Recognizing and honoring Sid Booker, by renaming the 4600 block of North Broad Street "Sid Booker Way," to credit the life of the businessman he is today with the legacy that will forever live on.

WHEREAS, As one of the first black families to live in the Tacony section of Northeast Philadelphia in the 1940s, at the young age of 5 Sid Booker would wake up early in the morning to collect bottles in his wagon for money that he would give to his mother to help the family; and

WHEREAS, In his early teens he would clean the Merben and Mayfair movie theaters, then eventually made it to Broad Street where he would remain; and

WHEREAS, After he took over the Uptown as General Manager in his early 20s, Mr. Booker worked with the late Georgie Woods, who was responsible for bringing legendary entertainers to the city such as The Jackson 5, James Brown, Gladys Knight and the Pitts, Marven Gaye and countless others; and

WHEREAS, As the General Manager Mr. Booker ensured the show went on without a hitch, was a stickler for details, and always maintained a professional persona which earned him not only respect from most entertainers but also created life-long friendships with them as well; and

WHEREAS, At the age of 23 Mr. Booker had a keen eye for business and purchased a tavern located on North Broad Street and named it, “Highline” where performers and audiences would head to after show nights; and

WHEREAS, From that very corner Mr. Booker has provided a steppingstone to some of Philadelphia’s legendary musicians and entertainers, such as Kenny Gamble, McFadden & Whitehead, The Stylistics, Teddy Pendergrass, and The Blue Notes to name a few; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Booker changed the name of the tavern to, “Side Booker’s Stinger Lapointe” in the 80s where it would be, “Philly’s home of the birthday parties”, and in the 90s continued to entertain with nights such as, “Thursday’s Gary Shepherd Karaoke Open Mic Night” where personalities like Kevin Hart and Gilly Da Kid came to showcase their talents; and

WHEREAS, The building also houses Sid Booker’s, “Famous Golden Brown Shrimp Corner” which is known throughout the Delaware Valley and beyond; his shrimp has been recognized as the city’s best place to get fried shrimp by

Philadelphia

magazine, and to this day Mr. Booker produces the best quality shrimp possible to his customers; and

WHEREAS, For over the last 55 years at the corner of Broad and Belfield Avenue Mr. Booker’s liquor license has never received a citation or violation warning, and he has built a brand that has turned the corner into one of Philadelphia’s longest-running most recognizable Black owned liquor licensed establishments to date; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Booker’s love for his community has helped him be a great philanthropist, helping out numerous organizations for youth, donating to charter school building funds in the inner city, awarding scholarships to college bound students, and helping out the campaigns of some of Philadelphia’s and Pennsylvania’s most influential politicians; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Booker has aided the former Philadelphia mayor the late James Tate to mayor Jim Kenny and has always been a strong supporter of law enforcement, donating to local police districts when approached for sponsorships in community bookbag drives or Christmas toy drives; and

WHEREAS, Through his works with law enforcement Mr. Booker has forged life-long friendships with a few of Philadelphia’s top cops like retired former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson and former Philadelphia Sheriff Jewell Williams; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Booker, a man of few words said, “(my) mother, she was a great woman who was God-fearing, family loving, and kind-hearted person,” so it is plain to see that those same qualities were instilled in him; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Rename the 4600 block of North Broad Street “Sid Booker Way,” to honor the exemplary life and legacy of Sid Booker.

End