PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Joycelyn Parks opened De Village in Reading Terminal Market in 2001 with her late husband, Watson.
“From day one, this was his baby. He loved being here,” Parks said of her husband. “We sell African clothing. We sell African artwork.”
We also carry Nigerian hand carved pieces.
“We have things from different countries,” she said. “It's very unique.”
The couple, who emigrated from Tobago in the early 1990s, opened a shop in The Gallery in what is now known as the Fashion District, and Parks says the store initially had a “European feel” but gradually began selling African items.
Now, they also carry clothing items such as dashikis that can be worn by both men and women.
“And we source our gemstones from all over the world,” she says.
We also have earrings imported from places like Kenya and the Philippines.
“These are my doorbusters. I try to keep the prices low,” Parks said.
Other fun gift ideas include folding fans made from fabric or leather.
“Oh, what a lovely breeze,” she says.
Parks said she travels occasionally to find items for her store, looking for handmade jewelry like the bracelets she brought from Ghana.
“It's a family-run business,” she says.
We also carry natural body care products such as shea butter and black soap.
“It's a paste-like product, but it foams up really well, and a little goes a long way,” she says.
And there's a lot of different arts.
“It's called 'Family' and it's made from soapstone from Kenya,” she says.
Parks' daughter, Nikki, also currently works at De Village.
“After her father got ill, she decided to come down here and help me with the business,” Parks said.
She left her job in corporate America to ensure the store would be passed on to the next generation of her family. Parks said she and her husband worked hard to build the store and are confident their daughter will take it over.
“I'm so happy she's here,” Parks said.
For more information:
De'Village at Reading Terminal Market: https://readingterminalmarket.org/merchant/devillage/
De'Village Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devillagephilly/?hl=ja
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