborhood. The Business District is also responsible for a series of events including Second Sundays and the monthly Girls Night Out.

Greene Street Consignment Kids opened Thursday, April 10 at 8518 Germantown Ave. It’s the first children’s store from Greene Street Consignment, which operates 10 locations throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Greene Street Consignment Kids is down the street from Greene Street Consignment’s home location at 8524 Germantown Ave. The 1,200 sq. ft. store is 90 percent consignment goods ranging from Gap to Gucci and Ralph Lauren and 10 percent newly bought goods such as toys, baby clothes, custom t-shirts.

“At our headquarters in Chestnut Hill, we’ve always seen a real need for kids’ consignment. There haven’t been any kids clothing stores in Chestnut Hill,” said Kathleen Hogan, who works at Greene Street Consignment.

Villevillakula opened its doors at 8135 Germantown Ave. on March 29. Its name is drawn from the story of Pippi Longstocking. At Villevillakula, you’ll find children’s clothes ranging in size from newborn to 6/6X, hats, headbands, socks printed with ballerina shoes and sneakers, foot straps adorned with flowers, jump ropes with ice cream cone-shaped handles, roll-up cases for crayons, and other art supplies.

Owner Beth Milley is the former owner of two Bucks County stores, Butterflies and Bullfrogs and At the Chrysalis, and after selling Butterflies and Bullfrogs in September, she’s opened Villevillakula in the neighborhood her mother grew up in.

Greenology is slated to open later this month at 8232 Germantown Ave. It’ll be “the garden and organic lifestyle shop your inner Gwyneth Paltrow will squeal over,” according to Shoppist’s Marina Lamanna. At Greenology, you’ll find gardening supplies such as aquaponics, pond gish and pond art, home décor including terrariums, natural cleaning and natural body care, including soaps in blood orange & bergamot and citrus lavender.