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Maine-based chair maker for Pope Francis returns to Center City

High-end furniture maker Thos. Moser, which made the wooden chairs that Pope Francis used at Independence Hall and Philadelphia International Airport during his visit last year, is returning to Center City.

Furniture maker Thos. Moser is moving back into Philadelphia, at 1605 Walnut St.
Furniture maker Thos. Moser is moving back into Philadelphia, at 1605 Walnut St.Read moreSUZETTE PARMLEY / Staff

High-end furniture maker Thos. Moser, which made the wooden chairs that Pope Francis used at Independence Hall and Philadelphia International Airport during his visit last year, is returning to Center City.

Moser will move into a 2,900-square-foot store at 1605 Walnut St., beside a busy Apple store.

Its lease there extends the corridor's hot streak. Other recent arrivals include eyewear company Warby Parker and New York-based fashion brand Rag & Bone.

Moser plans a soft launch in the first half of August and a grand opening in late September. Warby Parker and Rag & Bone also plan to open this year.

The Maine-based firm specializes in handmade wood furniture, crafted from native American hardwoods. It was formed in 1972 by college professor turned wood craftsman Thomas Moser.

It had a store on Washington Square from 1984 until 1994, and one just off Rittenhouse Square from 1994 until 1997. Since 2011, it has had a location at 625 W. Lancaster Ave. in Wayne, which will close in early August.

"The property [in Wayne] is being repurposed and signed a new tenant in the fall, so we took the opportunity to move to Center City," marketing director Scott Wentzell said Friday. "We're opening a new showroom as a build-to-order company. It takes us about three months to build a piece of furniture."

Moser's main office and workshop is in Auburn, Maine. It employs about 130 people at its seven locations.

Wentzell said returning to the city seemed like a natural. "It's a trend we are seeing in a lot of markets - New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco - where we have stores," he said. "There is a lot of high-end residential construction going on in all these different urban areas, which is well-suited to our business."

Jacob Cooper, managing director of MSC Retail, a retail advisory services firm in Center City that has negotiated several recent deals for Chestnut and Walnut Streets, said Moser's return was another sign of how far Center City has come.

"The retail mix of a city can never truly reflect the authenticity or character of its population, but certainly the infusion of young, exciting brands like Warby Parker, Soul Cycle, Rag & Bone, and Bonobos is a testament to the growth and maturity of the Philadelphia retail scene," he said.

Others moving in include national chains like Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom Rack, and Target Express. "Restaurants of all shapes and sizes continue to proliferate in the city, and now more than ever, we are seeing interest from New York, D.C., and other national restaurant groups."

Wentzell said a combination of where the store is, who its neighbors are, the size of the space, and the cost per square foot "all lined up to be where we needed it to be to move in there."

Chris Shenian of The Shenian Co., of Center City, brokered the deal.

A large Thos. Moser sign that reads "Opening Summer 2016" is displayed on a window.

Last fall, Francis used the Lincoln lectern, made of walnut, at Independence Hall with a new steel brace by Moser. That both gave Francis something to lean on and kept the antique lectern from collapsing during his visit.

sparmley@phillynews.com

215-854-4184 @SuzParmley