On this episode of Iron Sharpens Iron, Leon and De’Wayne sit down with Iris Melendez, owner of Sammy’s Place, a bar located at 5th and Jefferson. Iris shares how she came to be a bar owner in the first place, how she has seen gentrification change her neighborhood, and how she’s navigating those changes. A community organizer at heart, Iris talks about engaging with her community and clientele. Iris Melendez has been the owner of Sammy’s Place at 5th and Jefferson since 1993. Back then, it was an old-school Latino bar, but today it is a lively bar where everyone is welcome, regardless of background or label. Iris sticks to her roots and promotes events via paper fliers in the neighborhood instead of social media, and for certain events, you can expect a whole pig roasting all day out back for everyone to feast on!

Episode transcript available here: https://pacdc.org/2017/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/09_-Iris-Melendez_Transcription.pdf

Producer: Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations, Sound Editor: Andrew Heppard, Cover Art: Jennifer Selpa, Music: Needed You by Will Ellsworth