"The fabric stores survived in the Depression.  They worked on a close markup.  I'm not saying they made fortunes, but the stores were busy... People couldn't afford to buy clothes, so they made them.. If you didn't know how to sew, you learned how."
Marvin Gomer
 

"There were always customers on Fourth Street."
 Samuel Goldberg
 

To further promote trade, a business association was established. 

"On August 15, 1933, South Fourth St. Business Merchants gathered together at the Talmud Torah, 314 Catherine Street for the purpose of discussing the possibilities of an Association for our purposes along south Fourth St. in the vicinity of Washington Ave. to South St....
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was resolved that the body of men be known as the South Fourth Street Business Men's Association."
from minutes of the Association, courtesy of the Philadelphia Jewish Archives Center