Boutique Design - Fall 2023 - 90

COMMUNITY
SPIRIT
EVERET T AB I TBOL AND SHANNON MALDONADO
EVOLVE THE YOWIE RETA IL BRAND INTO HOSP I TAL I T Y
By Katie Kervin
When the YOWIE hotel opened on Philadelphia's iconic South Street, founders
Everett Abitbol and Shannon Maldonado threw a big block party. The move
wasn't about gathering Instagram infl uencers or trendy DJs, rather about
making the community feel included. Getting the 13-room, invisible-service
hotel off the ground was challenging, but YOWIE retail boutique founder
Maldonado (who grew up in South Philadelphia) and local developer Abitbol
felt a connection to the area. In fact, Maldonado's grandmother purchased
her home with the real estate agent whose offi ce had been located on the
ground fl oor of the property, which Abitbol explains " always read as two
separate buildings. You wouldn't think it could support a fl oor plate necessary
for a hotel. " Once he realized they had been joined, creating a building with
four sides of exposure and a unique position as an integrated part of the
streetscape, he knew it was something special. That launch night " felt like a
very big hug from the city, " says Maldonado. " People came from all corners to
be a part of the evening. It was incredible. "
Here, the business partners and 2023 Up-and-Coming Hotelier honorees
detail the ethos they are bringing to their newest endeavor.
You initially partnered on hotel and event spaces the Dye House in Rhode Island
and the Deacon in Philadelphia in 2021, with Shannon designing both properties.
You've continued to work together since. How did the evolution of YOWIE from a
retail store to a hotel come about?
EVERETT ABITBOL: It was COVID therapy, to be honest. Shannon and I were
able to dive into the Dye House during the scariest parts of COVID, and when
we came up for a breath, we were sitting together in Shannon's store on
South Street. It was a really busy time. E-commerce was booming. Shannon's
curation is why I've fallen in love with her work. We were kicking [around] this
idea of expanding YOWIE into hospitality. Shannon writes these little notes
and recommendations, like, 'Where would you recommend someone to stay?'
And the joke in Philly was 'nowhere.' That's how the conversation started, and
we kept coming back to within a couple thousand feet of where Shannon's
[previous YOWIE] store was. Many were looking for us to go to [Philadelphia
neighborhoods] Rittenhouse or Fishtown. But we started on South Street,
and we found our home on South Street. We had the idea that we were the
guestroom to the neighborhood.
SHANNON MALDONADO: I knew there was more for us, but I wasn't sure what
that was. In conversations with Everett, I was reminded that so much of what
we already were doing in the shop was hospitality. We've always been very
connected to our audience. I always wanted to be a part of a hotel. My original
goal was for the Ace or the Standard to fi nd me and make me their gift shop
person. This hotel is a dream realized and, beyond that, feels like a natural
progression. Everett helped me see the bigger picture and have bigger goals
and dreams for the brand. I'm glad we kept going to get there and that I'm
sitting in the building right now as we speak.
Once you found the building, what did you want to create?
SM: It was about the building being beautiful and understated from the
exterior. Once you're inside your room, you have the special experience of
seeing the color, the details, the books, the plants. It feels very cozy and
welcoming. There's a genuine sense of placemaking in our suites. It feels like a
cool apartment, not a normal hotel.
90
FALL 2 0 2 3
YOWIE HOTEL FOUNDERS EVERE TT AB I TBOL AND
SHANNON MALDONADO
AB I TBOL AND MALDONADO WORKED WI TH LOCAL ARCH I TECT S
CANNO DES I GN AND S2 DES I GN TO CONVERT THE SOUTH STREE T
BUILDING INTO THE YOWIE SHOP, HOTEL , AND CAFÉ
Boutique Design - Fall 2023

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