The Street Glitter Gallery accepted its first bitcoin transaction a few days before Christmas.
The six-month-old boutique on East Girard Avenue is one of a handful of local businesses that accept the digital currency, following a national trend.
Why accept bitcoin?
“Essentially, we did it for the attention,” said co-owner Casey Lynch, who said all three bitcoin transactions she’s done so far have been quick and easy. Bitcoin transactions also don’t require retailers to pay fees, unlike credit card transactions.
Lynch and her co-owner chalk their bitcoin interest up to their friend Jason DiLuzio, who had been encouraging them to accept the currency for months. DiLuzio, who organizes the Bitcoin PHL Meetup, even offered to buy their bitcoins after they made sales.
Lynch said she hasn’t spent or converted the bitcoins the store has earned yet, adding that the value of bitcoins has risen since the initial transations so the store has made a little money. Though the volatility of the new currency is part of the risk.
“We kind of treat it like a savings account,” she said.
Below, find a list of 13 Philly companies that accept the currency. It’s a diverse group: some more ecommerce than anything, others are primarily brick and mortar, like Street Glitter and Sum Pig Food Truck, while others are services. Let us know of any others and we’ll add them.
- Street Glitter Gallery
- Philadelphia Brewing Company (join the Philly Bitcoin Society on a tour of PBC)
- Philadelphia Scooters, plus 10 percent off if you use bitcoin
- East Coast Vapors in Northeast Philly, according to Reddit
- Proper Pool Table / Proper Pool Care in Bucks County
- Sum Pig Food Truck
- Philadelphia Slick, a hip hop band that accepts bitcoin if you want to buy their music or donate
- GearForms, a materials store in Fishtown, according to Coinmap.org
- Pirate Printing Company
- C&E Auto
- Costello Media, a film and video production agency in Roxborough (484-222-0681)
- Wojo Photography, according to Coinmap.org
- Surreal Sound Studios, according to Coinmap.org
- Neomind Labs, a Center City web dev agency
Meanwhile, in Baltimore, at least three businesses, including a bar, accept bitcoin.
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