More than a year after a nearby fire took out its storefront, Eye’s Gallery is starting anew, writes Nikki DeMentri for CBS News Philadelphia. 

For more than 50 years, Eye’s Gallery has been a South Street staple.

First opened in 1968, the boutique was sparked by Julia Zagar’s love for Latin American folk art. 

At the time, she noticed a severe lack of Latin influence in the city’s fabric, and was set on adding more.

Zagar, her husband Isaiah, and her team would take trips around the world and bring back pieces to add to the gallery. 

“As Philadelphia became more and more Latin, we began to get more and more intensified in our Latin American pieces that we have here,” said Zagar.

Over time, the city’s Latin population and overall diversity has grown exponentially, and so has the gallery.

When a fire in nearby Jim’s Steaks caused half of Eye’s Gallery to get knocked out, its future was uncertain.

However, the mission was not. 

Thanks to support from the community, the gallery was able to move from 402 South Street to 327 South Street in a smaller, but spacier and better-lit location. 

Learn more about the past and future of Eye’s Gallery at CBS News Philadelphia.

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A Philadelphia icon is back up and running after a devastating fire at Jim’s South Street took out its storefront last summer. Now, Eye’s Gallery is starting a new chapter.