Last year, Pittsburgh’s Primanti Brothers sandwich was the “Coolest Thing Made in PA” — at least according to the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.
What about Tastykakes? Wawa? The United States Mint?
While Philadelphia had just one manufactured product nominated last year — which was Dalessandro’s Steaks, how shocking — Pittsburgh had seven, perhaps displaying a bit of the PA Chamber’s western Pa. bias.
Things were evened up with the chamber’s nominations this year, with seven Philly noms, including Wawa, which was left off last year’s bracket despite archrival Sheetz making a slot. They even added another cheesesteak shop this year, albeit a bit predictably, with Pat’s King of Steaks.
Philly-made products have a chance to dethrone the sandwich chain with the chamber’s second-annual March Madness-style bracket. You vote in the 2024 competition on the chamber’s X (Twitter) page or Twitter. The second round of voting runs through on March 29. You can find a printable bracket to keep track of your picks in the later rounds on the chamber’s website.
The first round of voting saw Wawa take down Philly’s own Bassetts Ice Cream in the East regional, while Pat’s defeated Scott toilet paper, which was founded in Philly in 1874.
Despite better representation from our region in the statewide contest year, there were still some Philly gems that didn’t make the list.
Here are some of our picks for the coolest things from Philadelphia:
Tastykakes
Every Philadelphian knows Kandy Kakes taste best when kept in the fridge. This 110-year-old iconic snack brand once made its way through the city on a Tastykake horse and buggy, and its bakery now creates our favorite treats at the Navy Yard. It’s a Philly treat so popular, it’s even inspired home cooks to create their own versions in the kitchen.
Bubblegum
Although the candy company Fleer Corporation ceased operations in 2005, it was founded here in the 1880s. The Philly roots of bubblegum stretch back to Fleer’s “Blibber-Blubber” formula in 1906, followed by more experimentation, then — pop! — the famed pink Dubble Bubble came to life with a new formula in 1928.
Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews
First developed as a World War I ration bar in 1917, these nutty chocolate bars are a classic Philly-born favorite. The sweet treat even follows the same recipe it started with in a small candy shop on Frankford Avenue, truly standing the test of time.
Peanut Chews even graced the halls of Congress during President Trump’s 2020 impeachment trial thanks to Sen. Pat Toomey, who’s desk held what’s basically the only food allowed on the legislative floor: the Senate candy stash. PA lost control of the candy desk after Toomey decided not to run for re-election last year.
Revolving Doors
Philadelphia native Theophilus Van Kannel revolutionized city-building entryways with Van Kannel Revolving Door Company. The revolving door keeps buildings warm and wind-free, blocks out smells and noise, and moderates air pressure in skyscrapers. The invention is so important it earned Van Kannel a place in the National Inventors Hall of Fame, so clearly it belongs on our list.
Mister Softee ice cream
There’s no debate that Mister Softee is the superior ice cream truck. Just hearing the song brings any Philadelphian an immediate wave of childhood summer nostalgia. That tune, which has serenaded neighborhoods on summer evenings throughout the region for decades, was penned by legendary Philly adman Les Waas.
This family business started in Philly and now operates in 18 states.
Coins from the United States Mint
Maybe the most valuable export out of the city, Philly is one of four production facilities in the country circulating coins. On April 2, 1792, Congress chose Philadelphia to become the site of the first Mint, and the rest is history.
Pencils with attached erasers
Remember showing up to your SAT exam bright and early one Saturday morning in high school with two No. 2 pencils in hand? Future students won’t get to now that the test is going fully digital, but we can still thank Hymen Lipman, a Philadelphia inventor, for the eraser tip to fix your mistakes. The invention was so genius that its patent sold for $100,000, nearly $2,000,000 today.
Philly Pretzel Factory pretzels
Philly is America’s pretzel capital, and the Philly Pretzel Factory is possibly the most famous pretzel spot of all. The original storefront sat on Frankford Avenue, but with more than 145 stores, the twisty company has spread beyond the Keystone State.
For the heartier or more traditional eater, there was always a shopping cart-pushing vendor selling the doughy treats on a street corner or outside the stadiums, until a particularly damning investigative report by the late Herb Denenberg on the lack of hygiene involved in those sales.
Urban Outfitters / Free People clothing
One of the country’s most popular college-aged clothing brands was founded and still has its headquarters in Philly. The first store opened in West Philadelphia in the 1970s after starting as an entrepreneurship class project at the University of Pennsylvania. Fun fact: the retail store originally sold second-hand items and prioritized historical preservation.
Philadelphia Water Ice
As mentioned in the name, the Original Italian Ice was founded in Philly back in the summer of 1988 and continues to operate here. Owners Ronald Kaleck and his son Robert took the cool treat beyond South Philly, allowing the rest of the city to get a taste of some of the best Italian ice.
Slinky
Imagine knocking some samples off a shelf and the drop results into one of the greatest timeless children’s toys. That’s exactly what happened to mechanical engineer Richard James, an engineer at the old Navy shipyard in Port Richmond, Philadelphia in 1943. At the time, he was creating stabilizers for nautical navigation equipment. He showed it to his wife, Betty, and she called it Slinky.
It wasn’t an immediate hit, but it gained fame after Gimbels department store in Philadelphia let them demonstrate the Slinky in the store in 1945.
Lightning rod
We all learned about Ben Franklin’s kite experiment in elementary school. Of course, the historical inventor and Founding Father caught sparks, eventually leading to his invention of the lightning rod.
Candy Corn
Whether you hate it or not, candy corn is a Philly classic. Although there’s no official proof, George Renniger, an employee at Wunderle Candy Company in Philadelphia, was said to be the original creator of the controversial Halloween treat in the 1800s when it was called “Chicken Feed.”
Remember to vote for your favorite cool Philly invention at the PA Chamber’s website, where there is a printable bracket to keep track of your picks. The second round of voting ends this Friday, March 29.
