South Philadelphia Stained Glass, located at 1621 E. Passyunk Ave. in South Philly has been on the Avenue for 27 years. "When I came here there was nothing but one little restaurant across the street."
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
< 2 of 10 >
Manager of South Philadelphia Stained Glass, Frank Sorrentino.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
< 3 of 10 >
One large aspect of the business is in the restoration of existing stained glass. This section is 'well over 100 years old, from 17th Street in South Philly.'
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
< 4 of 10 >
When a custom design is requested, Sorrentino first makes a pattern by tracing a customer's design through clear glass, which is then cut out and used to trace onto the stained glass. This requires him to make each shape twice.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
< 5 of 10 >
There is a large inventory of stained glass panels throughout the South Philadelphia workshop, waiting to be used.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
< 6 of 10 >
Sorrentino scores the stained glass, snapping off most of the excess pieces with his bare hands.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
< 7 of 10 >
According to Sorrentino, he sometimes gets cut, but it didn't seem to be of much concern to him.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
< 8 of 10 >
From there Sorrentino uses a diamond-tipped wet grinder to shape each piece.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
< 9 of 10 >
A customer wearing a Philadelphia Eagles jacket came in to buy his nephew a stained glass version of the team's logo for Christmas.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
< 10 of 10 >
An ongoing restoration of a church window at South Philadelphia Stained Glass.
